#Jaye'sWeek

Another Monday… #Journal

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 11 Comments
Another Monday…

The autumn equinox has come and gone. I can feel autumn in the air and see the sudden brightness, as everything in the garden knows their time is ending and is making the most of the sunshine.

One last Dahlia is almost waving goodbye.

Those yellow tomatoes that were planted late have done their level best. Not brilliant, you understand, but we have a few ripe and deliciously sweet baby tomatoes. I will definitely be trying this again next Spring.

It’s time to ensure my bonsai are ready for their winter sleep. Some are already suffering from all the rain we have been having, so I hope I don’t find any waterlogging.

In the past week, I don’t seem to have achieved much despite turning up every day. There have been some baby steps, though, so I am pleased with that. Quite apt, really, considering our recent and very welcome visitor.

The current WIP is approaching the end, something I never thought I would say. I already have a pile of essential notes for the start of the edits, and I am looking forward to reaching that stage.

I struggle to write a newsletter because I can’t think of an interesting theme. Maybe when the dust settles a bit, it will happen.

I don’t have anywhere to put a newsletter at the moment, as I am still trying to find one I can use. It is always possible that my brain is past its sell-by date, although I refuse to accept that.

Now for an irk. It isn’t a rant yet, but it might become one.

I am referring to WP’s new tweaks to the Reader list. I quite like the simplicity of the new format, just not that we can’t reblog as much as we used to. When I try, I only manage to send a short sentence of the original post. No images either; not the same thing at all.

We must enjoy this first week of autumn, for who knows how long it will last…

Going Backwards…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 14 Comments

Since being self-employed and retired, (it can happen), I have always chosen what I want to do, and this has usually worked well for me. Somehow, everything gets done, and if I have to wait for another piece of the puzzle to finish something, I am happy to do this.

Just lately, though, I have begun to realise that doing things out of sequence is getting on my nerves and slowing down production.

Frustration has been a part of my life for a long time, following me around like a lame dog, so I have decided that it’s time to get all my ducks in a row, so to speak.

Just when I thought I had hit upon the answer to my frustration, I recently read an interesting post from David Gaughran, that wise and very clever Irishman who posts advice on writing and marketing for writers everywhere. In this post, Let’s Go Backwards, he suggests doing things backwards. (just when I was thinking of stopping this habit!)

In a nutshell, he suggests starting with the book cover and then writing the blurb. The idea is that you write the story to match the cover and the blurb.

I have often wanted to have the cover in front of me when I write, so these ideas seemed feasible based on the concept of visualisation.

To quote the great man himself…

“ Imagine: kicking off with a comprehensive review of potential categories on Amazon, and then commissioning the perfect cover to appeal to regular readers of that niche, writing the hookiest blurb to get those readers to click the Buy button, and then penning the actual story which is at home in that package…”

I am regarded as a bit of a freak in my family because I do most things differently from everyone else. Most of the time backward or, according to them, wrong. I even stir my coffee anticlockwise.

Should I change the habits of a lifetime, or should I continue to play catch up with everything I do?

#

On a lighter note, I made it outside this week, dodging torrential rain, I might add, to check on what was going on. The weeds are taking over, and the grass is aiming for an elephant’s eye. (sorry about that South Pacific moment)

Is there an easy way to get rid of mare’s tails?

The new dahlias continue to be disappointing. I bought them in five different colours, but all the buds seem to be yellow.

The new plant, I call it sea holly, is actually going blue. I couldn’t believe it. I’m sure it’s not supposed to be five feet tall, though…

Jaye’s Week… So far!

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 16 Comments

Side effects, really?

After such a dreadful October, for so many wrong reasons, this month is fast behaving like the perfect autumn weather. Damp and misty, with chilly spells and brief bouts of welcome sunshine.

Of course, this meant I had no excuse for staying indoors but to at least try to clear the shambles outside the back door. I spent over an hour out there yesterday, but it will need several more visits from me before winter sets in.

We are still trying our best to recover from the covid virus, but the lingering aftereffects are in many ways worse than the virus. Apart from the general weakness and all the aches and pains, I seem to be having weird hallucinations too. At first, I thought my vision was playing up, but it kept happening, and I saw vague people shapes and small animals going up the stairs or passing me around the house. Sis has developed vertigo, which is most unpleasant. These are both real side effects and can last for months. We won’t be sorry to see the back of them, and the sooner, the better.

