Another year over, new friends, stories written, ideas bubbling ...

The year end is around the corner and the New Year ready and waiting for us to do great things and share love, laughter and stories with who we meet.
It is good to look over what we accomplish and see, where we can either, learn from our experiences or challenge ourselves with something new.

Toulouse, France, Feb 2015

Writers need to keep the flow going, there is always some story competition that will strike us as interesting or an idea for a novel will hit while preparing the dinner. Even an overheard piece of conservation can spark a plot for a play, so we writers are constantly surrounded by inspiration, no excuses!
But do we use this wonderful source of ideas? This is why I like to look over the year that's ending and see what I've achieved and help plan for the new year that beckons.
How did I do in 2015?
My story The Timepiece was shortlisted in the RTÉGuide/Penguin short story competition and resulted in a lovely day out in Dublin with others that were also shortlisted. Another long short story, Roll Up, Roll Up!, was published on Amazon. If you like horror then this is for you! In November I was asked to write a Christmas story for my local paper and was thrilled when it got a great reception by those who read it. It was titled, A Perfect Christmas. I also had memory pieces published in Ireland's Own, this magazine is a national treasure and I was again delighted to be included in two of its issues.
In February, I treated myself to a week in Toulouse, France where I wrote and soaked up all the week in a new city offered me.

Manchester, England.

My 1st novella in the western genre, The Runaway, which suits both young adults and grown-ups alike, was published in April. Following on, in June, the paperback of My Husband's Sin was brought out, after its success an an eBook, since Aug. 2014 and is going from strength to strength. Also in June, my 1st adult romance, One Night in Barcelona, was published by Tirgearr Publishing.
I completed my 2nd novella in the western genre, this time a romance titled, Destiny, which I have held back for publication in February of 2016, under the auspices of Writers of the West
In July I went to Manchester and met up with some international writing friends from a group of which I'm part of on social media. It was the 1st time for us to meet and it was a wonderful experience. The group name is FWG, (Fiction Writers Group) go check them out, http://writersanarchy.com/
I was blessed too when it came to my projects for theatre. My play, The Bench, had a staged reading during the Kanturk Arts Festival, in Co. Cork. Then with three other play writing friends, I co-wrote the play, Catching The Train, and it was performed for two nights in December, in Friars Gate Theatre, Co. Limerick, directed by Mandy Donworth. It was nerve-wrecking and exciting to see our words brought to life on stage.
My year included mentoring 2 women groups for Family Resource Centres in Croom and Hospital, and producing a booklet to accompany their art

Roscommon, Ireland, Splinter Group

work that was exhibited.
I finished my year by meeting with other great writing friends for a weekend in Roscommon, Ireland. We are called the Splinters. We are a mix of international, wonderful, friendly writers and definitely check this group out, www.splinter4all.com
It has been a productive but busy time and now it is time to build on it and plan for next year. I hope when you look over the past year, you too are happy with what you produced in the writing world.
Every word put on paper is a step closer to ending that story, poem, novel or play that sits inside your head. It is another step closer to marking off your to-do list and boosting your self-confidence.
Have a wonderful New Year everyone and good luck in all things writings.

The following are links to some of my books, if you are interested.
http://amzn.to/1IryZg6
http://amzn.to/1PPBfOX
http://amzn.to/1Nlke1c

ANSWER to the The Romance Review Q & A HERE

Are you taking part in the great The Romance Rview question and answer giveaway? Well to answer my question on the giveaway, read the below excerpt from, One Night in Barcelona, to find the answer. Hint, it is in bold writing. Got it? Now click on the link to the TRR site on the right hand side of my blog page to take you to the site. Good luck!

