Book of the Month: Christmas Fairytales by Nora Roberts

Deck the halls with bows of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la .... So I'm in the spirit of the season... It's Christmas and I usually love Christmas. I'm not a crazy loon who decorates every square inch of my house inside and out... in fact, for the last couple of years ... I've kind of lost the Christmas feeling and I haven't decorated at all ... (shush... don't tell anyone). This year we've plans to actually redecorate the living room so the Christmas tree and the decorations are remaining in the attic until we're finished... but they WILL go up before Christmas eve.

I was given a little extra help this year by Christmas Fairytales from Nora Roberts. Its three classic love stories rolled into one feature length novel and is part of the MacGregor Series. I particularly like the fact that I haven't read a single novel from the MacGregor Series and I didn't need to.

Christmas Fairytales: The Basics - Daniel MacGregor is the conniving and interfering, yet loving, head of the MacGregor family who wants to see his granddaughters Laura, Gwen, and Julia settled down, married and providing his wife (actually himself) with great grandchildren. So he finds them the ideal man and schemes to get them to fall in love.

Three nice stories:

a little humour, a little heartache

but I found the stories lacking in someway.

In both Laura's and Gwen's stories lacked the firework show at the end, the story ran along pleasantly and they all lived happily ever after with no real threat or danager, just the ambigouity of a general 'he loves me? he loves me not?'. In Julia's story, I put the book down twenty pages from the end and was in no hurry to pick it back up again. However, I connected with the characters, they were three unique heroines with three equally unique heros each one of them struggling to come to terms with falling in love and everything that entails and the story lines moved a long nicely.

Sitting on the fence with a non committal 3/5.

I enjoy her writing style, so I have decided to go on a quest to find a Nora Roberts novel that truly captivates me 100%. Any recommendations?

Erin

Read the poem Fighting A Losing Battle and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Reviews you may have missed

Cocktails For Three - Sophie Kinsella writing as Madeline Wickham
Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
Nora Roberts - Risky Business

Have You Seen My Christmas Tree?

My beloved little angels, niece and twin nephews, had a decorate a christmas cake competition this year. It was for a fundraising event that got cancelled in the recent really bad weather. But the cakes were all sold and this is their entry.

Erin

Read the poem Fighting A Losing Battle and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

And They Wonder Why I Want to Write? - Burrrrr!

So here in the UK, where experience yet another really poor winter. Last year's winter was really bad with tempretures plummeting around the country for weeks on end. This year they're predicting the same. This snow is just going to keep coming.

So let me tell you a little bit more about how inconvenient this bout of snow is.

Remember how I had a cake to make and get to school for my niece and nephews? Well, I was called into work early because the buses were stopping running due to the ridiculous conditions. Traffic had come to a complete standstill and taxi services had completely stopped operating. I don't blame them. But I had to walk 2 mile in calf high snow that was only getting deeper to school carrying a cake then a further mile to work. And they closed the school on the day of the fair!

And they wonder why I'd rather be a writer, so I can work in my toasty warm home office and choose when I want to experience this weather. My God! My hair was frozen by the time I got to work it was that bloody freezing out there... Burrr!

Erin

A Review of Nanowrimo 2010

My followers told me about NaNoWriMo in 2009. Its 30 days and 30 nights of literary abandonment. Anything goes as long as you hit a target of 50,000 words. Last years event bore the fruits of Devine Intervention, which has now developed in the last twelve months into a series. If I thought achieving this goal with a temporary promotion, additional responsibilities and very sick grandmother was easy in 2009 then surely 2010 was going to be a walk in the park. 

Far from it. 2010's attempt at National Novel Writing Month hadn't even entered my head until the middle of October. I'd finished my redraft of Life's A Ball? and listening to a line in I think it was a Saturdays song and suddenly I had an idea for a character who worked the night shift and All Night Long was born. But I was days away from flying to Cuba and had decided to leave my netbook at home just incase I had any problems with the Cuban authorities.

