Scarbourgh was wonderful

Well there’s good news and bad news.

I went to Scarborough and had a lovely time. Met up with friends, celebrated my birthday ( a week late) with a wonderful meal at The Lanterna Restaurant with champagne all round. After that, we all went to the casino, my first time, and I won a few pounds playing Blackjack. The weather was perfect. Almost too hot but not quite. I also wrote some stories, and that’s the bad news. I’m not sure they’re up to scratch.  

I can tell when a story’s better than average. I can feel it in the energy, even as I write the first draft. These didn’t have that edge. Of course the proof will be in the pudding once I’ve typed, edited, and submitted them.

So now I have lots of work to do. Stories to type up, and two more that The People’s Friend have asked me to rewrite.  It’s funny but there was a time, not so long ago, when I’d convinced myself that I would never sell to that magazine. Now I do it all the time, in fact I have a story in the magazine this week, the following week AND the week after. As I was in there the week before too, that’s four in a row.  One big problem. I’ve been sending them old stories, that I’ve reworked and I’m starting to run out so someday, soon, I need to get back into the writing groove. Maybe I should try reading my own book!

First job on my list of things to do is go to the hairdresser. I look a fright. I was on The Chase last night. They repeated it and of course, they don’t tell you they’re going to do that, so it comes as something of a shock. It did convince me though that I need to have my  hair cut. It looks better that bit shorter.

Ah, something else. Last night I went to Ripon Writers for their annual get together, organised by Maggie Cobbett. From 7.30 to 10.30 people read out their work. There were people from York, Harrogate and other groups as well as 8 of us from Leeds.  I wish my Club did more social stuff but the members don’t seem to be that way inclined.

I would like once again to thank all the people who went out of their way to send cards for my birthday. I have to admit I’m still feeling very very down, but I’m working very hard NOT to feel like that by keeping busy, going out, etc. When I feel like giving up, it helps me so much to think of all the people out there who care about me, even though I’ve never met some of you.

I wanted to thank people individually but don’t have contact details for some of them so I’ll have to do it here – thank you Beryl, Anne Jeffery, Wendy Clarke, Caroline Storer, Sharon Whitehead and Sue Jones. If any of you are on Facebook ( I don’t use it often but it’s there), maybe we can be virtual friends if not flesh and blood ones.  If anyone wants my email address, they can use this one   kinghenryfan@yahoo.co.uk