 We pray we don’t get this virus again, and our booster shots are already booked.

I was determined to make some headway in the seriously cluttered office, too, weird visions notwithstanding. I have been trying to conjure more enthusiasm, which, I hope, will grant some much-needed inspiration. I actually gritted my teeth and looked at the current WIP, and surprisingly, I was pleased by what I saw; so very happy about that.

All I need now is to find where my get up and go is hiding, so I can get back to it.

(and a little normality would be wonderful!)

©JayeMarie2022

Jaye’s Week …

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 27 Comments

Good morning to all our friends, readers and writers everywhere. We hope life is treating you well. But if it isn’t, give it a good kick in the shins!

November already, and where did the year go?

We know where some of it went, as we are still trying to recover from a nasty encounter with the covid virus. We have tested clear, but not feeling well at all yet.

What has surprised me most about this virus is what it does to your brain. I have been trying (slowly) to pick up where I was before, but it’s just not happening. Which does not bode well for any reading and writing I want to do. Routine tasks seem safe, but anything that needs thinking about is basically a lost cause.  They call this ‘brain fog’, and it seems most people end up with it. I hope it doesn’t hang around for too long, for I distinctly remember having a long list of new ideas to implement.

Along with my crazy head, the weather is pretty crazy too. Torrential rain and gale-force winds are doing their best to keep us indoors, where a noisy extractor fan in the bathroom is driving us all nuts! It refuses to switch off and runs all night. Hopefully, we can get it fixed soon…

We will probably spend what’s left of the year trying to return to normal, but something tells me that ‘normal’ days could be a thing of the past. I have just heard that the Christmas turkey could be a memory this year due to more avian flu.

We dread to think what 2023 has in store for all of us, but early signs are not hopeful…

Anyone know what kind of clouds these are? We have never seen anything like this before…

Jaye’s Week… #Review #Poetry @MaeClair1

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 14 Comments

If I am honest, this week has not been much of a good one.

I found this very disappointing after such a wonderful book launch the week before.

Possibly an anticlimax, I suppose, but still disappointing.

Still no new appointment from the hospital, which has triggered so many thoughts, ( most of them bad) wondering what the future has in store. I suddenly realised that I am also my own carer, taking care of both of us. Looks like we must take care of ourselves these days, which is better than nothing I suppose.

Our medications are on automatic now, so diet and exercise are down to us, so we must do our best in that department.

The weather has allowed a little gardening this week, and it was good to be outdoors, but it didn’t lift my mood as well as it normally does. Life on the internet has been plagued all week by a Mcafee pop-up, insisting that my computer is riddled with virus and thereby doomed. Anita has not appreciated the amount of cursing that emanates from the office every time it shows up. When she asked me if there was some way to switch the bloody thing off, I had to admit I hadn’t given that a thought. I mean, where would I find such a switch?

At the bottom of the pop-up, it said via Microsoft Edge, so I went there, looking for something I could turn off. And I found it. Under notifications. I turned them off and the pesky thing vanished! Yay!

Things are looking up, I thought, wondering how long they would last.

I didn’t have long to wait.

Yesterday, I noticed a new review for Ghost of a Chance. Instantly, the miserable week faded away.

https://www.books2read.com/u/b6zzQy

Mae Clair

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark crime fiction with a splash of the supernatural

Reviewed in the United States on 5 October 2022

Although this book is a continuation in a series, the author did a good job of establishing characters and their past relationships. As a reader I felt on firm footing. The story is told from alternating POVs, all in third person, with the exception of the MC, David Snow, a former DI, who has suffered a debilitating injury that has changed his career path. We get his POV in first person.

While the story itself is gritty, the writing is polished, and the pacing strong. The writer has a deft hand with dark investigative crime. A splash of the supernatural adds an intriguing element to this hard-hitting tale that explores the bleaker side of human nature and relationships.

Thank you so much, Mae!

Anita has just given me her latest poem, and I think it sums up the way we have both been feeling this week.

