Life is a rollercoaster

For the past few weeks, I’ve felt as though I’ve been riding a carousel, round and round, up and down. I filled up my diary with all kinds of things and maybe, just maybe, went a bit too far. I’m now trying to slow down a bit so I can squeeze in some more work.  Of course, that means something will have to go to make room so I might drop the ukulele. If I do, my fingers will be happy as holding down the strings is actually rather painful, especially when you have soft, writer’s hands.

Work is going well, sales wise at least. Compared to last year when I sold 20 stories, mainly to markets that paid less, this year so far, I’ve sold 38 almost all to my best markets. Last year I was secretary of Leeds Writers and a tutor for The Writers’ Bureau. I was also working too many hours. Now I’ve dropped LWC and WB, AND I’m only working part time. Sometimes quantity doesn’t equate to quality. Of course, I’m very aware that until I replace the stories I’ve sold with new ones, I can’t expect many sales in the next few months but I can live with that. The important thing for me right now is to find some kind of balance between work and leisure.  I also want to meet new people.

To which end, I placed an ad in Two’s Company (Lonely Hearts). I’ve been in contact with a number of men as a result. This has taught me a valuable lesson. There are lots of men out there who are down, fed up, or disillusioned with women, and who are as nervous about meeting new people as I am. 

I know that some of the people I meet will be dreadful, or boring, or downright odd, (they might well think that about me, too!) but it’s worth the risk. I may need to meet a few toads before I get to Prince Charming.  Talking of Prince Charming, the panto I wrote a while back is now being rehearsed. Somebody’s dropped out so if it does go ahead, guess who gets to play the Prince?