Tag: writingcommunity

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fiction Writing

Cover reveal…

Typical author blabbing about her new release… first it appeared in my mailing list, then inside the local magazine, next we headed over on Instagram and now, here on my blog, I reveal to you the cover of Don’t Tell Jack out October 2021…………………………

For links to all of my writing related stuff, my link tree is below. You can also find published work in my portfolio. My debut novel, Dear Brannagh, is OUT NOW. If you enjoy what you’re seeing here and are interested in following me on my writing journey as I self-publish novel number two, then please subscribe to my newsletter by filling in the form at the bottom of any page of my website. Thank you x

linktr.ee/HJMWriting

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Adulthood fiction Review Writing

The Midnight Library: a review

So I finished the book that lots of people are talking about – The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Thank you sir.

I loved it.

At the start I wasn’t sure whether or not it would be my cup of tea as I began it with – of course – a cup of tea. I’m not into fantasy or other worlds. I much prefer books firmly set within this world and reality. Ones that I can sometimes relate to or that answer my own questions I have about this world.

The initial idea of the main character being somewhere between life and death felt too sci-fi for my usual taste but, having loved Haig’s previous books, I read on.

Yes the concept is fantastical in that – well nobody knows actually – what happens after death. Yet the main themes, the settings of the many lives that Nora transports into and everything else about the book is very very real.

It is a book that focuses on perspective, something that many of us need more of. It has a lesson on every single page. I found myself constantly noting down quotes and staring wide-eyed at the pages in total I-had-never-thought-of-it-like-that-before style.

Some books I read, love and share with friends. Others I give to a charity shop or swap in the phone box in our village. They were good books but nothing special.

Well, in my opinion, this book is special. While it is currently with a friend I have asked for it to be returned and returned to my shelf. It will sit there forever. I will dip in and out. If ever I need a bit of perspective I will read a page or two.

Thank you Matt Haig.

For links to all of my writing related stuff, my link tree is below. My debut novel, Dear Brannagh, is OUT NOW!!

https://linktr.ee/HJMWriting

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Adulthood Non-fiction Observations Stories Writing

How my subconscious influences my writing

So far I have been receiving great feedback after my debut novel, Dear Brannagh, was released. In fact, so many who I least expected to enjoy it have phoned me with glowing reviews. Men and women of all ages have become gripped into the life of Mary Carter. This is everything that a writer asks for.

One particular piece of feedback that is cropping up on loop is how I have written about so many different life experiences. Ones that I’m not meant to know about aged twenty-five.

“If you were fifty,” one man said, “then fair enough. You might have been through events that you describe or know of someone close to you who has. The fact that you are only twenty-five years old makes it so much more remarkable.”

I think I just absorb. I’m a huge listener. Much like my dad. If we’re sitting at a bar we would much prefer to be listening to those telling stories rather than the spotlight being on us telling them.

Until dad gets drunk and starts with the wide mouth frog joke!

It might sound odd because I write for a living (almost) but I really do listen to everyone in all walks of life. My day job involves conversing with so many different people every day. On my travels and during university I met all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. My subconscious, as with everyone, is alive and I find it fascinating how much of this comes out when writing a novel.

Of course, I interviewed people and literally asked their experience but I think that a lot of it comes from the conversations I have had in the past unknowingly being stored within my subconscious brain.

Amazing.

So often I am reading back over my work and I can pinpoint where certain phrases or analagies come from. For example, I can remember giving my fingers a break once while writing about Mary struggling over the loss of her mum. She twiddles her ring on her finger as I did but for a very different reason.

It is very fascinating indeed.

All blog posts can be found at https://www.harrietmills.co.uk/ and to read my published work visit my portfolio. My debut novel, Dear Brannagh, is out now.

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Categories
Adulthood Non-fiction Observations Recommendations

My Lockdown day

I haven’t really experienced lockdown in true stay-at-home-for-days-weeks-months-on-end style. I go to work six days a week, try to lay in on my one day off and usually wake up at 5 a.m. due to my body’s inability to break the routine. Today (it is a Sunday, I am writing this on a Sunday but when I post it most probably won’t be a Sunday) I questioned whether I would have enough time if I were to experience true lockdown. Enough time to fit everything in.

