About Anita…

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Hi, my name is Anita and although I am 70, I am by no means a ‘silver surfer’, although not quite as yound as the photograph would suggest! I have been writing fiction novels for a while now, but never picked up by the mainstream publishers. They all loved what I wrote, but found it hard to slot them into a category! It came tantalisingly close, but no cigar, as they say.

After going twelve rounds with various mainstream publishers, I realised I would have to try something else. I saved all of the rejection letters, because most of them had very encouraging comments. If my mother had slapped me as gently when I was a child it wouldn’t have hurt half as much!
I even wrote to James Herbert once and he was so kind and supportive, encouraging me to keep going.

Now I am retired and with the help of my sister Jaye, (who has learned to be a ‘surfer’) I decided to dust off some of my manuscripts and try to achieve the impossible.
I am a paper and pencil girl. You could chain me to a computer for years and nothing would happen! Jaye is managing to cope with it, but then she has much more patience than I do. (and she is as stubborn as a mule!)
They say you are never too old to learn, but in my case never is another word for infinity!

I thank God for my family, for I have a second chance to find out if anyone out there likes the kind of books I write…

 

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77 thoughts on “About Anita…”

  1. Hi Anita,
    Thanks for popping by. I agree with you about the beauty and spirituality of writing by hand. I have loads of diaries, letters and poetry all written by hand back in the day and while I usually write on my laptop most of the time now, when I get stuck, I return to pen and paper. There’s quite a bit of evidence to support writing by hand and how it activates the creative aspects of the brain.
    I also have so much material I need to follow up. I sent off a few children’s manuscripts a few years ago but have a better understanding now of why they got knocked back but haven’t had time to get back to them and have a few adult motivational type books I’m working on. Need to be able to focus on my writing for a time. Too many interruptions atm.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

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      • That’s my biggest battle. I am a person who tends to focus on one thing really well, but struggles to multi-task. I am either writing for hours, or doing stuff for the kids and family. With the start of the new school year a month ago the family has been a priority and just getting my kids sorted out and I keep thinking, they;ll be sorted soon but it’s more of a balancing act where you do drop the occasional, or even more frequent, ball. I don’t like that. Want to get it right. Have everything sorted. I also find that the type of thinking which goes with organizing the family and the house uses and builds up different parts of the brain than the writing and while a balance keeps me grounded, it’s hard to flip between the two. Do you find that? Common struggle for creatives.

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      • I always thought I was good at multi-tasking. That was before we started this self publishing lark! I have discovered that we don’t really have a snowballs chance in hell of ever becoming a real force to be reckoned with. Not without a little outside help anyway. In 2018, we will be looking to promote in other ways, ways we have wanted to do, but didn’t have the time for. Just a question of finding what works, I suppose…

        Liked by 1 person

      • I am not working towards writing a novel, which I think would be hard to promote. I am looking at writing motivational memoir type stuff where I’m hoping my personal story will promote it. Have you done many author talks? I go to a few of those and usually end up buying the book. Might not read it though. That is proving quite a problem for me as I am a prolific book buyer and collector.
        Best wishes,
        Rowena
        PS I have found groups are often short of speakers and that could to be avenue if you can speak.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. I started out as a pen and pencil girl, as well. There’s something to be said about writing by hand. I’ve succumbed t the computer, but you keep writing whatever way brings you joy – because that’s what it’s all about.

    Blessings,
    Marianne

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  6. Hi, Anita! Just wanted to take a moment to thank you and Jaye for all the lovely, supportive comments you’ve shared on my blog, and for being so generous with sharing. It is so very much appreciated! I’ve stopped by briefly at various times to pass along a post or two, but today, managed to find a few extra moments to look around. And I signed up for your newsletter, too. Nice to get to know you “kids.” (Hey, I’m 73. EVERYONE is a kid to me! 😀 ) Thanks for all you do, and I look forward to getting to know you better, as my time becomes my own again. (Still digging out from Irma, here, but it will get better as the weeks roll by.) As we say here in Florida, “Y’all ROCK!” 😉

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    Reply

    • Sorry we weren’t around to welcome you, Marcia… We love being Bloggers, and helping others is our way of repaying all those who helped us in the beginning. Not that we are experts or anything, you understand, but we haven’t had this much fun in a long time. It helps with the writing too!

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      • I think we ALL have things to share, and we can learn from everyone we engage with. I love the writing community because it is so richly varied, and writers/bloggers at every level are usually very giving and supportive. I’ve enjoyed seeing your comments and shares on my blog, and am looking forward to the day when I have more time to get back to the blogs I love to visit. Yours will now be one of them. 🙂 (And I’m adding your books to my TBR pile, too, but be forewarned. It’s approximately the size of Moby Dick, already.)

        Liked by 1 person

  7. I returned to your site to search it thoroughly.
    First of all, congratulations for not giving up your dream!
    It happened the same to me. I am also a paper/pencil girl and in the same group of third youth years. We are as young as our hearts are, aren’t we?
    If ever you need a further place to promote your stories, I’d be honored to host you. My blog
    http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
    Carmen

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. Hi Anita, Thanks for your email. I have resent my reply just now (re posts and reviews) to your same address you list here – did you receive it? Is there another address we could try? Thanks so much for your support! Best from, Ben

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  14. Yes, we both prefer to free hand in the beginning. The magic doesn’t seem to work if we go straight to the PC. Thankfully our writing is not too bad, although correct spelling goes out of the window at times!

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  16. Well don’t I feel foolish. All this time you’ve been liking and sharing my posts and I somehow hadn’t come and seen what you do! I will be adding your books to my ever-expanding reading lists!
    Thank you for your presence on my little space in the Blogosphere!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Please don’t apologise Charles, it’s me. Never look before opening mouth, it’s a failing I have. So worried about not getting things right, I usually confuse myself and all around me. Hopefully, I will learn…

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  29. Anita, I am so pleased to meet you here and I want to wish you well with your writing – and with the kind help from Jay I am sure nothing will stop you now. I recognise one or two of your followers here which is nice. A club of older writers it seems. I am having a good look round your blog, hope you don’t mind. Wishing you all you wish yourself for your writing and future. Jane x

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  33. I am so sorry you cannot use a computer, or even a tablet. I am 76, and I do, though a times it drives me to distraction, this keyboard (I have just typed ‘this’ four tines to ge it right. Not me, or my typi g, but the tablet keyboard).
    Evelyn

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  36. Love the 68 !!! They say the 60s are the best decade and 70s are really good too. I’m 59.5, lol. Realizing in our later years that its time to build those dreams, be they books or blogs or something else. Good for you! Glad I found your site:)

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