Those of you who have been following my writing jorney will know that I took part in Nano Wrimo and successfully managed to reach 50000! My story, however, isnt over yet and id like to share another small taster for you to devour! I truley hope you have been enjoying my writing, and i can promise you that there is more to come! This morning I returned to my sisters house. I cant get rid of this nagging feeling that there’s something wrong. Sophie wouldn’t leave her children without knowing they would have been cared for. Her neighbour found the twins alone one morning and there was no sign of Sophie. If she had died from the virus her body would have been in that house. I have thought about this over and over, the only alternative is that she left to try and avoid the twins getting sick. But, she still wouldn’t leave with out making sure the twins were safe. I knew my sister and her children were her whole world. Looking around Sophie’s house is like freezing time. The air is so still the silence it leaves is deafening. The dust that has settled is almost beautiful as it glistened in the fractured light has found its way through the cobwebs. It had been 8 months since the outbreak, but the house looks 100 years old. Paper peeling from the walls, dirty mirrors struggling to reflect their surroundings. I slowly make my way through the living room towards the stairs. It feels so bizarre, like I am trespassing in my sister memories, not just her house. But I have a job to do. I push my emotions aside and search around in the obvious places, hoping to find something, well, obvious. Something that explains Sophie’s disappearance; A note, some instructions for whoever she had intended to look after the twins, damage that would suggest a break in. But there’s nothing, nothing obvious anyway. I collect up some of the twins belongings, which I know they will be happy about being reunited with. They’ve been wearing Sam’s and Lilly’s old clothes, but there aren’t many and they’ve had to deal with t-shirts that drown them or drain pipe trousers, as none of the clothes seemed to fit quite right. Unfortunately, I can already see that they must have grown quite significantly over the past 8 months and they may have to deal with tight fitting clothes for a little longer. Francine, one of our neighbours, has offered to adjust and make some more suitable sized clothing from the ones I have collected this morning which will help, until they grow again of course. I’m standing on the landing, at a loss as to what to do next. I feel like I’m trespassing, like I shouldn’t be in here. I carry on collecting some of my sisters belongings that I will give to the twins when they’re older. A photo album, a gold locket that belongs to Sophie, and a few books, including a baby book filled with keepsakes from when the twins were born. It’s too painful to look at them now, but I cant leave them. I visit the kitchen one last time and grab some left over tinned food from the cupboard. There isn’t much left to do. I sit at the dinning table, not wanting to leave quite yet.
Thank you to every one who visits my blog! Happy reading! Jeni Bee 🐝
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I have been preoccupied with Nano Wrimo and apart from being a little bit behind scedule, im on track to reach 50000 words by the end of the month. Not all of them are great, but there are a lot that im happy with. Im enjoying writing my first draft and wanted to share a bit more with you! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read it.
I can't sleep. I toss and turn. My nights have been mainly sleeping only when I'm too exhausted to stay awake. This bed only reminding me of my beautiful wife. I have kept her clothes neatly folded in the wardrobe tring to preserve her smell. Limiting myself to a few minutes at a time. But tonight I know I will never sleep unless she's near me. I quietly get out of bed and open the wardrobe. I know what I'm looking for. I don't need to put the light on. Everything is where it was, in those automatic places that your hand remembers unconsciously. I reach out and feel the soft brush of her dressing gown against my fingers. Lifting it off its hanger and drawing it close, breathing it in its scent, unable to move. Tears start to fall silently down my checks and exhaustion covers my skin. I collapse back into bed, holding the dressing gown so tight. I block everything else from my mind. This is where I need to be, right here with you, holding you in my arms. Exhaustion overwhelms me, tears stinging my eyes, I fall into a death like sleep. Happy Nano Wrimo! Jeni Bee 🐝 A brief extract from my novel... don't want to give anything a way, but at the same time, I hope it leaves you wanting to know more! The water is just slightly too hot to be comfortable, but it reminds me that I am alive, and lucky to be so. The slight sting of the water as it turns my skin pink is strangely comforting. If I close my eyes long enough, and and let the water block out the background hum of the generators, I am transported back to my previous life. The one where I took my happiness and wellbeing for granted, where I didn't appreciate those insignificant but special moments. That shine in your eyes, the smell of a home cooked meal, the sound of the wind. The shower shudders to a stop. I let the cold air drift in around me, just