Scott here.
I sent my novel away to a publisher last year and have been waiting to hear. I sent an email to them nea the end of october and the editor/reader person said, "Give me until the end of the month". The end of october came and went. The end of november came and went. I sent another email. The book had passed the first round of reading (woo hoo) and could i please give them until the end of the week...
Yes I could.
The week came and went. I sent another email. The original editor person was leaving and had passed it on. A week later I sent an email to the new editor person asking about her time frame. Leave it with her.
Argh.
Anyway, last week I finally got a rejection. They sent through the readers' comments and some of them were really positive. Strong characterisation. Well written. Just too slow, basically.
Would they be interested in seeing a rewrite? Yes they would.
So since then I've cut about 70k words... Easier than it sounds-- I just decided I'd cut two of the characters (one of them is the best one in the book, unfortunately) and move their introduction to the second book. Of course, that makes book two, currently, about 220k words long. Hmmm.. maybe I now have a four book series. Damn it. I did also do some other trimming.
I am also adding a bit more action into the parts of book 1 that remain. Moving the introduction of an alien character to earlier, which will actually strengthen the story in what is currently book 2. So all in all it might just work, if I can only get someone to buy it.
I also wrote a picture book story the other day. Megan, (brother-in-law's girlfriend) might be doing the pictures. She is willing to have a look at any rate. I did ask Renee, who was looking at doing some stuff from som text I wrote earlier but she has a six week old daughter so is kinda busy. That's her excuse anyway. (Hey Renee)
Okay, what else?
Kel and I think Bayli is going to start walking at any moment. She's been pulling herself up on stuff for a while but is now eyeing off nearby furniture as if she wants to make a dash. I imagine there will be more falling than walking for a while.
Kel is looking at doing card making classes a earn a bit of extra money. I might be doing some typing or something, if I get around to making little flyer things.
That's all, I think.
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Bayli's First Christmas
It would be fair to say that Santa visited our house. We walked into the lounge room on Christmas morning and there were a thousand presents under the tree. (They were there the previous night as well, but that kind of ruins the story).
Bayli got a lot of little things, of course-- clothes and blocks and toys and books and whatever-- but her two favorite toys were the biggest. Opa and Grand-mama (Kel's parents) gave her a swing that we've hooked up on the deck and she sits 
there for hours smiling and singing. And Nan and Pop (Scott's parents) gave her a walk behind type thing that will one day turn into a bike type thing. She get's behind that and takes off at a run. (In the pic the thing is actually in bike mode.) The fact the the walker thing takes off a little bit quicker on our timber floor is a minor concern.
In the giving department Scott has spent the last couple of months trying to edit together the three videos taken on our wedding into one sensible, interesting movie. He finished burning those just after lunch on Christmas day-- we gave out empty DVD cases in the morning-- only to discover that the sound and video were not lined up correctly. Argh. During the same period, Kelly was making cards and calendars (with Bayli on them, of course) and photo books and all sorts of other things. Needless to say they all went down a treat.
We've also done a bit of work on the yard over the last few days. I don't know if it's been mentioned previously but we finished the retaining wall in the small front yard bit a little while ago. Today the wall was completely finished (so, OK, obviously it wasn't actually finished before) when we added another small, single-sleeper-height section and some rocks. After that we got some plants in-- just in time for the rain. We also filled in some holes under the fence in the bottom yard to help keep Pip in when we eventually move her down there and built her a digging box. It has been a very busy couple of days. We have to thank Marty and Sharon for all the work they did. And Les helped with the main part of the wall (though, now that I think of it I'm sure that was mentioned in an earlier post).
I may be able to organise some pictures of that, if anyone is interested (though of course, that would involve someone 'Commenting' so I won't be holding my breath). (Sharon -- friend not relation -- is excused as she commented recently. Thank you Sharon)
Scott's work is going OK. It isn't great but seeing it's only four hours a day...
A couple of kids cancelled Holiday care (well, their parents cancelled, but you know what I mean) so the next couple of weeks are going to be fairly quiet for Kel-- just three days a week with only one kid on a couple of them-- but hopefully it should pick up a bit next year once word starts to get around a bit more.
