Timing is Everything

December is always a busy month - so much going on in the run up to Christmas, and this year has been no different. Despite not feeling so festive this year, preparations started early with cards being written, treats baked, presents made, bought and wrapped (with special cards for writing friends!)

This left time to enjoy Christmas catch ups with friends, theatre outings, Christmas dinners. There were writing group catch ups - online and in person, with writing friends from across Europe, to much closer to home. There were a few opportunities for writing exercises, but with so many other activities happening, my writing time was squeezed out. Rejections continued to be received as editors tried to clear their backlogs before the holidays.

But amidst the rejections there has been perfectly timed writing joy during the last week. My story, 'Class Writing' was published in this week's Sunday Post's, 'PS' bumper Christmas supplement. I didn't think I could be more delighted to see my story in print, until I saw the accompanying artwork. It could not be more perfect for my story.

And today I received a perfectly timed Christmas delivery through the post. Despite a few glitches, Jonathan Humble at The Dirigible Balloon worked tirelessly to send out this gorgeous anthology of children's poems 'Sky Surfing'. All proceeds go to the Juvenile Arthritis Research project.

It's perfect timing to read my poem included, 'Calendar Countdown' with the book arriving just in time for Jolabokaflod (the Icelandic Christmas tradition that involves exchanging books and reading them together on Christmas Eve (while eating chocolate!))

You know what I'll be doing later. Is it any wonder I still believe in Santa? Merry Christmas!

Defying Darragh

All year we look forward to our writing group's Christmas get together. Last week,  we were putting the final preparations together, anticipating the fun we would have, catching up, sharing stories and enjoying our Christmas meal together.

So, with a Yellow weather warning turning to an Amber warning because Storm Darragh was on its way, we were anxious as to whether our festivities would go ahead as planned. During the night as the storm arrived, I listened as the rain battered the roof and the wind grew stronger tossing bins and their contents round the garden. Fearing what storm damage daylight would reveal, we knew rescheduling our Christmas get together was an option. 

Thankfully all of us had got off relatively unscathed and our routes to Coney had not been impeded by fallen trees. We expected some debris from an early high tide, but were very fortunate that was all that Darragh had left behind. It was a strange experience watching the wind blowing the tide out, as the the tide was coming in.

The wind continued to deliver an icy blast while we were there, but surrounded by good company and food in cosy surroundings we ignored it. We tucked into seasonal cranberry and orange muffins over coffee, catching up on news.

Later we completed a short writing exercise, creating some memorable characters and sharing our work. It didn't take long for all of us to clear our books away and set the table for our much anticipated festive lunch.

As always, everyone pitched in to the preparation of this delicious meal. We left Coney very full and very thankful for a delicious lunch shared with good friends and another year of being part of this group of supportive writers.

I love Paris in the fall...

A few days away from routine are always good for rest, relaxation and sparking creativity. While Paris may not be the most restful of locations, we found plenty of creative inspiration in the city of light on our recent break.

As well as taking in the main sights, we stumbled across commemorative plaques, statues and artists practising their craft.

I was thrilled to find the famous bookstore 'Shakespeare and Company' while we were exploring the left bank. I was spoilt for choice in this Aladdin's cave crammed with books. It was good to see some of our own local writers' work stocked in the shop.

Finally I made a choice I'm not regretting, complete with the famous bookstore stamp.

While I didn't get any free time to write while there,  writing was never far from my mind. Rejection emails still arrive no matter where you are in the world. Undeterred, I stocked up on a new notebook.

And as I prepared to get back into my routine, it was a real pleasure to be seated beside a lovely local writer on our flight home and chat. No matter how marvellous a trip, returning home is always good, and this was especially true this time, as I found one of my short stories has been longlisted in a competition 😀

Coney Calling

We might only be into November a couple of days, but already it feels dull, dark and dreich most of the time. Yesterday a dull day was brightened considerably by being back at Coney. 

We caught up on each other's news - it seemed much longer than a month since we'd all been together. We talked about memorable characters, shared our 'homework' - (yes - sometimes we get homework  - and sometimes we even remember to do it!) and then completed some writing exercises thinking about our characters and how they might clash with others in our stories. The results kept us entertained.

