Brigid Coady

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2010-12-31T12:11:00.000Z

As it is tipping over from the old year to the new, I thought I would give you a round up on my 2010 (or alternatively you could just go and read my twitter feed for the blow by blow game play)

I started it well being chosen as Katie Fforde's bursary winner (through the RNA) which gave me the necessary kick up the backside with my writing.

I finished 'The Stone Voice' back in May, having had fantastic feedback on my writing and first chapter from Barry Cunningham at Chicken House (through the Festival of Writing in York). After feedback through the NWS and via great friends Liz Fenwick and Julie Cohen, I have revised it. It has been entered in the RWA Golden Heart competition and will be winging its way to agents in the new year. Go me!

The day job has been, to use a cliche, a bit of a rollercoaster ride. I am a self employed consultant in the Education sector and spent a fair bit of the spring and early summer wondering where my next contract was coming from. And then I was lucky enough to get a fabulous offer from Ty and Ian at the British Council for School Environments and I am currently working there as Operations Director.

So what will 2011 bring? Well it brings a rather key birthday milestone in September *shakes in boots* but it also brings the possibilities of new stories as I get on with writing while waiting to hear back on 'The Stone Voice'. I am also looking forward to the challenges of a day job that is fast paced, high profile, demanding and great fun due to my fabulous colleagues.

So what have you planned for 2011?

The Heroine Addicts - Crushing

2010-11-03T20:28:00.002Z

I am over at The Heroine Addicts talking about crushes. As I was writing it I decided to revisit a particularly distressing incident with a crush. I first blogged about it here just over five years ago.

The Samuel West Debacle

Thursday was the day I was going to Sheffield and as part of the trip I was off to The Crucible to see Mr Sam West in 'Much Ado About Nothing'.
I was excited. After all he is one of my favourite actors as well as being extremely easy on the eye. Mr West also had the great privilege of being the man I based my first hero on. Admittedly this hero is now languishing at the bottom of a drawer "resting". But hey, Sam's an actor! He should be used to that.

7pm found me in the bar at the theatre having a sneaky vodka and tonic before curtain up and checking out the programme. A young blonde boy (well mid twenties but very young) asked to read said programme. We got to chatting and it turned out he was a friend of a member of the cast and was up to see him. We agreed to meet at the interval.

I settled into my seat for the performance and found myself falling under the spell of the theatre. And then there he was. Dodgy 'tash and all. Samuel West. In uniform. And acting the rest of the cast of the stage. Speaking the lines like it was easy conversation, no Shakespeare declaiming here. I might have started to drool.

By the interval I was starting to become a little bit of a mess. Nothing like someone doing something really well and looking good at the same time to make my hormones go a little haywire. Another vodka and tonic was obviously called for. My kind new friend Matthew obliged and we cursed Mr West's talent.

On to the second half. The dodgy 'tash has gone. He was GOOD!

By the time the curtain came down I am definitely in need of a calming drink. Back to the bar to meet Matthew and wait for his mate. I realise I'm now in the position to be introduced to Mr West. I start to become a little fuzzy.

Matthew's friend, Jeremy is cool. We complimented him on his performance (whch was good). When suddenly he's there. Hair wet from a shower and falling in little ringlets. What had we been talking about?? I take a large slug of drink and pretend to be cool.

Twenty minutes later with much pushing by Jeremy and Matthew, I introduce myself. This is when I realise I haven't actually thought this through.
1) I don't know what I am going to say
2) I'm not asking for an autograph so can't use that
3) I might have had a tad too much vodka
4) I very tired
5) I AM AN IDIOT!!

I introduce myself, say how much I Like the play and then I should have just left it like that. But I am a an idiot. I start some awful rabbling something or other about his audio book being one Oneword next month. I can see the fear in his eyes. I can see the look that says... "Who is this freak?"
Do I leave? Do I apologise for being a blithering idiot?
NO!
Like some sort of car accident that you can see happening in slow motion, I just dig myself deeper and deeper.
At this point he is looking desperately for an escape.
I am beginning to glow like a beacon as the true horror of what I have been doing dawns on me.
Somehow I mumble something and walk off. I might have been in the middle of a sentence at the time. I get back to the table, down my drink and wait for the earth to open under me and take me down.
I feel sick. What an IDIOT!!
Ten minutes later Jeremy and Matthew ask if I'd like to join the rest of the cast for what looks like a drinking session. I realise that Sam would also be there. I couldn't. My mortification was already too great. If I stayed I would make an even bigger fool of myself.
I excused myself and wandered back to the hotel cursing myself all the way.

Obviously I should never meet any of heroes... Now everytime I think of Sam West I can see this dawning look of horror in his eyes and the panicked cornered body language of someone desperate for escape.

Bugger.

Update: Last month almost five years to the day I found myself in a bar with Sam West yet again... and discovered I had learnt my lesson. No blithering, I just smiled and carried on talking with my friends.

The Heroine Addicts - First Kiss

2010-10-14T01:00:00.002+01:00

Today I am over at The Heroine Addicts talking about the importance of first kisses... so pucker up!

Poetry - The Heroine Addicts

2010-10-12T20:31:00.003+01:00

OK I have been set another challenge by the lovely Liz Fenwick over at The Heroine Addicts she has been talking poetry so I decided that I would share some poems I wrote as a teenager.

Beverly Kimbol and the Hollywood Sex Symbol

On that cold day in the High Street,

The sky heavy with snow and sleet

Was Anne-Marie upon her moped

Watching a scene her curiosity fed.

A lone passion fed couple embracing;

Oblivious to the cold, shivering and shaking.

The two familiar heads, blonde and brown

And seeing it all her hopes came crashing down

For there, framed in front of her,

All her past and all her future;

Her said best friend Beverly Kimbol

And the Hollywood Sex Symbol.

All that Anne-Marie had hoped for

From the heart of her was tore.

She wanted it to be an error,

But with a deep and knowing terror

She realised that she was right

And everything lost without a fight.

Her dreams of fortune and of fame

Would never again be the same.

For Bev, her “friend”, now had the role,

Which of course she must have stole

Because unassuming Beverly Kimbol

Had the Hollywood Sex Symbol.

On her moped did Anne-Marie sped

With hatred her soul she fed,

Bitter, twisted and all hopes shattered

Not happy for her friend or flattered,

For who had taught Bev all she knew

So that someone competent gave her cue?

Anne-Marie knew that on that street

In the cold and in the sleet

She had seen the birth from that harlot

Of the latest film industry starlet.

Plain, conniving Beverly Kimbol

And the Hollywood Sex Symbol.

How could she hold her head up now?

When everybody knew of her vow.

The only choice, to her was simple;

“Kill that cow Beverly Sharon Kimbol!”

Then shattering all the telephone rang

And like a cat across the room she sprang.

A voice informed her of a part,

Right up her street, right to her heart;

She was in the film, she was in the shoot

Now on her foot the proverbial boot!

The rival and enemy of Beverly Kimbol

And winner of the Hollywood Sex Symbol.

Irresistible on The Esplanade

There was Suzy on her cycle

Ever prissy, ever fickle.

Gently tasting Sarsaparilla

Refusing strongly plain vanilla.

Always aiming to sophistication

This to her was mystification

Whilst we on my parents tandem cycle

Always managed to extract the Michael.

Confident brash and comely girls

Helped along by our brassy curls.

Me and Mabel Palasade

Irresistible on the Esplanade.

Men would try and tickle

Little Suzy ever fickle.

She tried to tease them

She tried to fleece them

She only managed to displease them.

Whilst we with our bottled curls abright

Would set their little hearts alight.

Laughing, talking, holding hands

Letting them make their plans

Of picnic dances on the sands

With me and Mabel Palasade

Irresistible on the Esplanade.

Now all those Saturdays have gone

Of walking out upon the Prom

Little Suzy’s children play

Upon the Prom on Saturday

And bottled curls

Of comely girls

Go brown and grey

With each married day.

But the ghosts live on of those plans

Of picnic dances on the sands

With me and Mabel Palasade

Irresistible on the Esplanade.

Arnold Algernon Armitage-Shanks

Algy was a lovely child

Eyes serene and blond curls wild.

His innocence was plain to see

To all those who heard his plea,

When caught by grown ups in a prank

He would face them gladly and be quite frank

And he would say without a blink;

“But Mummy dearest I DID NOT THINK!”

Alas it was a case quite sad

A boy, depraved, was not that bad.

For Arnold Algernonn Armitage-Shanks

Was as thick as two short planks.

The Heroine Addicts, Tudor Dudes and other stuff

2010-09-22T21:36:00.004+01:00

I am over at The Heroine Addicts talking about refilling the well. I have definitely been burning the candles at both ends recently and am feeling it. It is getting in the way of the revising of my YA novel 'The Stone Voice' but I have a new deadline... I have entered it in the Golden Heart contest run by the Romance Writers of America. This means it needs to be in peak condition by the end of November. Doable? Yes but I need to start pacing myself!

As a way to refill my well (see heroine addicts blogpost) I spent this past Saturday at Hampton Court Palace with the lovely Julie Cohen. She needed to do some research for the book she is writing and I needed to get out of town. I am sure Julie will tell more about our tour which included Tudor dudes, Tudor dude's calves, wine fountains and lots of 'Yeah baby'... oh and a Seymour Sandwich.

Go here to read about the tour!

Over At The Heroine Addicts - Endings

2010-08-15T09:18:00.002+01:00

So as I said in my post below I have started posting with The Heroine Addicts and today I am talking about endings. I have a thing for writing ambiguous endings at the moment.

Go over and enjoy, also go and have a look in the comments of the previous post on Settings for links to some great writing.

Frenchman's Creek

2010-08-13T16:44:00.003+01:00

Yes I'm back! Sorry for the delay in transmission but... well... you know how things get.

Anyway I will get you updated on all the news some other time but first I have to post something due to a challenge I took on.

You see back in July at the RNA Conference I became part of a brand spanking new (and rather fabulous) blogging team called The Heroine Addicts. Basically me, Liz Fenwick, Susanna Kearsley, Julie Cohen, Anna Louise Lucia and Christina Courtenay. You can find us here
Yesterday Liz Fenwick wrote a post about settings and included a humorous retelling of an adventure she and I had on Frenchman's Creek earlier this week (and included a photo... chiz chiz). So Christina then set a challenge to write a scene on Frenchman's Creek and seeing how differently everyone would make it.

I kind of went a bit mad though. Instead of a scene I seem to have written a short story. Ho Hum. Anyway here goes...

