Swanky new website (fnar, fnar)...

Oh yes.

I am now the proud webmaster (?!) of my very own swanky writer's website!

Holds up hands to quieten thunderous applause... Why, thank you, thank you. You're too kind...

After several dead-ends and false starts trying to get my work out there (wherever 'there' is...), I finally decided to put my own site together so that I could have an outlet for my writing. Whether or not anyone actually visits it is another thing, but at least I know it's there.

I've called it Coffee & Roses , like this very blog - not because it's going to usurp this one but rather that coffee and roses sums me up quite nicely. So feel free to pop along and have a leisurely stroll through its pages - and let me know what you think!

You can find my site at: www.miranda-dickinson.com

Also, if you have a site, blog, or similar online thingy that you would like me to plug on my site, just ask nicely and I'll see what I can do. Blatant bribes in the form of chocolate or coconut mushrooms will be considered but never officially condoned...

Old mail and new beginnings...

Something odd just happened...

I was checking my emails (as you do) and realised I had a whole folder of stuff I'd kept from an old boyfriend. I don't know why I'd kept it - I can't remember the last time I even looked at it and, seeing as I was unceremoniously dumped by him over two years ago, there's absolutely no reason I'd want to revisit my past.

That was why it was so strange to find the folder - and realise how much I've moved on since that time.

It was odd to think that I had ever been (a) as naiive as I was; and (b) as completely desperate as I was with him. The poor guy probably didn't know what hit him when I fell for him as hard as I did. Having said that, it wasn't all one-sided; what began as an online correspondance quickly turned into this web of words that caught both of us up in its potency, I think. It's odd how you can feel you know someone through emails and phone calls so quickly - when if you were meeting face to face you would naturally take a lot longer to get to know each other. One minute we were sharing jokes about awful chick-flicks and Ninja Grannies (yep, this was where the genre of geriatric warrior originated) and the next he was declaring undying love for me and I was spending hours at my laptop waiting for him to message me.

Ugh... When I look back on it now, I feel so completely embarassed by the whole thing. It would have been so much better if we had just remained jokey pen-pals and never let our hearts run away with ridiculous romantic notions. I lost a friend because it all got out of hand and it's a shame...

They say you learn from your mistakes; in my case this was definitely true. After this guy I met the gorgeous Bob and took my time getting to know him. I was so scared of being that bunny-boiling FREAK which I'd turned into before that I got a grip of myself and didn't entertain crazy notions beyond what we were capable of. That's why it's working and I'm not panicking about the future.

So, if the email guy in question should happen upon my blog - I'm sorry. I wish you'd just stayed my friend and I wish I hadn't reacted the way I did. Hopefully, lessons learned and all that should count for something...

The National Year of Reading

Did you know that 2008 has been designated The National Year of Reading?

You can read more about it in my latest article for MyVillage.com, at: http://www.myvillage.com/london/fe-community_year-of-reading.htm

There will be activities and events across the country and they want YOU to be a part of it! :o)

p.s. Editing of the Mystical Wombat is going great - two chapters complete!

Now the hard work begins...

It's time. I can put it off no longer. The Wombat must be edited!

You may remember that I completed my NaNoWriMo novel, The Mystical Wombat's Guide to Life , last November and now, after a couple of months' rest, I have to begin the daunting task of editing it!

I printed it out last night (all 193 pages, much to my poor printer's chagrin) and tonight the task begins. I have my crack proofreading team - Mum, the lovely Bob and best mate Helen - all lined up, prepped and ready. So, one chapter at a time, here I go!

It's scary and it's going to be a lot of hard work, but it's going to be worth it. And, it might just change my life!

Bearing in mind that I will, once again, be entering the organised chaos that is novel writing, any messages of hope, inspiration or offers of chocolate will be gratefully received! The plan is to podcast the chapters as I go, so watch out for news on that very soon.

So... takes large breath, rolls up sleeves and adopts stern, determined expression here goes...

Sometimes you need to sit up and take notice...

A friend on My Writers Circle posted this video about the plight of Orangutans in Borneo.

It just made me sit up and take notice. Sometimes mankind needs to understand what we are doing to our world. There's such a delicate balance in nature, yet our greed and desire for development often ignores this, arrogantly intent on getting what mankind wants, no matter what cost.

Please take a few minutes to watch this. Sorry for the preach, but sometimes we need to sit up and take notice. Thanks for watching.

The Notorious Cinnamon Kid Raid!!

As you know, I adore words - which is handy, if you're a writer!

But I have to say that crosswords don't thrill me - unless they're someone else's, in which case I rock ... In fact, word games of all descriptions frustrate me and I'm rubbish at scrabble.

But I have finally found a word game that's amusing - anagrams!

On a random anagram generator I found recently, my name becomes Cinnamon Kid Raid - which I like very much! It sounds like a notorious Wild West happening... Maybe the Cinnamon Kid was so named for her raids on unsuspecting Coffee Houses of the Old West. She'd mosey into town, order a Cinnamon Latté and terrorise the store owners until they surrendered all their finest cakes and pastries. The only clue she'd ever leave behind would be a trail of cinnamon powder, as she rode into the sunset.

So, forget the Milky Bar Kid and Billy the Kid - there's a new Kid in town. Hold onto your pastries, Mother, the Cinnamon Kid's a'coming on a Raid!

Job hunting... HELP!!

Well, it's THAT time again...

The debts are mounting and it's time to find another job... **grimaces**

It is, quite possibly, THE most scary thing right now as I'm aware I could end up absolutely anywhere and I've just got myself comfy in my current job. But the bank won't be too impressed if I carry on losing money, so it's off to the job centre I go...

My CV is sparkly new, I have an impressive new portfolio of stuff - now all I need is someone to give me a better paid job... So, if you know someone who is looking for a creative Copywriter with over seven years' experience, or you're a publisher looking for the next writing sensation, PLEASE get in touch!!

Well, it's worth a try, isn't it?! :o)