Archive for category Lifestyle
Christmas Presents for Readers and Writers
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Lifestyle, Non-writing on October 22, 2015
According to the latest Tesco magazine, October 24th is the date that most of us start our Christmas present-buying frenzy. 
So, to get us (slightly) ahead of the crowd I’ve come up with a few budget suggestions for readers and writers. Buy them now and you’ll have November free for a successful attempt at NaNoWriMo.
For the book lover who adores keeping records or who (like me) easily forgets what he’s read and what he thought of it : A Moleskine Book Journal
It features “alphabetically organised sections to personalise, 6 blank sections to be filled in as desired, blank pages, a complimentary bookmark and 202 adhesive labels to further personalise the notebook. It also features acid-free paper and a double expandable inner pocket.”
For the longhand writer who’s bored of blue and black ink, or who likes to write different characters in different colours : A Set of Rainbow Ball Pens
There are ten assorted colours and the pens have “ergonomic triangular barrels for effortless, fatigue-free writing and a particularly smooth writing performance.”
For anyone who needs inspiring or motivating : An Inspirational Life Quotes Colouring Book
“This book is full of positive quotes and designs that will help you to relax and ease any anxiety that you may have. Forget any stress in your life and have some fun.”
And if you fancy treating yourself now, have a look at Chris Baty’s book, No Plot, No Problem. Chris is the founder of National Novel Writing Month and shares his secret for knocking out a novel in no time. This could be useful if you’re tackling NaNo for the first time and feeling nervous.
Happy shopping and a successful NaNo!
Guilty as Sin by Judith Cutler
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Authors, Books, Lifestyle on September 16, 2015
I first met prolific crime writer, Judith Cutler eighteen months ago at a Disney Laureate event in
Judith Cutler
Birmingham. Since then we’ve kept in touch and I’ve been on the reviewers’ list for her new publications. A few weeks ago I read Guilty as Sin
I asked her about this huge output and how she went about achieving it. This is what she told me:
All my life I’ve worked full-time, for thirty years in the highly challenging world of further education, where there weren’t enough hours in the week to do everything. But even then I had the writing bug, and when it bit hard in my later thirties and forties I managed to scrape together little oases of writing time while still doing my day job.
I gave up full-time teaching at 50 and the only way I could survive financially was to do a variety of other jobs to support my writing addiction – even though I had contracts with two separate publishers and got commissions to write short stories. Gradually I was able to shed the non-writing jobs, but the drive to work at something was still strong.
Nearly twenty years later it still is. The truth is, I suppose that I no longer appreciate the calm of empty hours. Even – especially – in the garden, I get ideas I want to write about. Playing tennis and doing Pilates have given me themes or plots for novels. Church? Plots aplenty there! Voluntary work at the local school? Ballroom dance? Antiques fairs? I’m lucky that I don’t write books about international spies or people living the high life, because I’d have to spend years of research. I simply write about what I know with the magic question, ‘What if?’, always buzzing in my head.
My working day is very flexible, because I’ve got to the age where I must build in regular exercise and regular relaxation times. But I usually produce 1000 – 1500 words a day: much more, and my brain doesn’t work the next day. Like all the writers I know, I start by re-reading the previous day’s efforts, editing as I go. Then I push on. I don’t plan the whole book in detail – I like to explore the situation with my protagonist – but I do need to know the ending. It’s nice to have a title in my head too. The start of a series or a standalone is harder work than the sixth or seventh in a series, because I’ve not yet got to know everything about my characters. Everything? No. They still need to surprise me.
I do work at weekends, but never into the evening, because my head fizzes and I can’t sleep.
I think Judith’s words reinforce a truth that we already know – a LOT of hard work is needed to be a success and a writer is never ‘off duty’.
Guilty as Sin
This book is a gem for fans of cosy crime and those who like solving puzzles. It’s the sixth in Judith’s Lina Townend series but can also be read as a stand-alone novel. However, be warned, it may tempt you to seek out all the rest!
Midsummer Dreams
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Authors, Books, Lifestyle on June 12, 2015
Dreams are weird and wonderful things. They can disappear the moment we wake or linger in the mind for days. Sometimes we dream the same thing night after night. Other times we consciously try to re-dream something and it doesn’t happen. 
I’ve had one dream recur intermittently for many years. I dream that exam time is looming but I’ve done absolutely no revision. However hard I try to find time to revise, it doesn’t happen and I go into the exam totally unprepared. But I always wake up before I turn the exam paper over and read the questions.
This probably says something deep and meaningful about my waking life.
