How excited am I? I’ve just been watching the trailer of Where the Wild Things Are – my all time fave book. It looks amazing and I can’t wait. Only 6 months to go. Not that I’m wishing the summer away you understand – please God, sun, please!

Here’s the clip – enjoy! Sarah X

Where the Wild Things Are

I wrote over 6,000 words this week. I’m almost finished The Loving Kind – I have about 3 or 4 chapters to go. But I’m also sad - soon I’ll be leaving my characters behind and I’ve become so attached to them.

Writing is a strange old job. Every day the same fight against sitting down and getting to work. The same procrastination (is that spelt right? spelling isn’t my strong point!). The same messing around with the internet, ringing friends, chatting to the postman, opening and reading post – yes, even bills – anything rather than write.

But once I start writing something magical happens. My characters start to take over and I get so wrapped up in the story that I don’t notice the time fly by. Even if I’m feeling down, sick or just plain tired, I’m still able to write. It’s a minor miracle, one that I thank God for every day.

This year I have to finish three books – usually I write one. It’s a tall order. I’ve never written so much fiction in one year before. Which means more time at my desk; more time inventing things to delay writing.

But there’s nothing as satisfying as a good writing day. Getting my 2,000 words done makes me happy. It makes the rest of the day shine. It really is a precious gift.

If being a full time writer is your dream, I do hope it comes true some day. The writing life is full of simple joys.

I wish you all good writing days.

Sarah X

Fantastic event organised by David O’Callaghan from Eason and Sheena and the crew in Eason O’Connell Street. As I walked down into the basement to the children’s dept I was met by a life-sized mummy. Pretty scary stuff! The ceilings were draped with black net, with bats and skulls hanging from it. They’d put a lot of effort in.

Derek Landy unveiled the cover of his new book, talked about kittens and made the children ‘sing’ in this strange horror chorus. Sounds mad but it worked! Derek has really blossomed, both in his writing, and personality. He’s brilliant with kids and they love him. He could read the phone directory to them and they’d still love it. IN fact, he’d probably make the phone directory fun – he has a great way with names – if you’ve ever read a Skulduggery book you’ll know what I mean!

Justin Somper of Vampirates did a spirited reading, with lots of sword action and salty sea dogness. I’ve known Justin for years now – we’ve grown up in the kiddi lit world together – and he’s still such a gentleman. I’m so delighted his Vampirate books are taking off in such a big way, he deserves it.

They were quite a team. Joining in the fun were Jenny and Tom from Children’s Books Ireland;  David Maybury, uber blogger; Mary Byrne, Derek’s lovely pr person; and a host of Eason, Harper Collins and Simon and Schuster bods, some in costume (the booksellers that is, not the publishey types).

I dressed up as Tanith Low, trouble maker and general cool chick (I wish!) from Derek’s Skulduggery books. My son told me I looked like Indiana Jones. I told him I almost named him Indiana, so he stopped slagging me pretty quickly! His name is Sam Jack Iowa – yes, Iowa – it’s to do with Field of Dreams, the movie, don’t make me tell the story, please! He has suffered enough.

Fab event – much better than working. (Apologies to my editors – I’ll get straight back to the writing, I promise!)

Sarah X

I’m up to 32,179 of part 2 of The Loving Kind. (Part 1 is almost 50K) But who’s counting?

Six more chapters of the first draft to go – hurrah!

Sarah X

I sat down at my desk today with low expectations. We had friends staying over the weekend and lots of late nights. Plus Amy (my 5 year old) decided to jump on top of me at 5am. But I made myself get on with it and I’m delighted – 1,648 words. Book 9 – working title Plastic Fantastic – is now almost finished. 4 or 5 more chapters to go I think.

It’s a strange feeling coming towards the end of a book. You’ve been living with the characters for so long – almost a year in this book’s case – and it’s hard to let go. I’ve grown so fond of Libby, Celeste, Alex, Leo and Lulabelle, despite their (many!) flaws.

Once I have the first draft finished then I’ll put it aside for a while, print the whole manuscript out, and then edit and re-write it which can take a couple of weeks. Phew, almost there. Book 9 . . .

Happy St Patrick’s Day tomorrow.

Sarah X

More lovely kids – Castleknock National School today – 4th, 5th and 6th class. Great teachers, nice buzz to the place and they are reading Wilderness by Roddy Doyle in 5th class as their class novel – smart teacher. It’s a great book, one of my favourites – adventure, family drama, cracking writing.

Sarah X

St Damien’s in Walkinstown today – lovely teachers, very polite and nice head teacher, great kids. I talked about my life, how I couldn’t read until I was 9, how my parents never gave up on me, reading to me all the time.

How I was Cinderella in the school play and how I nearly ran off the stage when I stumbled over my first solo. But then I remembered my grampa’s words – Fail. Try again. Fail again. Fail harder. Fail better. So I started again and the next solo after that didn’t seem as difficult.

I told them how my first book, Kids Can Cook was rejected many, many times before it was published. And how even now, as a published writer, ideas for books or short stories or articles are sometimes turned down. Such is the life of a writer.

I enjoyed it just as much as the boys and girls did – the sign of a good school visit.

Sarah X

Happy World Book Day!

Happy World Book Day!

I spent a lovely morning with the pupils of Griffeen Valley Educate Together.

We all celebrated World Book Day in Eason and then at a tea party hosted by Children’s Books Ireland – cakes, sambos and juice – what fun.

This is me in Jessie from Toy Story 2′s hat – I also met Judy Moody and lots more book characters.

Sarah X

I’m chipping away at my new adult novel – 70,ooo words and counting!  Some of it is set in the world of plastic surgery and I’ve been watching tummy tucks on You Tube (yuck!) and reading all kinds of books and magazines (including an Irish one called Rejuvenate) on the subject – most enlightening.

Novels are funny creatures – you start off with certain ideas in your head and lo and behold they take on a life of their own and go off in strange tangents.

I love my characters – Lulabelle, an ex-Miss Ireland (and plastic surgery fan), Libby Small, a writer, and Celeste Barnacle, a columnist and Libby’s best friend. I know them inside out at this stage – and I’ll be sad to say goodbye to them.

But after nearly a year in their company – not too sad!

Every day I still write my word count down in a little notebook – today I managed 2,052, yesterday (after a school visit in the morning) 2,143, a minor miracle. Monday – 752 – not so good. Anything to keep me motivated.

How do you keep yourself motivated? Do write and let me know. And thanks for all the comments on this blog – nice to see I have some readers.

Sarah X