Wednesday 21 May 2014

Adverbs

I am searching for ways in which to improve the sequel to Sunday's Child, Monday's Child, which I am writing.

One of the things I check when I read through each chapter is my use of adverbs. A strong verb is more effective than a weak verb plus and adverb. For example I wrote: the colonel walked quickly and replaced it with the colonel marched.

When I write the first draft of a chapter I'm in a hurry to get on with the story. Afterwards I fine tune it several times. Another example is: he held her hand tightly which I replaced with he gripped her hand.

Sunday 18 May 2014

Historical Novel Society's review of Far Beyond Rubies

FAR BEYOND RUBIES published by MuseItUp Publishing has been reviewed in the Historical Novel Society's magazine "Historical Novels Review."
"Inside Riverside House in England in 1706 the seventh baron, William Kemp is heard shouting at his 18-year old attractive half-sister: "Bastards, Juliana! You and your sister are bastards." He plans to banish them from Riverside. William has not only inherited the title but is claiming the estate as well. Juliana knows that under her grandpere's will she was the rightful heir. Juliana has to prove her legitimacy and her claim.
Juliana and her sister flee Riverside to seek legal counsel in Loncon. With William in pursuit, Juliana meets a suave gentleman named Gervaise. He has recently returned from India, having amassed a fortune and a dark complexion to boot. He offers to help Juliana in her quest as he is immediately besotted by her, for she reminds him of his late Indian wife. His proposal leads to more than a helping hand.
Rosemary Morris has penned a magnificent historical romance with superb, intimate descriptions and politico-religious conflicts of the era which immerse us into an elite society. The inclusion of snippets about Indian customs, religion and cuisine give the story a unique flavour. While the ending is predictable, the plot twists in Juliana's and Gervaise's quest and the evocative narration of the sexual tension between them keeps us turning the pages. Highly recommended.
Waheed Rabbani
(Far Beyond Rubies is available as a paper book and an e-book from the publisher, Amazon and elsewhere.)

Thursday 15 May 2014

Runner Beans and A Massage

My runner bean plants survived a night out of the greenhouse. So, on this sunny day I transplanted them and also potted up my sweet potato plants.

This afternoon I went for a full body massage. It was very intense, and I swear there's not a bit of my body that does not hurt a lot when touched. The masseur thinks I need fiver treatments before the massages will become more enjoyable. I shall persevere. So far, this week's reaction is not as bad as last week's.

I had dinner with my daughter and grandchildren. Afterward, when I reached home and went out into the garden to examine my runner beans I noticed some of them look very unhappy. After all the trouble I've gone to, not to mention forking out for an expensive packet of self fertile seeds, I hope they will perk up.

Wednesday 14 May 2014

Reading and Gardening

Yesterday, - unusually - I didn't have time to post anything. In the evening I stayed up until after midnight reading Stolen, Escape from Syria - A mother's terrifying journey to rescue her kidnapped child - by Louise Monaghan, who fell in love with a Syrian with terrible consequences. After he kidnapped their daughter, May, I was hoping against hope that Louise and May would escape.

I woke late and  gave up on writing my novel for today. Instead, I put up the bean poles for my runner beans.

The garden has been productive throughout the winter, and now there are plenty of herbs and the first spring vegetables, some of which I use to make a salad for lunch - the first broad beans dressed with homemade egg free mayonnaise and a little finely chopped sage, tender baby salad leaves with homemade salad dressing, and crisp radishes, delicious.

This evening I must go to bed early and get up earlier than usual to catch up with my writing.

Monday 12 May 2014

Flash Fiction

No time to blog yesterday, after a busy weekend, and, yesterday, lunch at an Indonesian restaurant to celebrate my daughter's birthday, followed by this that and the other in the house and garden in the afternoon before going to Watford Writers in the evening.

