Tag Archives: update

Dec 26 2023

Another year… gone

So I managed a grand total of two blog posts this year… wow. I wanted to recap the year to prove that I wasn’t just lazing about, but it’s been such a crazy year, this may take me a while!

I miss the days when I blogged regularly, and it was a diary of sorts. I could check when I released books or attended events. But ah well!

So the highlight reel of 2023-

I moved from my studio into a new shop unit in Bastion Mews, where from July to Christmas, I ran Wish You Were Here, Letterpress Studio & Lifestyle Store. I ran workshops and sold handmade crafts as well as my cards and prints. It was a massive learning curve, and after six months, I hadn’t had any people wanting to print on a regular basis and share the space, and I couldn’t keep it up on my own, so I decided not to renew my lease, and put everything in storage.

I finished writing The Magical Dragon Mirror and released it in July, with the official release taking place at the Legendary Llangollen Faery Festival in August.

I got the rights to Where’s My F**king Unicorn? Back from the publishers, and released Finding My F**king Unicorn: The Workbook.

I published a few more books for other authors, including Waves of Stardust by Elizabeth Lockwood, Flower Pots & Jam Jars by Rowan James, Saviour of Angels by K.E. Riley, Lost London 2 by Vic Keegan, and Behind Door B by Julie Askew.

I made a lot of pants, in a variety of mad fabrics! I also made some leggings and sweatshirts, and hope to make lots more.

I attended many markets, print fairs, craft fairs and wayzgooses selling my wares, and had a fabulous time! Particularly loved the monthly market at the Fold in Bransford.

I helped to organise and run the Harry Potter experience at Hereford Cathedral for the official Harry Potter book night. Had a lil too much fun battling Snape!

I made lots of creatures, some knitted, some sewn, some crocheted. You could say it was the year of the creature making for me! I made 9 crocheted whales, two crocheted triceratops, several knitted frogs, and many felt animals. My own bears (designed and hand stitched by me) started selling really well in my shop, so I even started making them again too. I also made a ton of pumpkins and also crocheted a cardigan and a jumper!

In January, I became the editor of Small Printer, which is the magazine for the British Printing Society. My amazing team and I have produced 6 issues, and have received many compliments! It has been quite a task, fitting in the voluntary work around trying to earn a living, but it has been fun!

And finally, with the help of Lucja Fratczak-Kay, my amazing friend and fabulous artist, I designed a witchy bullet journal, which only went live on xmas eve, so if you like bujos, have adhd and are witchy, go grab a copy! (Bujo of Shadows)

I also got to spend time with my favourite people, and favourite doggo, though probably not nearly enough time.

I have many plans for 2024, hope to share them with you on here soon!

Merry Christmas!

A quick edit to add that I also helped to plant, weed, and water our veggie garden this year, where we successfully grew lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, beetroot, beans, kale, radishes and potatoes! Pulling up potatoes was an excellent dopamine hit!

Aug 21 2013

Brief Update

Just wanted to write a short post to explain my lack of quote pictures, oracle readings (though I did a longer one to make up for it the other day, you can check it out here!) and blog posts.

There are two major demands on my time at the moment – my work and house renovations. I have been at my desk every day, working, and then sometimes painting floors and walls until 2am. It’s all going in the right direction, and I am certainly not complaining that I have so much work at the moment! When I decided to do the publishing work full-time, I had no idea it would get this crazy this fast! One of the authors I’m working with has just published his book, Alchemy of Age, and it is now available on Amazon. And another author I am working with is about to release his book in the next couple of weeks, we’re just making the final adjustments! I will post more information on that book soon.

So please be patient with me, I am also working on my new book, and I will get it out into the world as soon as it is ready. Have been working on getting the new covers ready too, there have been a couple of technical hitches on that front which has slowed the process down.

In other news, there had been a journal entry on one of the copies of The Doorway to PAM on bookcrossing.com, you can view it here. The person who caught it and read it gave it 8 out of 10 stars. Pretty good I think!

I also joined Flickr, out of curiosity as well because someone said I should check it out. So I uploaded some of my quote photos on there, but I have absolutely no idea what I am supposed to do now! Any suggestions are welcome.

When things start to overwhelm me, I remind myself of this:

quote

Aug 22 2012

Camping Update!

The first draft is done! I have my new novel! Well, sort of. The word count is far short of the 50,000 target, so I am now doing what I hate doing – I’m going back through it and adding to it. Admittedly, there are plenty of scenes that need more detail, back before I had my breakthrough, I skimmed over details because I wasn’t sure what to write. But still, I’m not sure it’ll be enough. So I am now considering an extra thread to the story. What it will be, I’m not sure, but hopefully something will come to me!

So there you have it, an update of sorts, sorry for the rambling nature of it. One thing is clear though – there will be a book called The Elphite, and it will be released for your consumption in December this year. And my fingers are crossed that you like it!

Aug 15 2012

The breakthrough we have all been waiting for!

Well, the breakthrough I have been desperate for, at least! I have been so very behind on my wordcount all month, dragging my heels because my initial story idea only lasted the first few chapters, then I was adrift in the sea of uncertainty.

I know I always write this way – with no plot or guide map, but I still get slightly unnerved when I have thousands of words left to write, and I don’t know what any of them will be.

But today, after pushing myself to write another 2500 words, to help my flagging wordcount, I had come to a standstill. So I figured I may as well make dinner and chill out for the evening. Until I suddenly realise I’m supposed to be somewhere in twenty minutes. In the hurry to get ready and go, just as I am about to leave, the flash of inspiration comes zooming into my head, and as I close the door, I recognise it for the genius that it is!

So I now know, where this story is going, and it’s perfect, even if I did not see it coming, at all. I hope I can do the idea justice, I guess I will leave my readers to judge that one.

All I need to do now is to fill in the rest of the story to that point that I imagined earlier.

Easy!