Skip to main content

The Random Tag


Blossom has tagged me to share six random things about myself. After a completely cr*p week everything feels pretty random at the moment so, off the top of my head:-

1. I am a tad under 5’4’’ tall.

2. Yesterday my lovely daughters, Lily and Rose, sent me a surprise gift to cheer me up after ‘Fighting the Tide got rejected. A bouquet of roses and lisianthus arrived together with a copy of the latest Louise Rennison’s confessions of Georgia Nicholson, ‘Stop in the Name of Pants’. I may have work to do on the writing front but I am very fortunate to have such wonderful daughters.

In the same post a framed photo arrived that Rose and Si had taken during their stay with us. It shows Tom and me looking like Pooh and Piglet walking down the beach hand in hand, our backs to the camera and says a lot about us. My thanks to Si who thought of the idea and chose the frame – what a nice man!

3. In a couple of hours time I am off to sea again and I’m pretty apprehensive after our boat ‘ La Reve’ (Ha! One of those great misnomers) nearly sank off a rocky Welsh headland last Thursday. La Reve is stranded at Fishguard at the moment. We plan to replace the leaky pump which nearly sent us to a watery grave last week and sail the boat back on the early tide tomorrow morning. There are lots of things that might not add up in this equation so I’m trying not to think about them. The good news is that I think I’ve found something to solve my seasickness. ‘Traveleeze’ seemed to hit the spot – either that or I was just too damn scared to be sick.

4. Three things I have laboured over:
Lily – 23hrs
Rose – 17 hrs
Fighting the Tide - 17 months.

5. The most enjoyable race I’ve ever taken part in was the Epsom Oddball Perch over Epsom Downs. 6.25 miles of pure adrenaline and exhilaration.

6. I have just finished reading this
Sheesh! He’s been a naughty one.

Well, I told you they were random. Anyway it’s time to pass the baton on. The rules, to remind you:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six people at the end of the post – and let them know with a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Okay, Flowerpot, Mountaineer, Preseli Mags, Bayou, Cowgirl, Lawyerlady – over to you. Me, I’m running away to sea again.


Image is another of Tom Tomos' Sea series prints. Number IV.

Comments

Flowerpot said…
Chris I'm so sorry about your news I really am. Oh I know how you feel and it is so hard. But on the bright side - try another agent as sono as you feel able, and don't give up. Adn you have wonderful daughters and a wonderful Tom and great friends so life isn't all bad. I will ahve to get my thinking cap on about the tag... hope the next sail goes well. Take care!
Blossomcottage said…
Enjoy the sail and remember it is only one person point of view with the book DO NOT GIVE UP!My neices husband did not and although his book only has a small run from little acorns etc.
thank you so much for joining i enjoy your random things what a lovely family you have.
In answer to your question I don't think I was really naughty at school just like to have a bit of fun. the singing was funny there were about 15 of us doing it and I must say it did make the song difficult for the other the sing it correctly!
Blossom
Anonymous said…
How lovely to received a surprise gift. It's always good to cheer one up.

I imagine you are apprehensive about the next trip to sea. Do take care.

CJ xx
Frances said…
Chris, I know that your book will find a publisher!

Tom's print is wonderful to look at. (I used to do etching, aquatint, drypoint. What techniques does Tom use?)

And ... may your sea voyage be buoyant and even calming.

xo
Running away to sea again? Did I really read that, you mad, mad woman, you...

Such disappointing news about FTT, but as others have said, it happens to the best of us - often several times, unfortunately. Try not to let it get you down too much - have a little wallow, then as soon as you feel able, try another agent. You've written a whole book, which is an amazing feat in itself - I'm sure someone out there somewhere will snap it up (and we'll all buy it and send it soaring up the bestseller charts). I know I've said it before, and it's probably not a lot of help, but I'm frequently amazed by some of the things that do get published (and not in a good way, I mean). I'm sure it often takes a while (not to mention several agents) for lots of writers to see their books published. Your writing is invariably excellent, honest, warm and wise - it will happen, Chris. It will.

Onwards and upwards! And in the meantime, keep out of the way of that swinging boom.

xxx
Milla said…
yes forget fighting hte tide, keep the bloody faith woman!!! vilely disappointing to be sure but keep cheerful, give it distance, don't take it personally and enjoy the flowers!
Sam Fox said…
Blimey, matey! BE CAREFUL out there! All sounds very brave, and I soooooooooo empathise re the seasickness, I am terrible AND I'm a Pisces. Really sorry re Fighting the Tide, but do NOT under any circs, give up.... and revel in that family!

Righto, baton grasped, off to scratch head on randomness over at mine....
You mean you DO get sea sick and you still go on the boat . . . never again for me.

Lovely flowers from you daughters very thoughtful. As for the book what has happened does not signal the end - this is merely a stage in its journey.
Sorry about the rejection but what lovely daughters you have to be so thoughtful.

I think I would like to read that book too.

Popular posts from this blog

My First Book Signing!

It’s a fine, dry day and there’s an Italian market in the square outside Waterstone’s. Good for a book signing? ‘Bad,’ says Tim. The stalls are blocking the view of the shop and the fine weather’s keeping everyone outdoors. Hmm, that must be why they’ve only put one small poster up for my event, I mean why waste the Blu Tack? Tim demonstrates handing off the marauding hordes After much refolding of a black tablecloth and a rummage around for some books, I’m invited to take up my position at the author table somewhere between ‘fantasy and horror’, children’s books and a poster of the next author, Bobby ‘Iron Duke’ Windsor who’s signing on Monday. Once Tom, Lily, my lovely daughter, and her partner, Russ, are all sure I’m not going to run away, they leave me to it, taking it in turns to make sure I’m all right and bring me tea. Very soon, I notice a small boy watching me. When he returns with his family I learn that he would like to be a writer. His method, he tells me, is to rewr...

Since You've Been Gone

Well, Ma Mère, There have been so many times when I’ve gathered up all the little shiny moments I’ve collected during the day, ready to present to you in our evening phone call and then I remember all over again that you’re not there. But, Mum, so much has happened since you’ve gone - maybe you know, maybe you don’t - that I’ve decided to write to you instead.  A few days after you died, we sold our house! After all those months! We even joked about you rattling cages somewhere. At first, nothing happened and then suddenly everything happened at a breathless pace and the next thing I knew I found myself driving (yes, me, driving!) along the M4 to Bridgend and the Time Capsule House, the one you said you and Dad would have bought. I remarked, when we first viewed it that if it was meant for us, it would come to us. Over a year later, when it had been under offer twice, we moved in. Oh, Mum, you and Dad would have loved this house; it’s peak Seventies and the decor - the pampas ensu...

Forever Young

Looking at the blurb for my new Lacura WrinkleStop from Aldi, I see that its active ingredient has been ‘proven to help • Reduce forehead wrinkles by 52% • Reduce crow’s feet by 24% • Restrict 82% of wrinkle muscle activity’ That’s quite a claim, isn’t it? Frankly, after years when my face looked like a lunar landscape thanks to the joys of acne, these days I’m just grateful to see a fairly blemish-free skin. Part of me wants to believe that the wonder cream’s making everything looking a bit smoother and tidier, but, hey, there’s also a lot of ‘aqua’ and ‘glycerin’ in the stuff, too. Besides, I could tamper with my skin as much as I like (and I don’t), but I’ve only got to stand next to my beautiful daughters to see the difference. Ma has wonderful skin, so the chances are there are some helpful genes in the mix, but my dad died far too young of cancer, so it’s not all good news. My dad was a carpenter. ‘You can’t get age from a tin, Miss Chris,’ he’d say when rubbing his hands o...