Watford Writers had chosen the theme Shadows for a 300 word flash fiction competition. I wrote one that began: Only one thing in this material world is certain, we come into it and we leave it. To be honest, I don't have the time to devote to this difficult form of writing, but writing outside my usual box is challenging so I participated.

The authors of the winning stories deserved their prizes but I should imagine the marks awarded to the 16 stories were close.

I am very impressed by the varied plots, themes and originality in each short piece of flash fiction.

Sunday 11 May 2014

E-mails, Writing, Plans for the Day


I checked my e-mails this morning. One of them brought back a memory of a truck with a trailer full of sheep. The truck had broken down on one of the hottest days of the year. Without water the animals, were in obvious distress to I phoned the RSPCA. Even worse are cases of animals left in cars with no ventilation on very hot days.

 

It's 10 a.m. I've started to tidy up a file which contains notes on marketing from my publisherr and I've written another 800 pages of my novel, Monday's Child, the sequel to my published Regency Novel, Sunday's Child.

 

I enjoyed my breakfast - porridge with a handful of blueberries, some black grapes and a few strawberries.

 

 I’m now planning to spend an hour in the garden putting up poles for my runner beans, which are trying to reach the ceiling of the greenhouse and need to be planted out as soon as they have been acclimatised to the weather. They need warmth so, hopefully, the weather will improve,




 



 

Saturday 10 May 2014

Writing, Gardening and Cooking

Very successful writing session this morning. I wrote a thousand words and solved the problem of how to reveal the heroine's dilemma.

The weather forecast was bad but this morning it was mild and the rain held off. I'm growing first early new potatoes and second early potatoes in large containers. As I added covered them with more compost I remembered an incident with my late husband,  who knew nothing about growing fruit and vegetables.

I was chitting new potatoes i.e. waiting for them to sprout before I planted them. "Strange," I thought, "where are they?" So I asked my husband. He shifted from one foot to the other like a guilty schoolboy. He had cooked them for lunch.

Anyway, today I put my runner beans outside to harden off during the day before I return them to the   greenhouse for the night, re-planted my bay tree and stood the pot on the doorstep, I also planted
out a new hosta and put organic slug pellets around each of my hostas. Next I did some weeding and picked flowers for the house as well as  picking the first broad beans of the season and Swiss chard,
which has cropped since last year in the early summer.

I steamed the baby broad beans in their pods, and when the were ready cut them as I would cut French beans, and I steamed the Swiss Chard. I also cut the stalks into 3 quarter inch pieces, cooked them quickly and served them in a white sauce flavoured with parsley from the garden, salt, pepper and English mustard. Yummy.

Friday 9 May 2014

Free copy of Tangled Love

If you would like to please visit my publisher: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore
and click onto Mother's Day Super Specials.
Amongst the special offers is my novel Tangled Love set in the reign of Queen Anne Stuart - 1702 - 1714
The offer ends at midnight Sunday, May 11, 2014
In my publisher's words: "perfect time to stock up or give as a gift to that special someone in your life."

Thursday 8 May 2014

Computer Side-Effects

After spending long hours at either the laptop or the computer day after day, I became very stiff and sore. This morning I went for a full body, two-hour massage. The masseur was very thorough and only by taking deep breaths could I tolerate the pain when she found parts which I had not known were painful, such as the pads of my big toes and the arches of my feet. 

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Spring is here.


