For 2 weeks, all my Athlandia books are on offer through Amazon, while both "Blood & Allegiance" and "The Keystone" remain on offer as ebooks!

posted by Annette V. Hart on November, 29

My books "The Keystone" (Arthurian story for 7-9 year olds) and "Blood and Allegiance" (fantasy adventure for 10-14s) are both now on special offer in ebook format!

posted by Annette V. Hart on September, 11

Finally, I decided I should get on with submitting the 4th book in my Athlandia series to my publishers. (Technically its the 5th book, but that's another story...) Now I just have to wait and see what they say. I think its some of my best writing so far but you never really can tell what others will think.

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 07

My writing seems to flow in cycles: I've faltered in my WW2 story so I have gone back to another story, trying to get it ready for someone else (probably my mother!) I know they seem good at the original time of writing and I still like them but an element of doubt always creeps in... are they good enough? And, of course, it's so difficult to change them, especially if drastic change is needed!

posted by Annette V. Hart on June, 04

I have finally been rumbled at work and my alter-ego as an author uncovered by one of the children I teach, who discovered me on Amazon!

posted by Annette V. Hart on April, 01

I'm so proud of my eldest daughter for giving blood for the first time... And for getting a job and working hard in order to pay for her volunteering trip next summer.

posted by Annette V. Hart on April, 01

We've had an on-going saga (seemingly for months) on my son choosing activities for his Bronze D of E. His physical skill is well under way (rugby) and he's now finally sorted on volunteering but he's still dithering over the skill section. It's not just choosing a skill but sorting an assessor for it! How I wish this was all done!

posted by Annette V. Hart on March, 12

Is it strange that I am enjoying the new series of The Great British Sewing Bee? I suppose it's admiration (probably with a sprinkling of guilt) at what they can do. I can sew a little but haven't done much in ages, and certainly not to their standards!

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 26

I think we've all had enough of the rain now... We were lucky (uphill from the River Mole) but plenty of our friends weren't and had their homes flooded Christmas Eve. Two weeks later and it's still raining here and the river has once again burst its banks, flooding surrounding fields.

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 26

Hooray! I've now finished baking our Xmas cake and this year only the top is over done (polite for burnt.) I think it requires a slight beheading! Never mind - all our dodgy oven's fault - the rest of it is moist and the mixture tasted good. I just need to decide on an icing design.

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 15

I'm in the middle of cooking our Christmas pudding (the kitchen is filled with damp clouds of steam) and I was reminded of this poem I use to teach at this time of year:

Mincemeat
Sing a song of mincemeat,
Currants, raisins, spice,
Apples, sugar, nutmeg,
Everything that's nice,
Stir it with a ladle,
Wish a lovely wish,
Drop it in the middle
Of your well-filled dish,
Stir again for good luck,
Pack it all away
Tied in little jars and pots,
Until Christmas Day.

Elizabeth Gould

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 15

I am finally drawing to the end of my first draft of my newest story. I find the first draft the hardest. The ideas are not the problem, or particular events and characters in the story: it's the writing between I find hard graft and sometimes I struggle to get motivated to work on it.

Now, writing my second draft is fun: a chance to change and build on what I have already done, adding in and expanding events and characters. Can't wit for that!

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 16

For the first time in what seems like ages, I have 2 fairly free days so I am going to treat myself. I am going to ignore the housework (I can perhaps bribe the children to do a little for pocket money) and spend the time writing instead. I need the uninterrupted time to get back into my characters and the flow of my story.

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 24

I have recently been teaching elements of creative writing (the day job) and it has made me doubt my own writing, whether I'm doing it 'properly.' I just have to remind myself that what is 'right' changes over time, even grammar, and have belief in what I have produced so far.

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 15

My children are revving up for Hallowe'en, looking out costumes and ideas for food, but I just can't quite get into the spirit of things (!) What I really want to do is to go for an autumnal walk somewhere with beautiful multi-coloured trees mirrored in the surface of deep, black water.

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 12

I can't believe that not only did we go for a walk in the rain but that we persuaded 2 of our children to come too! We ended up soaked after our walk through the woods (and puddles) on Box Hill but the hot chocolate at the cafe afterwards made the effort all worth while!

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 24

I wish I could just spend all my time at home writing or drawing. Unfortunately, the little matter of earning my keep is getting in the way. I'm actually having to teach! And then there's the secondary problem of house work - even I can't let the fluff, cat hair, dead spiders and clumps of mud (thanks, boys!) pile up. And bribery doesn't seem to be winning me much help. When can I write?!!!

posted by Annette V. Hart on February, 24

As well as listening to speeches and music from the war, watching films and pouring over photographs, I've now given myself an authentic haircut. Fed-up with my longer hair in some muggy weather, I suddenly decided to cut it off in a D.I.Y. 'bob'!

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 22

Just returned from a lovely day out on Epsom Downs for the Derby. Picked a few winners - and 'also ran's - so came back with the money I left with (success!) and sunburn. How is it that I'm the only one who did? We had fun people watching, although I don't know if my sister enjoyed it quite as much on the hill with us rabble than in the Queen's Stand where she normally goes! Hope she joins us again next year...

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 26

Finally getting back into a writing routine and, more importantly, I am getting flashes of inspiration again. It's a buzz when those ideas seep, or flood, into my brain!

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 27

I'm getting writing again and am finding it helps to keep in mind one of my lead characters - a handsome, young RN officer!

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 28

I so want to get my WW2 story finished (it seems the right time for it) that I have lost the pleasure in actually writing it. And, therefore, it's not getting done.

It took my husband to point this out!

So, I'm trying to relax about my writing, busy doing other things (like re-writing my lost story!), writing just for me, and the enjoyment is coming back.

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 30

I got very excited today when I realised that the bird perched on our castle treehouse was a sparrowhawk. I ignored the fact that it probably wanted to eat the sparrows at my bird table!

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 29

I faced a disaster this week. I needed to check a detail I had put in a story I had started but not finished... but could not find the manuscript! I have looked through every piece of paper, every nook and cranny twice and still can't find it. Even worse, I had started typing it up onto computer but only got to page 11! I now have to face rewriting it completely while knowing I had some good scenes in there.

My only, feint, hope is that I took it to my mum's to work on and left it there - but I can't check until she gets home from New Zealand!

The thought of all that work done for nothing...

posted by Annette V. Hart on August, 19

I haven't written at all over Christmas, and a couple of weeks before, and have lost the thread/oomph for my new story. I needed to get back into the writing habit before starting work on it again so I decided to read through, adding and changing as I go, an older story. It's actually another of my Athlandia series - one I like but can't decide if it quite works or not. I will have to be brave and put it to the public test with family and friends!

posted by Annette V Hart on January, 22