Over seasonal apple and cinnamon muffins, biscuits and coffee, we shared some of our work and made plans. I also thought about what makes a story work. The previous evening I'd been to see 'The Vanishing Elephant' at Belfast's Grand Opera House. It was an amazing performance  - brilliant acting, music and puppetry, but at the core was good storytelling.

That's what's most important  - having a good story. So later, while I waited for inspiration to strike, the muffins were finished off as I delved into the latest issue of my writing magazine.

More books and more bookish events

Last weekend saw the inaugural Louis MacNeice festival in Carrickfergus. I managed to pop down to the festival launch on Saturday. It was good to catch up with friends there and hear the plans for this first festival. It's great that a group of people had the vision to plan this festival and I'm sure it will go from strength to strength. Also good to see some of the museum's MacNeice artefacts on display, including a selection of family letters.

During the week I managed to acquire a few more books in that same town. I'm looking forward to starting to read the short story collection by Seamus O'Kelly this week - it seems a fitting choice in this Irish Book Week.

But first I need to finish reading something in the current pile.....

A good week for writing

It's been a good week for writing. Although there have been a few rejections this week, there have been several high points, some of which have been the fruits of labours undertaken earlier this year.

On Monday evening we had great fun at our SCBWI Ireland quarterly Zoom meeting with our special guest Shirley-Anne McMillan, Children's Writing Fellow at the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University, Belfast. Shirley shared her writing process with us and then set us a challenging writing exercise.

Yesterday was Bookshop Day, so I called down to my local bookshop The Secret Bookshelf to have a chat with Chris and Jo, browse what's new and of course I came away with a bag full of books. Among the purchases was a Christmas gift and one of Shirley-Anne's novels, ' The Unknowns'. I also got a lovely goodie bag filled with all sorts of writing/ reading treats.

And today I was absolutely thrilled to see in print that I'm one of The Sunday Post's short story competition finalists. 

As children staying at our grandparents' Fife house we couldn't wait to read The Broons & Oor Wullie in this paper. Almost as exciting as it was today to track down a copy of the paper and open it to read my name alongside the other finalists in black and white 😀

Just the motivation to start writing another story....

A week of writing related activities

It's been a busy week of fun writing related activities. Monday evening saw the launch of Sheena Wilkinson's new Middle Grade novel, 'First Term at Fernside' in the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast. 

The occasion was joyous from start to finish, with Fernside school themed cakes and biscuits, sweetie goodie bags, spot prizes which included a tuck box and Sheena being interviewed by Shirley-Anne McMillan and reading from her book. It was good to catch up with local writers there, and I was thrilled at the message on my signed copy of the book.

Thursday was National Poetry Day. I was (pineapple) delighted to have my poem 'To a Pineapple ' included in a celebratory poetry upload on the Dirigible Balloon's website.

https://dirigibleballoon.org/  

This is a fantastic children's poetry resource with over 200 poems from over 100 poets participating in the National Poetry Day upload. Thanks to Jonathan Humble for all the work he puts in to planning, organising and promoting the Balloon. 

On Friday lunchtime I attended an event at Belfast's Linenhall library with local Young Adult author, Shirley-Anne McMillan in conversation with Wendy Erskine. It was great to hear about Shirley's writing journey and her plans in her new role as the new Seamus Heaney Children’s Writing Fellow. It was good to catch up with other local writers at this event too.

And yesterday I was back with my writing pals at Coney Island, catching up on news over coffee and apple and cinnamon muffins. While a wild sea crashed outside we got stuck into some fun writing exercises.

                                                

Having a 'tribe' and attending events like these with other writers encourage and support us on our writing journeys and help strengthen the local writing community. But now to get on with some writing.......

Writing inspirations and aspirations

I'm just back from a lovely break in Scotland. With visiting new places and catching up with family and friends, there wasn't much free time to write, but a holiday is supposed to be a break from the norm isn't it?

Before I left I'd been busy making some autumn plans for our writing community. This involved a quick visit (at last!) to the Seamus Heaney centre at Queen's University in Belfast. In the short time I was there, I was impressed and I'm looking forward to getting back again soon. The inspirational quotes could only encourage writers to keep going when facing writer's block.

While on my travels in Scotland, I came across a beautiful shop front that made me stop in my tracks and stare. Unfortunately the shop wasn't open the day I was there. Had it been, I would have been so excited to go in and explore. It looked like a place where magic words and stories are created and the sort of place I could only dream of writing in.

