Flushed

If you're in the mood for something short and nasty, try my new story up at 3:am.

And, while we're all here mooching about and pretending to write, tell me if you write short stories. And why. Or, indeed, why not.

Maggie's UK Trip Report

My trip home was indescribably wonderful and rather than clog up the web with duplicate stuff, you can read all about it here:

http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=9280

Competition

A chance remark on another blog has led to my offering a copy of my next book to anyone who can answer a simple(ish) question. Anyone wishing to join in the fun can check out: http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Party!

Instead of regularly clogging up other people's blogs, I decided it was time I had one of my own (see sidebar. Thank you, Tim), and would like to invite you all to a cyber blog-warming party. Please bring your favourite drink, favourite snack and favourite partner (real or fictitious; living or not). And please do come. I don't want to be left all on my own!

Turning Pro

Good plan? Bad plan? I have done it anyway. I have handed in my notice and, from September, writing will be what I do. It would be a much braver move if I were younger or we still had school and university fees to pay. Still, I have to confess to being slightly nervous. At the moment if I have a bad day at the office, I can console myself that I am really a writer. If I’m getting nowhere with my plot I can console myself that I’m really a charity CEO. After September all my eggs will be in one basket. And even after the worst day at the office, at the moment I still get paid for it. Against that I have to ask whether, at the age of twenty, my ambition was to be a charity CEO. Possibly not.

So, wish me luck. I think I’m going to need it. I’ll let you know how it goes. As from September, I’ll have a lot more time to post on this blog ….

Party at Southbank Centre

What an evening I had at the Orange awards party held at Southbank Centre. It was perfect except for one minor detail. Rachel DuPree didn't win the award for new writers. Francesca Kay's An Equal Stillness won, and it is a beautifully written novel. I can't complain about losing to such a fine writer.

Marilynne Robinson's Home won the Orange Prize. I was disappointed Picador's Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman didn't recieve the award. I really love that book.

The Pan Macmillan team rallied behind me, and that made all the difference. It was also nice that David and Daniel from Goldsboro Bookshop were able to be at the party. And what a party. It was lavish and beautiful and the drinks flowed non-stop. No wonder it's considered THE event for the publishing industry.

I appreciate all of your support and good wishes. It's been a blast, and best of all I survived the reading on Monday evening. Now I can simply enjoy my last two days in London and then it's home to hot, humid Houston.

Good luck , Ann!

Just to say good luck for the Orange Prize tonight (hope I've got the date right!) I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

My three favourite books on writing

I just posted a blog entry about my three favourite books on writing. Which three would make your list?