I began All Night Long with nothing more than an idea for a character who worked the night shift in an airport bookstore and she was going to fall for a customer. Last year I learned that Freemind is the essential planning tool for something as crazy as writing a novel in 30 days. The month started well, I was fully rested from the holiday and had evening and weekends to myself I was well ahead of scheduled. But as we went into the second week I began working shifts and then suffered a migraines. Suddenly I was struggling to hit my daily target. The migraine set me back not only in terms of nanowrimo but also I don't get sick pay, and my performance against my targets are affected. I needed to put in the extra hours to catch up at work, earn back the loss of income... nano was becoming lower and lower on the list. by day 29 I'd suffered a second migraine and was 5,000 words off target. That's when I remembered I'd promised my niece and nephews a cake for their school fair.

Day 30, I'm up and I'm writing, a cool 2,000 words before I head to work for a 9pm finish, the first part of my lunch break was spent heading to the buy the ingrediants for both a christmas cake and a sponge cake. I still have know idea what I'm going to do until I'm standing at the cake and nut supplier in the market. That's when it hit me. I'm going to make a Christmas Tree. I get home at 9:10pm whip together the fruit cake ingrediants and almost die when I see it takes 4hours to cook. By now I have just over two and half hours to write 3,000 words. I've done it before I tell myself. 11:55pm: I update my status on the Nanowrimo website. My breath catches as I await the word calculator: I sigh with relief 50,033 words. But there's now rest for the wicked.... I've a sponge cake to bake, decorate and get to school by 12:00 noon tomorrow.

I got less than 5 hours sleep that night but I loved it! Bring on Nanowrimo 2011

Erin

Read the poem Fighting A Losing Battle and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Book of the Month: Cocktails for Three by Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham

Well, here's another author who never really appealed to me, but the world went Shopaholic crazy and I figured I'd give it ago and the intention was there to buy at least confessions of a shopaholic when I purposefully walked into a bookstore. But I found myself looking at "Cocktails for Three" Sophie Kinsella writing as Madeline Wickham.

Cocktails for Three: The Basics - Candice, Roxanne, and Maggie are completely different people and they each have a secret burden they try to hide. One is the fancy free and independant woman who has a secret yearning to no longer be the mistress but the wife. Another is an expertly organised magazine editor, whose talents don't help her struggles with life as a new mother. The last hides the guilt of a little girl trying to right the wrongs of her fathers doing. Three different women with three separate journeys. One friendship that blossomed over a monthly ritual of cocktails for three.

Hmm ... a different pen name usually means a different kind of novel.

So relaxing on the sun lounger by the pool in Cuba, and catching up on most of my reading. I dived into this easy going, not to light, not to serious novel that tackles some difficult life situations without trivalising them. I thoroughly enjoyed the story's twists and turns. But it was a little predictable at times.

Its a good read whether you're on a beach or just snuggling up with a good book. 4/5

Erin

Read the poem Fighting A Losing Battle and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Other Reviews you may have missed

Digital Fortess - Dan Brown
Risky Business - Nora Roberts
Partners - Nora Roberts

If Love Wasn't Measured In Flowers

"If roses are red,

and violets are blue.

Then some time ago

I gave my heart to you.

But what if our love,

wasn't measured in flowers?

 Would you measure it in

 seconds, minutes or hours?"

Today is my anniversary with Paul. We've been together for 11 years. This year has been particularly difficult for both of us and we've had to hold each others hand and just be there through some excruiating times. The thing is ... I know these times are not over and they will continue into the new year. But today, today I write a poem for Paul. Just to let him know how much I love him.

Erin

Read the poem If Love Wasn't Measured in Flowers and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Book of the Month: Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

Best Selling novelist Dan Brown never really appealed to me at all. What I knew of The Da Vinci Code I could write on the back of a postcard and still have room for the address. And to be honest, I knew enough as far as I was concerned. So imagine my surprise when, after I'd been forced to watch the movie (the things we do for love) I found that I had actually enjoyed it.

So there I was floating through a fantasy cloud that can only be found in an airport departure lounge when I stumbled across a buy one get one half price sale and Dan Brown. I indulged...

