Hair Power

Just back from a lengthy bleaching session at the hairdressers. Have I mentioned how much I love my hairdresser (or stylist, whatever the most appropriate name is)? Oh, I do. I sit, he clips, I practise my French and he doesn't laugh. I leave feeling happy and refreshed. Hair-cuts just have that effect on me.

I've always been a bit obsessed with hair. I used to cut my dolls' hair and as soon as I was old enough, I was perming, frying, colouring and extending my own locks. Hair is an important transforming feature, as far as I'm concerned.

It made me laugh, then, when I got my second MS back from a professional reader. Your main character seems obsessed with her hair, the reader wrote. At one point, she's so engrossed she says she's entranced by her new hair-cut.

Well, who wouldn't be entranced by a killer cut revealing beautiful cheekbones and sparkling eyes, I thought (yes, it was just that bad of a novel).

So maybe I used a bit (a lot) of overkill in that scene, but I still think a character's physical changes can certainly be used to reflect internal changes.

What about you? Do you use changes externally to reflect characters' internal change?

Ten For Tuesday: My Favourite Books

The rain is driving down outside, so what better way to get through a hideous day than to think about curling up, all cozy, with your favourite books?

Here are 10 of mine (in no particular order):

1. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I deliberately didn't watch the film because I couldn't stand to sully the memory of this wonderfully written book. The end makes me sob every time I read it.

2. We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lional Shriver. This is a book that grabs you by the throat and won't let you go. It's anything but a cozy and comforting read, but if you're looking for 'gripping' (ay! a cliché rears its ugly head!), then this is it.

3. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. I love France, and this former journalist paints such lovely picture with words that you can't help read on.

4. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. Falling in love with your best friend's fiancé. Need I say more?

5. The Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. Clothes, fashion, fun - and set in New York and London. Brilliant!

6. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull. The true story of an Australian girl in love, in Paris. Sigh.

7. The Lovely Bones by Alice Seybold. Probably needs no further explanation!

8. What was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn. Touching tale about a small girl lost in a big, big mall - and world.

9. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. Because you have to love the sneak peek into the world of fashion journalism!

10. Running for the Hills by Horatio Clare. I don't know what it is about Wales and sheep farms, but I couldn't stop reading!

Just want to say thanks to Nicole, Anne, Mia, Sarah Jayne and Aching Hope for the wonderful awards which I'll be passing onto others this weekend! Thank you!

Sexy Sell

(Warning: This post contains photos of denim in sexual positions. Yes, I'm serious!)

Yesterday my husband returned from a foray down the high street and threw something into my lap.

'Look what I got! There are beautiful women wearing practically nothing down on the high street giving these away.'

Um, ok. That made me stop pretending to be dozing (so I didn't have to help put the shopping away) and sit up. Here's what met my eyes:

'What?' I flipped over the small booklet to the other side, working myself up to be angry. The back was no better.

Before I could let loose (why did you take this? and why are you giving it to me? etc etc), my husband sat beside me and opened the book.

And I couldn't help laughing.

Apparently, sex does sell. It certainly caught my attention, anyway!

So what's the sexy sell for your book? What makes it unique? What do think will catch readers' attention?

Salty Sunday: Sea-Salt and Balsamic Vinegar Crisps

In a slight departure from Sweet Sunday, today I shall be waxing poetic on the loveliness of salt. Yes, it's dangerous in large quantities, but a little bit sprinkled here and there surely can't be too bad, right?

One of my favourite ways of upping my salt intake is by eating crisps; in particular, Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar by Kettle Chips. In my corporate days I'd arrive at my home Tube station so hungry that my stomach was eating itself. Only by diverting it through the consumption of Kettle Chips did I manage to stop it from destruction. This became such a regular practice that the shop-assistant at the station picked up a packet of crisps as soon as he saw me coming. Fame at last!

Although these days my crisp consumption is declining, Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar is still the flavour I grab when feel the salty shakes coming on.

Yay for salt and its glorious... saltiness!

Soul, Mate

Happy Saturday, everyone! It's not raining here... yet, despite the weather forecast. I'm listening to Chopin while eating toasted sourdough bread with copious clumps of melting better. Yum. Hope your weekend is off to a great start, too.