for a moment. My head now clearing after I had woken up with a groggy heavy feeling, my vision still blurred with sleep. I dress, my clothes clinging to my damp skin, and pull my short hair back off my face. To be continued... Jeni Bee This week I have been nominated for my first blogger award! I was nominated by the beautiful Geraldine who is a lifestyle blogger with a focus on dental hygiene. Her blog is gorgeously presented and well written. Definitely worth a read if you haven’t visited Geraldine’s blog before! Geraldine also loves video games, lives in New Jersey, loves desserts and doesn’t wear makeup often (she is also gorgeous so doesn’t need it!!). Thank you For nominating me for this award! I am over the moon to have been nominated as I am relatively new to blogging and writing. I have found that I have enjoyed writing more than I thought I would and am itching to write more! RULES:
First I pass this award to: @ThompsonC72 @AnnaNuttall @simplymich_xo @GHam23 @Ch_Wonsbeck @sunburntaloe @wa_pineapple @Lauraw08852205 @steffnativerose @FrejaPlummer @MartaAzra @LivsLittleBlog @WeWhoWalkHere @me_and_ink @blcktulipbeauty 7 Things about me: 1. I am the head of textiles and food at a secondary school. I really enjoy my job but have to admit that it is tough going. I teach a subject that is not, in the opinion of the government, very important. Therefore, students are not encouraged to take these subjects. This is a national issue which, sadly, the government fail to take seriously. Any subject that is not part of th EBac is in the same boat. On the other hand, and I know it’s a cliche, seeing students grow and develop is very rewarding. Teaching is emotionally draining for many reasons, but when a child thanks you for teaching them to be proud of their achievements, it makes you feel all warm inside!! 2. I am a twin. My twinny and I are very different. We have different hobbies, likes and dislikes, but we can still end up crying with laughter over silly things!! We have both always been creative but have taken it in different directions. That just makes us more interesting though!! We don’t get psychic messages from each other, although people always ask, and we’re far from identical, although still people ask!? But regardless of our lack of a magical connection, people still think it’s cool when they find I’m a twin! Their first comment is usually “What? There’s two of you?!”. 3. I have always wanted to play the piano. I can recognise notes and can play the odd turn with a lot of concentration, but I’ve never quite found the time to learn properly. I’d love to have actual lessons, but with them averaging out at £35-45 per 1/2 hour, I don’t think that’s going to happen any thime soon! In the mean time I’ll keep tinkling away on my keyboard, hoping that one day I’ll be able to just sit and play with out concentrating to the point of mental collapse, just to try to learn and remember a new piece of music. 4. I have a degree in Fashion Design and Technology. I would love to be able to make coats and jackets all day! McQueen is my favourite designer and I love the sharp juxtaposed lines alongside floaty, fantastical fabrics. I went to Bournemouth Arts uni and would love to, one day, do a Masters in Fashion. 5. I love cats. I currently have 3 cats. A 9 yr old, Vanilla, and 2 5 month old kittens, Solo and Bagheera. We recently lost another cat, Dexter, after being hit by a car. He was only 5 and I am still devastated. Dexter is the kitten in the photo above. He was such a wonderful animal and I will never forget him! 6. I walked across Dartmoor to raise money for orangutans! It took me 2 days and I walked from the top to the bottom. I decided to do this when I was at home on maternity leave. My baby was only 5mths when I went for my walk! I was definitely not at my fittest! I don’t regret doing it because it was absolutely amazing. But, dear lord, did I hurt for a while afterwards!! If you ever feel the need for a walk that will push you mentally and physically, I definitely recommend it, but maybe don’t do it 5 months after having a baby!! 7. I have scoliosis. I try not to let it define me though, which is why is number 7 on my list. It affects me day and night though, so I decided I should mention it. I, however, count myself lucky because I can still maintain an almost normal life, without too many complications. My spine is S shaped and curves at the top and the bottom. Most people don’t notice, but I do have a bit of a hump and my waist is smaller on one side than the other! My ribs on the left are flat and the ones on the right are slightly bumped making my right boob feel slightly more plump!! But it’s not the fact that I’m a bit wonky that’s the issue, it’s the pain! The doctors won’t do anything, apart from prescribe sting painkillers, because it’s not bad enough for surgery. This I’m grateful for because I really don’t know how I feel if I had to have such extreme surgery. On the other hand, I can’t afford other treatments such as chiropody or similar. So the hardest this to deal with is the fact that I don’t really have any options when it comes to reducing the pain! In the mean time, I try not to moan, only take pain killers when absolutely necessary, and try and avoid people who try to petty me!! So, while I’m feeling brave, here’s a pic of my slightly curvier back!! Until next time!!