I say this partly in jest as I do realise that many people out there are seriously struggling with the endless hours during the never-ending weeks of lockdown 3, but today was an example of me adoring some time to myself.

I had already decided, having sent off my second novel to the publishers mid-week, that I wasn’t going to pick up my laptop and do anything regarding further editing of said novel or writing of the third. In fact, I wasn’t going to do any writing at all and here I am…

Blogs are fun and the ideas buzz around my head like an irritating fly so sometimes I just have to get them down.

I digress.

Today was going to be a day for me. I finished work at around 5 p.m. yesterday evening and chilled out with beers and Saturday night TV. Just before bed, as is often the case, my head began to spin with ideas of things to do on my Sunday off.

Throughout the week I always see things on social media etc that I note down to watch or listen to. It might be a podcast, a video interview, an article, a book, a film, a TV programme… I rarely find the time in the week and if I begin watching in the evening I have usually had too many wines to stay awake and finish watching/ listening/ reading anyway.

My list for this Sunday went something like this:

  • A video interview by Dawn O’Porter with Kate Winslet (Conversations at home SAG-AFTRA Foundation, I found on her Patreon channel)
  • A video interview by Dawn O’Porter with Jason Segel (Conversations at home SAG-AFTRA Foundation, again on her Patreon channel)
  • Finish reading Demi Moore’s Inside Out, a memoir
  • An interview with Marian Keyes on Laura Whitmore’s BBC 5 Live show (Found on BBC Sounds App)
  • An hour on the exercise bike (needed)
  • Two walks

I mean, I’ve done it! I loved every single moment of it. Yet when walking with my sister this morning and listing aloud all that I planned to do that day, I never thought I would complete it. Chill, I kept inwardly telling myself. Chill out and stop cramming so much in.

I love days like this becasue I consume lots. I learn lots. Even if I’m not consciously listening or watching I somehow take it in. Exercise makes me feel good especially when I have the time. And none of it – NONE OF IT – is work or pandemic related. Everything is removed from my life but also enhances it. It gives me such a sense of meaningful escape.

I have no other reason for writing this post other than to give others some good suggestions of material to consume while in lockdown. That and the idea for this post was running over in my head on loop so I needed to get it down.

During this week, in my continuation of listening to Laura Whitmore’s podcast, Castaway while on the exercise bike, I have also added Emma Gannon’s Ctrl Alt Delete (podcast) and In Writing with Hattie Crisell (podcast) for all my fellow writers.

You are welcome.

All blog posts can be found at https://www.harrietmills.co.uk/ and to read my published work visit my portfolio. My debut novel, Dear Brannagh, is out now.

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Categories
Adulthood Non-fiction Special moments Writing

My Publishing Journey: My book in my hands!!

Publishing is a strange process. It begins with hours of work, a never ending task of finishing the book. Sometimes it’s enjoyable, sometimes painful.

Then editing begins and it honestly feels like that takes decades to complete. There are a lot of very quiet periods spent waiting on the next draft to come through, followed by extremely busy and excitable periods in looking over said draft to send back.

I’m like a kid with it all – so excited and restless!

Each time I recieve an email my heart races. Even during this initial marketing stage, I have found myself replying so fast to each email almost choking on my words to get my questions sent off before the person on the other end has read back over what they have sent.

Yesterday was a brilliant day!

As the world is in a dire state of affairs with the global pandemic and the US election and while all you hear about is doom and gloom, I was glad to receive good news. Is that selfish? I shared my joy with others and it boosted spirits at work so I guess not.

My Mum sent me a picture and while I was working and trying to make out what the picture was I held in a scream when I realised it was quite possibly most probably the first prints of my first novel!!!!!!!

I rang her knowing I was expecting two books for a separate reason. I also condsidered the fact that it could be the promo material and the books would follow. The conversation went something like:

‘HOW BIG IS THE BOX?!’

‘Er, about a foot wide and…’

‘Mum, does it look like 25 books or 2 books?’

‘Definitely 25.’

‘BRING IT DOWN!’

I couldn’t open the package faster if I tried. I ripped it open and pulled out the first copy of my novel in my hand. It felt so good. It SMELT so good.

