Monday 3 September 2012

GUTGAA: Meet and Greet






Gearing Up To Get An Agent is an awesome event hosted by Deana Barnhart for aspiring authors. Not only is the most amazing thing for her to do, her blog is complete and utter awesome-sauce. Head on over and check it out by clicking on the badge.


If you're an aspiring author who's looking for a critique partner, or if you're at the querying stage it's not too late to join the hop!

The first part of GUTGAA is an author meet and greet. So first up, hi to anyone reading this! *hugs*

I'm so-far unpublished, love chocolate and my puppies, am getting married in 3 months and study Communication at the University of Newcastle. I don't like long walks on the beach (I don't like to walk, period) and I absolutely adore talking to other published and unpublished authors about their own WIPs.

Below are the questions Deana posed, and if any of you lovely people comment be sure to leave a link to yours :)


-Where do you write? 

Usually in bed. Which is why I have the posture of an eighty-year-old hunchback. 

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

A bedside table overflowing with a severely red-lined manuscript, two bottles of water, Once by Anna Carey, The Selection by Kiera Cass, Lucy in the Sky (an old favourite) by Paige Toon, a half empty tube of lip gloss, three chewing gum wrappers, a highlighter, two pens, four bobby pins and two hairbands. All piled on top of one another. 

-Favorite time to write?

Usually through the day during the week is best. Everyone is at work so I have no distractions. But sometimes if The Boy is working late, the night time works too.

-Drink of choice while writing?

Drink of choice while doing anything is Riccadonna. But coffee is what keeps me wired.

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

Complete and utter silence. I know loads of people like music to set the mood and help with their inspiration but if there is any sound around me at all, nothing comes out. Nothing good anyway. My 'inner voice' just can't sing along.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

I'm rewriting my first attempt at a novel and I started it that long ago that I really can't remember. I'm just going to say some sexy European opened my eyes to the wonders of the world. Or something. 

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Write what you want. Don't write to the market, or write what you think others will enjoy. Unless you love what you're writing you won't even finish the damn thing, let alone get it published. Of course, I haven't actually been published yet so... yeah.

My author bio is an extremely short one, I'm afraid. I've been writing young adult (mostly fantasy) for five years with the intent to be published and in that time I've shelved more manuscripts and ideas than I want to remember. I've worked with quite a few critique partners which I've always enjoyed and by now, my skin is so thick I get confused with a turtle. I've made the mistake of querying too early, not blogging soon enough, and talking with my mouth full. My journey so far has given me so much experience and growth; I just can't wait to see what the next five bring.

35 comments:

  1. Hi Heather blogger just swallows my comment. Thanks for visiting my blog. I moved to Melbourne for the Boy. I am yet to see the latest Doctor Ep but my nerdy friends are polarized on it. We'll see. Hope to read your query soon. Cheers Julie

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    1. Blogger does that to me all the time... And I'm just hoping to have my query finalised in time or I'll just be cheering for the rest of you!

      Thanks for stopping by, right back!

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  2. Hi from GUTGAA! Thanks for following my blog. Nice to meet you! I write YA fantasy, too. So, what is Riccadonna?

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    1. Nice to meet you too! And there's just something about young adult fantasy that's so exciting I can never let it go. There's so many possibilities that you have no idea what you'll get when you pick up that next book.
      And you've never had Riccadonna?! It's only the sweetest, most lovely wine imaginable. If I could send you a glass I would!

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  3. Yep, that talking with your mouth full will get you ever time;0)! Enjoy GUTGAA.

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    1. I know Jaye! What is it about being a disgusting heathen that makes me do that. Luckily authors are supposed to be reclusive so I guess I won't gross too many people out...

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  4. Here's to querying too soon and blogging too late! Can't wait to see more of your work :)

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  5. LOL, I love how you described your inspiration. Good luck with your manuscript.

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    1. Thanks Jess! It's totally possible I completed dreamed it but... I'm just going to go with it.

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  6. Haha the hunchback part made me laugh out loud. And I'm in the uber quiet section of my school's library. Oops.