A bit of internet surfing, brought up a list of the Top 10 Common Dreams and Their Meanings. Number 6, ‘Failing a Test’, correlates most closely to my dream and the meaning given is, “…you are feeling tested in some way in your real life. You may feel that you are unprepared for something or playing the wrong part in life.”
That does tie in with my waking life, I like to be in control and ready for whatever life might throw at me.
Unsurprisingly, the most common dream listed is ‘Falling or Sinking’ and I’ve had that one too, where you always wake up before hitting the bottom. The explanation is, “… you are overwhelmed in life and feel ready to give up.” Maybe I need to get my life in order and then I can have some sweet dreams!
One person who’s put dreams to good use is romantic novelist, Alison May. Her latest novel, Midsummer Dreams, is published by Choc Lit today. Here’s the enticing blurb:
Four people. Four messy lives. One party that changes everything …
Emily is obsessed with ending her father’s new relationship – but is blind to the fact that her own is far from perfect.
Dominic has spent so long making other people happy that he’s hardly noticed he’s not happy himself.
Helen has loved the same man, unrequitedly, for ten years. Now she may have to face up to the fact that he will never be hers.
Alex has always played the field. But when he finally meets a girl he wants to commit to, she is just out of his reach.
At a midsummer wedding party, the bonds that tie the four friends together begin to unravel and show them that, sometimes, the sensible choice is not always the right one.
So Midsummer Dreams promises to be a sweet experience even if your own dream life (like mine) leaves something to be desired!
TV Presenter Training
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Events, Lifestyle, Non-writing, Promotion on May 26, 2015
Ever wondered what it’s like to read from an autocue or how to stand when you’re talking to a camera or what the difficulties might be in co-presenting a program?
I’ve just experienced all of these on a TV Presenter Taster Day with TV Training UK. Our tutor was Simon Davies who has a wealth of experience in children’s TV, shopping channel and acting. He was very informative and gave us the six rules of presenting:
- Anchor yourself to the spot so you don’t wander out of shot.
- Look directly into the lens of the camera.
- Be ready for the countdown. The director will cue you in by counting backwards from five but only actually saying, ‘5, 4’ out loud. The presenter counts ‘3, 2, 1’ silently and then begins.
- Arrange your thoughts in groups of three when preparing to speak – this stops you drying up.
- Be yourself but increase your energy/animation levels by 30% to avoid coming over as ‘flat’.
- Don’t gabble but also, don’t speak too slowly as this comes across as patronising.
The participants on the course were all ages from 17 to 60 and from varied backgrounds. Some wanted to make and present YouTube videos to promote their business, others were performers who wanted another string to their bow and some, like me, thought it would be an interesting experience. A handful of them had instant on-screen charisma and it was obvious they would make good presenters. Simon told me that I came across as ‘intelligent’, which I’m taking as a positive but I don’t expect to be hosting The One Show anytime soon!
My only criticism is that there wasn’t time for us to view our autocue or co-presenting footage during the course. But it was available to purchase as a ‘showreel’ (a showreel is an essential part of a presenter’s c.v.).
If you’re interested in having a go at being a TV presenter, the day cost me around £26 via Amazon Local.
Now, maybe I should go and make a video book trailer …
Walk the Cleveland Way – Accommodation, Attractions and Advice
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Books, Lifestyle, Non-fiction, Promotion, Self-publishing, Travel on November 25, 2014
Regular readers of this blog will know that I enjoy walking, especially long walks. 
Getting outside in the fresh air for the day is a great way to unwind and a complete contrast to sitting in front of the computer all day (which I do for my ‘day’ job, as well as when I’m writing).
In August 2013, my husband and I walked the 109 mile Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire over ten days. It’s a fabulous route because the first half meanders over the deserted moors where you’re lucky to even find even a solitary tea shop but, in contrast, the second half is along the coast through bustling resorts like Whitby and Scarborough. This path is also great for beginners because the signposting is excellent – so you are unlikely to get lost (but a map is always advisable, just in case …).
I may like the fresh air but I’m definitely not a backpacker. We stayed in comfortable guest houses and small hotels and had our luggage transported. So we carried only day-sacks and our suitcases were waiting when we arrived at the next overnight stop. All we had to do was hop in the shower and wash away the weariness of the day before changing for our evening meal. And there was always a great cooked breakfast to look forward to the next morning …
Being a writer, I carried a notebook for the 10 days we were walking and I jotted down everything about our trip, from details of the English Heritage properties we found along the route to the tea shops providing good cakes and the display of knitting we found on Saltburn pier. It seemed a waste to keep all this information to myself – it’s all stuff we would have found useful when deciding if this was a holiday we would enjoy and would have helped us in the planning too.
