One Hot Mess

 You're done! A few more hours and it'll be 2010, which I fully expect to be shiny, exciting, and full of leopard geckos*.

In that spirit, here's the usual list of resolutions:

1. Turn Wild into a sleek fighting machine of a book so that my agent can sell it. Yay!
2. Write the sequel to AFTERLIFE, Afterburn, and see if Damnation Books would like it.
3. Rewrite the first Scarlett book and make it so awesome that it conquers the world.
4. Escape the Day Job of Firetop Mountain (I have an interview on Tuesday, so fingers crossed).
5. Move house. I cannot spend another winter in the Cowshed. It's freezing, expensive, and depressing. I want to be out of here by the summer.

Those are the things I absolutely want to achieve. There are things I will hope for that are a bit beyond my control - like SILVER KISS being an amazing hit, etc - but we shall see. I'm going to try and focus more on what is in my control in 2010, rather than making myself miserable by expecting unreasonable things from myself.

Anyway, here's to everyone having a Happy New Year's Eve, whatever you're doing, and an absolutely fabulous 2010! May hover cars and success find you all!

*Kyle and I were in Pets At Home earlier and OMG I want leopard geckos! They're so freaking cute!
 

Thanks to everyone who offered encouragement and support yesterday :) I definitely needed it, but now I've had my mope, it's back to work. I've got four work-free days ahead of me and I intend to use them to the max. The plan:

1. Lots of writing
2. Lots of applying for jobs
3. Visiting Gran
4. Rinse and repeat

We'll see how it works out....

In slightly-related news, I had my lasy physio session yesterday. Well, technically the last, in that Laura can't really do anything more for me, but I can ring up and scream in pain and get another appointment if need be. Basically, I've got all the tools I need to deal with my radial nerve problem, and now I need to build up the strength in my arm and keep doing the exercises. Like, forever. Because although the problem can be managed, it can't really be cured as long as I'm in a desk job. Which I probably always will be. Although not the one I'm currently in, if I can help it.

I think I must finally be an adult. I have a job I don't like, too many bills, not enough sleep, and nowhere near enough free time. Money is particularly tight in the naomi_jay  - chaostheory  household at the moment, which is always guaranteed to depress me. I've decided to put off my Paris trip until later in the year when things are easier. I now have the added incentive of trying to synch my trip there with Brian's research trip, since apparently three years of not speaking to someone doesn't mean you can't simply pick up your relationship where you left off.

So, no Paris in February. But I'm not particularly bothered, since the money is needed more elsewhere right now. And it gives me a week off work in which to really go for it with querying Death for the Born. I've got a great list of agents to query (thanks everyone who pitched in with that :) ) and although I'm not as far ahead with the editing as I'd like, I can catch up over the weekend. In the mean time, I'm toying with a novella that I started last summer. It gives me something to think about when I'm at my desk wishing the Institute would explode.

So last Friday I set off for the RNA conference in Chichester. My carefully formulated plan was to take a coach, which half-worked. I had a connecting coach at Gatwick airport that I was an hour late for, due to heavy traffic between Stansted and Heathrow. Seriously, why did the only coach from Cambridge to Chichester have stop at every airport in London? Why, I ask you, why? Luckily for me, I was able to catch a train from Gatwick to Chichester and arrived in good time to check in, find the bar, and start mingling.

I can't stress enough what a fantastic experience the conference was. Not only did I get to hang out with my friend Leanne (expect to see a historical romance from her gracing the shelves one fine day!) but I also got to meet a lot of fun, clever, talented writers. It was really motivating to be around people doing the same things I want to do. Kate Johnson, Imogen Howson, Lynne Connolly, Kate Walker, Anna Jacobs and Kate Harrison were all fabulous, with plenty of advice and opinions they were happy to share. I could have talked to Kate Walker and her husband all night - they were awesome. And there were free books! There were also books you had to pay for, so I suspect I may fall short on the council tax again this month...

There were so many great talks too, really useful stuff no matter how far along in your career you are. The weekend was over far too quickly, and before I knew it I was back at Gatwick waiting for my coach. Sigh. At least I was on time for this one. Next year I might have to put aside my fears of the London Undergroud and go by train. My only regret is that I didn't take nearly enough photos. In fact, I took one, which is pathetic (but it is a nice photo of Leanne, Kate Johnson and Imogen).

Back home, I was shocked and disgusted to discover my platys are still reproducing at an alarming rate. By my count there are now six additional fish babies in the tank. Chad has disappeared (eaten, I suspect) but Tad is now big enough to take proper pictures of, although he generally moves too fast to get good pictures. But I shall persevere. I'm not quite sure what I'll do if any more fish babies do appear. My tank isn't really big enough for an entire school, so I'm hoping they might got bored of having sex soon...

Anyway, now I'm back at work, which is chaotic and stressful. I broached the subject of quitting and moving home with my parents to write full-time, but they're a little less keen on the idea than I am. They (quite rightly) pointed out that living in the middle of the fens would soon drive me insane. I suppose I should probably wait until I've sold a book before I start making such plans in any case. A girl can dream though.

I've decided I may have been overly-optimistic with my aim to finish Wild by the end of the month. It's turning out to be a lot longer than I originally thought and, short of skipping work for the next two days and writing non-stop, I don't think there's even a chance of the first draft being finished. I do think I can squeeze it in around NaNo, provided I hit my daily wordcount for NaNo, so that's my new plan of action.

So, I had my friend Leanne stay with me this weekend, one of the three people who made university bearable for me, lol. It's been two years since we've seen each other, so we were well overdue a catch-up, and spent most of the weekend holed up drinking cocktails. And let me just say this: unless you're already drunk, don't order Bloody Marys, okay? As nice as they taste when you're already drunk, when you're sober they just taste of pepper and celery. Which is grim.

Come back soon, Leanne! ^-^