Louise Phillips Writer: Does Anyone Remember Who I am??
Yes, this is little old me, the person responsible for not blogging as much as she should, for not visiting your blog and websites as much as she should, and in her effort to create a website linked to this blog, lost her entire blog list down some mysterious IT monster's throat!!
Well I am still here, and I am still writing away. 2012 has been a massive year for me so far, not only because it is the year that my debut novel RED RIBBONS, was published by Hachette Ireland, and perhaps even more surprising, has been shortlisted as the Best Irish Crime Novel of the Year 2012 in the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards, but it is also the year, I became a grandmother for the first time.
I find myself in the position of having two of my dreams coming true at the same time, but with what seems like very little time to actually sit back and enjoy them fully.
I don't think I'm the first person, and I certainly won't be the last, to be somewhat overwhelmed by huge changes in my life. It seems that there are constantly things I should be doing, that I am not, like blogging for example, or walking the dog, or doing a Christmas list, or doing NOTHING, every now and then.
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm complaining, because I'm not. I feel like the luckier person in the world right now, and every time I see my granddaughter, I'm amazed all over again, because darn blast it, she is AMAZING!
For all 2 or 3 of you who might be interested in what's happening book wise, I am halfway through writing my new novel, The Doll's House. Writing, in some ways feels very different this time around, to when I wrote Red Ribbons. When I was writing Red Ribbons, I was all full of hopes and anxieties - Would it be any good? Would it get published? Would it get finished? This time at least, I have the knowledge, that yes, it will be published, but the same hopes and fears exist.
I've been asked a number of times over the last few weeks, is it more difficult to write your second novel, especially when the first novel has been received so well. My answer it seems is a rather simple one. All I can do is write the best novel I can possibly write, and in the same way as thinking too much can get you into a whole load of trouble, (at least it does me!), I'm going to adopt the same attitude as I had while writing Red Ribbons. It will have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it will be a story I want to write, and one which I hope others will want to read. At the end of the day, in the words of Stephen King, it is all about STORY.
So apologies again for being a little quiet. Today is my first tentative step back to the blogger I used to be!!!
Ireland this week...shall look out for the Red Ribbons in the bookshops in Belfast. On my way to be at the opening of my sister's show of paintings in the gallery in Castle Espie Co Down.on Saturday.
Brilliant Gerry, I hope you enjoy your trip to Ireland, and your's sister's exhibition is a great success. xxxx Louise!
Sounds as though your priorities are just about right, Louise. Well on the way with your second novel, no doubt walking on air after the success of Red Ribbons. But underpinning everything, the joy of being a grandparent. The great thing about blogs is, they don't get offended if they have to wait a little while between feeds.
Nothing wrong with being busy, glad to hear The Dolls Housevis going well.