I got some more awards this week! I love getting awards -- it gives me one more reason to have a celebratory glass of wine. (I should interject that I'm not an alcoholic, by UK standards. I need to have a least a bottle night to even get close to that.)

First up, the lovely Tara at Feel of Something New has awarded me the Soulmates award. Rules are simple: Five Recipients. Make up something (not too mean) about the people you give the award to. Link to the people you give it to. Link back to the original award post here.

And this goes out to:

B. Miller, who scaled Mt Everest last year wearing a strapless cocktail dress. Well done!

Jen at Unedited, who recently tamed and trained an anteater to clean her flat.

Nicole at One Significant Moment at a Time, who won first place in the skeleton bobsled at the Vancouver Olympics and is now skeleton bobsledding down the Matterhorn.

Joanne, who has sampled lattes in every city around the world but prefers herbal tea.

Tahereh, who is secretly an heiress living in a castle in the Scilly Isles wearing lots and lots o' plaid.

I've also received the Prolific Blogger Award from Jen and B Miller. Thanks so much, ladies! Here's where I need a little bit of award etiquette help. If I've received this before, do I pass it on to seven new people again? I'd love to, just not sure what (or if) there's an 'etiquette' for this.

Help! :)

The Unexpected

Almost 50 followers! Thanks to everyone for following - I really appreciate it!

The first time I saw this advert, I almost snorted wine through my nose (almost, but not quite - it would have been a waste of good wine, not to mention painful!). I'll let you watch it before I carry on.



Why is it so unforgettable? For me, it's the sheer unexpectedness of that tractor! The audience is led to believe it's just another schmaltzy advert, and then...

How do you use the element of surprise in your writing? Do you prefer to signpost so the reader isn't surprised, or do you introduce a tractor?

(Annoying peeping bird update: I'm happy to report no harm has been done. Wee birdie did not keep me awake last night. Now if I could only say as much about my husband's snoring...)

A Little Write Music

(OK, OK, so that title doesn't exactly work grammatically, but did you get the pun there? Aren't I clever?)

It's chucking down rain outside and I was up all night thanks to a bird outside my window who persisted on bleating the same four notes every thirty seconds or so, so I'm going to make this sorta short.

In On Writing, Stephen King says he writes with heavy-metal music blasting. It's so far from my own writing preferences (absolute silence!), that it made me wonder: can music help the writing process? And what do most writers prefer, silence or tunes?

So, I'd love to hear... Music: Yea or Nay?

And if it's 'yea', what's your favourite writing tune?

PS - If anyone knows a humane way to shut up a silly little bird in the middle of the night, please let me know! It's the second night running and if I don't do it humanely soon, I fear for that bird's life.

Revelations

That word strikes fear into my heart, conjuring up images of doom, gloom and a world without cupcakes. However, today the revelations will be of my own making as I unveil the one truth hidden in a forest of lies. (The thought of Revelations has made me think in pseudo-Biblical language!)

Anyway, back to sweetness and light:

1. I went to a posh all-girls' school in Kensington but was 'asked to leave' after writing a series of anonymous articles exposing how much profit the school cafeteria made -- the headmistress found me out.

False. I went to a state school and was annoyingly well behaved.

2. I have never driven a car, relying instead on Tubes and cabs. Who needs a car in London?

False. Unfortunately, I have driven a car in London and I very quickly developed a severe case of road rage. Parking was the worst: it's in high demand in my borough and you have to develop a vulture-like mentality just to survive. I sold my car a few years ago after a change of job meant I didn't need it any longer. Good riddance!

3. I can see Buckingham Palace from my window.

False. I'm pretty close to Kensington Palace, though.

4. On my way to a job interview, I tripped down the stairs of the Tube, sliding to a stop at the bottom. People just stepped over me.

True. I'm sad to say that this statement is the truth. My heel caught in the cuff of my trousers as I went to take the first step down into the Tube station, launching me head-first into a wall which broke my fall as I slid. I tumbled about ten steps, and people just stepped right over me. (And, even though I went to the interview with a giant bump on my head and a scraped wrist, I didn't get the job. That was definitely not my day.) Sad, so sad, but true.

5. I once fell asleep on the Tube, got my wallet stolen, then had a nice bus driver drive me home on his double-decker, all the way from Canning Town.