Immediately I started glancing through looking for mistakes. Then I swiftly stopped!

AM I DREAMING?

All blog posts can be found at https://www.harrietmills.co.uk/ and to read my published work visit my portfolio.

Categories
Adulthood Non-fiction Observations Stories Writing

Lock down – an update

Week 10, 11, 12? I don’t really know to be honest. This week I left the house for the first time since Boris announced we stayed home on March 23rd. It was stranger than I had imagined.

I only left to get my MOT!

Having waited patiently in an empty reception at the garage, nothing seemed too different to before. Besides, my life hasn’t changed much during this in terms of routine. Of course, it is busier than ever and I am more tired than ever, but in terms of my daily schedule it is much the same. Wake up, go to work, drink too much wine, fall asleep and do it all over again.

I’ve seen people. I’ve witnessed social distancing but not to the level of supermarkets and hour long queues to get into a bank. I don’t intent to experience that either. No thank you.

So, having enjoyed an hour to myself reading my book while waiting to see if my car was broken or not, I upped and left. My car wasn’t broken. Hoorah!

I decided to make a trip of it and fill up with petrol too (I know how to live) so I pulled up into the garage next door. Well, I didn’t expect to find it so bizarre entering the first building that wasn’t my work in ten weeks. I felt like I was in an apocalyptic film, the only person left on earth, trying to survive. An essential purchase of a packet of Jammie Dodger biscuits, my petrol and I left.

Writing during lock down…

In terms of writing during lock down I am having mixed experiences. Last weekend was a bank holiday weekend. It was also the first weekend which I didn’t have to go to work for any amount of time so I made the most of it. I wrote two chapters of my second novel and was very chuffed with them.

This morning I have organised myself a bit in terms of my blog and general laptoppy admin duties so I feel good about that. This week I finished a great book (Lucinda Riley is now a favorite author of mine).

However, there are many many times when I get overwhelmed by the little amount of time I have during Corona-life in which to write. There have been some weeks where I’ve hardly written at all. There have been weeks where I couldn’t remember the last time I sat down to read. It really gets me stressed.

Trying to juggle is a skill I am usually good at but have not yet mastered and giving myself a break from the pressure is something I mostly fail at. Yet I am understanding that it is only me who feels stressed after a week of no writing. Also, writing is a long process and one that often produces many drafts before quality work so bad days can certainly be accepted.

My blog and lock down…

I am going to change the arrangement of my blog slightly for now and aim for two posts per week. I was bogging myself down with content and figured that good content is better than lots of it.

Therefore, I will provide you good people with one post much like this one per week. An update, a personal experience, a ditty, a good story – whatever it may be. And I will then post a fictional snippet of things I am working on. A bit of lighter reading at the weekend. A short story for competition, a section of my novel, a random piece of prose for inspiration.

Thank you…

As always I thank you all for your time in visiting my blog. I really hope my work leaves you with a smile on your face.

H x

Categories
Adulthood Non-fiction Observations Stories

In a crazy world where good things happen.

2.

Pasta. Rice. Toilet Rolls. Kitchen Rolls. Tissues in general. Plain Flour. Self-raising flour. Dishwasher Tablets. Fairy Liquid. Hand Soap. Cereal. Granulated Sugar. Icing Sugar. Caster Sugar. Baking Powder. Bicarbonate Soda. Tea Bags. RICH TEA BISCUITS.

What next?

These are all items that we, in a little shop, have struggled to get hold of. I don’t know first hand as I haven’t experienced supermarkets during this crisis, but I have heard and seen pictures of similar situations there. The wholesalers are the same. It’s mad.

It even scares me how low alcohol supplies are getting. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it…*PANIC PANIC PANIC*

I’m enjoying day two of isolation. It is 11:45am and I am still in pyjamas and in bed. I have left twice. Once at 5am (thanks to my, now one year old, pup) and once a little later to have a cuppa and hot cross bun downstairs.

I’m not one bit embarrassed to admit this.

Mostly I have been reading – Grown Ups by Marian Keyes, it’s brilliant, check it out, I simply cannot put it down!!! – but also thinking up good things about the times we are living in. Trying desperately to steer clear of the negatives. This brings me onto another story. Numero 2. This one is less of a story but more of a general selection of many stories.