Digital Fortress is based around a secret invincible code breaking machine that incepts digital data breaks the code it is written in, reads the data and then lets it continue to it's destination. But when it encounters an unbreakable code the National Security Agency's head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, must help find the solution before it cripples US Intelligence.
There is a lot of techno lingo in the beginning, it's a little mind blowing and because it is set in a world I have no concept of I found myselt wondering 'why are you telling me this?' However as the story progressed it becomes obvious. The details are well explained and by the time they become important I understood it.
There's a lot of twists and turns, when you think you've figured out the culprit you're wrong. It was exhilarating and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A little romance, a lot of suspence and I reckon it would appeal to both men and women regardless of your usual genre tastes.

Its a cracking read! 5/5

Erin

Read the poem Fighting A Losing Battle and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Reviews you may have missed

Nora Roberts - Risky Business
Nora Roberts - Partners
Lanetta J Sprott - Where Forever Begins

R & R Cuba - 2010

After what I'd describe as probably one of the toughest years I've ever experienced Paul and I spent a huge chunk of my redundancy package on a much needed All Inclusive break in Varadero.

Now Paul and I booked a holiday in Cuba years ago. The long and short of it all is that after rescheduling it three times, there was a problem with the hotel just two week before we were flying and we ended up cancelling and spending New Year in Mexico instead. So when the last minute chance of a holiday in Cuba was handed to us on a plate. That's where we wanted to go... even if it was only for a week.

The ten hour flight was gruelling and it wasn't as immediately settling as either Mexico or Corfu, but still it was a million miles away from the world we live in and everything we've experienced in the past year.

Cuba itself is lovely, its surrounded by beautiful warm blue waters and actually white sand. But I have to say I was a little disappointed by Varadero. Its been built specifically for the tourists. They have this tourist buses that you can buy a hop-on/hop-off ticket for the day and believe me, you need it. The main stretch of Varadero centre is broken up over a very long distance and you could walk, but expect an early start and a late finish if you want to cover the whole stretch in one day. As for the night life, Varadero doesn't really wake up until about 10pm.

My holiday was relaxing and just what I needed to recharge my batteries and catch up on a lot of reading I've missed out on this year. And I do think that there is an element of high expectations from such a long awaited destination. So we've decided to go back to Cuba one day. But maybe not to Varadero.

Erin

Posts you may have missed

R & R Corfu 2009

Book of the Month: Risky Business By Nora Roberts

For the last three days I've joined the ranks of the officially unemployed. My time at the insurance company came to an end this Monday and now I have time on my hands. For those of you who read my last review of Nora Roberts, you'll know I'm not yet convinced by all the hype. But I didn't pick up Risky Business because it was written by Nora Roberts. I bought Risky Business because it was set on the island of Cozumel, Mexico. If you know me well then you already know Mexico is one of my favourite places in the world and I've fond memories of my time in Playa del Carmen which overlooks the beautiful island of Cozumel.

Risky Busines: The Basics - When Liz's employee and lodger ends up sleeping with the fishes Jerry turns up asking questions about his twin brother's murder. Liz doesn't realise she is embroiled in the secret life Jonas lived until her life is threatened. As they embark on thier quest to learn what happened to Jonas Liz and Jerry are dragged into the criminal underworld and their own lives, and hearts, are put at risk.

For me, Risky Business was like being taken back on holiday

Already fondly connected with the setting of the novel I found myself easily slipping into the plot. I loved the contrast created between indentical twins Jerry and Jonas. The reason I stopped reading the standard Silouhette romance novels was that they all became a bit samey after the first hundred or two. The interesting thing about Risky Business I didn't see the twists in the plot coming. I actually enjoyed it!

Risky Business = 4\5

So far Nora Roberts has a thumbs down for Partners and thumbs up for Risky business. I guess maybe I'll have to go best 2 out of 3?  

Erin

Posts you may have missed

Kiara Only Has One Eye - August 2010

Book of the Month: Partners by Nora Roberts - July 2010

Gernany 4 - England 1 - June 2010

A Fleeting Moment

"For A Fleeting Moment you were by my side, Just a short comparison to this life long ride"

November 2007 I said goodbye to many of my friends in the Customer Retention Department and made a bold new step into the unknown world of Fleet Motor Insurance. Little was I to know this was where I was going to find a home. Somewhere I could work forever if my dreams of becoming a published author never panned out. I was happy, and when you have a psychogenic voice disorder being happy and comfortable in the place where you spend most of your life and with the people you spend most of your day with, is one of the most important aspects of avoiding reoccuring larengitis.

