Tuesday 29 March 2011

I'm so happy and excited

I went to bed a couple of hours ago but just could not sleep as I was bursting with idea’s, I got it into my head that I was gonna get my living room sorted out once and for all, well the whole house to be exact but starting with the living room. Dan has a serious hoarding habit, and because of this we have all kinds of things in our house that he likes to keep just encase.

Well tonight I put my foot down and told him I had no problem with him keeping these things but he needed to move them out to his garage or up in the attic, I didn’t care which he choose I just wanted it all out of the main rooms around the house, and then I started thinking.

Hehe

I have an armchair in the living room which is much more comfortable than the sofa but at present it is kinda shoved over to one side where it doesn’t really get used, so I plan to pull that out into the main area, to have as my comfy, cosy spot, to chill-lax in, and then well just move a few bits and pieces round to make the room more inviting.

On top of that, I am going to clean off some space on my cabinet that is out in the kitchen to put the games and books and things, so the living room is less cluttered, and well just go wild, hehe.

They wont be staying there it’s just a temporary thing until I get some shelving units for our huge hallway, so that I can move them out onto them.

I have not been so excited about this house for a long time, normally I just keep it clean and sigh about all the clutter he insists on keeping, but not anymore, I’m banishing the lot, he has a huge garage he can stick it all in and that’s where it all belongs.

I’m also going to push him to get on with the renovations of this house; because he has so many half started finished projects it’s unreal.

I’ve had a tendency in the past to just let him do what he wants, and not say anything because I wanted a quite life, but no more.

Its time to get this place sorted once and for all because I have had enough lol.

Seriously though I can’t believe I stood up to him, or that he agreed with me, am so happy yippy!!!!!!!

Monday 28 March 2011

lets celebrate good times come on lol.

Woop, Woop, Insane Reno now stands at 60,179 word count, which means I am over my 60 thousand target, and on top of that, Insane Reno is complete, CJ just needs to finished off a little bit of editing, and then it is done, finished, the end. Or maybe the beginning if we get lucky here’s hoping.

I can now focus all my attention on Annie, the sequel to Insane Reno, and I am so excited.

So I have decided to treat you too a sample of Insane Reno in the form of the first chapter enjoy.

Insane Reno

Chapter 1

The car clattered across the cattle grid leading to Davidstow airfield. Over the crashing of metal, I was sure I heard a low moan escape my mother’s lips, and looking at her, I noticed her arms were pulled tightly against her sides. Her palms, which had been resting lightly in her lap, now gripped each other fiercely in a killer embrace.

I watched, as my father’s hand instinctively reached out, coming to rest lightly on her leg and giving it a gentle squeeze, as if to reassure her.

"This will be good for us." He said, his soft hazel eyes gazing at me in the rear view mirror. "A fresh start." He added, when neither my mother nor I responded.

"You could have a horse," he continued, "or a lamb perhaps, like you’re mum used to."

I looked to my mum, but she said nothing, just gazed straight ahead, as if in a trance. I looked down at her hands and saw her nails pressing deeply into her soft porcelain skin.

Then, sensing my father’s eyes watching me, I turned, certain I saw a flicker of concern before he resumed his ramblings.

"That little lamb was pure white. It followed your mother everywhere earning her the nickname, Mary.

We all raised lambs back then of course; had to, because there were always lambs that needed bottle feeding in the spring. For most of us, it was just a job, but your mum had never had a lamb before. She mothered it, and it naturally grew attached to her. What was it called again dear?" He asked.

"Yes! Bumble, that was it." He said, as if mum had offered him the answer.

I turned and gazed out the window, trying to process what was going on. Mum had loved our little cottage in Bude, and I knew she would be upset about leaving it behind. But, this was more than upset, it was as if she were afraid.

Although, dad was trying to be positive and upbeat, as he always was, there was an unmistakable tension about him as well.

All I knew was we were moving to an area where my parents had grown up, on Bodmin moor, to a house that had been left to my mother in her family’s will.

As Crowdy Reservoir passed by, I turned my attention back to mum.

My mum prided herself on her appearance, keeping her chocolate hair up in a neat bun at all times. She wore little make up, but swore by expensive skin creams, and always wore dresses that reached to her knees, or lower. She had dark brown eyes that became almost black when she was angry, and was polite and to the point at all times. In short, we were nothing alike.