One Night in Barcelona Excerpt

“And that is why it is the best place in the world.” Carlos took a bow and Natasha clapped. They went and sat on some steps. The spray from a nearby fountain covered them in a fine mist. The water rose into the air in tiers, each one reaching higher than the last. This city was even spectacular by night.
It was true what Carlos had said. Barcelona was the best place in the world. She rested her head on his shoulder. He placed an arm around her and they sat quietly for a few minutes, soaking in the tranquillity that the sound of water can bring. It was this sound that reminded Natasha that she still wanted to see the statue of Christopher Columbus.
“Come on lazybones, your tour guide duties are not over yet.” She jumped up and dragged him with her. “I want to see Christopher Columbus, the guy that haunted me in history lessons in school.”
Carlos led them to Port Veil and soon the great column came into sight. The man himself, cast in bronze, was perched on top, looking out to sea. The base of the monument was huge and lions and winged angels adorned the magnificent structure.
The bay was beautiful even at night. Some cruise liners were anchored further out, their lights twinkling against the black background. Barcelona was a favourite stopover spot for the cruise industry.
Carlos took Natasha over to a low harbour wall. There were some smaller boats moored nearby. They bobbed up and down with the swell of the Mediterranean.

Another Title

http://amzn.to/1Nlke1c 

As a writer, I am exploring different genres and I am so enjoying the journey so far. My latest, Roll Up, Roll Up! is a short story in the horror genre. I was amazed when this story came to me as I would not have considered writing horror before that ever. It shows we are a servant to our craft. When a character comes in to our heads, it demands to be listened to.
Writing in different genres has given me plenty to think about. So far, I have written contemporary, erotic, western and now horror. I have also a paranormal novel waiting to be completed.
I would encourage other writers to try different genres and move out of your comfort zone even if only as an exercise. It helps the creative mind to think in different ways, how to express emotion, atmosphere, conflict and pace under different circumstances.
Take the western genre for example, I had to do my research and I so enjoyed reading about life in the 1800's in America. I purchased two great books, Everyday Life among the American Indians, 1800 to 1900, A Guide for Writers, Students & Historians by Candy Moulton, the other one, The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800's by Marc McCutcheon. Both of these books are available on Amazon.
Even writing erotic romance, I had to do my homework!
So enjoy my latest offering in the short story, Roll Up, Roll Up! and give it a go. So horror, paranormal, western, erotic romance, western romance and contemporary, I have dabbled in. And, yes, I have found my favourite genre to write in. I don't think I would have only that I explored different genres and now I know what is the most comfortable for me to write in.
Happy writing, :)

Ghosteire. Mixing with Spirits of a Different Kind

As a writer I am told a lot that I must have a great imagination, well that imagination needs feeding, so imagine my delight when I was invited to take part in a paranormal investigation.
I jumped at the chance. Research is research.
So armed with a few prayers before I went in to the building where it was all happening, I joined the handful of others who were there to share the evening with me. We were in a theatre, a former cinema in Co. Limerick.
The team from Ghosteire were very welcoming and friendly. Anthony, who seemed to be the main man, introduced the other members and explained about the equipment that was scattered around the building. There were cameras, recorders, mirrors, laptops to connect with the other equipment in other rooms so we could see on screen what, if anything happened.
First, Anthony and the team used the talking board to ask questions to the spirits present to come forward. One duly obliged, a female from 1680 dressed in black.
When asked what type of spirit was she, she told us she manifested as an angel. But she was not alone. There were a total of 8 spirits on stage. Because we were in a theatre, Anthony asked questions connected to acting and other fellow actors/actresses. We learnt that she was attracted to the actor, Jack Oakey, in fact, this guy's name came up twice during the evening. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Oakie
The session closed with a seance on the stage. We, the guests were invited to take part if we wish and we wished!
What an experience, the vibrating, the cold breeze, the rocking of the table, all amazing. I should add that before the event began, Anthony told us that at any stage we were free to leave if we felt uncomfortable for any reason. We were also given paper and pen to record anything we ourselves felt or saw or heard during the evening.
Did I sense or feel or hear anything? I sure did. My seat got very hot, the back of it, and I could not sit back, I had to keep leaning forward. The heat had started on the back of my neck and moved into the chair. I got a strong burning smell on another occasion. I also heard a rumbling from a nearby empty room the same time as others, we all turned our heads at the same moment.
Others there experienced sensations too, while a few did not.
Would I go again? For sure!
I want to thank, Anthony and the Ghosteire team for their friendliness and the opportunity to share in such a learning experience.
To find out more about Ghosteire, follow the links below.

http://www.ghosteire.net/
hww.facebook.com/Ghosteire-97531697273/timeline/ttps://w