Do the things that make you happy

This morning saw an exciting stage in a project I've been working on for a few months. Instead of pens, pencils, paper and a laptop, the car boot was filled with a menagerie.

I headed into Belfast to take part in filming a couple of children's stories I've written in Ulster Scots for an enchanting project. The stars of the stories accompanied me and at first they seemed a bit camera shy.

But they soon lost their inhibitions, so much so that when I left to come home, they were asked to stay on 😃

It was a fun morning, working with a professional team and seeing what goes on behind the scenes. New connections were made and new skills developed. As I sat drinking a coffee before we started filming it felt like these posters on the wall were the instructions for my day ahead.

And today, I really did! 😀

Minding our Language

I've just returned from our annual writing retreat. While the weather may not have been as kind to us as usual, it was perfect writing weather. 

With a gale blowing outside and incessant rain pounding the windows, we were quite content to concentrate working on our writing in good company and with delicious food.

There was the best of craic from our chats and being creatives and lovers of words we all excelled in the board game 'Mind Your Language' - educational, informative and very entertaining. It's a while since I've laughed so hard my sides were sore.

We celebrated successes and good news together -  A couple of us had poems included in the 'Measure' anthology which was launched over the weekend at the Seamus Heaney homeplace but as it coincided with our retreat we missed the event.

Our retreat is an opportunity to relax, reset, refresh and review - what we've been working on and what we'll work on in the coming months. We shared pieces we'd been working on, reminisced and made plans.

When the sun broke through we enjoyed beach walks. And now as we head into autumn and schools return, it felt like it was the start of a new writing term and we left reinvigorated for our writing. 

Writing on the Walls

Over this last holiday weekend of the summer, I walked the walls of the Maiden City. Always on the lookout for writing facts and inspiration, I was not disappointed. There was so much history and information to absorb on every turn, and not just that within living memory.

It was great to see so many local writers commemorated by Ulster History Circle Blue Plaques in the relatively small surrounding area.

Amidst so much history in this small city, I marvelled at the recently restored Guildhall, spending a long time examining the beautiful stained glass windows.

Every window tells a story and I was quite taken with the window presented by the Worshipful Company of Scriveners, one of the London livery companies that is part of the Honorable Irish Society, which had a key role in the city.

Their crest and coat of arms include a pen, ink, and a book and their motto is, 'Scribite Scientes' - 'Write, Learned Ones' with the pen, ink and scroll represented beatifully in the window. Quite fitting inspiration.

Book Lovers Day(s)

Yesterday was celebrated as Book Lovers Day (to me that should really be every day) but with 9th August falling at the weekend, it meant there was a little bit more time to enjoy book related activities. With the main focus encouraging people to take some time out to read, I managed to get a few hours in the garden relaxing and reading.

I also took time to love books I've contributed to and work on new book related projects. I celebrated having some of my work published in 'Yarns', the Ulster Scots Agency's anthology. It was an honour to be asked to take part in BBC Radio Ulster's Kintra programme celebrating this publication. Tonight the programme we recorded last week aired. It is available on BBC sounds for the next few weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002gx8d

We had fun gathering round the table, chatting about the opportunities 'Yarns' provides, talking about our Ulster Scots influences and reading our work. 'Yarns' has been a great encouragement to new writers in Ulster-Scots, while also building a supportive writing community.  

And as well as working on my submission for the next call out, I've had fun working on another writing project. Further news on that in the coming weeks, but in the meantime here's the latest writing-related work in progress......

Bletherin about Books

Earlier this week I took part in a fun project. I'd been asked to participate in the recording of a special BBC Radio Ulster Kintra programme celebrating the Ulster Scots Agency's 'Yarns' publication.

On Thursday evening we gathered round a big dining room table for a blether about our writing and 'Yarns'.

I have two poems included in the fourth edition of 'Yarns'. It was an honour to be asked to participate in this special Kintra programme and great to see behind the scenes and appreciate all the production work involved in an episode of Kintra. I'm looking forward to hearing the programme when it airs in a few weeks' time.

More blethering took place yesterday seated round another big dining table when I was back at Coney with writing pals. With mugs of tea and coffee and my rhubarb and ginger muffins, we caught up on news - what we're working on, what we've been doing since we last met, writing workshops we've attended  - made plans and did some research and some writing.

And we were so busy blethering, we didn't notice the sun had come out - 'Ye cannae beat a cup of tea an a guid wee blether'.

Summer Writing

It was good to get back to Coney Island yesterday.  The subtle scent of summer roses greeted us instead of the usual salty, seaweedy air when we arrived.

After catching up on everyone's news over coffee and chocanana muffins we all looked through some old books and found a few exquisite sparks to get us writing.

Later we shared what we'd been working on. It was good to start writing something new that may develop. Since then I've fallen down several rabbit holes of further research.

More summer roses were the backdrop to garden reading as I enjoyed the good weather and took time to read a book I'd recently picked up at the Macbeth exhibition in Perth museum.

More reading and even more rabbit holes...

Writing Round Up

During the week I managed to get along to a writing workshop in Antrim library led by local crime writer James Murphy. It was good to hear him talk about his writing journey and to pick up some helpful tips.

Later in the week I hosted our SCBWI Ireland meeting when children's writers and artists from across Ireland got together for some creative time and space. We all took some time to either work on something we'd already started or to create something new from prompts. It was good to catch up on news and then see what had been created during our time together. 

Yesterday I managed to get down to the Secret Bookshelf for a browse and of course didn't come away empty handed! Last weekend at their Book Festival, a few titles were tempting me from the bookshelves so I went back to rescue them. This afternoon I've been enjoying the good weather catching up on some reading in the garden.