Floral dresses where not for me, and if I wore skirts at all, they were above the knee, and as short as I could get away with; shorter, once I was out of mum’s sight. The rest of the time, I preferred hipsters and low cut tops. My hair was long, falling just below my waist, and I loved its natural chocolate colour and waves, which softened my face. My eyes were a soft hazel, inherited from my father, and my figure was a little more rounded than my mother's, no doubt, due to my penchant for chocolate.

If I had to describe my mum in one word, it would be obsessive, because that’s exactly what she was. At least, when it came to being the image of the perfect housewife, and so she baked, grew roses, and to further the image, had a perfect little thatched cottage on the outskirts of town. Naturally, I drove her insane, refusing to be the perfect daughter she longed for, and instead rebelling at every turn.

I turned to look at my father, still chatting away to himself in the front seat. He was the glue that held our family together, the compromiser, the entertainer. He was impulsive, fun, and incredibly supportive. He doted on mum and me, showered us with gifts and surprises, and always did his best to let us know how much he cared about us.

But lately, things had changed between mum and him. Now when mum was angry, his playful affection did not instantly put a smile on her face, but instead, seemed only to anger her further. No longer did they spend hours talking, and sharing the ups and downs of their day. Instead, dad would arrive home to an empty house or just me, mum having found something more important to do.

I watched dad slowly slide into depression, despite the fact that he did his best to hide it from me, while mum silently slipped farther away from us both.

Then dad lost his job. Mum fumed, dad yelled, but the instant they heard my key in the lock they turned their backs on each other. Dad rushed to greet me, while mum did her best to ignore us.

Then, one day I came in and mum was crying, and for once, she did not try to hide it. I assumed the worst, ready to believe they were splitting up. Then dad turned to me and, although there was concern in his eyes, he smiled and said, "We’re selling the house and moving to the moors; I’m going to start my own practice. Your mum’s not very happy about it, but we have no choice, we can’t afford to keep this place. Your mum inherited an old farmhouse with some land and outbuildings up on the moors. We can use the money from the sale of this property to get it fixed up and set up a clinic. I know it will be a big change for you both, but it makes sense." He paused and took a deep breath "Nothing will change, you'll still go to the same school and you’ll still see your friends."

So, here we are, moving to a new home.

My mum is sat in the front, acting like a fruit loop, and my dad is doing his best to act as if everything is fine, which clearly, it isn’t.

I began rummaging through my bag, searching for my I-pod in hopes of tuning them out, when suddenly dad said,

"Well this is it ladies, home sweet home."

I lifted my head and stared at the house, off in the distance. My father turned the car over the cattle grid and down the long drive, while I simply froze in my seat, this was not just any new home, it was Insane Reno.

Well I hoped you enjoyed it, if you have any tips or advice on seeking publication I would be very very glad to hear it. Love and hugs joss xxx

Sunday 27 March 2011

Jumpin' Jitters writing cafe.


We now have an official blog for our Jumpin’ Jitters writers cafe, here you can see what we are up to in world (second life) see the weekly picture prompts, find out about up and coming events and learn more about Jumpin’ Jitters, encase you decide to come and take a look in world.

To take a look at the blog, (currently under construction) you can do so HERE!

here's the slurl to visit us in world, just post it in local chat and click the link for a landmark

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gyachung/47/179/90

The cafe, here you can chat with friends, host poetry readings, and enjoy a virtual bite to eat as well as checking out the weekly picture prompt.

The reading room, curl up with a one of the classic books provided for your entertainment, share your book reviews, read an extract from one of our novelist's books, and watch there word count grow, read some of the poems writen by other jumpin' jitters writers, come along to a book club meet or simply, relax a while.


Jumpin' jitters garden.

come along to our daily writers meet, to work on your latest project, or share ideas and get inspiration, chec out the writen prompt books for ideas or add your own written prompts to enspire others, take part in our write off, share your blogs, get ideas for characters names, share your creative writing or read others.

we're open 24/7 so everyone is welcome round the clock, you can also contact jossie Tyrellium or CJ Tyrellium in world, and arange to host your own event or poetry reading.

and not forgetting the word games provided so you can play your friends in world


Saturday 26 March 2011

late night/ early morning ramblings (if this doesnt send you to sleep nothing will)

I really got into my writing tonight so much so that I looked at my clock at 11pm and shock horror, didn’t look up from my writing until the early hours, gone 2am to be a little more précis.