Jeni Bee 🐝 Ive been writing again. I am starting to form a good understanding of where my story is going and wanted to give you another small glimpse. Still a marathon to go and I know there are going to be plenty of hurdles. But I hope you enjoy my updates and it leaves you wanting more! Marcus didn't get a funeral. No one was prepared for how quickly society broke. There was no help, crime, punishment or charity. We all sat in our homes, waiting to die, either from sickness or starvation. We huddled together, moving only when absolutely necessary. A stagnant smell seeping in as we became weaker. Permeating our senses until we didn't notice it anymore. The virus was so draining that we had no energy left to live. Everyone got sick. Not everyone died. It took 3 weeks before the electricity went out. The water went out 2 weeks after that. I had managed to gather together a small amount of supplies and had collected as much water as possible. Every cup, bowl, bucket and anything else that would hold water, did. The sickening reality is that, in the end, our survival came down to the fact that our family had halved in numbers. Sam and I were barely communicating by the time the electricity came back on. We had shut down emotionally and were functioning only enough to keep our selves alive. When the light flickered on in the kitchen, I think we both took a breath for the first time in days. Nothing was said, nothing could be said. I think we both knew that the light meant that we had to go on, to live with the devastation and some how become human again. Joanne and Lydia are now sleeping soundly in unmarked graves behind our house. It was the best we could do in the rush before the authorities cleared out all the bodies. It was not an option to let them take my family. I am forever grateful for the autumn and for the beautiful camouflage it provided. A golden blanket keeping my girls safe. Happy reading, Jeni Bee I really didn’t know where to start with the characters in my book. I was so scared of ending up with stereotypical, boring characters, that I kept putting it off. Of course this created a writers block of my own making! I honestly wasn’t sure about anything in relation to my characters. Male? Female? Age? Location? Occupation? Ethnicity? Etc. Didn’t have a clue. So, I did what everyone does when they have unanswered questions, I googled it!! This had varying results so, I tried Pinterest too! Across the interweb there are hundreds of tips and resources, but I can’t say that really helped when it came to knowing where to start. It was at this point I stopped being lazy and looking for an easy answer, and actually started looking! I read articles and blogs and had a go using some of the available resources out there. I had various successes and failures, but I have definitely made good progress and am now finding that my characters are developing more naturally. Now that my characters have started to come together, I wanted to share with you what I found worked best for me. So, here are my top 5 tips: 1. Names! Infuriating but necessary! I thought I would find this the most difficult, a name can make or break a character, but in hindsight, putting it off had really affected my character development and also started to give them some substance. To help me pick suitable names, I began by researching the most popular names from when my character was born. Although I hadn't completely settled on an age for my characters, I could at least pin point their birth to a decade! You could also look up the meanings of names, but I struggled with not picking cliched names when doing it this way. 2. A massive turning point for me was realising that if I settled on a birthday, I could then use their star signs to giving me an idea of their traits, strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of whether you believe in star signs or not, there are many sites, books and articles out there with personalities waiting to be analysed! And if the star sign was important, you could always change your characters birthday to suit your needs. Doing this gave me the various key points about my characters and really got me thinking about who they are. 3. Now to give some depth to my characters I focused on where they live. I researched the area and it started giving me hints about my characters, culture, occupation, hobbies, social standing etc. I then teamed these up with their personality traits and suddenly found I was imaging their day to day lives and struggles. 4. Don't get stuck on individual aspects of your character. A few times during my character development, I found I wasted time struggling over my characters beliefs, opinions etc. Eventually I realised that moving on meant that, more often than not, these gaps filled themselves. And, if they didn't, then they obviously weren't an important enough aspect for it to matter. 5. Don't be afraid to change your characters, or aspects of them. I am not at the stage where my characters are growing and developing and they have even surprised me at times when I have realised how they will react and behave in certain situations! On the other hand, keep all versions of your characters incase you change your mind, or something that you thought wasn't important, becomes a crucial part of your plot. As mentioned before, I have used lots of resources, websites, blogs etc. to help me structure and create my characters and, whatever you find works best for you, I think it is vital that you use a range of sources to avoid 2 dimensional stale characters. However, one site that I found particularly helpful is Life of a story teller. I've found it to be such a great source of information and help and recommend that you have a peek. I will defiantly be using this site more as I continue my writing journey. Happy writing, Jeni Bee Trying to write a book is like trying to carry out a scientific investigation; theres a lot involved. First there's the planning, research, more planning, experimenting with time frames, characters, plots. You've also got to decide on an aim. Where do you want this book to take your