As we approach the mid year point I've been reviewing my trusty submissions spreadsheet. I'm stuck in the query trenches with a MG novel, and some days it doesn't feel like I'm making any progress. But aside from that piece of work, I've had nine poetry acceptances so far this year, with poems due to be published in a number of anthologies soon. Some of these poems for children have been published online in The Dirigible Balloon https://dirigibleballoon.org/writer/mornasullivan

It's a wonderful poetry resource for children and it's great to see some poems by my writing pal, Fionnuala now published here too. This encouragement is what keeps me going while I'm stuck in the query trenches. I suspect I may be there a while.....

Midsummer Mingling

It's not just the iced lattes I've been consuming in the recent hot weather that has me buzzing.

It's been a very warm midsummer weekend, filled with exciting meet ups with writers, book festival activities and reading.

Yesterday at our SCBWI meet-up in Belfast we welcomed some new faces round the table. We celebrated with Carnegie shortlisted writer Kelly McCaughrain and welcomed NY Times best selling children's writer Ann Paul who joined us during her vacation.

Being with and talking to other writers always re-energises me to keep persevering with projects. It was good to hear what others are working on, chat together and make supportive connections.

Later I caught up on some reading in the garden including making plans for using this year's bumper blackcurrant crop.

This afternoon I was down at my favourite bookshop, The Secret Bookshelf's, 'Not So Secret Book Festival'. 

The Courtyard had been decorated by yarn bombers! As well as going to a panel discussion with David Hume, Katherine Mezzacappa and Malachi O'Doherty on researching and writing history, I went along to hear an old pal talking about her new book.

It was great to hear Wendy talking about her debut novel and listen to her reading excerpts from it. I'll not say how long ago it was I first heard Wendy reading one of her stories, but I know she's always been a gifted writer and entertaining storyteller.

And it was great to mingle with other writers  - including writing pal Jenny Ireland who took this pic. Well done to Jo and Chris for running this book festival. I'm sorry I couldn't get to more of the events, but already I'm looking forward to the next one.

Books and Nooks

I'm just back from a lovely few days away in Scotland. New favourite coffee haunts were discovered, while catching up with family and friends. I was quite taken with 'The Nook' in Abernethy along with the village's 'Book Nook' further down the street.

In nearby Perth I visited the museum's Macbeth exhibition. On until the end of August, the well-curated exhibits, including costumes from film productions, brought back memories of studying the Scottish play at school.

A day trip to Edinburgh included visits to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery (both with excellent cafés and gift shops). It was good to see so many Scottish writers - past and present -  honoured in exhibits at both venues.

And I even managed to fit in some time to write when I was away. My garden at home isn't big enough to accommodate a writing shed, so I made good use of the summer house in the orchard of the house where my mother was born.

I couldn't imagine a more perfect hideaway for catching up on reading and writing.

Buzzing about Books

It's been great to get to some events at the Belfast Book Festival this year. Aside from attending workshops or hearing authors talk about their work, it's been lovely to sit in the cafe at The Crescent Arts Centre sipping coffee and mingling with other writers at various stages of their careers  - some recognisable and revered, others just starting their creative journey. 

The events have been a welcome break from wading through the query trenches with agents and publishers. 

Today's event was an inspiring short story revision and editing workshop with Thomas Morris. It's given me food for thought for some of my stories.

At the weekend, it was great to hear local children's writer and illustrator Oliver Jeffers talk about his books, his inspiration and draw along with the audience. He kept everyone entertained from the youngest to the oldest with his humour.

It's been good to learn, to be entertained and to celebrate the writing community. I've met new people in the writing community, connected in person with writers I've become acacquainted with at online events and reconnected with writers I haven't seen for a while. As always, I've left these events inspired and buzzing about books.

Write by the Sea

How lucky was I to get away for a couple of days this week to write! And the sun shone too! 

Better even still, I managed to make good progress on a writing project during the week when I was away. Walks on the beach helped blow away cobwebs and gave me thinking time to mull over some plot lines and characters.

It's good taking time out to get headspace. While there's still much work to do on the project, I managed to make substantial progress.

I've no doubt my surroundings helped. It was a lovely, relaxing and productive few days. 

Now to keep the momentum going....

Recipe for a perfect Saturday

Recipe for a perfect Saturday:

1. Start the day with some home baking. Add in meeting up with friends who'll appreciate them - ✔ 

Chocanana muffins baked and enjoyed with friends over coffee & creative chat.

2. Make the most of seaside sunshine - ✔ 

Coney was at it's best, beach activity taking place under brilliant blue skies while we did some writing exercises. 

3. Take time to relax outdoors -  ✔ 

Time spent in the garden catching up on reading while enjoying the sights, scents and sounds of spring.

4. Repeat as soon as possible!

I'll be in the garden...

I've learned I seem to be a seasonal writer, with more productive outputs over the longer, darker winter months. Once the sun begins to shine, I'm distracted by the garden. Over the long weekend the weather has been glorious and I've been tempted outside quite a lot. There has been some work done in the garden - by work, I mean gardening  - strimming, weeding, mowing, planning and planting.

But I've also had the luxury of some time to rest and enjoy catching up on reading in the garden accompanied by bees buzzing and boastful birdsong.

Despite receiving a few rejections in recent weeks and some writing related plans not going quite as planned, I've been working on some new projects. Most of them will need strimming, weeding, mowing, planning and planting.

And inspired by gardeners with 'Writing Gardens' (especially Monty Don), I’ve recently introduced some writing inspiration to my garden. While you could fit my garden into Longmeadow several times over, I'm hoping that under the bard's watchful eye writer's block will become a thing of the past and that I'll be inspired to write outdoors more over the summer months.