In my previous posts I've mentioned the looming threat of redundancy. Well, that day finally arrived and A Fleeting Moment is my tribute to a group of people who have been scattered into the big wide world like a starburst from the Fleet Department.


Erin

Read the poem A Fleeting Moment and more Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Kiara Only Has One Eye

Kiara and I go way back. Way before I met Paul. I was sixteen when we met. It was after my granddad had passed away, only the second experience of death I'd ever had and within a year of losing my grandma too.

So there I was at my Dad's house playing with all the little kittens from a new litter. I don't remember how old they were at the time but they weren't old enough to leave their mum yet. And there she was. The most cutest thing I'd ever seen. She was all white and ginger and we connected instantly.

Kiara is my first pet, and by first pet I mean mine. Not the one my parents would ultimately end up looking after once the novelty wore off. But the one who would move house with me, and snuggle up with me, and make me feel better when I'm feeling down. She is mine. And soon Sasha, my tortishell and white cat, followed to keep her company.

So I'm going to fast forward through the next twelve years ...... where Kiara only ever snuggles up with me to sit between Paul and I on the sofa, or she wonders off during the summer and the only time I see her is when she wants food. Not to mention this annoying little habit she has of only ever wanting in or out of the house when we we're eating... why on earth I haven't buought a cat flap I will never know..... oh and nicking my brand new fluffy slippers, you know the ankle boots that have been all the rage this past winter, and carrying them around like babies ....and I'm bringing you to only a few weeks ago. 

Kiara couldn't move her back legs, Paul rushed her to the vets and she had a clot in the main artery of her spine. They managed to sort her out but she's got a heart condition which means she's living on borrow time. If it ever happened again... the kindest thing to do would be to let her go.

Yesterday I couldn't find her. She was hiding in the shelving unit sleeping on my suede knee high boots with the five and a half inch heels, at least someone found them comfortable. She looked up at me, she meowed and then she went to get up, except she could move her back legs. She yelped when I picked her up. And I knew... today was the day she'd get her other eye back. Today was the day she went to kitty heaven.

Erin

Book of the Month: Partners by Nora Roberts

Since my sister and my best friend have been reading my novels they've been telling me how fabulous Nora Roberts is. My sister is more into the J.D Robb novels but isn't she the same writer after all? I don't think theres anyone else's novels I actively see when I'm out and about. Now I don't know if this is my psyche going "ooh look Nora Roberts!". But I do think its entirely possible that the novelist critically acclaimed to be the most successful romance writer of our time could actually be everywhere. So I thought I'd give it a go...

Partners: The Basics - Southern belle Laurel doesn't like Yankee Matthew. Matthew's been hiding his true feelings for Laurel for years. When Laurel has to work on a story with Matthew she's determined to keep him at a professional distance. Laurel and Matthew end up stirring up trouble which leads them into several life threatening events broken up by their sexual chemistry and developing romance until the finale.

I'm far from impressed.

Nora Roberts is a literary genius. She must be.

What am I missing? 

Yes I'd been drawn into the romance between Laurel and Matthew long enough to finish the novel. Their plight to investigate a sinister claim of wrongful death from a breaved sister was leading the pair into danager, heightening their wrought emotional experiences to the point of making errors in judgements that felt right when really they were supposed to be wrong. But isn't this the reason I stopped reading Sillouhettes / Mills & Boon / Harlequin? They're all a little but same old same old.

As an aspiring author myself I feel awful for slating the hard work that another author has put into their novel.... So I guess it just wasn't for me.

Partners = 2/5

Erin

Germany 4 - 1 England - An Overenthuastic Underdog's Story.

What kind of a football fan would I be if I at least didn't mention the biggest football competition in the world?

I admit that I couldn't bear to see the score line (Germany 2-0 England) at 33 minutes and escaped into my writing space to block out the impending doom. Only to rush back to the family television after hearing the roaring cheers of the people living on my estate. I then tortured myself in front of the television until 86 minutes before I stormed off muttering "not gonna score 3 goals in 3 minutes". Once upstairs I, of course,  brought up the game on the Internet and watched until the end.