Blogs Added by Rosemary

Spring Weather
Visit to the Dentist
Bank Holiday Monday
Broken Resolution
Time Management
Book at Bedtime
Broken Laptop
Type the Title here.....
Organising Clutter
Bad Buy
Critique at Writer's Group
Recipe for a Perfect Mummy
Mother's Day
Spring Day
Ooops - Complete Review now posted
5* review of Far Beyond Rubies
Taking a Step Back
Miserable Day
Peach and Nectarine Patio Trees
Tomato Plants
Vegetarian Menu
Organic Garden
Threatened With a Policeman
Regency - Weight Loss
Regency Research - Weight L>oss
Viking Exhibition
Saturday Lunch
Springtime
Review of Taming a Gentleman Spy
Phew! Completed Reviews
Reviewing Books
Time Management
Spring Bulbs
Vegetarian Pasta Sauce
Too Much to Do
Collector's Copy
Collector's Copy
Fiction I Read Recently
Day Off
Busy Day Ahead
Writing and Daughter's Ill Health
Writerly Schedule
Plotting a Novel
Fatigue, Stress and The Leisure Centre
The Future Queen Anne Stuart
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Gust Blogger
The Captain and The Countess
Recycling Arts Project
Out of Sorts
Snippet 4 The Captain and The Countess
Snippet from The Captain and The Countess
Lost and Found
Type the Title here.....
Type the Title here.....
Snippet from The Captain and The Countess
The Captain and The Countess 1st paragrapghs
Pre-order : Special Offer
Writer's Day
Guest at Helen Fairfax's Blog
Type the Title here.....
Flood on Somerset Levels
Type the Title here.....
School Run and Writing
Good Day Today
Galley and Gardening
Asparagus and Potatoes
New Kitchen
Writer's Group
Rainy Weather
The Captain and The Countess
Featured Author at MuseItUp Publishing
Under the Weather
Horrible History
Phew!
Type the Title here...
Mild January Weather & GaRDENING
Public Library
Impatience
Business, Writing and Gardening
Ivory Tower
Another Busty Day
Lost and Found
Early Peas
Better Weather
Busy Day
Royalist Rebel by Anita Seymour
Type the Title here.....
Royalist Rebel by Anita Daviston
10 Good Things in 2013
Rain, Wind & Writing
Time to be Honest
New Computer & Notebooks
2014
Gardening 2014
Book Tokens
My Christmas
Christmas Greeting
Ideas and Inspiration
Christmas Read
Time Off
Georgians Revealed British Lirbary Exhibition
Dates for My Novel
Miracle of Christmas
Christmas Greenery
Exhibition at British Library. Georgians Revealed
Useful Book
No Bookshops in Town
Fate, Karma,Kismet?
Car is a Write off
Carols at Westminster /Cathedral
'Tis the Season to Be Jolly
Choosing a Book Title
What is on my M ind
Father of the Bride's Farewell Speech
Word Pictures
Hindhu Wedding
Halfway through my New Novel
The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles
Titles and Forms of Address
Cold Weather and Research
Reading at Watford Writers
Princess Fairies and Christmas
New Chapters of Monday's Child
Plotting a Novel
Love & Marriage 18th c. poem
Writing, Shopping and Unmentionables
Love and Marriage - poem
Love and Marriage - poetry
When to Marry - Old English Rhyme
Accomplished Regency Ladies
Paperback of Far Beyond Rubies
Type the Title here.....
Peach and Nectarine Patio Trees
Chorleywood Book Festival
My Organic Garden
Type the Title here.....
Back to Writing
Festival of Romance 2013
Festival of Romance 2013
Festival of Romance
Kitchen Sink Drama etc.
A Trying Day
Blood Pressure Rising
A Day Out
Meeting a Friend
Extract from Far Beyond Rubies
Win a paperback copy of Far Above Rubies
Pre-order Far Beyond Rubies
School Play
Zoe & The Ancient Egyptians
Kenya
The Flame Trees of Thika
Rosehip Jelly
Historic Pub
Type the Title here.....
Review of Far Beyond Rubies
Rosemary's Organic Garden & recipe
Watford Writers
Locked Door
Tag for my new novel.
Stephen and the Garden Centre
Who are You?
Festival of Romance 2013
Festival of Romance 2013
Harvest from my Organic Garden
From my Bookcase
Radish Pickle
From my Bookcase
From my Bookcase
Wellington's Light Cavalry
From my Bookcase
From my Bookshelf
Home grown vegetables
English Costume - Sports & Recreation
Weeds & Pot Marigolds
Costumes for Birth, Death & Marriage