No Way Out

I am the ghost of my future
Not yet written
Each day is a dead end
Until you wake from sleeping
Walk among the living
Each step writes your own history
Good or bad, it comes by your thoughts
Dreaming puts a drop in the mix
The pink rabbit sitting on your chest
With no way to lead you to the truth
Your day ends the same way, sleeping
The days are not square or long
They are round, you keep going round 
In circles, until you write your way out…

©AnitaDawes2022
Have a great weekend folks, from both of us!

Jaye’s Week…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 12 Comments

November first and winter is snapping at our heels.

Fed up with the pervading chill, we gave in and turned on the heating yesterday and the warmth was very welcome.

The leaves are falling in earnest, but I refuse to sweep them up every blessed day as it seems soul-destroying to see them gathering again the minute I put the broom away!

Maple, Fall, Multicoloured, Nature

The bonsai seem reluctant to shed their leaves, but as the temperature continues to fall, I know they will join in eventually.

Christmas lurks at the back of my mind, and I hope it stays there a while longer. Everything is changing so fast, I try not to make any predictions, hopeful or otherwise as actually having a Christmas of any kind is looking doubtful.

This year has been difficult, to put it mildly. Plans have had to be put on hold or abandoned completely while life continues to mess everything up. I continue to do what I can when I can. Any kind of movement is good, I think.

Finishing the WIP is foremost in my mind, as Ghost of a Chance (Book Four of the DI Snow series) is turning out to be the hardest story to write. Although I am enjoying it when life leaves me alone long enough!

This post should have been a newsletter, as we have been derelict in this department for a while, but until I finish (trying) to switch to MailerLite, there doesn’t seem to be any point…

Here’s hoping November will be a good month for all of us…

What a Week this has Been!

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 6 Comments

What a week this has been!

At the beginning of the week and fed up to my back teeth with feeling so sick and giddy all the time, secretly wondering if a stroke might be imminent as my head felt both awful and wrong at the same time, I bit the bullet and rang my doctor.

I was probably wasting my time and wouldn’t get an appointment, or even the time of day if last time was anything to go by, but I was hoping for a conversation at the very least.

At our surgery, patients must first go through hoops with the receptionists. They are instructed to triage all calls, basically to judge whether you are sick enough to be blessed with a chance to speak to your doctor. They draw the line at dying though, as the recorded message tells you not to bother them; to ring 999.

I made it through the first hurdle and was told my doctor would call me that day. Oh boy, I must really be sick, I thought, but not dying though, which was good to know.

The verdict was an inner ear problem, and a prescription was sent to my local chemist. I was to take the pills for two days, but if the dizziness hadn’t gone to ring back, as she would have to see me (in person!)

During those two days, a very sad family disaster upset everyone’s apple cart, and we finally received notification of the start of Anita’s thyroid investigation at the hospital. We only waited for weeks this time, so that was an improvement.

I felt no better after the two waiting days, so I rang the surgery again. This time, they said my doctor was not available and that my name would be added to the duty rota list. Hopefully, someone will call me later.

Later turned out to be a synonym for never, apparently, as I am still waiting!

Despite such a terrible week, I have managed to continue writing in short bursts, I must admit, but worrying about my characters problems has kept me sane.

Hoping for a quiet weekend… and wishing the same for all of you!

Throwback Thursday… This Time Last Year…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / Leave a comment

Hell of a Week… Published this time last year…

It would be lovely if I could think of one thing at a time these days, but it’s not happening. I have been trying to publish shadows, Anita’s new book of poetry. Fate is conspiring against me, but I aim to release it next week.

And the more I struggle to think about writing, it opens the floodgates for a ton of ideas to jump into my head. I often wonder if I am on the wrong horse, so to speak.

Wrong house more like, as we have had major roadworks outside the house for two weeks. They have moved along the road today, but I can still hear their infernal noise. 

And now we have these temporary traffic lights right outside the front door!

So concentrating has been a mite difficult, to say the least.

Making sure we have enough medication for Anita is proving difficult too, as our doctor’s surgery is obviously being run by a bunch of idiots. That is probably a little unkind, as I’m sure they are doing their best. I keep sending them the updated lists from the hospital whenever the meds change, but they still don’t get them right.

Then today, the heart consultant telephoned to talk about the pacemaker/defibrillator and to reassure us that it will happen soon. This will be the last piece of the puzzle and will finally fix Anita’s wagon!