With the final whistle having blown as I look over the facebook/twitter status of my friends and family I can see, hear, feel the disappointment in their hearts, or maybe it's my own. After a month like the one I have had, a week in hospital, two further weeks off work and not making it through to the last stage of the BWA 2010 I think to myself, my chances of winning something that will rocket my writing career is as likely as England winning the world cup. How depressing!

It makes you want to give up and throw everything you have into Plan B.

My Plan B is my 9-5. Its a decent monthly income, I work with and for some fantastic people, and surprisingly I enjoying what I do. But I've recently been informed that due a restructure of the very large corporation I work for my job is at threat. So what if there isn't a Plan B?

I adore the process of writing. I'm so passionate about the worlds that I can create inside my mind. I get quite worried when my characters refuse to speak with me. I live, eat, sleep, and breath my writing with only one thing having a position above it (My family) It makes me wonder, if there is ever a right time to give Plan A everything you have?

Erin

Posts you may have missed ....

Poetry by Erin Cawood-May 2010
Fictionworld-March 2010
Climbing Up A Steep Hill Wearing Roller Skates - February 2010

Check out the Competition New Updates - February 2010

Competition New Updates - BWA Unpublished 2010

Well I finally learned my fate with the Brit Writers Award Unpublished 2010. I fell at the last fence and didnt make the final. While yes I am gutted about this, I am incredibly inspired to continue to enter competitions as this was the first competition I have entered and due to the fierce competition of the poetry category the organisers delayed the announcement of the results not once but twice. Out of over 21,000 entries to nine categories my entry made it through to the 3rd round and the last 1,500. This I am happy with.

Erin

http://www.erincawood.co.uk/

Does Anyone Else Have a Permanent Case of the Munchies?

I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear about my two month long attack of the munchies. But because my blog is about what a creative writer does when they're not creative writing, well I thought I'd share.

I am permanently eating!

I'm used to sitting at my desk all day with eating patterns that range from one end of the spectrum to the other. Some days I am so absorbed into fictionworld that if my lovely other half didnt make food for me then I'd never eat. Other days, while still completely absorbed I can munch my way through an entire pack of Rich Tea, Walker's Thai Sweet Chilli crisps (share size), a family bag of Cadbury's chocolate eclaires, Wine Gums, Fruit Bon Bons and I have been known to eat a 200g bar of Galaxy Chocolate with Caramelised Hazelnut faster than a normal 50g bar.... Mmm .... caramelised hazelnut ! ! ! and on occasions I can do ALL OF THIS this in just one day. Oooh, for those of you looking at the previous list and cringing at the fat content, I also munch away on Cherries, Grapes, Strawberries, Dried fruit... I love banana chips and dried mango, and I adore fresh pinapple chunks.

So I short ... I permanently have the munchies!

Erin

Read Poetry, Short Stories and Free Novel Extracts by Erin Cawood Online Now!

Post you may have missed...

Inside My Writing Space - Free E Book - April 2010

Maybe Fairytales Don't Come True - March 2010

Check Out My New Look!   - February 2010

Competition News ! ! ! Brit Writers' Award 2010

Hi All

I'm through to the 3rd round! ! !

Again, I am utterly surprised that I've made it through. Out of over 21,000 entries my poetry collection "We Live, We Love, We Lose" is in the last 1,500 entries that are left across the 9 categories.

There 1 more round of judging before the 4 finalists are announced - so I will keep you up to date.

Erin

Erin's Book Shelf: Where Forever Begins... By Lanetta J Sprott

I take great pleasure in introducing you to Jane Dodson and Thomas Flynn from Lanetta J. Sprott's historical romance Where Forever Begins.

Jane is a twenty three years old school teacher from Magnolia. Her father, along with her mother, runs the local store and her sister is married to Samuel Cox, a local bespoke carpenter. Jane's life is a simple one, and she doesn't complain about the lack of excitement brought on by the absence of the big city. In fact, Jane finds contentment in her small town life and the children she teaches mean the world to her.

Fortunate to find himself in a place of financial freedom, former Union Army Sergent Thomas Flynn finds comfort in his solitude. His accomplished much in his short life, including becoming a lawyer, traveling across America on a journey of self discovery and coming home to Boston to life of excitement chasing the most evil of evil men, as part of the Secret Service.