Courgette Pickle
Courgette Pickle
Costume of Household Servants
Costume in the 19th Century - 2 snippets
Costume in the 19th Ceentuty
Historical Research - Costume
Family Tree
History - Research - Underclothes
Culinary Delights.
Regency Research - The Duchess of Richmond's Ball
Regency - Research - Duchess of Richmond's Ball
Regency - Research - Jane Austen's Christmas
Regency Research - The World of Jane Austen
Regency - Research Madams
Regency - Research - Royal St Jame's
Regency - Research - Walks Through Regency London
My novels and Amazon.
Regency - Research - Life and Times of George IV.
Soup Maker
Regency - Waterloo - Dancing into Battle
Regency - Regency - The Age of Elegance
Writing and Cooking
Regency - Research - Years of Victory
Regency - Research - The Years of Endurance 1793
Type the Title here.....
Regency Research - The Years of Endurance
Guest at Unusual Historicals
Regency - Research - Britain against Napoleon
Fierce Sun Overhead and Gardening
Regency - Research - Bucks and Bruisers
The Gentlemen's Clubs of London
Midday Sun
Regency - Research - Wellington
Blackbirds enjoying a shower.
Regency - Research - High Society
Regency - Research - High Society
Regency - Research - The JanAusten Handbook
Proud Grandmother of a Young Gymnast
Regency - Research - Reccomended Book
Proud Grandmother
Regency - Research - Walking Jane Austen's London
Notebook - Regency Research - Gardens
Regency - Research - Costume
5* Review of Far Beyond Rubies
Book Covers
Sports Day
Lettuce and Pea Soup
Museums of Regency Interest
Windsor Castle - Regency Collection
Royal Welch Fusiliers Regimental Museum
For Regency Fans - Museum of Costume
London's Bow Street - Museum
Real Life and Writing
Technical Problems
Lilliput Museum of Antique Dolls and Toys
Defunct Laptop
Place of Regency Interest - Jane Austen's House
Royal Naval Musueum & The Victory
Regency (Napoleonic) - Museum of Interest
Regency & Victorian - Places of Interest
Regency - Place of Interest
More Places of Interest
Regency Place of Interest
Regency Place of Interest to Visit
Regency Place of Interest
Regency Place of Interest
Regency Era - Places of Interest
Regency Snippets and Research
Regency Snippets - "The Beau Monde" magazine 1807
Regency Snippets - 1814 The Last London Frost Fair
Regency Snippets - Waltz
Regency Snippets - Charity
Regency Snippets
Writing and Gardening
Gardening
Regency Snippets - ~Bazaars
Guest blogger at Fresh Fiction
Regency Snippets - Birth
Regency Snippets - Barristers
Regency Snippets - Baby Carriage
Regency Snippets - Almacks
Research for my new Regency Novel
Christina Courtenay
Books I have enjoyed
Books on MyTo Be Read List
Allotment Society and plants
Easter Sunday
Easter Shoppig & Thoughts
Cold Weather and Sunshine
On Line Group
Another 5* review for Far Beyond Rubies
5* review
Snow's Falling on My Hair
Stormy Weather
Far Beyond Rubies - special offer
Pre-edits
New Release - Far Beyond Rubies
Mother's Day
Ups and Downs of Being Published
Book Cover for Far Beyond Rubies
Decluttering
Lunch at Rani
Not to plan
Canterbury Tales
Renovation, Redecoration
This Morning
Cooking for Guests
Busy Day and Week
My Day
Type the Title here.....
Writer's Early Morning
Repercussion, Laptop Hibernated, Pre-edits
Visited an Osteopath today
A Long Day
Far Above Rubies
Writing and Sore Muscles
Submission to Publisher
Water, water everywhere
Publisher's Questionnaire
Touching Base
Organic Gardening
Finished My Novel
Revision,Writing & Research
Revision
Historical Research
Writing, Redecorating & Gardening
Historical Research
Historical Research
Here Comes the Sun
Cuttings Files - Cutting re:Frescoes
Final Check of my Novel
Snow versus Gardening
F.Way's review of False Pretences
England and Kenya
More Retail Therapy
Retail Therapy
Retail Therapy
Decluttering
12 Days of Christmas. Days 10-12
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Day Nine
12 Days of Christmas - Days 7 & 8
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day Six
12 Days of Christmas Day 5
