Dream Workplace

I have a dream, and that dream is of an office.

I have had my own office at home before, but it was a shoebox of a room, and I did nothing with it or in it. It was full of suitcases and boxes and stuff that me and my ex didnt want on show. I rarely wrote in there.

This dream even extends to my 9-5 job office. Currently I work in an open plan area, on a long table with 2 other people. I am on the end, furthest from the window, under an aircon vent, with my back to the door.

I have rules that I want to apply to my office to turn it into my dream writing or working area:

1. Light
The desk must be positioned in such a manner that I have access to a decent amount of natural light. If it is next to a window, even better. Best would be if the window was on my left hand side rather than my right. I have to be able to see the sky.

2. Door placement
I must be able to see the door from my desk at all times. I prefer to have it in front of me.

3. Visual Inspiration
I like to have things that inspire me around my working area. A picture of The Captain (which is the Ginger Guitarist's new Blogname, it's what I call him in real life so he said he'd prefer it to be used on here), a flyer from an old theatrical show, a well-worn semi precious gemstone, a postcard from a beloved place.

4. Music
I must have access to music at all times. And not just my laptop's media player with crappy speakers, or my broken old CD player. (This one only really applies to writing out of 9-5 work hours.)

5. Desk space
I must have enough room for the following in front of me or to the side:
The keyboard & mouse
Gel mouse mat and wrist rest
A notebook or some scribbled a4 notes (I've recently discovered flat, shelf-style document holders which sit in front of your keyboard, as opposed to ones which hold your document pinned up vertically - much better for multi page documents)
The printer (to the side)
A glass of water or mug of coffee
Lip balm
A pen holder with black, red and blue gel pens and a highlighter
(and at work only) Diary, hand cream and mobile phone

6. Storage
I must have at least one drawer for things like stapler, hole punch, etc. I must also have a shelf attached to my desk which holds all my notebooks and research books. Below that I must have a shelf with all my friends' published works. My current desk holds all the Novel Racers' books and my friend Tony Lee's comics.

7. Whiteboard
I dont know why I love this part of my current desk, but I do, and after having this, I wouldnt organise another writing space without a whiteboard attached to the desk or pinned to the wall. It's not essential for my current 9-5 job of course.

I must also have a comfortable chair, after all it's going to have my butt in it for an hour or more at a time so it had better be comfortable.

Why am I posting all this? Well, partly because my friend C got promoted and has moved to a desk by the window on its own, and her desk by the window in another block of 3 is now free for the new member of staff to have, and I covet it but will never have it. But mostly because I am due to move house hopefully in May, and the Captain and I will have our own office. We are thinking of 'steampunking' it; dark wood furniture, velvet curtains, leather armchairs if we can get them, bits of cogs and brass nonsense here and there. I would love one of these laptops or computer setups from datamancer.net, but money is a little bit too tight for that! Ah well, a gal can dream.

It's an L shaped room, with white walls and a brown carpet, and two large windows opposite the door. The first place I thought to put my desk was in the corner of the L, but it's not conducive to being by the window. So I will have to have a think.

After spending 6 months sitting at a desk under a strip light which is 3 people away from the window, I am starting to crave natural light while I type. I actually feel like it's making me jittery. Walking about in my lunch break or when I go home just isnt enough. Hopefully a nice big window in a new office when I move house will do the trick. Especially as we approach summer (I dont get home til 7 pm most nights and it's pretty dark by the time I do at the moment. It is getting lighter though.)

Another reason that I covet C's old desk is that it is surrounded by 3 jolly nice women who chat while they work, and I would love to be included in that. I sit next to one bloke, with whom I dont really click, and I have my back to all 3 of them (and C) so I do feel pretty isolated a lot of the time.

Editing is continuing and I promise to blog more often. Sorry! I have been slacking.

If you can keep your head while your plot doesn't make sense... and a slight squee at a pair of shoes

Editing, editing, editing (creeps on this petty pace from day to day) ahem. Sorry, I seem to have gone all Shakespearean and I'm only into the first line. It can only get worse from here.