False. But although this didn't happen to me, it did happen to a friend of mine! Thanks goodness for nice bus drivers.

6. I'm going to run the London Marathon next month.

Wahahaha! Enough said.

7. My husband is an Hon. with inherited wealth.

False. Oh how I wish it were so. But I married for love, of course.

Coming up tomorrow: Writing with Music: Yea or Nay?

Trivia Tuesday: Liar, Liar

Thanks so much to E. Elle at Writer's Funhouse for passing along this award to me! It's a great one, too: I have to divulge six lies and one truth about myself while you all try to guess which one is true. I'm going make them all London-related... just because I feel like it.

1. I went to a posh all-girls' school in Kensington but was 'asked to leave' after writing a series of anonymous articles exposing how much profit the school cafeteria made -- the headmistress found me out.

2. I have never driven a car, relying instead on Tubes and cabs. Who needs a car in London?

3. I can see Buckingham Palace from my window.

4. On my way to a job interview, I tripped down the stairs of the Tube, sliding to a stop at the bottom. People just stepped over me.

5. I once fell asleep on the Tube, got my wallet stolen, then had a nice bus driver drive me home on his double-decker, all the way from Canning Town.

6. I'm going to run the London Marathon next month.

7. My husband is a Hon. with inherited wealth.

Good luck guessing! I now pass the award on to the following creative writers (and my apologies if you've received it already!): Jai Joshi (born in London!); Patricia Stoltey (because her posts just make such good sense); Carol Burnside (because I love that she spilled wine on her computer! Wine!) and Susan Fields, because she loves coffee!

Thanks again to all the new followers and to everyone for all the lovely comments!

Title: Vital?

I'm a big believer in having a great title. I think it can help you focus your ideas and get your one-sentence pitch right from the very beginning. Yes, the title will likely change if you should be so lucky as to have your work published. But if you can come up with something catchy; a great phrase to sell your idea and concept straight away, then the rest should (hopefully) be easy. Or easier, anyway.

For my current novel, I originally had the title The Ex Factor. I thought it was great (and I still think it is!) but a search on Amazon revealed the title had already been taken. D'oh! Second try came up with The Hating Game -- a play on The Dating Game and rolling in the vengeful attitudes of the exes my protagonist will encounter.

How do you come up with a title? Do you leave it to the end, or is the title the first thing that comes to mind?

Sweet Sunday: Sticky Toffee Pudding

If I had to choose between cupcakes and sticky toffee pudding, I think my head would explode. They are both super sweet, rich... oh, I'm drooling just thinking about it.

I went through a phase in the winter where I had to have sticky toffee pudding every night after dinner (you can imagine how that went over with my waist-line). Still, nothing could stop me tucking into the warm, spongy, gingery cake topped with a delicious runny toffee syrup (yes, I know I've overloaded the adjectives, but it simply must be done).

My all-time favourite brand, after many taste tests, is Farmhouse Fare. No icky sultanas, just pure sugary goodness. Put on a splodge of cream and you're good to go.

Play Your Blog

It's a rainy Saturday here in the UK and I've had two cups of coffee too many, so the weekend's off to its usual start! I'm going to venture the 50 feet down the street to get my weekend cucpcake shortly, but I thought I'd share this nifty little discovery first.

I'm always looking for ways to procrastinate, so I was thrilled when I came across the Code Organ. It's hours (well, ten minutes, at least) of fun! Simply paste a URL into the box, then see what the code-generated tune says about you! Mine was quite bee-boppy, which is pretty much how I feel right now with all that caffeine coursing through my veins.

Friday Awards!

OK, so these awards aren't really because it's Friday, but I figured Friday is a great day to celebrate! This two-week-old blog won two awards this week and I'm very excited. Thanks so much to everyone who has welcomed me here and taken the time to comment. I really love being a part of the writing/ blogging community!

Special thanks to Crystal Cook, who gave me the Sugar Doll Award. Perfect, because I love sugary things - especially cupcakes!



I'm going to pass this along to:

Christine Danek
Just Jemi
Ann Altman
Kit Courteney
Theresa Milstein

because... you're all sugar dolls!


Thanks also to Sarah Jayne Smythe for the Prolific Blogger Award! Yay!