Pip has been escaping a bit during the night-- well, not any ore because we lock her on the deck. Every night she would find a way out and Scott would hear her barking out on the street at about 5am and go out to get her. Thankfully, sinnce she got a smack on the nose from one of the neighbour's dogs (at least we think that's what the yelp was, though we didn't actually see it) she comes back pretty much straight away, no matter how much fun she seems to be having-- normally with the very dogs who we think smacked her on the nose. Anyway, she would get out, Scott would collect her and fill the escape hole. And the next morning the process would be repeated.
But Scott got up one morning top discover that not only had Pip escaped and gone to play with the dogs next door but she had taken her soccer ball with her. The three dogs next door were running up and down the inside of their fence (they can't get out) barking like three very excited dogs and Pip was out on the footpath, running up and down the outside of the fence (she can't get in) like one very excited dog with a soccer ball.
Scott brought an early end to the game, but we think it's fair to say that Pip was leading her first away game by a healthy margin.
That's all for now-- dinner is ready.
We hope Christmas brought everyone everything they wanted and that 2009 brings you everything you need.
there for hours smiling and singing. And Nan and Pop (Scott's parents) gave her a walk behind type thing that will one day turn into a bike type thing. She get's behind that and takes off at a run. (In the pic the thing is actually in bike mode.) The fact the the walker thing takes off a little bit quicker on our timber floor is a minor concern.In the giving department Scott has spent the last couple of months trying to edit together the three videos taken on our wedding into one sensible, interesting movie. He finished burning those just after lunch on Christmas day-- we gave out empty DVD cases in the morning-- only to discover that the sound and video were not lined up correctly. Argh. During the same period, Kelly was making cards and calendars (with Bayli on them, of course) and photo books and all sorts of other things. Needless to say they all went down a treat.
We've also done a bit of work on the yard over the last few days. I don't know if it's been mentioned previously but we finished the retaining wall in the small front yard bit a little while ago. Today the wall was completely finished (so, OK, obviously it wasn't actually finished before) when we added another small, single-sleeper-height section and some rocks. After that we got some plants in-- just in time for the rain. We also filled in some holes under the fence in the bottom yard to help keep Pip in when we eventually move her down there and built her a digging box. It has been a very busy couple of days. We have to thank Marty and Sharon for all the work they did. And Les helped with the main part of the wall (though, now that I think of it I'm sure that was mentioned in an earlier post).
I may be able to organise some pictures of that, if anyone is interested (though of course, that would involve someone 'Commenting' so I won't be holding my breath). (Sharon -- friend not relation -- is excused as she commented recently. Thank you Sharon)
Scott's work is going OK. It isn't great but seeing it's only four hours a day...
A couple of kids cancelled Holiday care (well, their parents cancelled, but you know what I mean) so the next couple of weeks are going to be fairly quiet for Kel-- just three days a week with only one kid on a couple of them-- but hopefully it should pick up a bit next year once word starts to get around a bit more.
Pip has been escaping a bit during the night-- well, not any ore because we lock her on the deck. Every night she would find a way out and Scott would hear her barking out on the street at about 5am and go out to get her. Thankfully, sinnce she got a smack on the nose from one of the neighbour's dogs (at least we think that's what the yelp was, though we didn't actually see it) she comes back pretty much straight away, no matter how much fun she seems to be having-- normally with the very dogs who we think smacked her on the nose. Anyway, she would get out, Scott would collect her and fill the escape hole. And the next morning the process would be repeated.
But Scott got up one morning top discover that not only had Pip escaped and gone to play with the dogs next door but she had taken her soccer ball with her. The three dogs next door were running up and down the inside of their fence (they can't get out) barking like three very excited dogs and Pip was out on the footpath, running up and down the outside of the fence (she can't get in) like one very excited dog with a soccer ball.
Scott brought an early end to the game, but we think it's fair to say that Pip was leading her first away game by a healthy margin.
That's all for now-- dinner is ready.
We hope Christmas brought everyone everything they wanted and that 2009 brings you everything you need.
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Swimming and Working
More complaints that we haven't been writing anything on the blog. Well, I'd like to point out that nobody has been commenting on our blog either...
Anyways, my mother, who we talk to a couple of times a week, wants another post, so here I am.
We've been taking Bayli to the pool and she loves it. Hasn't cried once, even with all the dunking and stuff like that. She's really starting to splash around a bit now too.
Bayli has finally, after weeks of effort, started to get mobile. She drags herself around, normally diagonally because she only pushed with one foot, but still. And, if you hold her hands for balance she can practically run across a room. She gets very excited about it all.