I've been working really hard on the Ginger Guitarist's edit of Queen of Swords. Fortunately for my future, but unfortunately for my present, he has picked up on a ton of sections where he'd asked "what made this happen in the first place?" or "what's this about?" or "so how does this non-human thing work?" - and shame on me, I didn't know. I never wrote a detailed backstory, and a lot of my character and setting history of Faerie is sparse to say the least.

So now the first editing processes are done, I've been spending the past couple of weeks talking things through with him, writing up a timeline (I talk, he types, which is hugely useful) and putting together reasons for some of the major happenings in QoS. Things I had never even thought of are coming to light. I guess thats a bonus of having a proofreader and wannabe publishing house editor as a boyfriend. It's a lot of work, and some of it is a total pain in the ass, especially regarding certain characters (Lleuad take note, you are annoying me) but it will be worth it in the end when I can tie everything together and everything makes sense.

I had a terrifying thought the other day that if-no-when QOS gets published, and I'd not sorted out things like what happened when the King died or who made certain events happen in the first place, and someone in a press conference asked me, I'd have looked like a prize muppet (I'm choosing Janice from Electric Mayhem)

So. Timelines and edits are my waking thought at the moment. I have a folder on my laptop now full of history notes, the timeline, a full series character list, a full series chapter list - yes, the series is planned out to the end - and Faerie 101 type documents about things like how the 'bad guys' came to be, the 'magic system' in short, and the perils and foibles of fae reproduction (don't ask) among other useful stuff. I have a sketched (or should that be sketchy, my drawing skills are ropey at the best of times) map of Faerie showing what happens where.

I have to say though, I'm almost glad I didn't do this before I started writing the novel properly, as it's major work, and it would have severely detracted from my writing. I'm really glad I made myself finish the first draft before starting on this.

I've also updated my word counters. They were severely wrong. Whoops.

It's just hit me how fabulous the word 'foibles' is. Not to mention that it could be used as a diminutive or nickname for 'Phoebe' (sorry to any Phoebes I may have just inadvertently offended with that, and I do hope you are not labeled 'Foible' until the end of your days). I think I'm going to try and use more fabulous but underused words in future. Hmmm. Plan.

And now I must away, embarrassed, for I have just dropped cinnamon bun icing on my keyboard, and the O is sticking, and if I keep blogging my typing will resemble the sounds of a bewildered owl. Ooooooooooo.....


Edit post icing removal: OMG. I need these shoes. I would sell every single pair I have for one pair of these babies.

Lisa's Legacy and Other Thoughts

With the sad loss of fellow Novel Racer and friend Lisa Ratcliffe, otherwise known as the Hesitant Scribe, the writing world is a little bit darker and poorer. Lisa was a wonderful writer and had a terrific way with words as can be seen on her blog. Even on her hard days she seemed to remain upbeat, insightful and optimistic, and always retained that brilliant sense of humour. Her last words to us, "writers... write!" will remain her legacy, along with her blog, her children and the memories of those who knew her. "Writers.. write!" will be taken as my personal motto from now on, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to adopt this. My thoughts are with her husband Nigel and her family at this time. Rest well Lisa, you will be missed. x


I have a friend, K, who has recently found out she has breast cancer. It is aggressive, fast growing and non hormone receptive, with a high chance of recurrence due to other factors. She has also gone through a lot in the past few years, including the tragedy of losing her baby girl to Trisomy 13, a divorce and the loss of her best friend, also to breast cancer. On the 19th February she will be undergoing surgery to remove the cancer and prevent future recurrences (bilateral elective double mastectomy I think it's called). She has a plan in place to ensure that her friends help her in her quest for healing and wellness and I think it's genius. She is treating the cancer as a physical manifestation of all the bad things and emotional pain that she has suffered over the past few years. This cancer is going to be surgically cut out of her body in nine days. Therefore the pain is going to be cut out too.

She has stated to her friends:
"On the day of my surgery I would really appreciate a moment of visioning. If you would please take just a moment to envision the above scenario: that the physical manifestation of the pain of K's losses is going to be surgically removed from her life forever, and she will move forward with joy and light."