"A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive...keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content."

The rules for this one are as follows:
1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!
2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award. (see above).
3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to this post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.
4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, so that we can get to know the other winners.

So, I'm going to pass this one on to E Elle of the Writer's Funhouse, Roxy of A Woman's Write,
Karen Jones Gowen of Coming Down the Mountain, Anne at Piedmont Writer and Nicole at One Significant Moment in Time.

I know many of you may have received these awards before, but I humbly offer them to you again! Happy Friday!

Cliché Bingo!

Writers are always called out for their use of cliché. But they're not the only ones who fall prey: book reviewers are now being taken to task for their reliance on hackneyed phrases. How many times have you picked up a book to see 'gripping' or 'a real page turner' emblazoned across the front?

Why not turn it into a fun game of BINGO?

Michelle Kerns of the Examiner has done all the hard work for you, creating BINGO cards using a mix of book review clichés (go to the link to see more BINGO cards). All you have to do is print them off, give one each to your friends, and see who gets BINGO first!

If you had to pick one cliché to describe your current novel, what would you choose?

All About Potential

Writing my list yesterday got me thinking about potential (it's never a good idea to write a top ten list after drinking a glass of wine -- it's too hard to rein in your mind afterwards!). As good things are currently in the works (I promise I'll disclose more soon!), it seems an apt time to look at it a bit closer (without wine, this time). (Gosh, I really need to stop using parentheses.)

Yesterday, I wrote how I love that there's the potential for something to happen with my writing. I didn't actually stop to think exactly what I meant until later. What potential? To finish a first draft, to polish a novel I'm happy with? To get published, to hit The Times' bestseller list (I can dream big, right?).

When we're young, we're full of potential. Everything seems possible; our life has not yet been narrowed down to a defined career, we haven't been pigeon-holed. Will that happen if/ when I'm published? Will my potential diminish, once I've achieved a part of my dream and start to 'grow up' as a writer? Or will my potential grow along with me?

I'm going to look at potential as a growing process. A baby has the potential to sit up, to smile. A teenager has the potential to drive a car, to go to university. As a writer starting out on the publishing journey, I'm happy with the baby steps I'm making towards fulfilling my potential -- now and in the future.

Ten on Tuesday: Writing

I sucked back my glass of wine a bit too early tonight and I'm feeling quite light-headed, so I'm going to resort to a 'Ten on Tuesday' meme. Apologies in advance for typos and/ or nonsensical sentence structures. (There's really no excuse, I know...).

Since I've talked before about how difficult I sometimes find the writing journey, I thought I'd give my top ten reasons why I love it.

1. I can make stuff up. I can make anything happen! It took me awhile to cotton on to this -- I had to take tentative steps away from my grasp on reality and towards creativity. I'm still learning but I love it!

2. As pointed out by many in a previous post, I can stay in my PJs all day long! (And wear my fuzzy slippers to my heart's content). It ain't pretty but it sure is comfortable.

3. It's a 30-second commute to my desk. Previous commutes included a killer drive on the M4; an hour-long Tube journey on the crush of the Central Line and the dreaded Northern Line; and a sketchy 6:30 am start to get to the smelly Silverlink Metro and the wilds of Clapham Junction. Now I can avoid sweaty commuter armpits!

4. I'm within striking distance of the fridge, at all times. Enough said.

5. I am my own boss, as I've said before. Love, love, LOVE it!

6. It's OK to stare out the window for hours. It's alright to eavesdrop. It's all good, as long as it helps my writing.

7. I really feel happy staring at the page at the end of the day, re-reading what I've written. Even if it's rubbish (first draft, etc), I feel I've accomplished something.

8. I like hoping that something will happen with my writing. I like that there's potential.
It's infinitely better than being stuck in a dead-end job.

9. I like the routine of my day, getting up in the morning and knowing that I have a full day to create ahead of me.

10. I'm doing what I've always wanted to, even though I've been distracted many times along the way. I've finally got here.

The Lure of the Telly

After exercising my brain all day, I like nothing more than to flop on the sofa, click on the telly and drift away to the sounds of the umpteenth-watched episode of Friends quickly followed by whatever other documentaries/ reality shows are on that evening.