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day Four
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Day Three
12 Days of Christmas - Days 1 &
Father Christmas - pre-Victorian
Christmastime – Some Old Customs
Two Medieval Christmas Games
Christmas Game - Times Past
Christmas - Lord of Misrule
Log Fires & Medieval Yule Log
Christmas Kissing Bough Medieval & Modern
Modern Christmas Miracle at Glastonbury
Mistletoe,Christmas,Norse Mythology and Kisses
Ivy at Christma Medieval and Present
Festive Holly or Christ's Thorn and Legend
Christmas Tree, Druids and Saints
Christmas Fare Present and Past
Nativity Carols Mediaeval and Modern
Carols, Vegetarian,Boar's Head
School Carol Service, Mediaeval and Pagan Carols
Nativity Carols and the Crib
Christmas Plays
Christmas Performances
Pantomimes, Christmas Plays and Mystery Plays
Christmas Past and Present
Christmas is Coming
Rivision and Historical Research
Cure or Not
Technicoloured Dream
My Mediaeval Novel
Near Disaster
The Festival of Romance
Retail Therapy
Manuscript Evening at Watford Writers
Books and bookcases
Example of Cockney Spirit in World War II
Lord George Byron
Lord George Byron's Kiss of Youth and Love
A Kiss - Courtesy of Lord George Byron
Tangled Love shortlisted
More Kisses and Romance
Invitation to a Feast
Commonplace Diary
More Kisses and Romance
Today's Romance and Kisses
Type the Title here.....
Come kiss me - William Shakespeare
Last Kiss
Kisses and Henry VIII
Kisses and Romance
Link to False Pretences by Rosemary Morris
False Pretences - Chapter One
False Pretences - Back Cover
Vote Now for best Romantic Film or T.V. programme
Festival of Romance Fillm and T.V. Awards
Final Prelude to War between England and Franc e
The Champion by Elizabeth Chadwick
The French Revoultion Begins
Simple Pleasures
Writing and Blackberries
Britain's Disillusionment with France Prior to War
Festival of Romance - New Talent Award
Prelude to Britain's Struggle Against France
1793 - Britain's Struggle with France begins
A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick
The Scarlet Pimpernel Fact or Fiction
Bariness Orczy
5* Review of Tangled Love
Sunday's Child a Traditional Regency Novel
Special Offer and Extract from Sunday's Child
Sunday's Child by Rosemary Morris
Rain, rain go away.
Away From Home
The Early Life of Georgette Heyer
Tangled Love a Book Trailer
Lucky Seven
Inspiration on Holiday
The Romantic Novelists Association Guest Blog
Review of Tangled Love
Guest blog with Paige Hurtado
Rosemary Morris guest at Helen Hollick's blog
The Sad and The Good
Kick Starting the Muse
Creating believable historical fiction characters
Madleine Grown Up
Challenge of Writing Historical Fiction
How I Plan A Novel
The Little Madeleine
Memories of Kenya & The Bolter
Writing Historical Fiction
Spinach and Curd Cheese Curry
The Three R’s from 1910 to 2011
From Highgate Hill to Kindle
How to critique a Novel or Short Story
Writers' Workshops and Linda Spur
Redbournbury Mill and Bakery
Hatfield House
A Novelist’s Road to Publication
Online Writers’ Critique Groups
Writers Groups
Retro Centre and Samuel Pepys
Recommended Reads
A Novelist aka Organic Gardener's Saturday Morning
Helen Hollick - Novelist
Helen Hollick - Author
MuseItUp publishers - special offer
Mathew Paris and St Albans Abbey
St Alban's Cathedral
My Mother Appreciation and Eulogy
Memories of my mother
Hatfield House
Withdrawal symptoms
The Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban
Chance Encounter
MuseItUp publishers - special offer
Historical Fiction - Research
Rainy Day
New Release. Tangled Love by Rosemary Morris
Joy of Gardens and Writing
About Rosemary Morris
Special offer from MuseItUp Publisher
Show Don't Tell - Write With Style
Seasonal Fruit
Murder Most Foul
Queen Anne Part Three
An Author’s Garden in August
A Writers Plans for A Summer's Day
Gardens Past and Present
Butterfly Farm
That charming, plaguey Justin
Queen Anne – Part 2
Queen Anne - Part One
Historical Research
Ham House
Tangled Hearts - Chapter 1