This afternoon, the family took us out to our local lake, affectionally called the Pond. We love this place, but it seemed as though the whole of Petersfield had the same idea! There was no room on any of the benches and the lovely cafe had removed all their seating, so I had to forego my usual mug of hot chocolate. 

All things considered, it was wonderful to see the water and the wildlife and the walk was undoubtably good for us both…

And now?

I am tempted to say, same old, same old, as on the surface at least, nothing much has changed since this time last year. In reality though, so much has changed. In very subtle ways its true, but I think we are in a better position than we were.

There have been some bad days these past twelve months, days when depression tripped us up and we landed on our backsides. Times when the delays got us down and we wondered if life was ever going to get any better. Days when tempers frayed and patience took a holiday.

But there were also days when laughter was heard around the house again and smiling faces brought the sunshine.

I am trying to write a current update post about where we are at the moment, so watch this space!

Jaye’s Week… Stop the World…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 13 Comments

Stop the World – I want to get Off!

Life simply isn’t getting any better, and in some respects, it’s getting worse.

Tensions are running very high in our house, very much due, I’m afraid, to the slow-moving mechanism that drives the NHS these days. And before anyone jumps all over me, I will add that I think they have done an outstanding job coping with Covid. The rest of the system may never recover, however.

It has been a year since Anita’s devastating heart attack. A year of delays, lost results and what can only be described as apathy. So busy saving the world, some patients are falling by the wayside.

Not to mention the song and dance every time we attend the hospital on those rare occasions. At the moment, we are waiting for an appointment for a possible stent to be fitted, as although Anita is coping brilliantly with her reduced mobility and general fitness, she could be a lot better.

I wasn’t expecting to throw my own hat into the ring too, and tried very hard to wait until a shred of normality looked like returning.

It was probably due to the extra workload, and definitely caused by all the stress, but my arthritis has been severely showing off, crippling my knees, and reducing me to a shambling wreck.

When I damaged my knee once before, pre covid, I went to my local A & E, had an Xray and an amazing injection that enabled me to walk without pain.

Yesterday I had reached the end of my rope, and thinking we were as close to normal as we were ever likely to get, I turned up at A&E again, only to be sent packing. Well, advised to attend a Minor Injuries Unit which was miles away!

Apparently, our Accident & Emergency Department are only accepting Life threatening emergencies.

Time to have a word with our GP. Not that you can actually have a face-to-face appointment anymore. You must wait weeks for a telephone conversation and so on. I think I will write a letter and see what happens.

In the meantime, the housework and gardening can go take a running jump!

#Jaye’s Week…

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes / 14 Comments

Another week of waiting for news, and the lines of communication were strangely silent, right up until yesterday afternoon. I had tried to convince myself that this could be a good sign, and in a way, it was. The letter that arrived, was a copy of the formal (and very technical) notification that was sent to our GP. After googling all the jargon, I figured out that one of Anita’s main arteries is almost completely blocked and would require either a stent or a surgical bypass. A phone call regarding the consultants intentions will follow, apparently.

The trouble with waiting, is that it sets the tone of the week somehow. Despite this, I was determined to do something constructive. Gardening or bonsai was out of the question, for every time I walked out the back door, the heavens opened. I don’t mind getting wet, but not if I don’t have to!

The next job was cleaning the carpets. Out came my trusty shampooer, only to find all the water that I poured in, ran straight out of the bottom in a hurry. I joggled everything but it was obviously broken, so I threw it in the bin.

Now what?

Well, there are the windows to clean and a pile of sewing that seems to get bigger every time I leave the room. I could switch off the computer and write, or I could try to clear some outstanding annoyances. Seems to be the week for annoyances, so I decided to try to get rid of some. The biggest irk on my list, is trying to find out why some of my book reviews have been deleted. I mean, I didn’t have that many to start with! I had tried emailing Amazon with varying results and this morning I was informed that according to them, I had no such account with them. (turned out they were talking about a seller account)

When I double checked that I most certainly do have a working account on .com and uk.com, I noticed that my author central was missing from uk.com. It was large as life on Amazon.com though.

I think this is all because Anita and I share a computer. It seems to confuse the hell out of most of the companies we deal with. We have our own email address, but that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, as almost everything we do is questioned and needs verification all the bloody time!

Of course, if anyone has any clues about any of this, they would be very welcome as I am a short step from binning anything that refuses to work!