I’m not sure whose idea it was to camp along Frenchman’s Creek. It could have been Chris’s or even Liz’s. I know it wasn’t mine.
My idea of a fun night out is somewhere with running water and a proper roof over my head at the very least.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Chris bumped me with his shoulder.
“You know that Will’s coming too…”
Liz knew how to snag my attention.
And as she knew it would, I caved in.
Which why I found myself staring ahead at the tip of a lime green plastic kayak, encased neck to thigh in unforgiving neoprene, wishing that Liz was within reach of my paddle.
“I said one, two, one, two.”
I couldn’t see Will, he was behind me, his legs bracketing me as he set the paddling pace.
Blinking back the spray from my paddle catching a crab I strained to get us further up the grey Helford towards the mouth of the creek. No sun shone on our little gang, Liz and Chris up front already turning into the creek, the only thing on us was the tide and the wind and it was working against us.
As we came to the mouth of the creek the current took the front of the kayak and spun it round until we were facing back the way we had come.
“Oh for Godsake Pip!”
I didn’t think it was possible to hear someone grind their teeth over the slap of the waves on the sides of the plastic, but it was.
Inch by hard won inch we battled against, current and wind and made it.
Where was the romantic idyll that I had been promised? Yes the trees dipped down on both sides to kiss the water. Yes there were hidden grottos under those trees and further on I knew that the creek wove its way deeper inland, became secluded, private.
All I saw were white tipped waves on grey water, trees bent over as if reaching for us, trying to pull us under them to hide us, to lose us, to make us part of them.
Fear drove my paddling, Grey sky above and grey water below. Dark green menace to either side, brooding and watching. It called to me. There was silence except for our breathing, the splash of paddles and the lonely cry of a bird. Was even a night spent here with Will worth it?
And as we moved further down the creek, the green menace grew closer, if we floated too close to the side holly and gorse sent out branches to snatch at me.
“There!”
Will breathed in my ear; even he seemed unable to break the quiet.
He pointed with an oar and I saw off to the side a stone building, or what had been a building. Overgrown with grass and trees, missing its roof and a lot of wall, it jutted out into the creek.
Liz and Chris had tied up their kayak to a tree around to one end and were unloading the bags which contained clothes, sleeping bags, food and drink.
Will and I came abreast and I fumbled to tie the line with cold and shrivelled fingers.
The tree, an oak, drew a finger like twig down my cheek in the parody of a lover’s caress.
I flinched back and almost sent the kayak over.
“Pip!”
Will’s voice exploded in my ear.
Somehow we unloaded our gear and ourselves without plunging into the cold and unforgiving water.
Later we rid ourselves of the wetsuits and sat huddled together waiting for the small fire we have lit to give off heat. A bottle of wine was passed around.
“We should tell ghost stories.”
It was Will who suggested it.
Ghost stories. They each take turns. We squeal, we shriek and after each story of a headless horseman or white ladies who walk, the more I can feel the shadows of the trees surrounding us get closer. The light gradually fades so that all I can see of the creek is a dark silver streak being consumed by trees. As if they are merely waiting for the full dark before they take what they want.
I shiver.
The feeling of that wooden finger against my face has not gone away.
“Pip, your turn.”
I could see them through the firelight. Liz and Chris cuddled together, eyes wide and encouraging. On my left and not close enough is Will. Tall and broad. His dark hair has dried sticking up and his usually bright blue eyes are shadowed by the evening. He has a smile playing round his mouth that seems to challenge me.
A ghost story? Me? The girl who can’t even go out on Hallowe’en?
But suddenly from somewhere there was a whisper on the breeze and the smell of green wood brought a thought, a sliver of a story.
“Once upon a time on this very creek, on a night like this, a gang of smugglers were hiding from the excise men.”
“Not a bloody smuggler story! Oooof!”
Liz smacked Chris.
“Not exactly original, Pip!”
I ignored them.
“They knew they had to wait until the moon had set before they could move on. They knew the secret smugglers paths that bisect the woods at the shore of the creek but then so did some of the excise men. All they could do was find cover and wait it out…”
I took a breath, inhaled the wood smoke and the scent of damp wood in the evening and in a blink of an eye the fire, Liz, Chris and Will and the small stone building we were in fell away and I was deep in the woods.
I was both Pip and I wasn’t. I watched from the eyes of a young smuggler, my age, on his first run. His leg was cramped from crouching in the fork of the roots of a gnarled old tree.
Where were the others? The boy thought.
When the signal had been given he had been a bit behind the others and they had dropped where they could.
Had they moved on?
The silence pressed us further into the hiding place. Had they all been taken?
And then we saw her, and the bit of us that was Pip, recognised her. It was me.
Or was it?
I blushed for my naked image, my suddenly longer hair which fell over and around me, allowing glimpses of my body to be seen by the now awestruck young smuggler.
“Come.”
My voice from that other Pip was like the rustle of leaves, the shimmer of blossom, and the promise of safety and forever.
“Come.”
The cramped legs of the smuggler straightened.
I wanted to stop him. That wasn’t me, that wasn’t real. That was something like me.
Even as I thought this the naked Pip reached out a finger and drew it down his cheek in a caress. I felt the whisper of it trace the same line as the tree had traced earlier.
And the I was alone in the hole left by his body as he moved towards the nymph Pip. He was mesmerised by her voice and touch.
And then like ivy, my image wrapped herself around him and I watched him change. His feet lengthened and darkened until they drove into the earth. His legs melded together and became rough and grey.
In horror I watched his arms reach up and twist, dividing and dividing, his clothes becoming leaves and his face suddenly aware as the entwined Pip kissed his lips and his horror filled face sank into the wood of his prison.
“Come.”
And then with a cough. I was back by the fire.
“Oh give the girl some water!” Chris and Liz were holding hands and making their way to the corner of the building where their sleeping bags were.
“Are you ok?”
I could see Will’s eyes close to mine. And by the firelight I could see myself reflected in them. Whether it was a trick of the light or my imagination but those little Pip’s in his eyes had longer hair, they had lost the baggy sweatshirt. I caught a flash of white skin.
“Come.”
I don’t know what made me say it.
There was the rustle of leave and the shimmer of blossom. I breathed the smell of wood and summer and forever onto him.
He came closer.
I wrapped my arms around him. Held my body against his until I was a vine, an ivy, a columbine.
His eyes fluttered shut.
I reached my lips to his and as I touched them I could feel his roots delve into the earth beneath us. I could feel his arms reaching for the sky. I could feel him joining us. Making us stronger.
And as we kissed he looked into my eyes and he knew what forever meant.

Pink Heart Society - Soundtrack

2010-04-22T01:00:00.000+01:00

I am such a bad blogger!! Anyway I am over at The Pink Heart Society talking about the soundtrack to your life.

Blogging about MARK HARMON!!

2010-02-15T01:00:00.001Z

I have been lucky enough to be asked to write a Male on Monday blog at The Pink Heart Society today. I thought long and hard and even put out a call on Twitter for suggestions. But foolish me! I should have thought a bit closer to home. I should have been looking at the box sets I own. I mean there is one BIG reason I own five series of NCIS... and it isn't Michael Weatherly.

So I am blogging about Mark Harmon!! Woooo!!! And as if there weren't enough photos on that blog here is another one just for you...

The Pink Heart Society and Cross Dressing

2010-01-29T01:00:00.000Z

Have I intrigued you? I hope so. I have been pondering on the use of cross dressing in film, theatre and books. It used to be that you couldn't move for cross dressing heroines. Whether it was Shakespeare or Georgette Heyer books. Now... well not so much. I mean you get men dressed as women in films. Tootsie, Some Like It Hot, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to name but a few. But how many really famous films feature women dressed as men? Not that many. Except probably one of my all time favourite.

Victor Victoria.

And that is the film I'm talking about over at The Pink Heart Society today.

So what is your favourite cross dressing film, play or book?

Happy New Year!!

2009-12-31T01:00:00.000Z

WOW! That was 2009 and the end of the first decade of the 21st Century. I am having a look back at it on The Pink Heart Society today.

I have been setting some goals for 2010. I will finish a first draft of my YA and start looking for representation. I think that is doable. I will of course be doing the usual diet and exercise stuff... take that one as read.

I'd like to take this chance to wish you all a very Happy New Year!! Here is to a fantastic 2010!

The Pink Heart Society - YA Fiction!!

2009-11-04T22:43:00.002Z

I'm over at The Pink Heart Society today talking about YA books, why I like them, what I've learnt from them and two recommendations for you!

Yup... Pink Heart Society Blogging!

2009-10-21T00:29:00.002+01:00

I am back at The Pink Heart Society blogging about being out of your comfort zone.

One Small Step for Man... ONE GIANT LEAP FOR BIDDY-KIND!!

2009-10-11T18:27:00.004+01:00

Yes I have taken yet another step along the writer's road. I have climbed another rung on the literary ladder. I have a short story that is to be published in an anthology!! YES!! No money for it but hey a step is a step and it will be in print (and not in the school magazine)

My short story 'The Great Leap Forward' will be published in 'Even More Tonto Short Stories'. Here is the very beautiful front cover.

Pretty isn't it?

The anthology has been put together after a competition Tonto Books held and was judged by the ever lovely Caroline Smailes

Supposedly there will be book signings and other events somewhere or other and some place or other. When I know more I will let you all know. I mean this deserves at least a small sherry to celebrate.

Next step will be getting paid for something...

The Pink Heart Society - Yes... Again!

2009-09-28T22:31:00.002+01:00

I know! Two days in a row... I have done a blog for Temptation Tuesday about shopping with the girls at The Pink Heart Society. Could be a bit hit and miss as I was definitely not on enough cold medicine. But hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Blogging At The Pink Heart Society - MALE ON MONDAY ALERT!!! MATT DILLON!!!!

2009-09-28T01:01:00.002+01:00

I know! Here I am completely silent for over a month and here I am back again with a PHS post! (Well except for yesterday's little bon mot). Check out The Pink Heart Society

I decided that Matt Dillon needed his own Monday post! Enjoy it! And here is a copy of one of the photos... *sigh* suddenly I'm 14 again...

Birthdays, Hats and New Writing Schemes

2009-09-27T23:06:00.002+01:00

It couldn't be helped... I was out shopping with the girls and a leopard print trilby found itself on to my head. Then my lovely friend 'Cazzalina' bought it for me. YAY!! I have had a brilliant birthday weekend and that is even before having a birthday :-)

Also on Friday I received my NWS report. I didn't want to read it. In fact I deliberately refused to read it until Julie Cohen was on the end of the phone to give me support. After however many years it has been in the NWS scheme this is the best report ever. Quote from it include...

"I enjoyed reading this."
"You write to a publishable standard"
"Your writing is bright and flows well. The story and the characters are engaging."

But basically I need to finish the book. Which, lets be honest, we all know is the issue. However now I know finishing it isn't so much a shot in the dark as it felt on Thursday!

Blogging At The Pink Heart Society - MALE ON MONDAY ALERT!!! SAMUEL WEST AND SEXY VOICES!!!!

2009-08-10T01:00:00.000+01:00

! At long last I have the coveted Male on Monday slot at the Pink Heart Society!! And I had to have Sam West on there. Sadly there are no topless and gratuitous towel shots of Mr West but there is a very nice audio clip from his sexy voice. I also managed to shoe horn in Alan Rickman on the whole idea of men's voices being sexy.

So go HERE

Wild Swimming!