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    1. Eeeep! Sorry Amanda - I hope you didn't get speared with too many death glares. I normally keep the hilarity to the minimum but that laugh must have escaped it's cage. I'll have to go tighten the locks...

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  7. I've never heard of Riccadonna, I'll have to google that. My writers bio is extremely short too. I guess we just need to accept it can take a long time.

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    1. Another person who hasn't had Riccadonna? Suzi! You have no idea how lovely it goes down. And by now I am well aware I sound like an alcoholic for endorsing this superior elixir however, I need something to blame for my insanity.

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  8. Hi, Heather! Excited about GUTGAA. I look forward to learning more about you and your writing.

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    1. Oh Dawn, so am I! This whole GUTGAA thing is awesome. There are so many talented people out there that I never would have stumbled upon if not for this.

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  9. Oooooh...a sexy European. LOL! I'm your newest follower. *waves* Very nice to meet you!

    AA
    http://anallegedauthor.blogspot.com/

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    1. *waves*?
      I think you mean *hugs*. We're all e-friends here! And thanks for following my blog you big cutie! I followed yours right back.

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  10. Saying hello from GUTGAA...I agree with your point about staying true to what your own writing interests are. I also agree that we writers need a thick skin if we're going to put our art out there. Look forward to reading more from you!

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    1. Hey, you too Cynthia!

      And even though I believe if you want to get published you should write with that in mind, it's super important not to let it direct HOW you write.

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  11. Hello fellow hunch back! I also write at my laptop sitting in bed... everything else really good in life happens there, so why shouldn't writing?
    Have fun at GUTGAA, see you around.

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    1. Hazzar! Another loner-friend of the gargoyles! So very nice to meet you Kelley. I see we share the same thoughts on the bed. I mean, nothing beats eating and sleeping, right? ;P

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  12. Great advice. Write what you want to write. It won't be our best work if we don't.

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    1. This is so true Kelley. You're the perfect example.

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  13. I followed you. Us in the fewer-that-a-hundred group have to band together.

    I think I'm met writers from every continent but Asia and Antarctica today. It's a blog hop around the world.

    Good luck.

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    1. I know! I started last night and when I got home from work today I had all these lovely comments. Writing is a lonely world so it's great to meet so many people who understand and love the same things.

      Thanks for following - I'll follow right back :)

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  14. Mornin'! Your bedside table sounds a lot like mine. Well, for me that means the little tray I keep next to the recliner :) Good to meet you, and I have you favorited. Anyone who drinks coffee to keep wired, well, is a great person in my book...

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    1. I have funded several experiments to replace blood with caffeine but thus far have been unsuccessful.

      I'm determined though - I'll keep you posted ;)

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  15. i've queried too early too. Lesson learned and move on, right? Nice to meet you, and thanks for providing my imagination with fodder by using the term sexy European. :) Good luck!

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    1. Hey Jeannette! So happy to fuel your imagination!

      The term 'sexy European' isn't used nearly enough in everyday conversation. The horror.

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  16. Hi,
    Great advice, I too am anxious to query before my time, your post will help me hold back temptation. Looking forward to chatting with you soon!

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  17. You added just the right amount of mystery when you wrote of the inspiration for your wip. Course sexy European conjures all sorts of ideas. Good luck with GUTGAA. Please, stop by and say hello if you haven't already. http://anjeasandro.blogspot.com/

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  18. Nice to meet you! We'd make a pair because I have the posture of a sixty year old hunchback. That's only because I hunch at my desktop most the time, so I'm semi sitting normal. ;) Happy GUTGAA!

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  19. I need silence, too! I was starting to think that I was the odd one out in the writing world... And I also write fantasy. It's cool to meet you!

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  20. Nice to meet you! Loved your description of all the neat stuff on your beside table. And I completely agree about writing what you want and not what you think others will want.

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  21. You are really interesting! I totally get what you mean about that inner voice that wants to sing to everything. And I love your advice about writing from the heart. Sometimes that's scary, but I think it's a must for the most writerly satisfaction, whether the book publishes or not.

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