Anywho, shortly after this a very sleepy Dan wandered down the hall, in his boxers, for the loo. Bless him he looked exhausted, and gazed at me rather perplexed, till he saw word open, on my first chapter of the sequel to Insane Reno titled Annie.

Well I figured seeing as I was up anyway, I’d wait for CJ to get home from work (the joy of different time zones) and show him how much of a busy bee I’ve been, (his editor side all love that) but it’s now 4:30 am and still no sign of him.

I’m in a very playful mood so slightly disappointed by his no show as I could have done with someone to bounce around, and exude some excess energy on. He’ll be relieved he was a no show now lol.

Just realised my phone is saying a different time from my computer, and am now completely confused which is right, as they are different by an hour lol.

Did the clock change, and I just missed it?

I know they have in America but I didn’t think they had in the UK yet. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr don’t you just hate voice mail. Chances are he just got home and forgot to turn his phone on and check his messages.

Anyway enough about that...

A few things have happened lately that have left me thinking about stuff that normally I wouldn’t really think about, in relationships for instance, trust I think is a very important thing, if it’s lacking, is it really possible to make it work.

I have seen a lot of relationships that have gone irreparably south due to lack of trust, sometimes a lack of trust that has arose because of the other person in a relationship and sometimes a lack of trust that has arisen, due to past relationships.

I had things happen in my marriage to Dan a long time ago that shook our relationship a fair amount, and although it was hard to get past it, over time I did manage too and was able to move on, there was the odd occasion when it would pop back up again, but otherwise it has been relatively ok.

The other thing is the whole the grass is always greener on the other side theory. Playing second life you see an awful lot of people who are married having relationships online, some of them have spouses that are aware that they do this, and they say that it is not cheating, because it is simply online and not real.

I find this very hard to understand as I met Dan online, and to me regardless of if a relationship is online or not it is real.

Bare with me I am getting to the point lol.

But coming back around to the grass is always greener theory, I can’t help but wonder if too many people are just bailing out of perfectly good relationships in the belief that a new one will be better, when in reality it just involves a whole new set of problems and maybe a few old one, that just haven’t raised there head yet.

Is it really better to jump ship, and pick up with someone else, or better to stay where you are and work to make things work.

I’m starting to think, personally that maybe it is better to stay where you are, after all there was something there once surely, and at least you truly know where you stand with that person, not to mention the fact that they want you around, trust you and if you’ve been together long enough you know all their little habits good and bad.

I know one thing though; it really hurts if someone accuses you or distrusts you for something you never actually did. It leaves you feeling very confused, afraid and I guess angry and disappointed too.

Wow maybe I’m more tired than I realised I do seem to be rambling an awful lot lol.

I dunno, I guess I just have a lot of thoughts going through my head right now.

Anywho would love your opinions on these topics lol, as always love and hugs joss xxx

dreaming of publication yet petrified.

I know strange title but I am totally and utterly petrified, which I am sure is not a good thing to be when it comes to publication.

I know that this has to be the next step and that in the past I have gotten to the end of a novel panicked about this next step and all it entails and told myself, that I do not need to be published that it does not matter and then gone onto the next step.

But the truth is it does matter, I long to be published, to be a real author, ok so I have had some short stories published, but to have a whole novel published, that would just be the ultimate.

Yet I am so scared of all that that entails. I am not a confident person. Have never been good at standing up in a crowd and speaking, I am to self conscious for that, and here I am faced with another novel to put forward, so many people believing in me, so many people saying they know I can do this, while I quiver with fear.

I want this so badly, it’s all I have dreamed about since I was little, but it petrifies me all at the same time.

No matter how many of my writing tutors tell me how good my writing is, no matter how many people say that they love my writing, I am still afraid that it is not good enough, I know undoubtedly there will be rejections lots and lots of rejections, and I can handle rejection, but success, someone actually wanting my work, now that to me is so amazing, so brilliant, so shocking, so scary, so petrifying.

Yet I have no idea why, I guess a part of me always felt that my dream would never amount to anything and who knows maybe it won’t, I guess only time will tell, so yes, I am longing for publication, but at the same time, I am absolutely petrified at the thought of it.

Love and hugs Jossie xxx