2009-07-14T17:54:00.002+01:00

Have just been wild swimming at Blackmoss Pot in Cumbria!! I have been spending a fabulous few days with the lovely Anna Louise Lucia and we have been visiting henges and stone circles. Today however we decided to put on our swimsuits under our clothes and hike about an hour past Stonethwaite in Borrowdale to Blackmoss Pot. It was cold but fun and only the sheep to listen to our squeals and shouts.

CONFERENCE SPECIAL REPORT: RNA Conference Part 2 on the Pink Heart Society Blog!

2009-07-14T01:00:00.001+01:00

I'm still blogging at the Pink Heart Society about the RNA Conference in Penrith.

CONFERENCE SPECIAL REPORT: RNA Conference Part 1 on the Pink Heart Society Blog!

2009-07-13T01:00:00.000+01:00

I've been sacrificing myself for the greater good and been off to writing conferences. I am blogging about it today and tomorrow at thethe Pink Heart Society

I'm Blogging at the Pink Heart Society!!

2009-06-05T00:01:00.002+01:00

How did it come round so fast??
Today I am at the Pink Heart Society and very happy to be there! I am talking about 1990s TV drama series, well I am talking about the first season of Murder One... go along and have a look what I say!

CMR Nashville in the METRO!!

2009-05-26T10:23:00.003+01:00

Imagine my shock this morning as I read The Metro on the way to work... there in the Net Result section on page 30 (i.e. the section subtitled 'What We've Found Online') was CMR Nashville! Home to my American Country Music Chartshow!! WOO HOOO!! Almost had a heart attack!

So if you want to go and see/hear what they were raving about visit CMR Nashville my next show will be tomorrow at Noon GMT.

Blogging at Pink Heart Society!!

2009-05-21T08:53:00.004+01:00

Yes I have been missing in action and hopefully this weekend I'll get you all caught up on things here Chez BidBod. Until then read what I have to say about Female singer/songwriters over at The Pink Heart Society

The Big R

2009-03-24T16:03:00.008Z

And the waiting is over. The verdict is in. And it is a big fat juicy REJECTION!! No really, it was big fat and juicy because I got a whole long email about what did and didn't work for them. So in the grand scheme of rejections it was big and juicy.

To cut a long story short my hero just didn't work. Which I can't say I am that surprised about because I had such a tough time with him I'm sure it showed. They loved the heroine though, thought I'd done a pukka job with her. But overall I seemed to want to write more about her journey than the relationship. There were also some comments on was I writing for the right line.

I already think I could take Zoe from the book and give her a different story maybe for a different publisher.

All in all lots to mull over and think about whilst I finish 'Bah Humbug'.

Mind you all that is above is not what I first thought! Oh no! First there were the tears... then the stomping... then strangely enough the relief... NOW I KNOW!!! Curiously liberating!

And I have discovered something very interesting about myself... rejection makes me come out fighting. I AM SOOOO GOING TO DO THIS!!!

Waiting, waiting, waiting

2009-03-10T21:33:00.006Z

I've never been good at waiting. Patience? You gotta be kidding! I want to know NOW!! Tell me!! So what am I waiting for?? Well I'm still waiting to hear from Richmond about my book. Those pages and pages of my writing which is sitting gathering dust on an editor's desk. Well those pages are teaching me patience. Lots and lots of patience.

It also is redefining my relationship with my postman. Not that he knows this of course. He just thinks he is delivering post. And when a package he can't fit through the door arrives he just calmly fills in the little red and white card, oblivious to the fact that he is about to set panic into my life. See when I get through the front door and see that card I begin to wonder. Could it be Amazon? No haven't bought anything recently. Could it be M&B? YES YES YES!! It must be that!! They are sending it back with black marks everywhere. CRAP written across every page.

So I go to the Post Office, trepidation in every step. And when I hand the card over and they ask what I am expecting I am just glad there is a glass window between me and them. I'm not sure they would appreciate me taking them by the lapels and sobbing helplessly over them. And when they arrive with the package (most of which could have gone through the letterbox) my heart starts again. It isn't that I don't appreciate the promo CDs or the books friends have sent its just that... well, it isn't what I am waiting for!!

Patience. Hard to gain when you are instant gratification kid.

N.B. I have actually asked them to shred it instead of sending it back but it doesn't seem to stop my imagination going wild.

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2009-03-03T01:00:00.000Z

I'm back at the The Pink Heart Society today blogging about temptation and chocolate ice cream. Oh and Hugh Jackman.

Another Month, Another Pound

2009-03-01T17:30:00.007Z

OK I know... that is another month down and very little in the way of contact from Chez Bid. But I have been a very diligent writer so you must let me off. I have been getting up half an hour early every day and getting a few hundred words of 'Bah Humbug' written, but that does mean I have been going to bed early and generally unable to deal with the world for the rest of the day.

Susie, Me, Carol

Liz and Me

I did make it to the RNA Lunch which was a fabulous bash. I drank too much, talked too much but managed to do a little bit of networking which should come in handy (note to self: follow those up!). What with that, the day job and my increasing effort in the gym to keep the weight off there has been very little energy in me to get on here. Oh I suppose one good thing is I've lost about 20 pounds in the last year! GO ME! Somehow it had been creeping on and on and something had to go. Sadly that meant food and me to the gym. The only downside has been an increasing amount of money I have had to spend on clothes to get any to fit (and I should just have my pay sent directly to Rigby & Peller!)

I am also trying to distract myself from thinking about Nashville. CRS is this week which means the great and the good are descending on the Bridge Bar at the Renaissance Hotel (well some I'm sure are at the actual seminars). Lots of people have been in touch to ask if I am going and where can we meet up. But I won't be there!! So if you are going, raise a glass to me in the Bridge Bar and let me know if there are any new artists I should be keeping my eye out for. Oh and tell me what Miranda Lambert is like.

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2009-02-12T01:00:00.000Z

Yup... it is that time of the month again! I am over at The Pink Heart Society I am talking about the sound track I used when writing 'Dream Date' and as you can guess it feature quite a bit of Country music!

Let It Snow!!

2009-02-02T08:58:00.003Z

As you all know, the UK shuts down if they have more than 1 inch of snow, so you can imagine the chaos that the 5 or so inches we had overnight here in London with snow still falling. I was up early just in case and am still on call in case the board meeting is not cancelled. But I decided to take some photos of my street

Tommy Reilly Wins!!

2009-01-25T14:45:00.003Z

OK that will mean nothing to anyone who hasn't been watching Orange Unsigned Acts on Channel 4, but I have been watching religiously every Sunday. And I have loved Tommy Reilly since he first performed. Check him out he is FAB (in a Scottish, introverted sort of way)
Tommy Reilly

MIA

2009-01-19T21:26:00.003Z

I know, I know... I have been a tad silent on the whole blogging thing but I's been busy. Honest guv! Straight up! What with the tax deadline due I was neck deep in paperwork. Why oh why do I leave things to the last minute?? I mean I have had since last April to sort it all out but... no I left it late again.

In other reading related news I have been revisiting my Tad Williams' collection and having finished The Dragon Bone Chair, I have moved on to The Stone of Farewell. I looked at when my copies were published and I realised that I have them since 1990. Nineteen years. I'm not old enough surely!!! Anyway they are keeping me happy for the moment.

In writing news I have opened the 'Bah Humbug' file... wrote about two sentences and came to a grinding halt. It will come slowly, I'm sure.

Other than that nowt much to report, just keeping my head down and powering through.

So what have you been doing? Tell me all about it while you admire HIAT (Hugh in a towel)

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2009-01-02T00:01:00.002Z

I am chatting about Must Watch TV at the Pink Heart Society today. I am discussing my fascination with Lord Peter Wimsey and the 1980s BBC adaptations of the books.

What Do You Mean It's New Year's Eve???

2008-12-31T10:24:00.003Z

How did that happen?? One minute it was summer and now its New Year?? I'm not sure how that all happened... hmmmm.

So looking back on what I was up to this time last year I realised that things have definitely moved on in 2008. Oh there was a lot of two steps forward one step back in terms of writing but from posting my partial on New Year's Eve last year to having the full in before Christmas is quite an achievement. I also came third in the Elizabeth Goudge award back in the summer... go me!

So what is planned for 2009?

Well I've set myself a few goals, some writing, some voice over/radio and some personal... here we go *deep breath*

1. I will finish 'Bah Humbug' this year and another manuscript aimed at M&B. This will be an interesting and challenging one and of course if M&B come back with revisions (or even THE CALL) some shifting around will have to be done. This is out of my control so I just have to go with what I can influence.

2. I will get my voice demo out there! This was one of 2008's goals and it worked up to a point. I just need to do more!

3. Keep up the health and fitness. This is something I can do, even though the last few weeks have been less than impressive. I am now 20lbs lighter than I was this time last year. GO ME!! Now to just keeping it that way.

4. Be better with finances. This year has been a leetle up and down... refurbishing a flat can wipe you out!! But in 2009 I will be even better!

5. Be happy. Self explanatory and something I think I've managed to do most of the year (except for the big blip in the autumn).

6. Saying no. No. No. No. No. And meaning it. And not feeling guilty about saying it. NO!

I hope everyone has a lovely New Year, I will be seeing it in with one of my favourite people. We are eating spag bol/chili, drinking wine and champagne and watching lots of DVDs (but no romantic comedies... they've been barred. Bloody men!)

RIP Bella

2008-12-22T09:31:00.004Z

Sadly our little Bella Bean, Monkey Bean, Princess Tippy Tappy Toes has moved on to the big dog park in the sky.

This is a note from my sister:
Just wanted to let you know that we lost Bella today. After nearly 16 years, of which I was lucky enough to have her in my life for seven, she lost her fight against the cancer. In typical form she kept fighting. However in the last couple of weeks, while the spirit was willing the body was failing her and her quality of life had diminished. That said, even in her final week she continued with the “top dog attitude”: demanding her favorite chicken and rice did not come with a side order of pumpkin, flirting with men, bedroom break-ins and two or three high quality diva like moments.

From London “Big Issue” mutt to San Francisco hippie hound, I just wanted to let you know since you’ve either known her or how much she’s meant to me and the Coady clan.

FINISHED!!

2008-12-07T22:18:00.003Z

I am done! Break out the champagne the trial and tribulation is OVER!! At 10pm this evening the last bit of polishing was done!
The printer is currently chuntering away... because it is going in the post tomorrow!

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!

Next week will be all about my tax return and then who knows!

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-12-06T08:36:00.002Z

It's the last A Book from Biddy Blog at the Pink Heart Society *sob* It has been a wonderful opportunity for me. It meant that every month I could take stock of where I was in my writing journey. Go and have a look at the blog and leave a comment.

I will still be a columnist for The Pink Heart Society next year... YAY!

Exhausted!

2008-11-30T21:57:00.003Z

Well it has been one hell of a week. I have been without power, heating and hot water. Got the power back after 36 hours but heating and hot water took FOUR DAYS!!! So not happy! Much ranting and raving which is very tiring. Add this to having to go to the gym at 6.30 am every morning just to get clean.