It’s the little things.

The prime focus is my boss and lovely friend. As well as teaching me many lessons in life about seeing the good in everything, there is no such thing as can’t, and there is always a reason for one more glass of wine (just to name a few important ones), I have always known she is wise and has a plan to solve any given situation.

Recently she has not failed to amaze.

Many people, from all walks of life, more than usual have been coming into the shop. People who didn’t even know about it have diverted our way in order to avoid the lengthy queues at supermarkets.

Each new customer welcomed by us, looking for their own selection of essentials, not one expecting us to stock the nation wide now rare products listed above. Who’d have thought it?

They’ve not met our Kaf and her wisdom. Now they are thanking her wise Irish ways!

While the wholesalers are still lacking in all of the above, catering sized is the way forward.

Yes, from the genius of Kathy’s brain we now spend our days measuring out and bagging up kilo bags of flour, kilo bags of rice, 500g bags of pasta, 80 Yorkshire Tea Bags, finish dishwasher tablets, and even filling water bottles with fairy liquid. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Needs must, Kathy is a gem and many happy people leave with more than expected. Great. Good work.

…another happy story during terrible times.

For links to all of my writing related stuff, my link tree is below. You can also find published work in my portfolio. My debut novel, Dear Brannagh, is available on Amazon along with the sequel Don’t Tell Jack. If you enjoy what you’re seeing here and are interested in following me on my writing journey, then please subscribe to my newsletter by dropping your name and email. There will be plenty of giveaways, news hot off the press and an honest insight into life as an author. Thank you x

linktr.ee/HJMWriting

Categories
Adulthood Non-fiction

Community is key.

The biggest, most important thing in all of this is coming together, it’s community.

Yes, I spent my Sunday mostly alone and losing myself in the fictional world of my book, forgetting about reality for a while. However, while being on my own, while those of you who have taken the decision to isolate are doing so and everyone else out there too – we must be together as well. Virtually together, but together.

We are in this together.

While we are encouraged to remain apart for the safety of the vulnerable and to help prevent spreading the virus, it is together we must do this.

Together we must wash our hands, be mindful. Together we must remain apart, two meters apart to be exact. We must work together in keeping small businesses afloat by getting involved in their takeaway options. We must volunteer together to even out the workload by offering to help neighbours and communities.

Our village is brilliant.

I work at the village stores and post office and I am proud to do so. In the week we got a notice through from Post Office Ltd informing us that we are key workers in this crisis and boy do I feel that way.

As tired, exhausted, baffled at the stock piling as I am, I am also proud and feel useful and extremely ever so extremely lucky to be in the position that I am. I know many people out there are struggling, terrified, distraught and worried about the outcome and how this will affect them.

Each day I walk to work I ooze with gratitude.

I’m grateful to be working and helping the community. I am happy to be posting parcels to keep small businesses going and seeing small business still booming in the current shit show that is the economy. I feel lucky to be helping out locals in desperate need of certain products (sadly not toilet rolls or pasta). PLEASE STOP BULK BUYING, THE WHOLESALERS ARE EMPTY AND WE NEED TO STOCK FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR VILLAGE AS WELL). I know how lucky I am and I wish to help as many around me as possible.

On Monday BBC news dedicated a page to positive news. I felt this was a huge step forward and something that needs to be done more often long after this crisis is over.

It’s not all doom and gloom. It’s never all doom and gloom.

I’ve decided to link all my posts for the time being to the current global pandemic because what better time to write creative things and make people smile than in a crisis, but for today I will leave you with a good experience.

I was at the wholesalers the other day. The same old story. The shelves were bare. People were getting angry and frustrated. Due to the sheer demand of products on our shopping list I still found myself dragging a trolley the weight of a large horse through the car park.

I had to take it even further than usual because the place was rammed and someone had TAKEN OUR USUAL SPACE. And breathe. While trying my best, but clearly outwardly showing my struggle, a kind lady offered to help. You’d never get that usually. Together we dragged and we made it to the van. Thank you. If you are reading this. Thank you again.

There is light in this all. There is hope. It will end.

Take care, stay safe xoxo