Blog


Rosemary's Blog has 454 Entries

' Spring Weather ' 07/05/2014 07:13:19

My greenhouse is full of edible goodies. Baby leaves - mizuna, lettuce and rocket they are delicious and would be very expensive in the shops.

Something ate the tops of my first runner bean seedlings but I salvaged some and have some more coming up in a heated propagator. I also have French beans coming up in seed trays, and the broad beans I planted in the autumn are reaching up toward the sky.

Outside I still have Swiss Chard which has been cropping since last summer and some lovely, crunchy radishes growing in homemade compost in an oblong container.

I had a row of early carrot seedlings but while my back was turned my small granddaughter dug them up with her little spade. Never mind, she's more important than seedlings and enjoys digging, but I'll keep a close eye on her in future.

I love this time of the year when I anticipate lots of tasty fruit and vegetables.

Monday 5 May 2014

Bank Holiday Monday

Very quiet Bank Holiday for me, but I did pop round the corner to enjoy pancakes with my daughter and her children. I then spoiled the day by frightening myself with a list of everything I need to do.

Sunday 4 May 2014

Broken Resolution

Oh dear, yesterday I decided how many words per day I need to write if I am going to finish my novel Monday's Child, the sequel to Sunday's Child in the shortest time possible, as well as dealing with other 'writerly' matters. I wrote 'oh dear' because I woke at 6 a.m. checked my e-mails, dealt with some business on line, and then hurried around to my daughter's house at 9 o'clock. I shall be looking after her three children until 5 or 5 30 p.m.

At 11 o'clock I shall take them to Cassiobury Park where they can ride their scooters, after which the boys may play football - what is it about two boys and a football that attracts other children who want to join in the fun? - and my granddaughter can play on the swings, slides, climbing frame etc.  We will lunch at Café Cha Cha (please God don't let it be closed because it's Sunday) or elsewhere.

Must go, my granddaughter needs attention.

Saturday 3 May 2014

Clutter and Crisis

Tired of all the writing related clutter, notebooks, pens, notes etc., etc., I have bought some ornamental  box files, one set of three with pictures embellished with gold of peacocks and a second set in which I can put magazines and other items. I also bought an attractive box with pictures of Paris for the odds and ends on my desk.

Organising Clutter

I bought some ornamental box files some decorated with a magnificent peacock and others with butterflies and embellished with gold. I often work on my laptop in my comfortable bed. My notebook, notes, pens, highlighters, magazines etc. are all out of sight but to hand.

Time Management

Apart from fitting in shopping, cooking, cleaning etc., and spending time with family and friends, it is difficult to balance time spent writing and dealing with business matters pertaining to being an author. I'm almost two thirds through the sequel to Sunday's Child - Monday's Child and have worked out how many words a day I need to write to finish it quickly. The problem is that at this time of the year there's a lot to do in the garden. Today, I've found time to sow vegetable seeds, pull up the forget-me-nots which are past their best, and plant some lilies.
Can't help wondering how other authors organise their time.