So, I typed it all up into a coherent format, used one of the photos from our trip as the basis for the cover and published it on Kindle.
It’s now available for you to gaze at in awe, ‘look inside’, borrow for free (if you’re in Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited) or even purchase. Simply click here.
If you fancy returning from holiday with a clear head, feeling fit and strong (despite eating many cakes and cooked breakfasts!) then I recommend the Cleveland Way to you.
People Watching
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Lifestyle, Non-writing, Travel on October 14, 2014
Have you ever been on a coach holiday? They’re great for people watching and character invention.
Cardiff Castle Wartime Shelter
I was a coach holiday virgin until last weekend when I went on a two-day break to Cardiff and Bath. It was planned as a getaway for me, my sister and my mum so that we could spend some time together without the hassle of driving, flying or lots of organisation.
However, we didn’t anticipate the amount of time we would spend hanging about at service stations waiting for ‘feeder’ coaches to arrive. Four coaches had to meet part way to Cardiff on the outward journey and again part way home from Bath on the return journey. So there was a lot of waiting around.
But this gave us time to watch our fellow passengers and the drivers.
We discussed the man sitting across the coach aisle from us. He appeared to be travelling alone but then we saw him with a woman and then alone again. Had he been chatting her up? Is a coach holiday a good place to meet someone of the opposite sex? Yes, but only if you’re male – there were a lot more women than men travelling with us.
The drivers’ lifestyles came under our scrutiny. Cooked breakfasts and burgers seemed the popular choice at the table ‘Reserved for Coach Drivers Only’ in the service station cafe. None of the men seemed to know what route they’d be driving from one day to the next or what time they’d be getting home. And the final leg of our journey was driven with urgency because if the driver didn’t get home at a certain time he wouldn’t be allowed to drive the next day due to insufficient hours between the two trips.
There was a Murder Mystery dinner in the hotel. In tables of ten we worked out who’d killed the Earl. Group dynamics came into play and it was interesting to see who took charge, who just listened and who was keen to interrogate the actors. Then there was the table of riotous women on a birthday outing who made it difficult to hear the scene where the body was discovered.
Finally, my imagination went into overdrive in Cardiff Castle’s wartime shelter. Think of the drama, heartache, deaths (and possibly births) that must have happened as the sirens wailed in the 1940s.
I haven’t come back with any complete story ideas but I have got various characters buzzing around in my head. Perhaps eventually one of them will come to the fore and tell me their tale.
Do you have a favourite place for people watching? Or a favourite technique for dreaming up characters?
What’s the Copyright in Recipes?
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Lifestyle, Markets, Non-fiction on October 6, 2014
We all know not to copy chunks of other people’s stories or articles. Similarly, we all know that there’s no copyright on ideas, so we can write a story or an article about the same subject as someone else, as long as we don’t use the same words. In fact people do this all the time (I believe there are only seven basic plots?) but the finished manuscripts are usually all quite different.
By the way, although there’s no law against it, it’s not a good thing to ‘steal’ an idea, especially if it’s unusual and the originator is likely to recognise it after publication.
But what’s the ruling on recipes?
I’ve just sent a couple of recipes to Take a Break’s My Favourite Recipes magazine. However, I’m not the world’s best cook. When I was 14 my cookery teacher wrote on my report, ‘Sally’s written work is much better than her practical work‘ – I think it was her way of politely saying that I was useless in the kitchen!
So, I don’t invent recipes from scratch. I start with something from a cook book or magazine and make slight adjustments. At the very least, I always omit the garlic because my husband doesn’t like it, I often replace celery with carrots and I never have the right herbs so just throw in what I have.
Therefore the recipes I submit are not exact copies of those I started with it. But I was still a bit dubious about whether I might be breaking a law or ‘stealing’.
I did a quick internet search and found this useful article on the Paleo Living Magazine website. basically it says that copying a list of ingredients and basic directions for cooking the dish is OK. However, what may be protected by copyright is any ‘creative narrative’ with the recipe, such as how the dish was invented or suggestions for wine to go with the meal.
So it seems that I can continue sending off my slightly amended recipes in the hope of winning £25 if they’re chosen for publication.
Now I just need to practise my food photography so that my accompanying photos look at least a little bit mouth-watering!
The Museum of Broken Relationships Comes to London
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Books, Events, Lifestyle, Promotion, Self-publishing on June 29, 2014
Regular readers of this blog will have heard me talk before about The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb. 
As its website says, “the Museum offers a chance to overcome an emotional collapse through creation: by contributing to the Museum’s collection.”
In other words, people who have suffered heartbreak can donate an object related to that trauma to the museum. It is hoped that this will help the sufferer move on with his or her life.
