This is a run-down of the last six months, which is how long ago I decided that in order to be a writer, I had to do like a writer. There’s also been quite a lot of gardening.

Books read, according to my Goodreads list, 42. That does include a number of short stories and novellas. I don’t read quickly, so I consider that an achievement. I wholeheartedly agree with the advice that writers need to read, and widely.

Things written for publication:

Something Good: a FREE m/m romantic short story (5k), now available on Smashwords here
Man of the Match: a FREE m/m novella which will be published by the Goodreads M/M Romance group this summer in their Love’s Landscapes anthology
The Playmaker: a f/f romantic novella which has was accepted by Less Than Three Press (!) a couple of weeks ago. I don’t have any release details yet.
Sleight (working title): so far, 35k rough words written of a m/m paranormal/sci-fi novel, which I aim to have ready for submission in the autumn. I’m guessing the final word count will be about 70k.

I’m just about there — a fully-fledged published author!

My blogging and online presence has been much lower-key. What can I say? I’m trying. My Twitter and Facebook get more love than this poor, neglected blog. I read my feed, I just don’t post much.

And now, the garden. For the first time, my kids and I are attempting to grow produce. Nothing grand — we’ve started with tomatoes, beans, carrots and onions. But we already have a teeny, weeny tomato. Every day, my youngest and I go to check on it.

At heart, though, I’m in it for the flowers. The south of England is the perfect mix of sun and rain, and so far I haven’t been disappointed.

There are some weeds in amongst the roses — and surprise strawberries, discovered this spring after clearing back some overgrown shrubs over the winter.

Writer peeps, I’ll leave you to make your own analogies. The sun’s come out, and it’s nearly Pimms o’ clock.