She's sleeping through the night now. (Well, most nights. She's down the other end of the house from the main bedroom now so we normally leave her door and our door open so we can hear if she starts crying during the night. Except my parents were staying the other night so we had out door closed... couldn't hear a thing but apparently she was crying a lot that night. Oh well-- Kel and I got some sleep. Bayli was happy enough in the morning so there doesn't appear to have been any long term effects.)
Kel and Bayli go to Play Group on Tuesdays and this week I went along too. A lot of the regulars weren't there apparently and they changed the routine slightly so I didn't get to see how things normally were but it was still good.
I started a new job on Monday. Some electricians in town (Storey Electrical) used to have a little shop where they sold a couple of things like stoves and power points and whatever. They've decided to expand and open a big, proper retail type place with fridges and stoves and washing machines and lights and all sorts of stuff. So I'm in the shop each afternoon from 1 to 5 selling stuff and booking jobs for the electricians and whatnot. I will be anyway. At the moment I'm cleaning and painting and stuff like that. Not bad so far. The people are all nice, so that's a bonus. And it's only a few minutes from home. Apparently the hours may increase and there may also be some TA type stuuf that I can do.
Xmas is coming quick. We still need to organise a lot of presents. I don't have anything for Kel yet, though I have some ideas.
Kel is going well with the Family Day Care. Still not a full roster but anyways.
Pip is turning into a watch dog. She now barks at people waling past on the street (very annoying) and gets very serious with growling and the works if they come into the yard. She is completely different to the petrified puppy we brought home (though she still doesn't like getting close to strangers).
I think that's all for now.
Anyways, my mother, who we talk to a couple of times a week, wants another post, so here I am.
We've been taking Bayli to the pool and she loves it. Hasn't cried once, even with all the dunking and stuff like that. She's really starting to splash around a bit now too.Bayli has finally, after weeks of effort, started to get mobile. She drags herself around, normally diagonally because she only pushed with one foot, but still. And, if you hold her hands for balance she can practically run across a room. She gets very excited about it all.
She's sleeping through the night now. (Well, most nights. She's down the other end of the house from the main bedroom now so we normally leave her door and our door open so we can hear if she starts crying during the night. Except my parents were staying the other night so we had out door closed... couldn't hear a thing but apparently she was crying a lot that night. Oh well-- Kel and I got some sleep. Bayli was happy enough in the morning so there doesn't appear to have been any long term effects.)
Kel and Bayli go to Play Group on Tuesdays and this week I went along too. A lot of the regulars weren't there apparently and they changed the routine slightly so I didn't get to see how things normally were but it was still good.
I started a new job on Monday. Some electricians in town (Storey Electrical) used to have a little shop where they sold a couple of things like stoves and power points and whatever. They've decided to expand and open a big, proper retail type place with fridges and stoves and washing machines and lights and all sorts of stuff. So I'm in the shop each afternoon from 1 to 5 selling stuff and booking jobs for the electricians and whatnot. I will be anyway. At the moment I'm cleaning and painting and stuff like that. Not bad so far. The people are all nice, so that's a bonus. And it's only a few minutes from home. Apparently the hours may increase and there may also be some TA type stuuf that I can do.
Xmas is coming quick. We still need to organise a lot of presents. I don't have anything for Kel yet, though I have some ideas.
Kel is going well with the Family Day Care. Still not a full roster but anyways.
Pip is turning into a watch dog. She now barks at people waling past on the street (very annoying) and gets very serious with growling and the works if they come into the yard. She is completely different to the petrified puppy we brought home (though she still doesn't like getting close to strangers).
I think that's all for now.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
One Small Step
A few days ago Kel said we should update the blog. Apparently, by that, she meant that I should update the blog. So here I am.
And the big news... Bayli is mobile. Ok, so she didn't walk. And it took her ten minutes to move about a foot, but move she did.
What else?
We're heading down to Ipswich for the wedding of Trish (Kel's aunt) and Brad (he fiance) on Saturday. We're heading home the same day. And tomorrow, we intend taking Bayli for her first ever swim. That should be fun. Hopefully. Otherwise be ready for a thousand photos of a screaming baby.