So in the absence of such an author's den and now that summer is over, I'll just have to put on my coat and go to where I like to write - in my garden.

Stretching out summer

We've been squeezing out the last few drops of summer sunshine, enjoying a spell of good weather over the weekend. The gorgeous sunny morning yesterday coincided with a trip back to Coney.

It almost felt like we were back at our writing retreat, as we caught up on news, shared some of our work as we ate blueberry muffins and coffee. We then did some writing exercises with fun prompts with the sun warming our backs. 

Later, back at home I took time to enjoy the sunshine in the garden while continuing to work on some pieces I'd developed at Coney in the morning.

But I was soon distracted, tempted by the offer of an ice-cream at the nearby seafront  with my nieces. We wanted to stretch yet more out of the day, just like the pollinators back in the garden.

A tonic of a treat

I've just returned from a tonic of a treat - time spent in good company in an amazing location with good food and good craic and with the added bonus that I also managed to write! Our annual writing retreat usually re-energises us and sets us up for writing into the winter.  This year's retreat was excellent as always. 

Top grade writing fuel is always essential and we couldn't complain about any of the food - we feasted like kings the entire weekend. Everyone contributed delicious home made delights.

Often we are blessed with fabulous weather  - this year it was a bit more changeable but that didn't stop us getting out on to the beach to relax in between focusing on working on various writing projects, reading and sharing our work and giving and receiving feedback.

Prior to the retreat I'd made a plan of what I wanted to work on and I'm pleased that most of my planned work was completed. We also started planning ahead for the coming months.

While it felt like a hurricane was making landfall when we were leaving, we came away with full stomachs, our heads buzzing from being together and energised to keep working on our various projects as we head into autumn and winter.

Creative Energy

After a break it's good to get back to routines again. Last weekend our SCBWI Ireland Belfast group met up. Due to the holiday period our numbers were depleted but we still had plenty to chat about. And it gave me a chance to use our new desktop sign our Illustrator Co-ordinator, Debora designed.

Spurred on by the creative energy that develops when writers get together I've been making writing plans during the week.

I also finally got round to recording the sound files for some of my poems on The Dirigible Balloon. You can listen to them here:

https://dirigibleballoon.org/writer/mornasullivan

And I've made the most of the good weather this weekend, getting outside to write when I can in betweencatchingup with family and friends. Yesterday morning I took advantage of some amazing weather to enjoy a coffee in the garden while I wrote a first draft of a new short story.

Fingers crossed summer has finally arrived!

Scots inspiration

I picked up my battered copy of Robert Burns' poetry at a jumble sale many years ago, when still at school and contemplating studying English literature. Ironically I studied and learned more of Burns' work at home and at primary school - his work wasn't included on the syllabus at grammar school and at university there weren't any modules as part of my English language and literature degree then covering his work.

On a recent road trip to Scotland, I took a welcome break from traffic disruption to stop off at the Robert Burns museum in Alloway, Ayrshire. I've popped in before for a quick bite to eat in the cafe and a hasty look around the shop, but this time I had a bit more time, so I was able to visit the museum exhibits.

Seeing the actual desk at which Robert Burns sat down to write and his writing set, along with some actual manuscripts was awe-inspiring. 

The museum displays have been carefully curated so that those who are not so familiar with Scots can understand fully what is being conveyed in Burns' writing.

The visit was a good start to a welcome break in Scotland and inspired me to get my own notebook and pen out to write while I was there.

Back in the groove

June has been a busy month with lots of writing related activities, and I'm pleased to say some writing too. Last weekend I managed to quickly pop back down to The Secret Bookshelf to pick up an order. It will definitely keep me occupied for a while.

Later I took advantage of the sunshine to sit outside in the garden and get on with some writing. We were due back at Coney Island yesterday so there was homework to be done in advance.

I had fun completing the task, writing a new short story which I shared with the group yesterday. It needs a bit more work but it is still a first draft. It was good to get feedback on it from my writing pals over coffee and rhubarb and ginger muffins (they were yummy).

We shared our writing news, gave feedback to each other on our work, made plans, did some writing exercises using some picture prompts and had a thoroughly enjoyable morning, despite the sun not joining us. It rounded off a busy month which has seen me getting back into my writing groove.