Fantasy Faction

Good Lord, where does the time go?!

I can’t believe that my last post was a somewhat hurried Christmas card and now, here we are, beyond the Ides of March. I survived by the way, how did you get on? Good, glad to hear it!

Well, I’m fast approaching the six month mark at my new job and I still pinch myself when I think about it. It’s a great company with a truly forward thinking approach to the things that matter most and I feel privileged to be a part of it. Kind of makes the uphill struggle to get that degree and all the other stuff really worth it doesn’t it?

Get Writing was simply amazing. We had a few little hairy moments, with people struggling in the snow, technical glitches and the need to swap things around once or twice but all in all it was a fantastic day. I’ve had some incredible feedback (even calls of ‘It was the best yet!) and it looks like I’ll be doing it all over again. Course what I need now is the biggest name I can find for a star turn but heck, it’s nearly a year away, right?

But what about my writing? Well, it’s happening. I’ve had a short story accepted for the Cities of Death anthology (although I’m waiting for the email that says they found something better… confidence? What’s that?) I’m also working on a couple of short stories to sub to some other anthologies, I just need a little more spare time. Gah!

The really exciting thing though, is that whilst Libertine is still very dear to my heart, the back burner novel is now very much on the front burner. Oh it’s a stonker of a tale with Steampunk very much at its heart. The lead is a feisty lady, who is about to discover that she’s not quite the Lady she thought she was. Meet Lady Elizabeth Silverwood – the same name as my steampunk character but very different. For a start she’s very dainty and ladylike, prim and proper in every sense of the word. That is, until Lord Erasmus Silverwood and his friend Mr Darwin go missing. It’s down to our Lady to find them and trust me there will be many a buckle swashed, one or two bucca’s neered and it won’t just be Elizabeth that discovers a whole other side to her nature.

The world will be changed with the snip of a thread as we sail through skies and seas in search of truth and learn that evolution wasn’t all that was discovered on the Galapagos Islands.

I’m excited, but then, I know what’s coming don’t I?

All change

I’ve just realised how exciting my life is right now.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I forgot what’s going on but somehow, with my head in a whirl I just couldn’t quite find the space to get excited. Heck the nerves haven’t even kicked in yet.

You see, the thing is, suddenly everything is different.

For one thing, my writing life is just awesome, considering I’m not yet published in the traditional sense. I love writing for Fantasy Faction and I am stoked with the programme we have created for Get Writing 2012.

But that is not all. Oh no!

Whilst I’ve been working on all of that I’ve also been drafting CV after CV, specific ones for every job I wanted to apply for. At first it seemed that I wasn’t getting anywhere but then I am a firm believer in that saying that when it’s meant to be, it will be.

To cut a long story short I have found a fantastic job with Southern Rail. It will be a challenge, taking my environmental career to the next level but I’m excited about it, looking forward to all the new experiences I’m about to have.

I’ll also be moving home, leaving my beloved Hertfordshire behind and discovering the delights of the West Sussex countryside. Morpheus my gorgeous little black cat will be shaken for a little while, it’s a big move for a little cat but in the end, I think he’ll be happy.

I’m taking the opportunity to make some sustainable choices too. I’ll be travelling to work by rail, slashing my car use, plus I’ll be sharing a house with my newly retired mum. Sure that’s going to be a challenge after years of doing whatever I want but it has it’s advantages. Not only will it be cheaper running one house instead of two flats but it also reduces our various footprints. I’m hoping to start a new personal project (more on that soon) and also, I’ll have the freedom to spend time writing, travel a bit and more knowing that my little cat will always have someone home for him.

Of course, big changes like this mean lots of goodbyes too. I’ve met some amazing people through my work at Dorma, my membership of Verulam Writers’ Circle, East Herts Fantasy Writers, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, Badger and Bat Groups, Stevenage Council’s Tree Warden Scheme… so many friends and so little time to say goodbye to them all. So I’m not saying goodbye. These days contact is so easy with facebook, twitter, email, post, phone, travel all available. I will see everyone again, not as often as I wish I could but I am not losing friends, I’m gaining new ones. If I haven’t been able to get in touch yet, know that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking of you, I am well aware of the impact you’ve all had on my life and for that I thank you.

I’m writing this sitting on the train on my way to Fantasycon where I’m meeting up with people I know, people I’ve met once or twice and people I’ve only met online, just another branch of my life these days.

My future is open to offers. Seriously, how much more exciting can life get?