The day job has also been a bit trying. We had a big deadline due on Friday (much is riding on it!) and it got met... YAY!!

And this weekend I have been getting my Golden Heart submission ready. Yes, I know... a leetle late but hey what can you do? So all is done and it just needs Fedexing tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed it doesn't get held up in customs.

Oh and yeah, this does mean the draft is done!! Still some polishing and layering to be done before it goes to M&B. Soon, very soon it will be gone! Gone I say!!!

Not in Nashville. Not in Nashville All Week. Not Happy.

2008-11-11T21:18:00.006Z

Thanks to everyone who has said such nice things about my foray into television. I was pleasantly surprised by my turn and was very happy to be involved in such a great programme.

And now we move on to my gripe.

I'm not in Nashville. I won't be in Nashville all week. I am NOT happy.

Here are ten reasons why I am not happy...

1) The CMAs are happening tomorrow
2) I am not going to the CMAs
3) Kenny Chesney will be performing at the CMAs
4) I am not going to be at the CMAs
5) Kenny Chesney could be winning an award at the CMAs and therefore available for questions after in the press room
6) I am neither at the CMAs or in the press room at the CMAs
7) The BBC aren't televising the CMAs this year
8) I am not even going to see the highlights of the CMAs
9) Hugh Jackman IS PRESENTING AN AWARD AT THE CMAs!!!!
10) I AM NOT GOING TO BE THERE!!!! *sob*

So to make myself feel better here are two photos to make up for things

I'm on the TELLY!!!

2008-11-02T11:42:00.002Z

Yes I'm on the TV tonight at 8pm on BBC4. Well I think I am. Of course I could be edited out (which is likely due to my usual blithering idiot act!)

It is a documentary called 'How To Write A Mills & Boon' and the interviews were done back in May. Back when I was 17 pounds heavier!! ARGHHH!! So if you do watch it could you just take off the 10 pounds TV puts on you and then another 17 and you'll have my current look... oh and my hair is now in a bob. Actually why don't I ask Stella and the rest of the gang round to re-shoot it?

Anyway when I stop obsessing over such superficial things we can move on to the content. Stella was a fun person to be interviewed by so I am hoping that the documentary is good. And then of course there is 'Consuming Passions' which is on afterwards.

Over at The Pink Heart Society

2008-11-01T09:03:00.005Z

I know I have been AWOL this month, nothing exciting happening just time got away from me.

But today I am over at The Pink Heart Society with my monthly update on THE BOOK. Actually this week it isn't me but rather these two... explaining why I am struggling with the book. They seem to be blaming each other. This could explain why I am struggling... they aren't exactly communicating.

Scheduling Error and other stuff

2008-10-05T15:46:00.002+01:00

Due to a scheduling error my blog on the PHS will now be up next Saturday... WOoo Hoooo. Which is when I will be attending a one day course on 'An Introduction to Screen Writing'. I figured it is all storytelling and I could use the help with dialogue.

In other news my flat refurbishment should be finished tomorrow!! *breaks out champagne* It looks wonderful and I can't wait to move back in. Although I wish I could just snap my fingers and be there instead of packing up again here, moving there and then unpacking *sigh*. And of course I will become a hermit for the next few months as I can't afford to go out. It is a good thing I have this writing lark to keep me occupied.

OK back to the revisions, they seem to be flowing well today so I must strike while the iron is hot.

Laters!

A Book With Biddy!

2008-10-04T00:01:00.001+01:00

I am blogging at The Pink Heart Society today. Yes it is A Book With Biddy time all over again.

Happy Birthday Li'l Pink Guy!

2008-09-27T01:15:00.007+01:00

Oooo September is such an EXCELLENT month for birthdays and this weekend is the pinnacle of it all. As a result I am happy to leave a present here for my "almost" twin the li'l pink guy from the The Pink Heart Society

Actually I couldn't decide so I bought him two...

I'm loving the peacock feathers on this one! Maybe a tad too girlie for the L'il Guy?

And although it should be ME getting gifts this weekend ;-) I'm feeling all generous and bountiful at the passing of another year and am distributing a gift to someone who can answer the following question:

Tomorrow, 28th September is a very special day, name the actress with a similar name to mine who shares this special day. You can Google it. Bonus marks if you can also name other famous actresses who share the same day.

There seem to be rather a lot of dramatic women born on this day... ho hum. I'll pick a correct answer randomly from the posts on the blog and in exchange you will get a copy of Miranda Lambert's award winning album, 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'.

But what I want to know is WHERE IS MY PRESENT?? *cue much tears and drama*

SYNDICATION!!! YEAH BABY!!! (World Domination is mere hours away... MWahahahahahaha!)

2008-09-25T12:55:00.003+01:00

After many many blog posts about the writing side of my life... oh and life in general with renovations and the like, we are returning to talk about RADIO!

A quick synopsis for those who might not know, I write and present a US country chart show every week for CMR Nashville it is sponsored by the Tennessee Tourist Board. So now we are all up to speed I'll carry on.

BIG NEWS IN RADIO WORLD! My show is being syndicated around the world to twelve other stations! I don't have a list of which ones and where they are but when I do I'll post here. Cue much happy wiggling, shimmmying, twirling and bouncing!

Black Boxes

2008-09-18T13:20:00.002+01:00

I have been tempted to the darkside... i.e. procrastination by Liz Fenwick. She posted about Caroline Smaile's Black Boxes which is a widget that explores the theme for her new novel.

So you click on the black box to the side and it will give you a two boxes, you click on the answer that is more you and it takes you to more boxes. Eventually you end up at the blog of someone who made similar decisions. And that is the theme of the book about how different decisions can thrust you down one road or another. It is something that has always fascinated me, I sometimes look back and think 'what if'... but then I see where I am and it ain't too bad :-)

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-09-05T23:07:00.002+01:00

Yes it is that time of the month again... I am at The Pink Heart Society

Come and have a chat!!

HUGH JACKMAN TOUR 2008

2008-09-01T08:55:00.003+01:00

We interrupt this blog to bring you a photo of Hugh Jackman for the grand Pink Heart Soceity Hugh Jackman Tour 2008!!!

For other fine pictures of the man himself got to the Pink Heart Soceity and follow the links in the latest post... what a great way to start a Monday morning!

Drowning... Not Waving

2008-08-19T11:09:00.000+01:00

Had a great time in San Francisco, the conference was fab (and included meeting Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips). I chilled and relaxed. Sadly within two hours of coming home it was back to earth with a bump. I have now gone beyond and feel like I am drowning in minutae.

I will be back on form soon (I hope) and if any one mentions revisions I will not be responsible for my actions. There are just some times in a person's life where the ability to do more than put a foot in front of the other is not possible.

RWA Conference 2008

2008-07-30T23:22:00.004+01:00

Well I made it to San Francisco and other than a stinking cold I am doing well. I'll be blogging over at The Pink Heart Society this week along with some of the gang. I'll also try and keep this updated as well... but it could be patchy!!

Thank you

2008-07-21T14:12:00.004+01:00

Thanks to all of your helpful comments on my flat refurbishment. It is now in its second week and the kitchen has been ripped out and the false ceiling are in the bedroom and the kitchen.
I have bought tiles for the bathroom and the kitchen floor, new taps, bath screen and shower attachment and have a lovely kitchen deisgn which I should be putting the deposit down for tomorrow. So the only thing left is a heated towel rail. Nothing big or complicated, just a heated towel rail. See! Not complicated...

You'd think this would be easy... but any that are in chrome and the right size seem to be OUT OF STOCK in the Greater London area. Sheesh!! I could buy something online but I am loathe to as I'd like to see how nice the chrome finish is, sometimes it looks cheap. Anyway I have one last place to look tonight on the way home, if I fail there I might have to fall on my builder and plead for him to find me something decent (and inexpensive).

In other news I have NOT finished my revisions. I can see myself NOT finishing my revisions all week. I still have to pack, wax, tidy up, work and go and see Dierks Bentley at the Borderline.

Dierks Bentley
By the way going to see Dierks *swoon* DOES count as work. The fact that there is some enjoyment involved, some auditory and visual pleasure, just goes to show that one of my jobs is satisfying!
I am hoping a ten hour flight will make a dent in the revisions, it will be that or I will catch up on the sleep I have been missing!!

Tiles, Kitchens, Bathrooms and Paint... ARGHHHHHH!!!

2008-07-16T22:43:00.002+01:00

Why did I think it was a good idea to refurbish my flat? And why did I decide to give myself three weeks to make all the decision on tiles, paint, bathrooms and kitchens? Because I am a fool that is why!!!

I am dreaming about tiles. Kitchen tiles. Bathroom tiles. Wall tiles. Floor tiles. Lots of squares and oblongs tessellating there way through my dreams.

Oh and did I mention I was born without the interior design gene??? I am NOT interested in this sort of thing. I don't look at house magazines and lust over furniture (unless it is a day bed or shelving... one day I'll have a library goddamnit!)

I have to make all the decisions before I head off next Thursday... *sob* I just want it to be over!

Late As Usual: RNA Conference, Good News and Publicists

2008-07-11T13:23:00.003+01:00

Yes I know it has almost taken a week for me to post about the RNA weekend but I have been in recovery! Oh and I was too excited from events that happened over the weekend and also that it turns out I am on Keith Urban's publicist's email list!! This meant I had my Keith Urban/Nicole Kidman at the same time as all the rest of the media! I felt very... erm... very something.

And so to the conference which was amazing. It was as if every seminar/workshop I went to was specifically chosen because I needed it. NOW! It was also fantastic because I got to spend time with my favourite sort of people in the world... romance writers.

So a quick summary of the high points. I had my chat with the M&B editor, basically I need to 'alphatize' Jack from Dream Date and make either Jo or Lucas less angsty in The Artist and The Ugly Duckling. Hmmm this has led to me rethinking ALL my revisions for Dream Date. Luckily the lovely Fiona Harper was on hand to give me the new motivation I needed for Jack that would 'alphatize' him! YAY! So I have started on that... it seems to be working.

I went to 'Grabbing The Editors Attention' workshop. A few issues were had with the comments on synopses but I had good feedback on the first two sentences of 'The Artist and The Ugly Duckling' and also on the story. As you can imagine I was already in a 'Go Me!' mood.

I didn't get the chance to see Anna Louise Lucia's workshop but I hear it was good (I was her tech support during setting up).

Many many great workshops but my mind is now blank! Julie Cohen came up for dinner on the Saturday which was great as it meant both she and Anna were there when a very nice thing happened. And as they were instrumental in this very nice thing that was good!

You see I entered the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy this year, I blogged about working on the entry awhile ago. I loved writing it, so much fun. Anna and Julie very kindly critiqued it (and Julie fixed my punctuation! Supposedly I am improving.) Anyway near the end of dinner on Saturday, Catherine Jones announced the shortlist of six. All I could hope for was being one of those six. I had my fingers crossed and when 'Bah Humbug!' and my name was said at shortlist number five I was over the moon! I stood up grinning... who cares about the rest... I made the shortlist!!