For me, Friends is like a children's story-book: familiar, cosy and predictable. Reality shows, though, stir up a different set of emotions. As I watched one particularly smarmy contestant on The Apprentice last year badmouth another, I wondered what on earth attracted me to these types of shows. Is it the Coliseum mentality -- getting pleasure from watching humans duke it out in the ring? Is it voyeurism, a sneak peak into someone else's life? Or is it the thrill of watching someone achieve their dreams, a la American Idol?

Probably, it's a combination of the three. I love watching raw human emotion on screen, seeing people react to the twists and turns producers throw at them. I'm a shameless crier when the winner is crowned in any talent competition. And I love listening to contestants run each other down (not an admirable trait, I admit).

Most of all, I can't help but wonder why people are so eager to go on these sorts of shows. It's this curiosity that led me to write my current novel, The Hating Game, where the main character goes on a reality show in order to win some prize money to save her business. I knew my telly watching would come in handy: I hardly had to do any research!

What about you? Do you switch on the television at night? And if so, what do you watch?

Sweet Sunday: Cupcakes

Veering slightly away from the writing theme, every Sunday I shall wax rhetoric about one of my favourite sweets (because they are also an invaluable part of the writing process!).

London is experiencing a cupcake (or fairy cake, as they used to call them here) revolution. With two shops in striking distance, it's easy to fall prey to the lure of their wonderful spongy goodness.

Feeling stuck on how to move a character forward? Why not try a cupcake? the sugary little voice in my head bleats. And usually, I succumb. My favourite is Red Velvet, a vanilla sponge base dyed to a deep red colour topped with cream cheese frosting. Sometimes I also plump for double chocolate (chocolate base with chocolate frosting).

Thank you, cupcakes, for all you've done to help my writing!

Writer Envy

Maybe envy is the wrong word, but there are a few writers I'd really love to write like. Sophie Kinsella, for one. Her characters are flawed yet lovable, and I always roots for them to triumph over any challenges. She manages to write cringe-worthy and comic scenes at the same time, and keep the plot rolling.

If you could write like anyone, who would it be?

(And is it wrong to want to write like someone?)

How I Write

Every week, TimeOut London used to run a column called How I Write. And every week I'd eagerly turn to it, glad for a glimpse into a published writer's inner world. Each author had a different method of writing -- a unique ritual that worked for them -- and I was fascinated. AL Kennedy recently posted a piece in The Guardian giving an insight into her writing process, and that made me think about mine.

I work best in the morning, after my shot of caffeine gets pumping through my veins. I'm up at around 7 am, grinding my espresso and reading my email, then at my desk between 8 and 8:30 am. I pump out my words in the morning, have a think about where I want my plot to go in the afternoon, and spend the evening indulging my other addiction: telly (there, I said it. I love the telly. Yes I do!).

It's a simplistic formula, but it's taken me a little bit of experimentation to find out what works.

How do you write?

Is Chick Lit Easy to Write?

Is there one genre that's easier to write than others? Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think many people (not writers, generally) believe that writing chick lit is easy. The same likely holds true for YA, romance, children's books... and the list goes on.

I don't think that's the case. At all. (Insert vigorous head shaking.) Every genre has its rules that you must at least be aware of, if only to break them. With YA, I suspect writing in a voice that appeals to the younger generation is as difficult as putting on eyeliner without a mirror (it's hard. Try it). With chick lit, keeping the pace quick and light yet inserting just the right amount of depth can be a killer. And while I don't write children's books, I'm in awe how well-rounded stories are crafted in so few words.

It's not easy. Nothing about writing is easy. So there!

(I realise I'm preaching to the choir here, but I feel better for getting it off my chest!)

Shop a Block

First of all, a massive thanks to everyone who has been so kind to comment and follow my new blog! I offer you all a cupcake and your choice of coffee, tea or... um... tap water? Seriously, though, thank you.


While there are many, many good things about writing full-time, one of the not-so-good things is the lack of income. I'm hardly out on the street thanks to the generous support of my lovely hubby, but I still can't traipse off to the shops on a whim like I used to. (Well, I can still traipse, I just can't buy!).

What makes the whole thing even harder is that I live very close to one of the main shopping streets in London. I can't throw a stone without breaking a shop window or two (not that I've tried, of course).


