Yardstick

So I may have mentioned before that my goal is to achieve one fairly impressive writing thing per year.  This seems to be a do-able thing.  It makes sure that I keep mulling writing projects over whilst not putting any major pressure on me to achieve dazzling literary heights - after all I am still working in Marketing AND learning how to be the best Mum in the world.
Once I've cracked the best-mum-in-the-world bit I can concentrate a wee bit more on the writing stuff.  But, you know - priorities.

Anyway, this year's "one" yardstick has been successfully achieved already and it's only May.  That gives me a whole seven months to think about achieving a second fairly impressive writing thing and then I will have doubled my standard requirement.  If I was a banker that would put me in line for some sort of outrageous bonus.  But I'm not.  So I'll just consider myself lucky if I can 1) achieve a second thing and 2) be paid for it.

Thing 1 is a poetry anthology that my odd and introspective poem "Black Tears" is being published in.  I don't get any fees or royalties, but I DO get to see my name in print and I'm pretty sure it allows me boasting privileges for at least a month or three.  The book is called "It's A Colourful Life" (AWFUL title), and will be available "in all good bookshops" in July, apparently.  If you only live near rubbish bookshops you have my sympathies.  Watch this space - I am certain to overload this blog with links to places where you can purchase it online, should you wish to do such a thing. (Note from the future: It's here. Poems poems poems.)

Meanwhile the mulling continues.  I am trying to come up with an idea for the ENO's mini opera competition, and failing miserably to condense my thoughts into a five to seven minute time frame.  I am also pondering on what might usefully fill 45 pages of radio play for an international competition being run by the BBC.  As well as this I am slowly attempting to move on to a new book, and thinking that I should probably get a move on before it's topic becomes the next big thing and once again I am behind the flurry of interest and consigned to the "missed the trend" bin.