A few minutes later the three finalists were announced (Catherine later told me with only a mark difference between the three of us!) and I was third!! I do believe I might have squealed and started saying 'I can write! I can write!' OK yes I had had a tad too much wine. Then the second place was announced (name escapes me but she was very happy) and then Imogen Howson, who was at the end of my table, won!! She was crying when she got up there and it was her first conference! It was lovely.

I then spent the rest of the night... ok weekend... ok all week... being unbearably happy! Much champagne was consumed and I had a lovely chat with Anne Ashurst (who judged it with Catherine) who has given me a plan for what to do with it. All I can say is watch this space.

Sunday was a day for recovery and more great workshops including Julie Cohen's on pacing. I missed Katie Fforde's and Kate Harrison's workshops (curses) as I had to get back. Grrrrr.

So next year it will be Penrith again. I can't wait. Maybe just maybe I'll have some good news and announcement to make when I'm there.

NEWS FLASH!!!

2008-07-07T15:50:00.002+01:00

Just got a bulletin:

"Nicole and Keith Urban are delighted to announce that Nicole Kidman gavebirth to a baby girl on Monday morning, July 7, 2008 in Nashville. SUNDAY ROSE KIDMAN URBAN weighed 6 pounds, 7 1Z2 ounces. Husband Keith was by Nicole¹s side and mother and baby are very well."

Conferences and PHS Blogs

2008-07-04T22:41:00.000+01:00

So this weekend I am a busy busy girlie!! Friday I will be heading to Chichester for the RNA Conference!! YAY!! I get to see all my favourite people and talk writing until I am blue in the face.

AND on Saturday... I am blogging over at The Pink Heart Society for another addition of A Book with Biddy! I know you can't wait to find out all about it!

Florence Nightingale

2008-06-29T20:54:00.004+01:00

This week I have mostly been dealing with a sickly dog. My sister's sickly dog to be exact. She is an old dog, we though thirteen but the vet now reckons fifteen. My sister got Bella from Battersea Dogs Home about six years ago so it was anyone's guess how old she was. And considering she has only slowed down in the past two years we can be forgiven for having gotten it wrong.

So the Bella bean, who is one eyed after an op last year and cataracts in the remaining one, has had some exploratory surgery. She has growths, we were hoping they could remove them but they can't, so they stapled her back up. Now your probably thinking she is staggering everywhere, all forlorn... erm.... no. We have been in a battle of wills with her antibiotics, I have discovered I hiding it in a ball of tuna and hand feeding it seems to be working. She has had her ball out and has tried to play tug of war with her stuffed elephant. Is this really a dog of fifteen who has about twenty staples keeping her insides in??

The Parents have been up and down giving me a hand which has its ups and downs. Ups are nice meals and seeing them. The downside... having to watch Euro2008!! Sheesh!! In retaliation I WILL be watching Big Brother.

In between all of this I have managed to revise three quarters of Dream Date... it is patchy but still better than where it was. I'm hoping to get it finished before the RNA conference on the weekend.

Things I Have Been Doing

2008-06-20T11:51:00.007+01:00

A whole week since my last post?!?! Gosh golly where does the time go? So what have I been up to... well the farflung Coady clan member has been home for a week so she could go to Ascot. As you do. And this was all work related (allegedly). I'm not sure watching the gee-gees, hobnobbing with the rich and famous and having your glass of Bollinger never run dry can be really classified as work but she assures me it does.

Instead I have been slogging back and forth to Kingston for work except for Tuesday when you could find me doing spectacular U-turns on Kensington Gore and in parts of Bayswater. They were moves worthy of a black cab driver... maybe I should think of a career change?
In the writing world I have been polishing my submission for this year's Elizabeth Goudge trophy. This is given out at the RNA conference, I don't stand a chance but it was fun to write the first chapter of this book and it is now on the schedule for after the Artist book (i.e. jumping ahead of the Italian one).

Yes I know you are all searching for your whips to crack about the revisions *quickly sidesteps a vicious flick from Michelle* but there has been some movement on that as well. I have booked the end of next week off so that I can have four uninterrupted days to work on them. I have completely lost sight of the narrative thread and I am making a pigs ear of it. So fingers crossed this time next week things will be further along.

In the radio world there is some good news!! My chartshow has a sponsor again, in fact it is the same one as before. So welcome back to The Tennessee Tourist Board!

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-06-14T09:33:00.002+01:00

YES!! I am up at The Pink Heart Society this week. So if you want to find out what I have been up to have a look.

Friday? Again?

2008-06-13T09:19:00.003+01:00

As some of you eagle-eyed people will realise my blog wasn't up on at The Pink Heart Society last weekend. Not sure what happened there, still trying to find out. If it doesn't go up this weekend I will post it here.

But how did it get round to being Friday again? Not that I am complaining... oh no! I am happily thinking about what needs doing this weekend and rubbing my hands in glee. But I have realised what a quiet life I am leading at the moment. Work, writing, radio, running and dieting.

Yes... dieting. *sigh* Sadly after too much of the good life it has been time to knuckle down and actually do something about my ever expanding waistline. No easy fixes... *curses* just old-fashioned cutting of portion sizes, not eating chocolate, laying off the booze (have managed to be below the recommended units level for two weeks now! My liver doesn't know what to do with itself!) So far so good, as of last Saturday I have lost 1.5kg and the mirror seems to show a bit of a difference.

This weekend Coady Major is back from SF for the week so I can see it all going out the window!

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-06-06T23:05:00.001+01:00

It is that time of the month again... I will be over at the Pink Heart Society blogging about my writing for the past month.

That Time Of The Year...

2008-06-05T22:08:00.002+01:00

Yup Big Brother is back!! Oh dear... I see my productivity taking a dive.

The Perfect Voice

2008-05-30T09:09:00.011+01:00

Interesting article over on the BBC website today.

As expected Jeremy Irons has an almost perfect voice as does Alan Rickman *swoon*. I could listen to Alan Rickman read the telephone directory.

On the female front Judi Dench, Honor Blackman and Mariella Frostrup score high.

So I have taken notes and now must s l o w down my speech. Leaving l a r g e pauses between sentences.
Like this. And going
d
o
w
n
at the end of sentences. Next time you all see me it will take me a minute or so to say 'hello' and 'how are you', I hope you will find the way I say it mesmerising enough to hang around.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-05-24T11:58:00.002+01:00

All change in the Coady clan... one of our number has flown the coop and is now winging their way to San Francisco for the next few years! Which means that I will be spending a lot of my hols in that general vicinity! YAY!! They will be missed but all very exciting!

Lots of good byes have been said but as they are back in three weeks it isn't too hard... yet!

So this weekend I am shunning human contact (well mostly) and getting back to my inner Biddy. This means writing, reading, running, eating and generally watching season 4 of NCIS... YEAH BABY!!! And in honour of that I will post a picture of Mark Harmon

Flyby Post

2008-05-20T14:00:00.000+01:00

Life is a little hectic at the moment Casa Coady, what with one member of the clan relocating I seem to be spending a lot of time at leaving drinks and recovering from leaving drinks. Oh and of course the day job has to get done.

I do have a fun thing happening on Thursday, I am being part of a discussion group being filmed by BBC4. It is all about Mills & Boon which should be fun. I have my own media consultants (nothing like having family and friends who do it for a living!) and have been briefed and questioned to within an inch of my life and I now think in soundbites.

But of course the big question is... WHAT DO I WEAR!?!?!?

The Bard

2008-05-13T21:53:00.004+01:00

I am blaming Michelle Stylesand Donna Alward for this!

Your Score: The Comedy of Errors

You scored 28% = Tragic, 74% = Comic, 22% = Romantic, 28% = Historic

You Scored The Comedy of Errors. The Comedy of Errors was one of Shakespeare's earliest works and one of his most farcical and outlandish plays. Full of slapstick physical comedy, intelligent and bawdy wordplay, and mistaken identity, The Comedy of Errors pretty much sums up all of the hilarious plot devises we expect from a Shakespeare comedy. As The Comedy of Errors, you were most likely the quintessential "Class Clown" in high school. In a room full of people you were probably right in the center, making people laugh with your hilarious stories and amusing anecdotes. You probably have a stock-pile of go-to gags for whenever the party is getting dull, and you're willing to go to any length to make your friends smile (including dressing up in drag!) People love you because you are an all-around nice person - and that's why we love you too!

Link: The Which Shakespeare Play Are You? Test written by macbee on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
View My Profile(macbee)

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-05-02T23:25:00.003+01:00

It is Saturday and I am doing my monthly blog at The Pink Heart Society! Come and join me there... lots to celebrate!

Pui Italia! Pui Toscana!

2008-05-01T22:23:00.005+01:00

I hope I have translated my title of this post correctly... If not it should be 'More Italy! More Tuscany!' but enough of my very basic Italian here are some more photos from our trip.
These are the towers of San Gimignano

Some flag waving types on the streets in Siena

Postcard pretty - yes??

There should be more photos of me riding and the like but they are on someone else's camera.

Italia! Toscana!

2008-04-30T17:32:00.008+01:00

I spent the weekend in Tuscany with the girls and am now sitting here all depressed that I am now back in cold and rainy London! It was an amazing weekend full of fun, food, laughter, food, sightseeing, food, sunshine, food, horseriding and food. Yes as you can tell food played a HUGE part in our long weekend. We are all foodies so we did navigate the Tuscan countryside by meals and ice cream stops. So here are few photos of the weekend...
The Girls at the restaurant in Certaldo Alto

First night dessert... Red wine ice cream and poached pears

La Canonica, Certaldo - where we stayed

The horses they breed there... aren't they pretty!

Video Interview!!

2008-04-23T22:53:00.003+01:00

So way back when at CRS39 I did my first on camera interview with Zane Lewis. I did it with Digital Rodeo and I can now announce that the interview is now up on the website!!!
Go here

And if you could let me know what it is like because it keeps freezing on my system!

AND THE WAITING IS OVER... FOR NOW!

2008-04-22T23:22:00.002+01:00

Yes a letter arrived from Mills & Boon today. The envelope was on the floor and luckily was nice and slim and was not my manuscript being returned to me. Instead I had a two page letter REQUESTING the full manuscript with some suggested revisions. The suggestions made complete sense but at the moment I am just celebrating and after the weekend I will start on the manuscript.

Blimey yet another step on the long road... and it will be awash with champagne!

Still Here... Just.

2008-04-15T07:16:00.002+01:00

Yes I'm still here. Hanging in there by my finger nails. I spent last week relaxing somewhat with big sis and chilling before this week when my new contract started. But my plan of getting stuff done on the weekend took a hit. First Saturday I helped friends move house. Actually I cat sat for them while they moved house. However little Archie is a tadette demanding and would only stay calm if I was holding him which put pay to doing some radio prep work.

Then on Saturday night I started feeling less than well, up all night shivering and with stomach cramps. Lovely! Which wrote off Sunday. Grrrrr.