Her surgery time is at noon, which when adjusted to fit GMT is 8.00 pm on 19th February 2009. Please feel free to join me in this visualisation. Thank you.


I have worn my late father's signet ring since the day he died (also of cancer), 28th May 1998. For at least the first 7-8 years I never took it off. Not for LRP events, not for swimming, showering, sleeping, anything. I wanted to wear it, but I also felt that I should. Occasionally I felt sad that I no longer wore any of my pretty, feminine rings, including my gran's cameo and her garnet which I inherited. Now and then, in this last year, I've occasionally left it at home when I've gone to LRP, or if I've wanted to wear my tiger-eye ring (it's severely huge, a serious rock, and won't fit on any finger other than my right middle one). I'm now toying with the idea of taking it off. Keeping it in a special box, keeping it safe, as I dread losing it, but yes, seriously considering taking it off. At first I said I never would, but more recently, maybe about 4 years ago, I started thinking about taking it off permanently when I found a man who was my dad's equal. Not a replacement, as nobody ever could, but an equal. So yes. I may now take it off. There's nothing to stop me wearing it from time to time, if I want to, and wearing it now and then will not cancel out my reason for taking it off - but I think it's time to recognise that I no longer need to wear it 24-7, 365 days a year, in bed, in the shower, in the bath, swimming pool, LRP field, gym, etc. I know I will feel a little odd not wearing it. Maybe even a little guilty - relating to the 'should be wearing it' part as I mentioned earlier. Am I being stupid? Surely if I no longer want to wear something for a good reason, that would be OK? I am certain my dad would not mind. It's just a huge change, to me. I know it's only a ring, but it feels like a huge change.


The Ginger Guitarist has finished his edit of Queen of Swords and I am now going through chapter by chapter, exactly as I did with my other editor's comments, changing the bits I agree with and ignoring the rest. Well, not really, not the important comments, but there are places where I'd put commas and he wouldn't, for example. The original printout is covered in red pen. I think he did it on purpose so he could play teacher. My friends are now joking that he wrote "See me" on the last page.

I am really happy with how QoS is turning out in its final draft. I know if it's taken on by any form of professional publisher/agent I will almost definitely have to edit again, but at the moment, I'm really quite proud of my achievement. Queen of Cups, the second Ursula book, is shaping up pretty well too. I'd like to say I'll meet Caroline's deadline and finish it by 29th May (my 30th birthday)... let's see how that goes. I'm working on a lot of backstory and history at the moment as well, for which the Ginger Guitarist is invaluable for listening to me ramble on and pointing out the bits in which I have made Gigantic Fuckups The Like Of Which Have Never Yet Been Seen By Man.


In other more frivolous news...

Jonathan Ross's Twitter updates are remarkably addictive. Am gutted I missed the BAFTAs (I still havent tuned in my TV since I moved into the new flat in September... I just dont watch any TV any more!) as apparently he was brilliant. No surprise there. Jane Goldman looked amazing as usual.

My MP3 player (Sony Violet, known as Violet Disregard for reasons best known to me and Roald Dahl) is rubbish. It's Sony software, and some of the songs on my PC are copied from friends' CDs or old tapes, which Sony dislikes apparently. it also minces loudly about managing to record a whole album from my PC to the MP3 player. I have no idea why, as most of my music is recorded (burned, I believe the 'cool kids' call it these days) from my own CDs onto my own PC. What is your problem, Sony Violet? The Ginger Guitarist and our friend Toby tried to sort it out but only managed to duplicate every song on there and not actually update any of the new music I've 'burned' from more recent CDs. Gah. This is my unimpressed face. I may be swapping it for something more useful when I get time and money. Currently time is being spent on writing and money is being spent on a lovely blue version of Calistro's Samsung NC10.

I am going to post photos of the Shoe Cabinet of Doom that the Ginger Guitarist bought me for Christmas very soon. It is sooo shiny and filled with pretty things.

And I am stalking a Mulberry Phoebe handbag.

