Rae of Light

My second novel – Sharp Dark Things (desperately needing 3rd edit and hoping to be published on autharium.com ) contains a description of my character sunbathing her eyelids in the early morning sun.   And because I know you're wondering why:   I t's her moment of epiphany.   In the spirit of living with my characters I thought it only right to emulate her actions – feel what she felt, hear what she heard... blah di blah blah. I stood there, eyes shut, head tilted to meet the day and promptly sneezed humungously.  I recall this happening to me as a child.  It appears I'm still afflicted. Why does this happen?  I pondered  So I G o o g l e d it. Because:  a) the laptop is in the next room  b) it can be accessed even with one hand still wrapped around a cup of tea and c) I think a trip to the library for this sort of diversionary tactic is a little excessive And discovered an actual syndrome called Photic Sneeze Reflex .  18 - 35% of hu

I'm in the process of applying for jobs, yet again.  And I can tell you, I'm thoroughly fed up of it. But the thing is, I have this disgusting habit which requires me to beg, steal, borrow, sell my body or do some bloody work to fund it. Yes, I'm talking about my Writing Addiction . I acquired this deliciously dirty little pass time in my teens.  I wrote awful poetry.  I'm sure you know the sort I mean.  And I dabbled in short stories, but also began my very first novel. It was called Panthra and was about a man who transmogrified into... yes, you guessed it, A PANTHER.  I was fourteen.  Don't laugh so hard.  Okay, go ahead.  I'm howling too.  Then, check out the uTube clip so that you know my idea was not altogether crazy. Well the upshot of all this is that I'm still here, 32 years later, supporting my little habit. I've tried various methods to cure me of this sinful addiction . Rae's Writer's Anonymous 8 step programme 1

For some time now I have wanted to enter the world of blogging and create “an online authorial presence”.   Why? With one e-novel, Six Dead Men , already languishing on Amazon and another waiting in the wings for its much needed third edit, it stands to reason that I want to increase my online presence.   24,000 words of a third novel is also inching its way towards completion of the first draft. An idea for a fourth novel is already tapping away at my skull and... This is what all the writing magazines and workshops say I should be doing if I'm the serious author I claim to be.   But I confess the thought of having to become a techno-wiz overnight thoroughly terrified me.  So I told myself I would hang fire and wait for the right moment to come along. And it did!   The wonderful generosity of my good writing buddy Sydnee Blake found me attending a Blogging for Beginners workshop run by Emily Benet .  I left the workshop mentally w