Yesterday was the first day on the job. Bonus was that I now have a 25 minute train journey to and from work and I managed to write 1000 words!! YAY! Can I do this again today? Fingers crossed.

Soundtrack of My Life!

2008-04-06T15:11:00.004+01:00

I nicked this meme off the lovely Liz Fenwick

If Your Life Were a Movie…What Would the Soundtrack Be??

So, here’s how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool…because you’re not!
7. Stick the soundtrack on your mp3 player and listen away during the day.

Here goes:

Opening Credits: Mists Of Down Below - The Duhks

Waking Up: Songs of Our Time (Philologicak Walts; Satellite Moon; A Happy Song) - Flanders & Swann

First Day at School: The Finer Things - Steve Winwood

Falling in Love: Take Me For Longing - Alison Krauss & Union Station (blimey!)

Fight Song: Bartenders, Etc... - Dierks Bentley

Breaking Up: Old Virginia Block - Devon Sproule

Prom/Dance/Ball: How Do I Live? - LeAnne Rimes

Life’s OK: King Of The Road - Roger Miller :-)

Mental Breakdown: Full Blown Addict - Billy Don Burns (I'm not honest!)

Flashback: Through The Morning, Through The Night - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Getting Back Together: Come Tomorrow - Townes Van Zandt

Birth of Child: I Still Miss Someone - Johnny Cash (obviously a pointer to my childless state)

Wedding: She Couldn't Change Me - Montgomery Gentry (I see this ending in divorce!)

Final Battle: You Don't - Sara Evans (I'm not seeing a Happy Ending...)

Funeral Song: Inside Your Heaven - Carrie Underwood (OK that is freaky but good to know I'm going up!)

End Credits: Please Daddy - John Denver (I'm making no comment)

Blogging at The Pink Heart Society!

2008-04-05T00:11:00.002+01:00

Yes it is that time of the month again! I am am blogging over at PHS... admitting to my failing to write. However since I wrote the post I have written another 1500 words!!

Partial Query

2008-04-04T11:01:00.002+01:00

I have bitten the bullet and queried M&B about my partial, it is over three months and I just thought it would be better to know than not to know. That and making a faux par last night after the M&B panel discussion, when a M&B editor overheard me making a joking complaining to someone about not having heard... ho hum.

The panel discussion was great and afterwards I bought some of Matt Dunn's books. Have already finished 'The Best Man' which I throughly enjoyed. And I took the bus to Oxford... excellent service and all for £12!

Oooo Oxford!

2008-04-03T14:04:00.002+01:00

I am off to Oxford in a bit for 'The Mills and Boon Centenary Debate: How Heroes and Heroines Have Altered in the last 100 Years' and I am going to try the Oxford Express to get there... supposedly they have fancy seats, wifi and power points for my laptop. I am taking the laptop and see if I can do some writing.

I will let you know how it goes.

Moving On...

2008-04-01T19:55:00.004+01:00

Now I have done the cathartic ranting about my journey home we can move on...

This week has been busy busy already, I have a voice over job due tomorrow, also a job interview, I'm off to the Oxford Literary Festival on Thursday for a talk sponsored by Mills & Boon and then I'm blogging at the Pink Heart Society on Saturday. Blimey and in all of that I have to do some writing...

On the writing front I am trying to get back to writing 'The Artist and The Ugly Duckling'... it is a bit of a struggle but if I look at lovely photos of Lucas (aka Gerard Butler) I get some inspiration.

I am also re-working an old story, actually less re-working and more a new story with some hints of an old one. It takes my idea and collides it with a Dickens novel. We'll see how it works out I just need to do the first chapter for a competition I am entering.

AND... I am writing a short story, completely unrelated to anything vaguely romantic.

ARGHH!! I need to get back to it!

The Journey Home - Part Three

2008-04-01T09:23:00.002+01:00

Where were we? Oh yes Chillis... drinking margaritas and telling our life stories but still stuck in Chicago O'Hare. Now it was my deadline which was heading towards us very fast. It was 10.30am in Chicago... and I had to be in Newark for a 8pm flight (well 7pm Chicago time) so with check in I had maybe 8 hours. You wouldn't think this was hard to do but considering my previous flight problems I was beginning to get worried.

We headed towards the gate for our midday flight, all still on time. Yes! I might actually get a cup of tea with Anna at Newark airport. As the snow started to fall in Chicago I started to relax... little. Which was a foolish thing to do as suddenly the flight time changed to 1pm. NO! This could not be happening! I got to the desk and when I started talking to the staff it became obvious that 1pm was the time they would make a decision to fly AND not the actual take off... ARGHHHHHH!!! This is when everything welled up in me and I started to cry. I asked the guy if I could transfer to a UK flight as I sobbed
"I just want to leave this f...ing country!"
I love the US, I really do but I just wanted to go home.

It turns out they couldn't do that so I phoned BA... to be told if I missed my flight from Newark I would be classed as a no-show as my internal flights hadn't been booked through them and I would have to buy a new ticket home! This was the same if I wanted to fly out of Chicago!! All for the joyous price of £900 ($1800)!!! I was gobsmacked. As I struggled to get my head round this, Annabella phoned to say there was a flight to White Plains which was leaving and her husband would drive me to. I raced to the gate to find we could only go on stand by. As I realised this wouldn't work either I started back to the original gate promising Annabella I would call her if the Newark flight status changed.

Around this time I completely lost it. I phoned my parents and howled down the phone at my Dad, incoherent. At which point he passed me to my sister who told me to reserve a ticket with BA and wait to see if the Newark flight went. Through tears I agreed and then phoned BA. I reserved myself on the last flight out of Chicago to the UK, I had until 5pm that day to pay for it, it was now 1pm.

1pm decision time. And this is when the loveliest airline person decided to actually give us information... they were boarding us at 1.15, we would push back at 1.45, de-icing the plane and then we would take off (maybe) at 2.30pm. What to do?? They couldn't get my bags off the flight, should I stay in Chicago and spend a lot of money or take a chance?

I phoned Annabella to let her know the new status... she had already given up on the White Plains flight and was heading straight for me. I needed someone here on the ground to help me make the decision, she was the voice of reason... if the Newark flight didn't take off I still had time to get the Chicago flight... what did I have to lose?

So that is how I ended up on the flight to Newark, Annabella and I back of the plane with our fingers crossed... you have never heard such whoops of glee and applause as we ACTUALLY TOOK OFF at 2.30!! The flight attendants gave us free drink when they heard what had been happening and the cheering as we landed did get us a few looks. Annabella wanted me to meet her husband which I did and after that I kissed the floor of the terminal building. Yes I did! All very papal.

And so that is how I made it to my flight with 2 hours to spare... the great thing was I now had two people in New Jersey who were worried about me. I had to text both Anna and Annabella that I was actually on the flight. It might have been a horrible two days but I had met a new friend. And anyway I was on my way home... what else could go wrong??

See this is where I should have never relaxed... as it transpired the storms that had battered Newark and started this whole thing were now speeding across the Atlantic with us. This meant a bumpy but very short flight due to HUGE tailwinds. It also meant that we were in for a bumpy landing... if we could actually land. At this point I became a very bad flyer... if we had to divert due to high winds I would have had hysterics right there and then. We strapped ourselves in and came into land with the plane waving, about a foot off the runway the pilot suddenly pulled the plane back up and we were climbing again!!! *SOB*
We came round again and we landed ten minutes later... THANK GOD!!

And then my luck changed... off the plane and through passport control in TEN MINUTES! My bag was the first one off the plane and I could see it as I was coming down the escalator... and so I was from plane to Heathrow Express in TWENTY MINUTES! And so home... to my bed. The marathon journey was over.

The Journey Home - Part Two

2008-03-31T13:07:00.002+01:00

Back at Nashville Airport at 4.30am... YAY! What fun! Annabella and I have by this time decided that there is strength in numbers and she needed to be back in Newark by midday... our flight via Chicago would get her there just in time. It also meant that I would have a chance to meet Anna and Keith for lunch. Sorted.

As time ticked on at the gate (which luckily was in the part of Nashville Airport that had better shops than the day before) it became obvious that this flight wasn't leaving on time. Weather problems again? Well no, all the snow had melted from Nashville and Chicago was clear (for the moment). No the reason it was delayed was that a strap was loose... not an important strap but one that needed a 'special' glue which only maintenance crew had and as it was Sunday the crew weren't actually at the airport. GRRRRRR.

By the time we knew all this, the only other flight that we could have got to Newark via Atlanta had taken off. So we were left watching the time tick and the gap between our connecting flights got shorter and shorter. Annabella managed to get a map of Chicago O'Hare and the gate number of our connecting flight and we got our seats moved to the front of the plane. We also made sure we were booked on another flight out of Chicago at midday... just in case.

And we eventually took off... and for the hour or so flight Annabella and I plus another lady also on the same connection planned our route. If the flight to Newark was delayed we had a chance of making the connection. Sod our cases. As we landed we were poised like Olympic sprinters only with more bags. We thundered off the aircraft, Annabella is one of those little people with a fast turn of speed I was in her wake. We skidded to a stop in front of the desk and panting asked whether the Newark flight had taken off yet. It hadn't... because it was CANCELLED!!!

Annabella lost it slightly at this point as would have I if you know you are missing a baby shower you have organised. I decided that maybe I needed to see if I could fly out of Chicago to the UK. We were all booked on the midday flight to Newark which so far was not cancelled or delayed. We had some time to kill... I left the others at Chillis drinking margaritas (ok so it was 10am but we were having a bad weekend!) as I went to another terminal to find some BA staff.

Ten nminutes later at another terminal I was faced by an expanse of empty desks... as BA flights fly in the afternoon and evening out of Chicago they don't actually get there until 1PM!! I needed a drink and fast. Back I went to the original terminal, back through security and with a quick call I found the gang were still in Chillis. At least I had friends. And food. And drink. So we sat and ate and drank a margarita whilst sharing our stories. I felt a little less alone but I still had to get back to London.

The Journey Home - Part One

2008-03-31T12:08:00.004+01:00

It is almost a month since this trip but it has taken me this long to get over the traumatic trip home.

Let me take you back... that last night in Nashville it had started to snow and snow, the next morning it was still snowing a bit but luckily wasn't settling too much in Nashville. And my flight was still listed as going on time. So off I went to the airport full of expectation that I would be in Newark that afternoon and spending a lovely evening with the delightful Anna Sugden (of such places as the Romance Bandits) and her lovely husband.

I settled at the gate with all my trashy magazines and waited to board the flight. And waited. And waited as the takeoff time was pushed back and back. Originally due to take off at midday we eventually boarded at 2pm and pushed away from the gate. We sat on the tarmac for 20 minutes and then went back to the gate to disembark because we now weren't leaving until 4pm.

So we waited some more... and more.