Can you imagine a better place to find story prompts? The exhibition includes things such as a garden gnome, underpants, wedding dress etc.
And now, a touring version of the museum is coming to London’s South Bank as part of The Festival of Love from 28th June to 31st August 2014. There’s lots of things going on at the festival and they appear, from the website, to be free, including The Museum of Broken Relationships Exhibition.
And to celebrate this great event, The Museum of Fractured Lives Omnibus Edition is now available on Kindle!
The Museum of Fractured Lives is a completely fictitious institution inspired by the real-life Museum of Broken Relationships. The Omnibus Edition contains the individual stories of Maxine, Karen and Pete who have all donated to the museum. Plus, it includes an exclusive prologue which tells how the museum came into being.
The tales of Maxine, Karen and Pete are also available individually and Bil Howard of the US book review website Readers’ Favorite is a fan.
He says, “Inventive, intriguing and inspired; Sally Jenkins and her Museum of Fractured Lives is certain to be a hit.”
And, “With an excellent concept, Sally is causing quite a wave with her stories of betrayal and guilt. These are brilliantly written accounts with a special twist in the telling that draws the reader right into the drama. Realistic, intriguing and yet tragic.”
Equestrian Short Story Competition
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Competitions, Lifestyle, Short Story on May 21, 2014
Firstly, I must thank Nick Daws for bringing this competition to my attention in his regular newsletter. 
The Equestrian Short Story Competition 2014 is a good one to enter if you’re trying to get break into horse-based fiction. But be aware that the publicity and exposure will be worth more than the actual prize.
The competition is looking for, ” … stories that have an equestrian background rather than solely about just being a horse. Maybe a crime novel set in the horse world or perhaps a fantasy novel or an equestrian Harry Potter? How about an equestrian romance which is ideal for the Jilly Cooper addicts!”
The winner’s story will be published as an e-book with the profit from sales going to World Horse Welfare. The winner will also get a Haynet logo hoody.
Two runners up will get their stories published on Haynet and Lavender & White Equestrian Publishing websites.
Word limit is 6,000 words plus a 500 word synopsis. Entry is by email and the closing date is 11th August 2014.
Please check all the terms and conditions before entering.
And if you’re wondering what the photo has to do with the competition – absolutely nothing!
This is me after walking 26 miles, up and down dale (and steep hills!), in the Peak District on Sunday as part of the Leaden Boot Challenge. I look happy because I’ve finally finished (and just eaten a massive plate of pie and peas). But the pain kicked in on Monday morning and I’ve been hobbling around with sore muscles and blistered feet since then.
Any sort of physical challenge like this reminds me of writing, i.e. actually doing it is hard work and not always enjoyable. But that feeling of having completed a challenge or having written something, can’t be beaten!
Do you understand where I’m coming from?
How’s The Writing Going?
Posted by Sally Jenkins in Lifestyle, Writing on May 9, 2014
“How’s the writing going?”
Since I’ve started declaring myself to be a writer this is a question that family and friends often ask – and one that I find difficult to answer.
Perhaps if I was a ‘proper’ novelist it would be easy. I’d say that I was working on the edits requested by my publisher for one book and drafting a synopsis for the next bestseller with my agent – all quite simple and successful sounding.
But in reality I’m more likely to be still smarting from last week’s womag rejection, wondering why I didn’t make the shortlist of that competition I entered, trying to decide whether or not I can turn the anecdote I heard about someone’s long-lost cat into a short story for People’s Friend and toying with the idea of having a go at a serial – if only I could think of a strong enough idea.
None of that sounds very professional, so I could give them the sales spiel about my latest Kindle e-book (click here if you’re interested) but then they’d probably exclaim that they didn’t have a Kindle. And their eyes would glaze over if I tried to explain that anyone can read Kindle books on a PC or laptop if they download the free Kindle app.
So before I say anything I try and guess what they want to hear. Are they just asking out of politeness in the same way that acquintances you meet in the street ask ‘How are you?’ and expect no answer, other than ‘Fine, thank you. How are you?’ Or are they genuinely interested?
If it’s the former, I’ll be brief and positive, ‘I had a story published last month and have just submitted a couple more so, fingers-crossed, I might get some more good news.’
If it’s the latter, I’ll start slowly trying to explain how I’m trying to lengthen a ‘twist in the tale’ that Take a Break didn’t want in order to make it fit the bill at The Weekly News. But as soon as I sense I’ve lost them, I change the subject and remark on the weather.
Is it me, or is it very difficult to talk about writing to a non-writer?
What do you answer when people politely ask, ‘How’s the writing going?’
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