I appear to have gone off on one rather in this post... if you made it all this way, have a cookie.

Being a Twit.

I think that's what it's called...

Anyway, for the initiated and exciting technological types around here, I've gone and got myself assimilated.

Yep, I have a Twitter account.

You can find me or follow me (and please do, I have a highly exciting life involving wordcounts, chocolate, henna mud and shoes) at:

http://twitter.com/justjuliette

I always said I'd get one but I never really got "a round twit"...



Look, I'm really sorry. No, I am. All my jokes are terrible puns. And it's not even Sunday...

In the Naughty Corner

I have been a very bad blogger indeed. I haven't posted since before Christmas, and am eating delicious shame cake. Washed down with embarrassment tea. Oh dear. I'll just have a mortified bun while I'm at it.

Deadlines are going OK. I'm up to speed on the first edit of Queen of Swords, and the Ginger Guitarist is writing his own edit in the inevitable red pen on the hefty printed-out version bound together with a hope and a prayer (and a lot of black plastic spiralbinding). Opinions have been mixed but almost entirely positive, although I do need to work on 'fitting scenes together' as I originally wrote it out of sequence which now means I have to tie everything to gether seamlessly or risk the Ginger Guitarist going "But Ursula's here now! She was there five minutes ago! And this character's missing but you've got someone going to see him... What??" There is more than one place where he has just written EPIC FAIL in the margin... thank you darling! :D

Queen of Cups is well on the way... it's only a first draft but still a first draft is better than nothing.

The Ginger Guitarist also pointed out that perhaps I should also write or concentrate on something else (non-fairy-based) just in case Queen of Swords is consistently rejected by agents and publishers. That way, I dont just have fairy novels to show for my efforts. I can see his point, although it's a gloomy prospect. So I've dusted off the four chapters I wrote about Polly Glenister. It's now called Ghostwriter (it's amazing how easily parts of the plot slot into place - try saying that after four margaritas - when I've found a decent title) and it's very exciting to write. I am enjoying it which is always a good sign for me. If I enjoy writing it, it's likely people will enjoy reading it. I do get sucked into it though which is hard at the moment as I'm doing an hour a day max. I have money set aside to buy that coveted mini laptop this month, though - finally. I'll be able to sneak an extra hour and a half (or just under) each way on the Tube every day, with that. Hurrah.

I'm also sketching out a new idea based on Victorian steampunk, Lewis Carroll and Alice. Now that I am hugely excited about.

I've shelved all the chick lit. I may use it again if there's ever a competition but although I like reading it, I'm always left unsatisfied, and even more so by writing it. There are those who can write CL and those who can't. I dont think I can. I'm always hankering for something more exciting to happen, and I dont like writing to a formula. There's a lot of similar things that happen in CL novels - the objectionable but handsome man who ends up being the love interest, the gay best friend, the pregnant best friend, the ill-thought-out affair - that I'm just not interested in writing about. I did however recently enjoy Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter. Fun, fluffy, and a bit of fantasy thrown in.

So currently I'm editing QoS, writing QoC, writing Ghostwriter, and outlining the Alice idea. I know it seems a lot, but it's fitting in pretty well.

A welcome to new blogreader Getting Drafty - another hardcore London writer - who found my blog through Bubblecow. Thank you for your kind comment - it's always nice to get new readers, and even nicer for the blog to be known as "bewitching". :) Completely agree on your second person narrative perspective, by the way.

Belated congratulations to Calistro for all her good fortune on her first novel - I cant wait to read it - huge congratulations to Rachel Green for the publication of her novel An Ungodly Child - I have it on order - and congratulations also to Nik Jones, to who's* blog I am fast becoming addicted. The exploits of Disco Kettle fascinate me. I have even joined the I Heart Lesbian Nurses group on Facebook. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read his book.

While I'm at it, congratulations to Neil Gaiman (come on, you know what his weblink is by now surely... if not you can find it in my sidebar) for winning the Newbery Medal with his incredible novel The Graveyard Book. Totally deserved and long may he reign as it were - gods bless him and all who sail in his coffee cups. Even if they do have peanut butter in them...

