So very proud to be joining the Greenhouse family all thanks to a pigeon called Dave.
Pinch, punch, it is the first day of the month (no seriously, pinch me…)
This morning:
Gary the hamster produces the most colossal hamster turd known to hamsterkind (and by some inexplicable sorcery it has landed OUTSIDE of his cage)
It takes almost an hour to drop the son at Drama Club and then I realise I’ve forgotten his lunch
Not wanting to face the judgement of the Yummy Mummy coven by sending the son in with a McDonald’s sack of food, I decide to venture home for his lunch bag
Midday:
Two hours later son is reunited with his lunch but has already exploited the situation to acquire a half-eaten jam sandwich from his best friend and strip of chewing gum from the surly work experience teen
This afternoon:
We come home to find Gary has repeated his dirty protest (note to self: if son asks for a pet and promises to clean up after said pet until the end of eternity, do not believe him for one second)
Remember for the two thousandth time today that the announcement of The Greenhouse Funny Prize is at 5pm and I commend myself for the self-control in waiting to check my emails until the afternoon but there are no new emails from The Greenhouse Funny Prize judges
Half an hour later:
Recheck emails and despair that I’m neither funny nor talented because there is no email from The Greenhouse Funny Prize
Early evening:
Check the Greenhouse Literary Agency’s site to see which super talented authors have been shortlisted:
Over the moon, pinch me I’m dreaming, couldn’t-care-less-that-the-husband-is-giving-me-the-‘told-you-so’-look-after-my-4:30pm-melt-down, unbelievably delighted to see I’ve made the shortlist!
What a brilliant start to August (and it doesn’t matter at all that I’ve had hamster poo stuck to the bottom of my left flip-flop all day)
Thank you Greenhouse Funny Prize judges!!
The results are in…
So chuffed to find out this morning that Princess Sausage Roll has been not only been shortlisted but also received the KBR highly commended stamp of honour.
Curing the post-holiday blues
The perfect antidote to the post-holiday blues? Well, that would be coming home to glorious sunshine and falling out of one’s chair on the news of being shortlisted for the KBR Picture Book Manuscript Award 2014
Happy Mondays!!
Sometimes I am better at blogging than Mummy
I invited my four-year old son to guest post, with some IT assistance from his PA (yup, that’s me), about our recent holiday in Europe. He has chosen ten of his favourite pictures from the adventure.
All aboard the bandwagon
The Christmas tree is up, the son has posted his letter to Santa and I’m eating my way through my fourth batch of mince pies. Something about this time of year compels me to write tales of mystery and enchantment. The son reminds me every day how magical the world is so when the husband and I heard about the imagination revolution ’Dinovember’, we couldn’t resist joining in, particularly as the son has reached new heights in pranks at our expense.
Dinovember, started by a couple who wanted to spark the imaginations of their children, involves convincing your kids that their toy dinosaurs come to life.
We decided to use the son’s Captain America, mainly because the dinosaurs had travelled to the bottom of his toy box and neither one of us could face the minefield of jagged Lego bricks and diecast toy cars trying to find them.
First, Captain America took the son’s toothbrush
Then he dared to challenge Non-Denominational Christmas Penguin for the top spot on the tree
His antics progressed after the son put him on the Naughty Spot for his behaviour and he took the truck on a joy ride
He took time out to read whilst he hatched his next plans
Before long he was up to no good again
He did apologise though
We wish you all a Happy Captain Avember (our take on Dinovember) and hope you get to relive the marvels of childhood wonderment however you decide to hoodwink your kids.
Inspired
The son is back at nursery and to fill the music-festivals-and-museum-trips-and-bike-rides-and-swimming-at-the-seaside-and-ice-cream-and-crafts-and-ice-cream-in-crafts-and-punting-and-fruit-picking void in my life, it’s time to fill it with all things writer, starting with this blog.
The summer began with award buzz. I couldn’t believe it when I placed second in the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award. Such a huge honour.
I wasn’t so lucky at the SingTel Picture Book Award but I have to admit I was chuffed enough to have been shortlisted at all.
Inspired to move forward with my writing, I decided to apply to do a BA in Creative Writing. I’ve spent the last few days flicking through the syllabus and I’m reminded how wonderful a skill it is to be able to write and to make a connection to someone else with your words.
I remember a TED Talk by Andrew Stanton, (the man behind Toy Story, need I say more). I watched this late last year. I was so inspired, it was probably the single biggest push I needed to enter the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices competition. Seeing it do the rounds again on a writer’s forum, I couldn’t resist watching it again.
Yippity Zippity Zooooom!
They say a picture says a thousand words so the son will tell you how utterly astounded and flabbergastedly amazed I am to be shortlisted for this year’s Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award
Don’t Eat That, Phoenix!
So chuffed to announce that I’ve been shortlisted for the Singtel Picture Book Award. All thanks to my son, the inspiration behind ‘Don’t Eat That, Phoenix!’