When Jane travels to Boston, a mission on behalf of her father's business, she mistakenly lands in the doorway of special agent Thomas Flynn's office. It seems they are struck by love at first sight but their brief encounter leaves both yearning to meet again and yet neither in the position of being able to contact the other.

Where Forever Begins is a magical story of finding love and Lanetta J. Sprott creates a wonderful web of interconnecting storylines similar to those found in blockbuster movies such as Love Actually and Crash. I found Lanetta's first novel a fascinating love story hindered by family, friends, long distance and work commitments. Once passed the first few pages I found that I couldn't put the book down and when I had to, I was eager to pick it back up. I felt sorrow when tragedy struck and rejoiced in both Jane's and Thomas's happiness. As a true romantic at heart I was longing for Jane and Thomas's to find Where Forever Begins.

Oh and did I mention ... Where Forever Begins is set in the late 1800's.

Other Great Reads By Lanetta J Sprott include Finding Closure.

 Erin

One Day I'll Write A Novel ...

Imagine you're standing in front of a mirror. C'mon indulge me for a second ... you'll see where I'm going with this soon enough... I would tell you to close your eyes but theres an obvious problem here... you can't read this with your eyes closed, hahaha!

So where was I? ...Oh yes! You're standing in front of a floor length mirror. Imagine you're wearing your favourite outfit, your hair is perfect, you're skin is radiating with the natural glow of summer, imagine how you're feeling in that moment.

Now imagine you've left the room and you literally run into someone who can only be described as a divine specimen of the human race. In that moment as your shoulders clash and the force of the blow, mixed with your parents insistance that you will grow up with manners, you twist around to apologise... in that one second when your eyes meet and you whisper a few courteous words... you realise that Mr/Mrs "Sex on Legs" has completely, totally, and utterly just undressed you with their eyes. I want you to imagine how incredible that feels.

Hold on to that feeling while l bring you to my point ...

"They", whoever they are, says that everyone has a book in them. There are many people who say they would love to write a novel. When I tell people that I am writing a novel the admiration, respect and support from people whom I least expected it from is sometimes overwhelming. It amazes me that so few of us actually do it. Why?

When taking on this challenge, no matter what is promised to you by others, there are no cheats in this industry. There are no quick fixes or magic formulas. There are, however, people who can tweak the recipe and there are people who can teach, and there are also people who may not teach but you can learn from anyway. There is a vast encyclopedia out there ready to help you turn your problem potion into to a magic spell just ready to be cast. You can touch the rest of the world with written word. But ultimately its you, sitting in a lonely room, typing away and creating a fictional world that you hope people will enjoy.

The deeper you travel in your imaginary world, the more you will want to be there. The more your characters come to life the more intricate everything has to become. Even the most outrageous fantasies need to be realistic and believeable. Suddenly, what was once an  enjoyable hobby is a massive time consuming, thought provoking, tears and tantrums creating war against the dream of becoming a published writer. Sounds like hard work, doesn't it?

Maybe this is why people don't write novels. Maybe this is why people make their excuses and never get around to writing. Well, I have something to say to all those who say they'd love to write a book, but never do.

1) Forget about the planning, forget about the characteristics, and forget about what everyone else tells you about how you should write.

2) Sit yourself down, somewhere you're alone and without distractions - maybe a little chill out tracks playing at a low volume, if that works for you - and dont forget that all important something to write with.

3) Just let go. I mean it, forget everything you've ever been told about everything. JUST LET IT ALL FLOAT AWAY AND FREE YOUR MIND.

Now put pen to paper, or fingers to the keyboard and let your inspiration go for a walk into fictionworld.

This is your imagination, you can go wherever, whenever, however, with whoever and do whatever you want to... If you want to jump off the Eiffel Tower without a parachute and survive you can... (please do not try that in the real world ... its not recommended!) But if you can come up with a plausable explanation, lets say your character has the power to burst into rain and reform unharmed from the puddle the water droplets he or she makes. Then surely, anything is possible?

I'm not going to profess that I have all the answers in the world of writing, I'm no JK, William, or even a published writer, but I don't need to be to tell you that despite all of the nightclubs, theme parks and extreme sports in this world, and no matter how many times the god-like divine specimen undresses you with their eyes... do you still remember how that feels after all this time? No...? Well it feels like your floating on air and can accomplish anything.