Cultivating Confidence

Contrary to popular belief I am not a naturally confident person. It’s taken a lot of effort to build up to change myself from a girl who spent all her time wondering what people thought of her to someone who is able to believe in what I can do.

Back in May 2009 I had my first article published in The View From Here. By now lot’s of people have read it, or heard it as it has also appeared in the Verulam Writers’ Circle anthology ‘The Archangel and the White Hart‘. A few weeks ago we had the launch party and I read it out.

As I read it occurred to me that when I wrote the article I could barely read to the circle in private for critique, let alone to perform to an audience. I grinned as I reached the sentence stating that I had just submitted my first short story. That story went to The People’s Friend and was accepted and has since been published. Imagine how I felt when the readings were done and people started coming up to me to congratulate me on the piece and to tell me that they had been inspired by it. Inspired by little old me.

I’ve been working hard on organising Get Writing 2012 and sometimes you get lost in the thick of things. There are also some huge changes coming up in my personal and work lives and you just forget to stop and appreciate where you’ve got to. So let’s have a little look.

This year I joined the staff of Fantasy Faction and took over as GW12 co-ordinator. I’ve written articles and blog posts, including my first guest blog on Steve Lockley’s Confessions of a Technophobe and even hosted a guest blog from the incredibly talented Jonathan Pinnock of ‘Mrs Darcy Versus the Aliens‘ fame. I feel like I have started to become ‘someone’ in writing.

But, something was missing. I was always using my Libertine picture as my Avatar and never used my own image. I still do use her because now she is out there and recognised. I couldn’t quite allow myself to look at a photo of me and like it. No matter how many people said how ‘nice’ any picture of me was, (you know the phrase “Ooh, that’s a NICE one of you!”), I could not see it. As a result I hide photos on facebook, have very few at home and generally avoid the stare of a lens.

I knew this would have to change. How many people in the digital age manage to be successful and anonymous? Well, I guess there’s Banksy but then his art speaks for itself. Mine doesn’t yet…

So I figured I need to get some photos sorted.

About the time I came to this conclusion I found out that Paul Simister was setting up as a professional photographer. He was starting to take some shots of friends to build up his portfolio and that included some fantastic black and white shots of a DJ which really caught my eye.

I talked to Paul and told him how I felt about posing for photographers but somehow he convinced me that this time would be different. I decided that if I was going to do this, it would be good to have some fun with it.

We did a few black and white ‘serious’ shots, in less than half an hour I’d relaxed a little and Paul managed to capture several that I was satisfied with. Then it was time to play.

One of the books I’m working on is a steampunk novel. I love the genre, there are some fantastic novels out there, the community and fashions are thriving and some of the art is just mindblowing.

My main character, Lady Elizabeth Silverwood is a staunch, strong-willed woman with an ordered world that is turned upside down. I created an outfit which represents who she is when we first meet her. The costume is starting to evolve with the character as she journeys into a dark world where murder is currency and heroes become villains. You could argue that she was doing the posing, not me. To be fair I wouldn’t argue back.

Either way, the results speak for themselves. Paul taught me how to relax and pose in front of the camera. We had a great afternoon wandering around in a local woodland, working with different locations, waiting for the light to change and the sky to present the perfect backdrop. Sure, there were moments when I wondered what the Hell I was doing there but Paul made it fun and who was I to question when he told me to look up,  turn to the side, move an arm here or there…

Believe me when I say, this is a guy that is going places. Check out his website, I’m sure you can guess which ones are me, I hope you enjoy them. When you’re done with those, look around at the others, portraits, corporate, construction, wildlife – in Paul’s hands everything is beautiful.

Pride and… well, me actually.

When I first took on the challenge of organising Get Writing 2012 I had no idea where it would take me. Well, I’ve already met some amazing people and launch date is looming ever closer, so I’m going to start blogging about some of our guests from my personal perspective.

And what better place to start than with Stephen King’s UK editor. Below is a message from Philippa Pride but first, let me tell you a tale of just how lovely she is.

Warning, I made an idiot of myself. Again!

It was at the York Festival of Writing, and we were just meeting up for the Gala dinner on Saturday evening. I was almost ready to go when the zip on my dress got stuck. I mean, really, what’s the worst that can happen when you are staying somewhere on your own…

Well, I’d arranged to meet my friends Susan Franklin and Lesley Eames outside the accommodation so thought, “It’s fine, they’ll help me fix it”. So I peeked outside and, true to form, I was confronted with a gathering! Now, don’t get me wrong, they were all people I was pleased to see, but maybe when my zip was functioning…

Susan and Philippa dashed to the rescue, bundled me back inside and a battle ensued. The zip was caught on a seam, it was fixed and all was well. Pride intact? Well, not mine but I’m kind of used to that!