At about 6pm I approached the desk for about the seventh time.
"Just tell me, this flight isn't actually leaving is it?" I said.
"It's still on the system as going." said the lady, not meeting my eye.
I should have realised that I wasn't going to get the truth from them... so I wandered off to get some food. When I got back there was a twenty people queue at the desk and the flight had been cancelled! CANCELLED!! Five minutes after I had asked!! Over six hours since the flight was supposed to takeoff!! They must have known!!

It turns out that due to bad weather at Newark there were problems getting people in there... but they knew that hours ago and now there were no direct flights with space to Newark from Nashville until Monday morning! It was now Saturday night and my UK flight was going on Sunday night. Not much use to me. ARGHHHH!!!

I stood in the queue and started up a conversation with the lady behind me. She had also been to CRS and was trying to get home for a friend's baby shower that she had organised. Both of us were getting a tad irate. By the time I got to the desk I was resigned to not seeing Newark until Sunday but when I was told I would be flying to St Louis that night to stay over AT MY OWN EXPENSE and then fly to Newark I will admit to being a little upset. Especially when I heard the lady behind me, Annabella being on a flight the next morning via Chicago. I queried the lady, who stomped off complaining and eventually gave me the 6am flight from Nashville and a hotel voucher!

There I was still in Nashville, I had a few choices I could go to the Opry, go see Trent Wilmon play or collapse at the hotel knowing I had to be at the airport at 4.30am the next day. Oh and the clocks were going forward. After a salad, glass of wine and a bowl of fries I tucked myself into bed. Sometimes a girl just has to be sensible... and I was glad I was. Because it still wasn't over.

Day Three Part Two - The New Faces Show

2008-03-27T20:09:00.003Z

Sorry for the small gap between blog posts... yes the day job got in the way again.

Anyway... I have realised that I don't have any photos from the New Faces Show... I think I was photoed out by then.

But I digress... As I was wandering towards the cocktail drinks thingy before the dinner and show I bumped into the wonderful John Willyard, he is the voice of the CMAs!! I had met him earlier in the week and so he very kindly bought me a drink and let me bend his ear about... well I can't remember but I am sure it was interesting! He is also the voice of CNN and CNN International as well as many other things.

Then we wandered off to her respective tables and I was lucky enough to sit next to a lovely gentleman who had broadcast on Radio Luxembourg!! It was a radio history lesson... *waves to Jay*

The meal itself was meat and meat with a side order of salad. And then the show began.
Luke Bryan and Bucky Covington were good but the sheer excellence and drama of Jake Owen blew me away and seemed to blow away the audience, which is hard to do with jaded radio types. Jason Michael Carroll was good but too rocky in some cases. And then of course the wonderful Taylor Swift who just seems to get better and better. She has gained so much confidence compared to seeing her showcase last year. It was a great ending to the seminar.

But the best thing about the Friday NIght is the disco night that is put on... which also includes artists singing seventies disco hits! Now last year it was a fabulous night out. Loved it. This year I was tired, talked out and I had some news that made me a little fragile. I tried to stay but all I could think of was my bed. So with that I finished my wine, said goodbye to the people I could find and slunk back to my hotel. Which on reflection was the best thing I could have done. Why? Well that is a subject of my next post...

Day Three Part One - Flagging

2008-03-24T19:21:00.010Z

As I sat for breakfast on day three I was flagging... where was all the partying I did last year?? Sheesh this work lark was getting in the way of my media social butterflying etc.

Anyway it was straight back in with interviews. Skyler Spencer was in first.

Then I had some time off before I was inundated with The Road Hammers where we discussed among other things shaving cats... odd I know.

Then I got to interview the wonderful Amber Rhodes. Now Amber and I first met back on Day One, bonded at the Music City Jam with aching feet so it was wonderful to have time to chat with her. And she didn't disappoint... check her out.

Then I met three great brothers who have were an entertaining interview and also have an amazing story to tell. They are in Nashville via South Africa and Zaire. You can read and hear more about them here http://taverenmusic.com/ They also have an amazing energy.

And then my last interview came into sight... Katie Armiger. I have to say I had been hearing her latest quite often over the week and was eager to meet her. Yet again I was out sophisticated by a 16 year old.

And suddenly I was free... and all I wanted was to get out of the conference centre and be by myself. So I took myself off for lunch at Merchants on Broadway and then met Karen Miller (another CMRNashville presenter) at Roberts Western Wear World. It was suddenly good to be in a slightly different world. And then Karen took me on a research trip to Fido http://www.bongojava.com/fido.html this is a coffee shop where songwriters hang out... yes! Dream Date was beginning to look better!
And so relaxed I suddenly realised that I needed to get back for the New Faces Show!

Day Two Part Three - TOUR BUS! STUDIO! YEAH BABY!

2008-03-24T18:39:00.006Z

Oh Yeah! Tour bus here I come! I have realised I don't have any actual photos of the tour bus... which is a pity as it was quite something. All swagging, flock wallpaper and chandeliers... no really it was! We settled ourselves down and were driven across Nashville to County Q studios. Now this isn't the first studio I have visited in Nashville and something I have realised about many studios in that town is that a lot of them are in houses. Yup houses. All of them converted into studios. It seems a little odd... I'm not sure what I thought it was going to be like but it wasn't that.

Anyway we arrived as The Drew Davis Band were putting down a track. And all I could think about was RESEARCH! This is just what I needed for Dream Date... my heroine is a singer/songwriter, making a demo in Nashville! Wooooo!! So I asked if I could take photos... and here are some of them.

The control room was between the vocal booth and the other instrument booths. It was amazing to hear them. The guys then going back in adding tracks like the banjo and hammond organ. And I heard the words "We Need More Cow Bells!" Very Cool.
And Drew has just got married so he had his wife tucked into the vocal booth with him...

Then it was back on the bus and touring all the different parties to go to... but first I had to refuel so I found a party that was serving tortilla chips and salsa as well as free drinks! YAY!
I then gatecrashed the MCA party with a nice gentleman called Carson from Maryland who I met in the lobby... he was officially allowed to go to the party. I was the gatecrasher. I was almost a crasher in deed as well. Part way through a fine acoustic performance by their new signing David Nail, I leaned a little too much to the left on the wall and knocked a large piece of art half of the wall!! Luckily we saved it before it hit the performer... ho hum. By the way David Nail sounded great... the whole art crashing was not a critique of his talent.
And then I went to play poker with the Country Thunder Record lot... well not so much played poker as talked at them and then took myself off before I bored them all senseless. And so to bed... because it was another big day on DAY THREE!

Day Two Part Two - Pretty Boy Alert!

2008-03-24T17:57:00.008Z

After a refreshing lunch and drool over Keith Anderson it was back to the interviewing...
Doug Stone was first up (no he wasn't the Pretty Boy I am referring to... that is the third photo down)

And then a legend in the shape of Richie McDonald, ex-lead singer from the band Lonestar. Y'know he was on Top of the Pops back in the 90s? The song 'Amazed'... you remember!! Anyway we had a chat about it all and he is now striking out on his own.

Then I met another amazing man, Michael Martin Murphy. I won't go back over his history as a cowboy poet but if you want to you can read about it here http://www.michaelmartinmurphey.com/biography.htm and by the way Willie Nelson opened for him!! *bows* Anyway he was an interesting to talk to especially about writing and creativity and how he lives the life of a cowboy on his ranch.

I then got to meet the Pretty Boy of the title... Adam Gregory. He started as a child in Canada and is now in Nashville breaking hearts.

Can I just interrupt this for a moment... what the hell was going on with my hair??? Not a good look! Next year I will be employing a stylist of my own I think... anyway back to action.
I then got to interview Ashley Gearing who is way more sophisticated than me and she is just 17... really she was. Except when she saw Adam Gregory though... then she went all girlie. Very sweet.

And then I was let out for good behaviour! I mooched over to the Bridge Bar where I met RJ for a drink and then randomly chatted to people. I found out that The Drew Davis Band were taking people to see them in the studio in their TOUR BUS! Hey I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. So when the time was right I was there waiting for my ride...

Day Two Part One - TV CALLS!

2008-03-24T16:47:00.010Z

Sorry all these blogs are coming in dribs and drabs but Easter got in the middle and there was much chocolate to be eaten. Oh and snow and stuff.
Anyway day two... I was starting to flag... which was a bit of an issue as I had a full day of interviews and then some PARTYING to do!
So first off I got to interview The Drew Davis Band! Ooooo lovely boys... lovely. *sigh*

I met up with them later but more of that then...
Then my interview with Floyd Flowers was cancelled and I did get to interview someone else, the name of who escapes me. Sorry. I then interviewed Tom Wurth, a fast talking charmer if ever I met one.

AND THEN I WAS ON TELLY!!
Well on DigitalRodeo... they filmed me interviewing Zane Lewis for their website. It was cool! And I also got to meet Robert Reynolds (The Mavericks) and Randy Travis! Sadly no documentary evidence of this but it did happen! Here I am with Zane by the DIgitalRodeo booth.

I am trying to find the video of it... when I do watch out!
So then we met with Lila McCain...

Oh and if you can you must support this wonderful man... Ansel Brown. He was one of the most interesting men I interviewed over the week. He is travelling to a hospital in every State and hoping to come overseas entertaining sick children. It is call the 'Bigger Heart Tour' go to see him http://www.myspace.com/anselbrown on MySpace. Oh and I like his music!

And then I broke for lunch... where the beeeyooowtiful Keith Anderson entertained us. Including the fabulous song 'Every Time I Hear Your Name.'

The Evening...

2008-03-18T22:11:00.005Z

I had been trying to get an interview with Heartland through my contact at their record company. Luckily the wonderful RJ Jordan came through... in fact RJ was a star all week. Bless him. Well it was more a case of introducing me to Seth Necessary who was organising all the interviews for them.

So I met Heartland. They were a good bunch of guys... especially as they had a showcase coming up that night and they didn't mind chatting to the weird English girl. In fact they were all huggy and chatty when I met them at their showcase later that evening... even when I bailed before they hit the stage due to jetlag and sore feet.

But the sore feet were worth it as I had been watching Brad Paisley, Chuck WIcks and Jewel

Day One - THE INTERVIEWS!!

2008-03-18T21:20:00.011Z

I had seen Garth Brooks! I was buzzing but in the back of my mind was the realisation that I was going to have to start interviewing people!

But before all that happened I spotted Aaron Tippin who was recording some links for Blue Highway TV, so I grabbed a photo with him. That man keeps himself in tip top shape... I know I felt it :-)

My first interviewees was Clear Blue 22... I think it went ok. However I have since realised that I failed to get a photo of them with me. I was obviously not quite so together as I thought!

I then interviewed the lovely Darren 'With the surname I can neither say nor spell' but he looks like this! As it turns out I had met his manager last year at the Big & Rich show... looks like my networking worked somewhat.

And then if you are big fan of the US soaps Guiding Light and One Life To Live you might recognise this lady, Kassie DePaiva! She has a song out at the moment. We had a lovely chat... a very nice lady!

Laura Bryna was next... a tiny bundle of energy!

And then Mr Colt Ford... he was a charmer. I then spent the next few days running into him all the time! We joked that he was stalking me. He is doing a fine line in mixing country and rap.