I don't think you'll find another adrenaline pumping, thrill seeking confidence buidling emotional rollercoaster better than the one you can create with your mind.

As for the rest of it...? Well, you can worry about later.


 Erin

Go on ... I challenge you to release the writer within ... if you dare!

Competition Updates - Brit Writers Awards 2010

Hi All,

Back in February I entered a collection of five poems into the Brit Writers' Awards Unpublished 2010. The collection is called "We Live, We Love, We Lose" and begins with the inspirational poem Only You, then the life poem Insomnia, and the two love poems The Crush, You Won't See Me Cry, and finanlly the poem about the loss of a loved one Gorgeous As Always.

Its been about 6 weeks since the closing date and I've just recieved an email from the Brit Writers' Awards which informs me the the first round of judging has been completed and that

my entry has been selected to go through to the next round.

I am over the moon!

Erin

You can read these five poems by downloading my free poetry e-book Inside My Writing Space from my website.

YAY I'm writing again!

My week started with the first chapter in Life's A Ball?'s taking a dramatic twist ... the male lead Adam was about to say something incredibly profound ... its such a shame I wasn't able to hear him. The muse's return was only brief and now I'm back to playing with my website.

If you haven't checked out my site recently ... and by recently I mean in the last twenty four hours... then you should because it has new dynamic features.

Email Me! The new "email me" form makes contacting me easier than ever! Just pop your message on to the email form in the Contact Erin Page and press send. Your email is sent straight to me, without being stored on any third party servers and the great thing about modern technology is that your email will be delivered direct to my mobile phone so I'll get it wherever I am ... as long as I have a signal!

Erin Cawood Direct ... Keeping up with blog posts, website updates and news is also easier than ever! Just opt in to receive the newsletter and when anything changes it will be delivered direct to your inbox. The opt in form is on my home page!

I love it when my writing touches the hearts of my readers. I've had some really wonderful comments from readers on my Facebook Fan Page (theres a link on the left hand side). Fab Feedback is great and none has made me feel more proud than that given by Lanetta J Sprott a fellow author from Texas.

Lanetta J Sprott will be at Bloomin Fest (Somewhere in Texas) on the 3rd April 2010 to promote her books. (Where Forever Begins by Lanetta is a great read if anyone likes historical romances: Definate 5/5) Where the inspirational "Only You" will be available from her stall!

And finally ...

After much coersion and arm twisting (haha!) I am currently in the process of creating a free to download collection of poetry. Inside My Writing Space should be available by the end of March ... more to come on that later this month!

Erin

Fictionworld

Everyone has somewhere ... a place where you don't have to travel far to go. A place that relaxes you.

Its a place that no matter what is happening around you, good bad or ugly, you can escape and find yourself lost in it's calming peace and serenity.

For an artist a simple brush stroke may take hours. For someone who loves to read ... you may find yourself captivated by characters with the real world all but forgotten about as you experience their epic journey because someone like me has found themselves lost in creating that story. This place ... My place... I call Fictionworld.

Erin

Read Poems written by Erin Cawood at erincawood.co.uk.

Gorgeous As Always & To Be As Big As Mama

The Unknown Ending was about how I felt during the last twelve months of my grandmother's life. She bounced back from the edge three times in that year and I never really knew whether "this was it". No one did.

When my grandmother passed away earlier this year, once again I turned to my poetry to express how I felt about losing her. I wanted to give a reading at her funeral and to read something that meant as much to me as she did.

I intended to re write The Unknown Ending now I had the answers to "unanswered questions" But at times like these, when we're walking down memory lane we end up remembering the good times. A funeral is a celebration of someone's life and To Be As Big As Mama is the result of the all the great memories I have of my grandmother.

After her funeral, I still intented to re write The Unknown Ending. But it didnt seem to matter how I tried it simply wouldn't change. As a writer, sometimes you have to accept that tweaking will only make it worse. So I gave up the re write and started something new. Something deeper that would express how much death can truly affect us.

Writing has always been a form of personal therapy for me and Gorgeous As Always is the result of truly connecting with my feelings over my Grandmother's passing.