I am doing Work for the Dole. I help out doing research on weapons and stuff (such as the Wiles' Mobile Kitchen) at the Burnett War Memorial Museum, which is located at Kingaroy Airport. Some of the stuff is pretyt interesting. Other stuff is not. I'm typing out stuff from a book on the HMAS Hobart and the author has put down every trivial piece of information and not in a very interesting way.
The Family Day Care thing is going pretty good. Still only the four kids but Kel is enjoying it and they seem to be too. Bayli is also enjoying it, actually. All the extra, non-stop stimulation is great.
I think that's all for now.
And the big news... Bayli is mobile. Ok, so she didn't walk. And it took her ten minutes to move about a foot, but move she did.
What else?
We're heading down to Ipswich for the wedding of Trish (Kel's aunt) and Brad (he fiance) on Saturday. We're heading home the same day. And tomorrow, we intend taking Bayli for her first ever swim. That should be fun. Hopefully. Otherwise be ready for a thousand photos of a screaming baby.
I am doing Work for the Dole. I help out doing research on weapons and stuff (such as the Wiles' Mobile Kitchen) at the Burnett War Memorial Museum, which is located at Kingaroy Airport. Some of the stuff is pretyt interesting. Other stuff is not. I'm typing out stuff from a book on the HMAS Hobart and the author has put down every trivial piece of information and not in a very interesting way.
The Family Day Care thing is going pretty good. Still only the four kids but Kel is enjoying it and they seem to be too. Bayli is also enjoying it, actually. All the extra, non-stop stimulation is great.
I think that's all for now.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Another catch up
So, what's been going on?
Bayli loves her solid food now. With pears and pumpkins she actually lunges toward the spoon to try to get it quicker. It's very cute. And if she's around while we're eating she watches the spoon/fork/whatever from the plate to our mouths, looking as if she thinks she's missing out. She is also trying her hardest to crawl, or at least push herself along the floor. She's got the leg bit all worked out but just ends up pushing her face into the carpet because the arms are all just a bit complicated. She gets very frustrated...
We finally got our car back, again, after more complications. Kel's father pick it up from the mechanic (after about 2 months) and was kindly driving it up to our place on the friday night of hte father's day weekend. He got as far as Woodford-- the car was jumping out of gear. So he stayed at my parent's place and got a lift the rest of the way with them. Then on sunday, the mechanic (well, not the one who been doing all the work-- his boss) got his wife to drive him up to Woodford from souther Brisbane so he could drive he car back down. He fixed the gear problem with a slight adjustment on the side of the road and did some more adjustments and bolt tightening and stuff back in the workshop. So a few days after that Kel and I went to my paent's place and I caugth the train down so I could pick up the car.
And now we've got it and it seems to be working. Woo hoo. This all started, originall in may last year. Or maybe september last year, depending on how you want to calculate. I think we broke the mechanic. He quit and has given up the trade completely.
Help my parents with a garage sale last weekend. That went pretty well. Pulled in about $600 all up, I think.
What else? Aicon is in. Fans are in. Fence is finished...
That's all for now. Got to go play a game.
Oh, and I've been reading a comic-- Questionable Content. it's great. I read about 1200 episodes in two weeks. Check it out for smart humour and a real story.
Bayli loves her solid food now. With pears and pumpkins she actually lunges toward the spoon to try to get it quicker. It's very cute. And if she's around while we're eating she watches the spoon/fork/whatever from the plate to our mouths, looking as if she thinks she's missing out. She is also trying her hardest to crawl, or at least push herself along the floor. She's got the leg bit all worked out but just ends up pushing her face into the carpet because the arms are all just a bit complicated. She gets very frustrated...
We finally got our car back, again, after more complications. Kel's father pick it up from the mechanic (after about 2 months) and was kindly driving it up to our place on the friday night of hte father's day weekend. He got as far as Woodford-- the car was jumping out of gear. So he stayed at my parent's place and got a lift the rest of the way with them. Then on sunday, the mechanic (well, not the one who been doing all the work-- his boss) got his wife to drive him up to Woodford from souther Brisbane so he could drive he car back down. He fixed the gear problem with a slight adjustment on the side of the road and did some more adjustments and bolt tightening and stuff back in the workshop. So a few days after that Kel and I went to my paent's place and I caugth the train down so I could pick up the car.
And now we've got it and it seems to be working. Woo hoo. This all started, originall in may last year. Or maybe september last year, depending on how you want to calculate. I think we broke the mechanic. He quit and has given up the trade completely.