Back in the days -- whether they were good or not is debatable, as I worked non-stop at a job I loathed -- I could buy that new jumper from TopShop and shoes to match from French Connection. Oh, new arrivals in Zara? No problem! And maybe some new MAC lipstick too. I was frivolous, yes, but boy was it fun.

Now, my shopping is largely limited to Primark where I can purchase a six-pack of socks for £1 and a sweatshirt for £3. Splurging is buying conditioner from Boots!

No, I may not be the fashion plate I used to be. Still, though, I wouldn't trade my life for anything!

(And there's always coffee and wine...)

10 Things That Make Me Happy

I saw this on a blog somewhere and I thought it was a great idea! So, without further ado, here are 10 things that make me happy (in no particular order because I am so not a methodical person!).

1. Coffee. Of course I have to put coffee at the top of my list! I love the smell, the taste, the first sip in the morning as I slowly begin my day. I don't love the painful grinding noise of my espresso machine. I'm sure my neighbours don't, either!

2. Sticky toffee pudding. Warm and gooey, fresh from the oven, with a dollop of cream. Hm, I might just have to head off to Tesco's to get some for pudding tonight!

3. That lovely 'ahhhh' as you crawl into bed with a good book. I love to sleep. One of the best bits of my day is packing it in and succumbing to the drowsiness with a book to fall asleep over.

4. A scalding hot bath with loads of bubbles. I'm always cold and I enjoy turning the colour of a lobster. I enjoy the burning sensation. I love heat!

5. Wine & champagne. Tied at number 5 (because I don't want to put two separate alcoholic drinks in my list). Too much is not a good thing -- as I've found out many a morning after -- but a cheeky glass of champers at the end of the day can't be so wrong, can it?

6. Trees. I'm a full-fledged city girl now, but I grew up in the country. I love walking through the woods, hearing only that 'whoosh' as the wind moves the branches above me.

7. Snuggling on the sofa with my husband. He has such a comfy shoulder!

8. Laughs with my girlfriends. Near and far, I've got some great friends and nothing beats our giggles together.

9. Being my own boss. Oh, how I love to order myself around! It's so much better than anyone else doing it.

10. Writing. It's taken me awhile to realise that this, more than any other job, is really what makes me happy.

Hello, My Name is Talli and I'm Addicted to Chick Lit

It has taken me a long time to publicly confess to my chick lit addiction. I used to cower on the Tube in shame, hiding the curlicued covers of my chick lit novels. It felt wrong, somehow -- an admission that I liked reading about high heels and love triangles.

Well, guess what? I do like reading about high heels and love triangles. I enjoy tales about shopping, hunky men and office romances. I'm out and I'm proud.

And I love writing it even more. I tried my hand at serious women's fiction for awhile, but it felt laboured and forced. I can't tell you have much fun I'm having writing my current WIP, The Hating Game, about a man-eating woman who winds up on a dating game-show... only to be confronted with a string of her exes as contestants. In what other genre could I write about reality TV, mud-wrestling and the Isle of Wight? (I'll discuss my reality show addiction later...)

So, yes. I am addicted to chick lit novels, both writing and reading. And I'm not going to hide it any longer.

Oh, the glamour!

One of the things I quickly learned about a writer's life is that it is nowhere near as glam as I imagined. I always pictured writers swanning about, laughing it up with all their writer mates, and watching the royalties roll in.

Instead, I spend my days wrapped up in a Primark robe to keep from freezing, watching the crazy people forage for food in the bin outside my window.

Of course, I'm not a published fiction writer (here's where the optimism kick in) -- yet. I'm sure once my words hit the printing press, my life will dramatically change. I won't snack on dried nuts left over from last Christmas. I'll swap my robe for cashmere -- or maybe even splurge and buy a space heater.

Until then, there's always wine coffee!

Fingers Crossed

I've always been superstitious. I never walk under ladders or scaffolding (unless it's on Oxford Street, in which case I'm coralled through them like a bloody sheep!). I try my best not to walk on the cracks in the pavement. So I shouldn't be too surprised that now -- when a publisher has actually expressed interest in my new novel -- I'm afraid to say anything lest I jinx the whole thing.

I'm going to eat some more cupcakes for good luck. And some coffee, of course.