The week that was

What a week! So many of my writer friends scored successes, including the publication of new texts (shout out to Nik Perring), the high ranking of existing books in Amazon league tables (shout out to Tania Hershman and Vanessa Gebbie) and first place in the WOW (Women on Writing) Awards which went to Gay Degani for her great flash, Beyond the Curve. Congratulations to all. Each of these writers takes his/her craft seriously, devotes time to getting better and to getting noticed by the publishing world (a notoriously hard feat for new and emerging writers), so be inspired by their example, as I am. Oh and buy a book from Salt Publishing - you can't go wrong with their list. I've just ordered Some New Ambush by Carys Davies. Support the independent publishers, because they support us.

In my own small way I made a leap this week. Nothing as amazing as the successes above, but I wrote a piece of original fiction, my first in a couple of months. It's a tiny piece, just 200 words, and it's a long way away from my comfort zone, but I'm pleased with it and with myself for achieving it. It came to me while I was driving to my mother's, and I had to keep repeating it in my head until I was able to grab pen and paper and get it down. It's called Hoochy Coochy Man and the Wagon of Rhymes. Even the title is unlike me. I take this as a good sign, a fresh green shoot after a hard frost.