Help my parents with a garage sale last weekend. That went pretty well. Pulled in about $600 all up, I think.
What else? Aicon is in. Fans are in. Fence is finished...
That's all for now. Got to go play a game.
Oh, and I've been reading a comic-- Questionable Content. it's great. I read about 1200 episodes in two weeks. Check it out for smart humour and a real story.
Friday, 5 September 2008
Melbourne
Scott here.
I know I said I would post 2 photos every week but it's your own silly fault if you actually believed me. And I've been busy lately...
We got back from Melbourne on Sunday and spent the night at my parent's place. Finally got back home on Monday. It was a good couple of weeks but it is great to be home.
Not that Sandra and Steve (the aunt and uncle-- from my side of the family-- that we stayed with) weren't great hosts. We played cards most days, or pool, or both, and watched a few DVDs.
We hired a Rent-A-Bomb car for ten days while we were down there. It actually wasn't too bad. Went well (except it was a bit rough getting into second gear) and the boot only leaked a little bit. It did make it a lot easier to get around (we did quite a lot of driving) and saved us about $200, I think.
We went down to Kel's grandmother's place fairly early on and introduced her to Bayli. Nanna Rube was surprised to see us (her first words were, 'What are you doing here') and obviously delighted. We visited two more times-- once when Kel's mom arrived on Thursday and again on Saturday when more members of the family came around for a visit. Then there was the visit to Kel's aunt and uncle from her father's side. These are the same relatives we stayed with lat time we went to Melbourne.
We also went out to Berwick and visited thepeople who lived next door when Kel was living there as a girl. They still lived in the same house. Other than all that, we went to the markets, had BBQ's with my aunt and uncle and cousin and second cousin and...
OUr first Anniversary came around while we were down there so we went out for dinner. The restaurant was a bit cold and depressing-- all concrete and stainless steel-- but the food was great and we had a voucher to get one main meal free so it was pretty good.
Bayli was great on the plane. She hardly made a sound going down or coming back. She was pretty good the whole time actually, as she always is. She ate her first solid food-- if you can call watery mashed potatoes 'solid'.
And now, back at home in time for my first Father's Day. And the air conditioners are getting installed on Monday. (which means I've been crawling around in the roof for the last two days running electrical cables-- great fun.)
That's all for now. Kel may have something to add but too bad...
I know I said I would post 2 photos every week but it's your own silly fault if you actually believed me. And I've been busy lately...
We got back from Melbourne on Sunday and spent the night at my parent's place. Finally got back home on Monday. It was a good couple of weeks but it is great to be home.
Not that Sandra and Steve (the aunt and uncle-- from my side of the family-- that we stayed with) weren't great hosts. We played cards most days, or pool, or both, and watched a few DVDs.
We hired a Rent-A-Bomb car for ten days while we were down there. It actually wasn't too bad. Went well (except it was a bit rough getting into second gear) and the boot only leaked a little bit. It did make it a lot easier to get around (we did quite a lot of driving) and saved us about $200, I think.
We went down to Kel's grandmother's place fairly early on and introduced her to Bayli. Nanna Rube was surprised to see us (her first words were, 'What are you doing here') and obviously delighted. We visited two more times-- once when Kel's mom arrived on Thursday and again on Saturday when more members of the family came around for a visit. Then there was the visit to Kel's aunt and uncle from her father's side. These are the same relatives we stayed with lat time we went to Melbourne.
We also went out to Berwick and visited thepeople who lived next door when Kel was living there as a girl. They still lived in the same house. Other than all that, we went to the markets, had BBQ's with my aunt and uncle and cousin and second cousin and...
OUr first Anniversary came around while we were down there so we went out for dinner. The restaurant was a bit cold and depressing-- all concrete and stainless steel-- but the food was great and we had a voucher to get one main meal free so it was pretty good.
Bayli was great on the plane. She hardly made a sound going down or coming back. She was pretty good the whole time actually, as she always is. She ate her first solid food-- if you can call watery mashed potatoes 'solid'.
And now, back at home in time for my first Father's Day. And the air conditioners are getting installed on Monday. (which means I've been crawling around in the roof for the last two days running electrical cables-- great fun.)
That's all for now. Kel may have something to add but too bad...
Monday, 21 July 2008
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