Personally my Gaiman novelty coffee would be the darkest black coffee with black cherry syrup and a bite of dark vanilla, an underlying hint of cinnamon, and a swirl of 99% cocoa chocolate stirred into it.

Shame I'm off caffeine...


* People. Help me out here. Whos, who's or whose? I have such problems with these three. None of them ever look right in a sentence, unless I'm asking a question, in which case IO know I can say "Whose boots are these?" or "Who's that over there?" So is whos ever correct? It looks alarmingly wrong, and thus disturbs me. And I am embarrassed to ask. Bring on the shame cake...

Lists (gently to the side)

I love lists.
I make them all the time.
It is getting to the point where I will soon require a list of the lists I have made to make sure I remember everything, though.

I have a 26-item long to do list on my Livejournal, on which I know I have forgotten to add many, many things.
And all before Christmas.

So in honour of lists and Christmas (and Christmas lists, which my sister used to write in September to make sure everyone knew what was going on) here is a little list of Nice Things about this time of year, to cheer me up when I am stuck on a freezing Tube train or slipping all over the icy pavement in my Sensible Flat Shoes which are not sensible at all as they have no grips...

Peppermint candy canes and sucking them to a point like vampire stakes
The smell before snow
The Ginger Guitarist setting the alarm ten minutes earlier than we need to get up, thus having ten minutes extra warm snuggles
Pashminas in bright colours
Gingerbread lattes
Gingerbread houses
Lots of new books in Waterstones and their tempting catalogue
Fleecy insides of leather gloves
Roast chestnuts from street vendors (which I have never bought but intend to do at some point)
Filling in my new diary for next year with important dates and birthdays
Christmas parties
Green ginger wine
Frosty grass (sounds like a Bond girl)
Writing in warm coffee-scented cafes
Spending time with family and friends
Wrapping presents and writing/making cards with funky coloured ink
The Ginger Guitarist having to work up to Christmas eve (which is bad) but this meaning he and I will have our first Christmas morning together without either of our parents (which is good and scary and makes me feel like a proper grown-up)
Lebkuchen
Buying my own Christmas tree for the First Time Ever and decorating my apartment
My chenille (chez-Neil?) hat

'ead 'itter, Punctuation and Deadlines

I received my edited manuscript of Queen of Swords back from my editor this week. I am pleased with the comments; there's a nice balance of positive remarks and constructive criticism, and she picked up on all the things that worried me about the novel, too. I have a lot of editing to do, but I'm not worried about it. I intend to have the whole edited draft finished by Christmas, as she suggested I focus on this for the rest of the year.

The Ginger Guitarist has set me another couple of deadlines, to which I intend to stick:

Queen of Cups (book 2) - First draft completed by my birthday, 29th May 2009.

Queen of Spears (book 3) - First draft completed by next Christmas, 25 December 2009.

He is very good for my discipline.


I am the featured writer over at BubbleCow at the moment which is very exciting.


A question on punctuation:

How do people stand on commas before the word 'and' ? I've always thought that the Oxford comma, e.g:
"Ursula loved four things: her brother, coffee, chocolate, and weasels."

is just as acceptable, if a little more old-fashioned, than:
"Ursula loved four things: her brother, coffee, chocolate and weasels."

I do, however, tend not to use the Oxford comma.

Equally, I've also always thought that sentences like this are acceptable:
"I wished I could have seen what was going on, and understood it. With the reappearance of the King, V would be unhappy, and I didn't want that to happen."

In this sentence, Ursula is talking to the reader directly, breaking the fourth wall or voicing her thoughts. I have included commas before both ands to show natural pauses.

However, one of my editors is intent on removing most of these pre-'and' commas from Queen of Swords. He states that it is incorrect, and* that every time I put a comma before an 'and', a puppy dies. (Observant readers may guess from this last remark that this editor is ginger and plays the guitar.) When I thought about it, I remembered English teachers telling me that commas before 'and' were indeed incorrect.

Any advice?


*whoops there goes another one... (woof)