Erin

Read the poem Gorgeous As Always and To Be As Big As Mama at erincawood.co.uk.

Maybe Fairytale Don't Come True!

Several years ago I returned to college to complete my A Levels. I work full time and I chose to study full time. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and I looked towards my loved ones whenever I needed a confidence boost. The responses I got were not inspiring nor were they what I needed to hear. I was ready to give up and my struggle on this path came very close to throwing eighteen months of incredibly hard work down the drain when one of them said to me:

"Maybe fairytale don't come true!"

What was I to do? Was I to accept my life is not in my hands? Am I to believe what I want means nothing in the grand scheme of things? Not a chance!

 This is my life. I will do what I want with it!

There are some people in this world who do not believe that you are in control of your destiny. Where there is an element of fate, or divine intervention... or whatever it is you may believe in, there is something to be gained from "regret what you have done and not what you haven't" - For I now believe that shoulda, coulda and woulda are only excuses. 

There is something incredibly powerful from the self confidence gained by believing "You can achieve anything you put your mind to" - Life is hard. Life is a constant battle to get where you want to be. No matter who is there for you, what they can do for you, at the end of the day there will almost always be someone or something standing in your way. Your army can not do this for you and it may come down to you against the rest of the world. 

So when my older sister decided that she wanted to change her life by returning to college. I knew that at some point on this path towards her dream she would begin to feel alone, like no one else could understand and she would need some form of inspiration to continue when she wanted to give up and go back to the way things were.  

Only You is about believeing in yourself, its about believeing that whatever "it" may be... "it" is worth fighting for and Only You can fight for it.

You are in control as long as you believe in "Only You".

Erin

p.s. My sister carries this poem wherever she takes her college folder. Its stuck to the inner side.

CHECK OUT MY NEW LOOK ! ! !

What do you get if you cross an author, photosensitivity, and an absent muse?

A new website!

On the morning of Feb 1st I woke up with the most excruciating migraine I've ever experienced in my life! My attempt to attend the 9-5 ended at 8:55 when I walk into the office, turned around and walked back out! For the next 3 weeks my symtoms kept me away from the real world.

Week1 ... except for the visit to the doc, was spent in bed and contact with the outside world was made though the wonderful technology supplied by Blackberry internet.

Week2 ... spent hidding in a darkened room, without TV, Music, or noise in general. Thankfully I had my computer and my social networks to stop me from going insane without human contact. (Thank you to all who helped) 

Week3 ... Although I attempted a return to work. I was still too ill to survive there and ended up back in the darkened silent room for another week ... except by this time my muse had chosen to escape the boredom and abandoned me in hope of finding something more entertaining.

Oh woe was me! I'm not a person who does boredom very well ... I'm a watching TV while surfing the web and reading a book kind of girl ... hence I usually spend my free time writing. Without my inspiration I am lost. So ...out with the old and in with the new....

erincawood.co.uk has been given a fabulous makeover and I'd love to know your thoughts ! ! !

Erin

Climbing Up a Steep Hill Wearing Roller Skates

As an unpublished author I find that touching the world with the written word is sometimes like climbing up a steep hill while wearing rollerskates.

Constructive criticism is what helps a good writer to grow into a fantastic writer and getting feedback from readers is hard work, no one wants to hurt your feelings. I love my friends and family and wouldn't be able to do what I do without their love and support. But for every 1 reader who will ask a question or give me a reason why they don't like it, there are 25 more who will either say they loved it or won't say anything at all. I have a small following at the moment and finding new readers is hard work.

I joined a fan page on Facebook a few months, and to be honest I didnt pay much attention at all. It's called Premium Promotional Tips for Writers and it promotes a book of the same name written by Jo-Anne Vandermeulen. Well, the fan page posted something yesterday that caught my eye and off I went, sidetracked from writing Life's A Ball yet again, to read the sneak peek.

I was surprised to find in such a short extract 3 points that A; I never thought of myself and B; I could actually do myself.

So now I find myself on a mission to find new readers with 3 new strategies in my tool kit. The book itself is on my wishlist until payday, when I look forward to discovering more ways of promoting my writing and finding new readers.

Erin