readers? How are you going to get them there? And so on and so forth. In essence, it takes a lot of time and effort just to get to the point where you are ready to write your first draft! While planning for my current book I've, at times, struggled to know where to start. So, after doing lots of planning and research, taking notes, scribbling ideas, writing possible paragraphs/chapters, I started thinking about what it is that makes me read a book myself. I realised that, although I try and not judge a book by it's cover, I will often judge a book by its opening line! Especially if I'm in a rush and just looking for something to read on a journey, for example. I will pick up the book, barely even look at the cover or title and turn straight to the first chapter. If the first sentence grabs me I may not even read the blurb. Of course, this is not how I’ve chosen every book I've read, however, it has led to some fascinating discoveries! So, I thought I would look a little closer at some of my favourite first liners. My absolute favourite is from Jeff Noon's Vurt. I adore this book and have continued to read Jeff Noons work. I came across this book while out window shopping. It was in a basket outside a charity shop and was 50p. The cover had a yellow feather on the front but I didn't pay much more attention than that. I opened it to the first page: "A young boy puts a feather in his mouth..." And that was that. I paid my 50p and was thrown into the amazing world of Jeff Noon. (If you haven't come across Noon, I strongly recommend you do!) My collection has since grown, and continues to do so! My other favourite first liners include: Rob Grant Incompetence "The flight was uneventful enough, except the pilot accidentally touched down at a slightly wrong airport and forgot to lower the landing gear, so we left the plane by way of the emergency chute, and I lost my shoes." Margret Atwood The Handmaids Tale "We slept in what had once been the gymnasium." David Wong (AKA Jason Pargin) John Dies at the end "Solving the following riddle will reveal the awful secret behind the universe, assuming you do not go utterly mad in the attempt" Kathleen Tessaro Innocence "The first thing you should know about Robbie is she's dead." Jeff Abbot Fear "I killed my best friend" I started to notice that the opening lines of these books tend to leave you with unanswered questions. For me a successful opening line leads you to want to read more. It seems you don't always need to introduce your story, but instead, pull your reader head first into the thick of it! Although this is far from the only way to start a book, and there are many famous and fantastic books that start less full on and ease you in, for me, its the quick hook in and the unanswered questions that get me, well, hooked! So, how good will my first line be? Time will tell. But, funnily enough I am going to leave this until I’ve finished my first draft. I think it will naturally evolve anyway so am going to let it grow and develop as I discover the story itself. While researching first line techniques I stumbled upon this amazing blog article called 6 ways to hook your readers from the very first line. In fact, Susannah Windsor Freeman’s whole website Write it sideways is definitely worth exploring! It is packed with a treasure trove of resources, inspiration and tips to help you through your writing journey. What are your favourite first lines? What gets you hooked? I look forward to hearing your favourites! Happy reading, Jeni Bee Every so often I will add a small extract from a writing project I am working on. I won't put any details about the genre or title of the book, but will let you use your imagination. Feedback is definitely welcomed and I am hoping that sharing will help me grow as a writer. My colleague died yesterday on the number 41 bus. Martin had turned up to work looking ghostly pale and shivering, his eyes blurry and barely open. "Ewwww, go home and die in your own bed!" I'd said in feign horror. Little did I know he wouldn't make it that far. "35 yr old male, identified as Matin Saxby, was found dead on the number 41 bus to Tottenham Hale, yesterday morning." The News reporter explained. "It seems that the driver thought he was a drunk homeless man and had let him sleep a while. Sadly, Mr Saxby had already passed away, and it wasn't until a passenger alerted the driver to the fact that the deceased didn't seem to be breathing, that an ambulance was called. a short time later, Mr Saxby was pronounced dead at the scene. His family have been informed and his death is not currently being treated as suspicious, although an autopsy will be carried out to determine the true cause of death" That was it, 20 seconds of air time, and one picture that flashed on the screen of Martin 10 years ago in Ibiza. The only reason it had been on the news at all was because It had already been leaked on social media by several people, who had instantly started recording the scene when they realised something was up. Vultures that would rather a few 'likes' than allow another human being any kind of dignity, and not caring if they were late for work to get them. Mind you, don't they call that human nature? The office has been shut today in respect, and we had no idea what to do with our selves, so at 3.15pm the day after Martin died, we're sat in the local staring at our un-drunk drinks. The pub seemed like a good idea to begin with, but now you can see on our faces that we just feel awkward and uncomfortable. I have this awful stale taste in my mouth that won't go away. How are you supposed to feel when something like this happens? Anger? Guilt? Sadness? I just felt numb. We sit for what feels like hours, passing appropriate comments between us, but all the while not really making eye contact. Eventually, after an appropriate amount of time, we rejoin our own lives and retreat back to our partners, pets and children. We didn't see it coming, but what happened next turned our lives into nightmares with a side of terror, and we didn't stand a chance. |
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