Shawna Russell was next... and she didn't look old enough to be married!

And then the final gentleman of the day... Jeremy McComb! Well I say final but I'll tell you about the lovely men I interviewed in the next post...

We Have Photos!!

2008-03-18T21:08:00.005Z

Ok so I have managed to wrestle my photos off the camera (with help from super athlete, head of the family and all round good egg Pop Coady) Some are most unattractive... I must remember to be a tad more together next year (and also lose a tonne of weight!)

So here is the photo of Garth Brooks.

An Aside

2008-03-15T10:38:00.003Z

I can't get my photos off the damn photo card!! I have tried to download them via the camera cable doohickey and also via my multi-card reader. And it doesn't bloody register! Grrrr!! The card is refusing to be read! But I know the photos are there because I can see them on the camera.

*mutter mutter mutter*

And there is no real point in talking about my interviewing when I can't show you the evidence... mind you I could then just tell you all how I interviewed Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw and none of you would know I was lying!! MWAhahahahah!!!

So, yes, my wonderful interviews with Kenny and Tim... my new best friends, we're BFFs, bezzas. Honest! Would I lie to you?

Day One - Country Royalty

2008-03-14T14:00:00.000Z

Day One of CRS 39 dawned and with it the realisation that this year I was actually going to have to do some work. None of this party animal/social butterfly stuff that I did last year. Up till all hours and then dragging myself to the convention centre at 11.30 in time for the lunchtime entertainment.

No this year I was interviewing people. Lots of people. Twenty-five different artists. Which is actually more than twenty-five different people because some of them were bands. Bands full of beautiful men… *drifts off on thoughts of the Drew Davis Band*

But more of them later…

The first big event of the seminar was the keynote speech. Last year we had the ever hirsute Jon Bon Jovi. This year we had country music royalty, the ever glabrescent* Garth Brooks. He chatted about his life now he has “retired” but the best part was after the talk. You see there had been a competition open to MDs and PDs giving them the chance to SING with Garth Brooks. They could put their business card in a hat with the Garth Brook song they wanted to sing and it would be pulled out. The chosen PD was a blast! That is thing with the radio industry, most of them started out on air and boy can they talk! It was this fantastic stand up routine as he is trying to call his radio station so he can be on air SINGING WITH GARTH BROOKS! And the receptionist put Garth Brooks on hold! And then he was asking anyone in the audience to phone his wife who was still in their hotel room!

Eventually they started singing ‘Friends in Low Places’ and part way through there was a thump of drums, the curtains pulled back to reveal a full band! Garth went on to perform four more songs… it was a great start to the seminar(photos to follow... can't seem to download them off the camera at the mo.)

But then I realised it was down to the real work… interviewing.

No problem you’re thinking - an interview is an interview; I’m sure Brigid has done loads of them over the years. Well you would be thinking wrong. I have done precisely HALF an interview before last week. HALF! And now I had TWENTY FIVE (or so).

I would be fine… wouldn’t I?

*this is an excellent word meaning ‘bald’! Hurrah for online thesauri

In The Beginning...

2008-03-13T15:06:00.001Z

So are we sitting comfortably… I’ll take you back to last week and my trip across the Pond.

Monday I was whisked via BA and in the comfort of World Traveller Plus (premium economy) to Newark where the very lovely Anna Sugden came to meet me. Off we pootled in her little red VW Beetle (the modern one.) Talking, of course, about writing. Which is pretty much what we did as we wandered through the grocery store, I was introduced to the cats and when I met the wonderful Keith… ok we did also talk about ice hockey but I have no knowledge of this so I will gloss over it.

It was a great start to the week and as Tuesday dawned Anna drove me back to the airport to catch my flight to Nashville.

And this is probably where I should have taken the hint about me and domestic air travel in the US this week. The flight was cancelled. Instead of being on the 2pm flight I was now on the 7pm flight *sigh*

So back in the little red beetle… to a lovely Israeli run café in Tenafly. Soup, lemonade, chocolate mousse and a very flirtatious waiter which seemed like a fair deal for a cancelled flight!

And in time I made it on the 7pm flight (which actually took off at 8pm) thinking that I was now over my usual ‘going to Nashville’ travel issues. Every single time my flight to go there is cancelled. How wrong I was… but I didn’t find that out until a few days later.

Once in Nash Vegas I leapt in a cab, stormed the hotel and threw my bags through the door. Racing a few blocks south I entered the Bridge Bar… the heart of the Country Radio Seminar. The bar where deals are made, careers are broken and where lots and lots of people get very very drunk.

(By the way I have never seen this bar empty. Ever. Just wall to wall people. So that is what it looks like…)

I realised how things have changed since last year… here I was walking in alone and knowing a few people as opposed to last year when I hid behind Lee’s coattails and knew no one! Rick ‘RJ’ Jordan of Country Thunder Records grabbed hold of me and whisked me off for drinks. My sophomore CRS experience had begun (and not a naked cowboy in sight!)

HOME SWEET HOME!!

2008-03-10T16:40:00.002Z

I am back... bruised and battered and tired but home. The trip back from Nashville was a nightmare and when I have recovered I will tell you the tale. There were a few good things that came out of it... a new friendship and a new story idea.

Nashville at CRS was crazy but very good in terms of interviews (and my ability to do them I think) and also in making contacts.

The wireless internet at the hotel was AWFUL!! Which explains the lack of blogging... was very disappointed. So hopefully in the next few days I will be able to catch up with everything and start telling you what happened.

So what sort of stories do you want to hear about? And what else have you all been up to?

Blogging At The Pink Heart Society!

2008-02-29T15:13:00.005Z

Today I am blogging over at The Pink Heart Society it is that time of the month again when you get another installment of 'A Book With Biddy'. Go on over... find out how February has been for me. Oh and I included a few photos of Mark Harmon just to make it all pretty and shiny :-)...

Coming Up...

2008-02-27T15:24:00.005Z

The next week or so are busy in Biddy world. My 'To Do' list is longer than my arm and everytime I mark one thing off another two are added in their place.

One big thing this week is that my third installment of 'A Book With Biddy' will be appearing on The Pink Heart Society on Saturday. I'll remind you on the day but just as a taster there will be pictures of Mark Harmon :-)

And then on Tuesday I arrive in Nashville for the beginning of CRS 39. This is the Country Radio Seminar held every year in Nashville. I went last year and you might all remember my blogs on naked cowboys and the like. This year I will be a little more restrained as I have to do TWENTY THREE interviews in just over two days! Which sort of curtails my partying somewhat but I am sure I will be able to fit some in... if only to make sure I have something to blog about.

The keynote speaker this year is Garth Brooks, not quite as swoon-worthy in my book as Jon Bon Jovi last year but definitely with star power! I will try and keep you all updated with my exploits and hopefully there will be some great photos.

But before any of these things happen I have to get through this week which includes work, producing and presenting my show, early Mother's Day dinner, buying Mother's Day present and Mum's birthday present, get a run in, go to a pre-wedding dinner for a friend (I'm missing the wedding which is in Sydney), pack and prepare all the interview material.

*THUNK*

In Fine Voice!!

2008-02-22T12:59:00.003Z

Wednesday night's recording session went very well... at least I think so. We agreed to change the script where 'aforementioned' was... thank goodness! And luckily I managed to do 'laboratory' no problem. Go me!
The sexy and alluring read, which supposedly suits my voice, was difficult until I let go of my inhibitions. Much whispering and languid tones were then employed.

So now I am yet another step down the road, I already have my first corporate job (sometimes it pays to know people) and now I just have to find myself a graphic designer to help me sort out the design of the cover!!

PANIC!!!

2008-02-19T15:51:00.003Z

I have a recording for my voice demo tomorrow night... and I don't feel very well prepared. Two words keep tripping me up...
Laboratory and Aforementioned. It is odd, I can do Mycobacterium Leprae and peptidoglycan but not laboratory or aforementioned... I am just plain weird obviously.

Anyway back to the microphone... laberat, labrato,... arghhh!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!

2008-02-14T09:46:00.002Z

It is that day again... Valentines Day. I was going to be all cynical about it but I am in too good a mood so I will pass on my usual diatribe against the whole day and embrace it for what it is. A day to celebrate romance. And as I am trying to write romantic fiction that is probably a good thing.

This year I have sent cards... which is something of a record. I won't say who to as that would spoil the surprise but they are in need of some special thoughts so I sent them.

Tonight I will not be joining the throngs of people staring at each other over candlelit dinners trying to make conversation and failing miserably (ooops sorry cynical Biddy rose to the surface there.) I will be out for my second run of 2008 (the first was yesterday) and then home. And I will treat myself to a candlelit bath, a glass of wine, chocolates and a good book. Now that is what I call a good Valentines Day.

What will you all be doing?

The Hermitage

2008-02-11T18:40:00.000Z

Yes this weekend Coady Towers B&B became 'The Hermitage' as I locked out the world and indulged in a DVD watching fest!

And it was good. Very good. Eating popcorn good.

Film One was 'A Matter Of Life And Death'

It was excellent... I had been storing it up for a long time and it was worth the wait.

The rest of the weekend was taken up watching Season Two of 'Bones'.

I love this show... I love the characters, the stories and the fact that Stephen Fry is in it!! The great Stephen Fry! All Hail Sir Stephen Fry!

Pretty Shiny Prizes!

2008-02-06T09:21:00.000Z

The weekend dinner with the nuns was a complete success! More food than you can shake a stick at and wonderful to catch up with them all (and only one story of my bad behaviour was spoken about).

Monday saw the annual RNA Lunch and the distribution of pretty shiny prizes! The winner of the Romance Prize was the wonderful Kate Hardy! I didn't actually go to the lunch but turned up later and the first person I saw as I walked into the hotel... Kate! Which meant I got to give her a massive hug.

I had one of the nominees, Julie Cohen, staying with me so I had to hang around and keep drinking didn't I? It's a tough life at the coal face of romance writing...

Blogging At The Pink Heart Society - A Book With Biddy Part 2

2008-02-01T20:07:00.000Z

I am blogging at The Pink Heart Society again tomorrow!! Please go and have a read.

A Month and Counting...

2008-02-01T09:25:00.000Z

The partial for 'Dream Date' has been at Mills and Boon now for a month, or four weeks as I like to think of it. I am counting in weeks until at least month two.

In other things I have the very lovely and talented Anna Lousie Lucia staying with me at the moment... it is always fun to have like minded individuals to stay and know what you are babbling about when you are talking complete tosh.

Tomorrow I am blogging again over at The Pink Heart Society... I will remind you again later! And tomorrow I am also being sous chef/chief waitress/bottle washer for my sister when she caters a dinner party for the parents. This was her present to my father for his birthday... so I am not quite sure how I ended up being the lackey???

It should be a good night as the guests are four of the nuns who used to teach me as a teenager... yes I will be spending the evening with my former headmistress/english teacher, my former house mistress, my former religion teacher and my former head of six form. I see many embarrassing stories being rehashed.