Writers Abroad

Members are fighting for space on the Bragging Stool this week. The hot seat – excuse the pun – belongs to Nicola who’s rapidly filling up our library shelves. Her Brazen book ‘Losing Control’ has been accepted for publication after she’s ‘hotted’ it up a bit more!
Paola’s recycled Jamdani Saris story is now published on the Travel Thru History website with lots of fabulous photos.
Angela’s beautifully-illustrated flash fiction story ‘Alchemy’ is now up on the Story Shack website.
And Doreen awaits the reward for her Letter of the month published in Living France magazine – a Provençal gift hamper. Lucky her.
Congratulations to everyone!

Jo has posted this week’s Monday Muse with a choice of using the theme of a kiss, an intriguing opening line, or (a chance for poets here) writing an ode. If all that fails, there’s a great picture to inspire us.

Laura has written a Blog we can all relate to about how we read and write in the modern electronic age. Whether we go for e-readers and write straight onto the screen, or whether we still like to turn a real page of a book or write long-hand is a choice we all have to make.

During yesterday’s Formal Chat – sorry I missed it – talk was about WA’s 2013 Anthology. It is going to be interesting to see what theme is chosen once we cast our votes. You’ll find more details from Jo’s Notes on the formal chat, in the Meeting Room forum.

Don’t forget to take a look at the Chapter Group where Vanessa has started posting chapters of her historical novel set in Corsica, The House at Zaronza. A great start which has already got me hooked. Pop over and make a comment if you’ve time. It’s next on my list, Vanessa! And Paola has posted another February Challenge and is looking for critiques. I’m onto that too!

Last but definitely not least, we have a very enthusiastic-sounding Jayme from Costa Rica joining us on a month’s trial for Membership. A big welcome and I hope you’ll love it enough with us to stay. It would be great to have a member from yet another continent to add to our diversity.

Anything I’ve forgotten I’m sure you’ll let me know. 

Monday Muse: Jo has provided an action and dialogue exercise on the theme of Secrets as well as some interesting first lines and a yummy photo. I think the photo may inspire me to bake – but, no, first there’s a Monday Muse to do….

Blog: The discovery of Richard III’s bones prompted Mary to write on the subject of Tey’s The Daughter of Time. Since I’m an historical fiction fan I particularly enjoyed this post and it made me think about how historical interpretation shapes historical fiction writing.

Anthology: Foreign Encounters was released on Valentine’s Day as an ebook. What better day to have a Foreign Encounter? Information about where to purchase the ebook can be found on our homepage.

Bragging Stool: It was a quiet week. Dianne was the only one planted in the middle of the stool with her article for Writing.ie about the Irish chapter of the Historical Novel Society.

February Challenges: A couple new threads have been added to the challenges for this month. The writers will appreciate it if you pop over, have a read and comment.

Next Sunday, 24^th February, 11am CET, is our formal meeting. Jany is chairing it as long as the vampires and werewolves don’t scare her away. See you then.

In this week's blog Nicola has written some very good advice on time management for writers, and I for one am going to copy it and put it on my notice board. For a while there I was hoping that we were going to get Piggles' point of view. She's so lovely I think Writers Abroad should adopt her as our mascot. But I have a feeling that she's probably Nicola's main distraction from writing.

This week's muses are a mixed bunch about boring jobs, disappointing gifts, fate and 'Why didn't you call me?' Something for everyone?

Paola is firmly perched on the bragging stool this week. She has heard from her husband that her Vietnam piece (Bay tu Long), which started as a May challenge, is in the latest Oldie. Congratulations, Paola.

I haven't seen any new figures for Foreign Encounters. Hope it's still selling fast.

Lots of heavy goals were added to the Writing Plans for 2013 last week. I recommend that if you haven't already, you should have a look at them. I felt exhausted just reading what our members are going to do. If only half of it gets done, we'll be on a roll! 

Our next meeting - Formal - is on 27th January, 2013 at 11 am via Skype. Angela will be in the chair.

If I've missed anything, please let me know.