It is here. No News September.  The month that is peculiar only to me and would have sounded better if it had been No News November for the alliteration. But it just happened to be around this time, a few years back, that I felt I needed to clear my head and not read news, so September it is. Plus I have a graphic so I am primed. And kind of excited to see how it goes. It went very, very well last year. So much so I thought I might do it forever but I slipped. No News September! Where I attempt to avoid the news and if I do find myself slipping, ie doom-scrolling, I hope to realise what I am doing, stop it at once! and do something else.  What is even better about No New September is it will give me more time to think about my new book, since I am not... Watching the news Reading the news Scrolling the news Listening to the news. Getting distraught by the news. Getting outraged by the news. When I'm waiting for the bus, instead of scrolling, I can ponder my book. If I have to ...

 Last September I did No News September. For the month, I avoided the temptation to look at the news.  I managed it quite well. Didn't read the newspaper at work, or listen to the radio, or if the news was on the TV at home,  I walked away. Yep, I managed it quite well.  I was inspired by re-reading a particular book I'd found in the library, "Stop Reading The News."  Written by a journalist, he gave up the news and felt so much better for it.  Here is the post in 2024 where I talk about giving up the news. https://maddiesummersauthor.blogspot.com/2024/08/ive-decided-to-give-up-news.html  And here is a post I wrote after "No News" was over. https://maddiesummersauthor.blogspot.com/2024/10/no-news-september-is-maybe-no-news.html  So this September I will do it again. I need to re-read the book for inspo, but I'm excited to be doing No News September for 2025!.  

 A chapter has been written! In fact, more than a chapter, I'm 8000 words in to this story, over the past two days. I'd planned on more but ended up going out with a friend yesterday. I'd actually suggested we go out in the morning so I could get home around mid-day, knuckle down in the afternoon and write heaps, and I did get a bit done. I then went back and read over what I'd written and liked it. I hope to finish this first draft on around 50,000 words, and when that 50k is done, and all the story is down, then I go back over it, and flesh it out and make it better. I'm thinking I might even drag out one of the Christmas cups to get even more in to the Christmas mood as I write A Bluebell Road Christmas.   

I've started my newest book and I thought I would blog here about the writing process and how its going. Besides, that would be a good motivator as well to keep on track, inbetween my day job and everything else that might crop up in this thing we are in known as LIFE!! The book is... A BLUEBELL ROAD CHRISTMAS It is the fourth in the Bluebell Road series, which has been centered around the flatmates on Bluebell Road, in London. By the end of book three, Julia, Katie and Lydia have all been partnered up, and they still live at the flat. To have another book in the series, how does that work because I want the protagonist to live in the flat too. Enter Ethan Black. When I wrote the first book, I had an idea for two side characters, Clarissa Bartley and Ethan. Ethan works on the Bartley's department store Christmas display and it is inferred he's had a bit of a thing for Clarissa Bartley who along with her brother Nick run the posh store in central London. Clarissa is also mar...

I created a page in my Junk Journal on account of my recent birthday.  I do like this hobby. I find this so therapeutic and just as therapeutic are watching the videos of my two favourite Junk Journal people, Rebecca Hoot and Leah of Thrifty Day. Sometimes a video from these two ladies just hits the spot. Recently, one of my beloved cats died, and the next day, I was just so blah blah blah, out of sorts, sad, blah blah blah. So I watched one of Rebecca's videos, and it helped to switch my mind away from poor Bobbie. Anyhoo, below is a bit of the pages I did with some of my birthday treats. Notice the Licorice Allsorts. My favourite treat. And if you're wondering why there are some My Little Pony pictures in there, its because I bought a My Little Pony magazine, for colour and fun for my journal. Not just for the kids, people. Not just for the kids!!