ANYWAY!!! I digress. A course with Philippa would be money well spent, of that I am absolutely certain so please do check this out, it’s booking fast, just three weeks away:

Dear Friends of Sandra

Would you or any of your friends or clients like to come to France this September?  We are gathering at a gorgeous farmhouse in the Dordogne from 10-15 September for the next Book Doctor writing course.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to free your creativity, start or continue your book and gather some insider tips for getting it published.

For more information, contact me at philippapride@yahoo.co.uk and click on the animated gif below to go through to my website www.thebookdoctor.co.uk and on the YouTube to see a short video with me;  I’m a certified NLP Coach and Stephen King’s British editor.

There are just three rooms left now.

With best wishes from Philippa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qawl8evdIT4

For some background, this is her biog for Get Writing:

Philippa is a writing coach, publishing consultant and book editor and runs workshops in which she combines inspirational exercises for freeing creativity with the nuts and bolts of getting published.  A former commissioning editor with a major publishing house, PHILIPPA PRIDE has worked with some of the most successful writers today, including world superseller Stephen King who knows of  ‘no-one in the writing and publishing business who is better equipped to talk about and teach the art and craft of writing’.

Described by Hodder’s MD as ‘a talented spotter of new fiction, a creative editor and a terrific champion of her authors’, Philippa continues her connection with Hodder & Stoughton as Stephen King’s British editor and has branched out into coaching; she is a certified NLP Master Practitioner and NLP Coach.

I can assure you that Philippa is the most genuine lady, totally encouraging and supportive and truly inspiring. I’m hoping to book up for the next course, which will be after GW. And, of course, if you can get to the UK on February 11th 2012, she will be running a workshop for us and taking some One to Ones – not to be missed!

Confessions of a technophobe

Confessions of a technophobe.

Here is my guest blog as part of Steve Lockley’s Open House.

I am feeling rather humbled as the guests so far have been extensively published, incredibly talented people. I, on the other hand, am still finding my place…

A fresh start

Hi,

I’m starting over with the whole ‘blogging’ thing. I have a blog set up on my website, www.sandranorval.co.uk which for various reasons wasn’t really working out. I had formatting problems and linking problems so it just wasn’t doing the things I wanted it to do. To cut a long story short I decided it was time to make a fresh start.

I have a number of things going on that I’d like to be able to blog about, mostly centred around my writing.

First of all, and probably most important to me personally is my novel ‘Libertine’. There’s around thirty people out there, from a range of ages and backgrounds who have read the first thirty chapters now and it’s going down very well. The feedback has shown that people are interested enough to care that it works and whilst I still have a way to go, I believe in the world and my characters. So the first tag will be Libertine.

I am also thoroughly enjoying writing monthly articles for Fantasy Faction and have received some wonderful feedback from those too. The series is call ‘Path to Publication’ and is about my journey up Mount Publication as a learning layman. I am working hard to meet as many people in the business for other projects and at the same time learning everything I can to give my novel the best chance. Two articles in the series have been published so far ‘Who is Sandra Norval?’ and ‘Killing Mary Sue’. While you’re there, check out the other articles and the forum, if you like it (and what’s not to like?!) then join, it’s growing fast and is becoming the place to interact with people who love fantasy and all it’s sub-genres including the magicians that create the books we love to read and the films and series we love to watch. Oh, not to mention the games, graphic novels, RPGs… Anyway, the tag will be Fantasy Faction.

I also plan to start writing more in the environmental field. I am now working in Environmental Management and am working on a non-fiction project ‘Trees are for Life, not just for Carbon‘ which aims to demistify biodiversity. This will be published on line as it progresses as it’s more about helping people to see how important the subject is than about my ego. (Of course if someone wants to publish it…) The tags for this will be Environment and Trees are for Life.

I will also continue with my twitter game #Fantasyfilmsoundtrack which I occasionally post to my @enterthetwixt twitter account. I have been posting many of these on Musicbrick which is a fantastic site where you can talk about any song that meant something to you so I’ll link it here and then on twitter purely as a bit of fun and a way of finding new music, I hope! The tag will be Fantasy Film Soundtrack.

I’m sure there will be many more tags as time goes on but this is just the start. I hope that this blog will be the link between the many things I have become involved with and will aim to blog at least every other Sunday.

I will post links to each blog on twitter and facebook so, friend me, follow me, interact with me!

@sandranorval, @enterthetwixt, @treesareforlife