aekirk

I think I did say AGES ago, that I would try and do this blogging thing often… um, yeah, that didn’t happen.

So, let’s recap from last year…

I graduated with Distinction at college for doing Massage Therapy!

And since May last year, I’ve been working at a Dartmoor Spa doing massages, facials, manicures and pedicures and loving every minute! I even strutted off on my own and did my own business, Massage With Care!

And in September of last year, I studied Lava Shells. Eco friendly and exothermic shells to help with deep pressure massages.

But then after I was getting requests for doing £300 massage parties for hens or birthdays, Covid-19 hit. And I contracted the damn thing. Which wasn’t fun.

I came down with it a week before UK lock down. They wouldn’t test me because I wasn’t a key-worker. But I had the cough, the long-extended high temp and the loss of sense of taste and smell. Oh holy kack, I did not like that. My hubby even shoved Olbus Oil up my nose, I didn’t smell a thing. It took nearly a month to get my senses back, first thing I could smell was garlic, which I don’t mind.
So, we were in lock down, hubby was working, I was on furlough. No work for me. But, I did manage to get out Mark of the Water Nymph! Huzzah!!

Annnnnnnd, while that was out, I managed to get the chance to speak to a producer who read my synopsis of a certain book (can’t name it just yet) and they said it would make a movie or a TV series! So, I was very chuffed about that. Thankfully, I have a friend who said he would help me turn the book into a script, so I can finally present it and maybe see it on Netflix within the next decade or so? I dunno. It may take a while, but it’s the first time someone has really said anything like that to me, so I’m very taken aback.

And eventually we are here, in the middle of August, nearly my 5th wedding anniversary. (22nd Aug) so, I’m being whisked away after work somewhere nice and tomorrow, Monday, we’re off for Yo!Sushi, which I adore! It’s that 50% off dealy from Monday to Friday, but bugger it, I’d spend £100 to scoff until my jeans pop!

My year update is over. Wonder when the next one will be?
Who knows!?

Below is Adam last year for his Doggy Christmas Day Out to see Santa Paws!

I know blogs are meant to be about some interesting topic or such thing, but I think today’s will be about driving.

Now, my dad is a driving instructor, so being taught by him I’m good. I’m not the best driver but I sure as hell aint the worst!

I have a few beefs on the road, we all do. I think even the most patient person has been angry at someone’s poor driving. So, I’ll go through my pet peeves. If you have any, comment or reflect.

Pet peeve one: Indicators!

I DON’T KNOW WHERE THE F*CK YOU ARE DRIVING TO! PUT YOUR EFFING INDICATOR ON!!! GARRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH! *That felt good*

Okay, but trying to understand this, are people really that effing lazy? Really? You can’t just respect other drivers around you and go, “I’m going left, the person behind me should want to know as it is a courteous thing to do.” And especially at a round-a-bout. How the hell are new learners meant to know where people going if you don’t put your indicator on?

You know, when I first did my driving test I failed with, “Undue hesitation.” Around me there is a place called Balls Corner, a huge ass round-a-bout and I was approaching it with my RIGHT indicator on and I saw it was clear, then this twat comes speeding round and I slam my brakes on and stalled on the round-a-bout. I was 25 mins into my test and because of that, I failed. Because of that arsehole wanker tit face, who DIDN’T put his indicator on, I didn’t know where he was going and well… there you have it. And though men spite women who can’t drive it was a MAN who didn’t put his indicator on.

So that’s my first pet peeve. Please don’t be an arsehole wanker tit face. Indicate and be considerate!

Pet peeve two: STOP FOLLOWING ME!

This is a weird pet peeve and is sometimes difficult to explain, so I shall give an example.

Whenever I have to go somewhere new, yes I have my sat-nav, but if it is a specific numbered house, sometimes sat-nav doesn’t play ball. Now, more often than not, I slow down to check out the numbered houses and 9/10 times I have someone up my arse wanting me to go faster instead of 4 mph. Now 9/10 times I can’t just pull over, unless its in someone’s drive, so I look around and see a road for me to turn around. And 9/10 times the effing person up my arse FOLLOWS ME! I swear to god, it always happens! It happened today! I went to see someone, never been to that place before, there was a dead-end in front of me and a road either side. I chose the right road to turn around in and the dick behind follows me! Then when I’m trying to turn 9/10 time this happens- I get a glare and they get angry cos I’m making them wait for me to do a 3 point turn. What the heck?

Pet peeve three: GIVE WAY!!!!

Near me there is a road for “Give way for on coming vehicles.” I actually got so angry at this one particular near miss with two twats and a 5 yr old, I wrote to my local newspaper.

Both cars were gunning to get by the lump in the road. Both cars were in the wrong, but neither of them saw this five yr old kid wanting to make a bee-line for his dad on the opposite side of the road…. Yeah.

Needless to say that the kid was yanked to the side of the road by mum, but the car who DIDN’T give way and should have, made the other guy pull into a small lane which isn’t accessible for cars as it’s a path for pedestrians. Honestly, why can’t people be patient? You’ll live longer and it’s calming for the body to be more relaxed. So please people GIVE WAY TO ON COMING VEHICLES if they have right of way.

 

Okay, no more pet peeves with driving. This was kinda a ranty post today. So that’s me done for the night. Back to writing!!! 🙂

…Testing….testing…. Is this thing on?

Well, well, well…. what the heck have I been up to in literally an entire year? You know, I don’t really do blogs, no idea why I have one. I hardly write on these things but I suppose you have to start somewhere, don’t you? No idea who is actually going to be reading this, but meh. Okay so from last year…

THE HOUSE HAS BEEN BUILT! Okay, when I say house, I do mean cabin 🙂 We have water, heat, electricity and even my dutiful uncle was kind enough to give us his unused conservatory for our wedding present and it’s now up and amazing!

I also have a Japanese pond, oh my! And sometime this year I’ll have a bridge that goes over a stream that is connected by TWO ponds.

And now that the conservatory is up, with underfloor heating and a washer/dryer- gosh I sound like a posh git, don’t I? We even decided to have a baby….PUPPY! (Not a child fan) But yes, we have got a new member to our family, a chocolate labrador called Adam < weird name for a dog, but hey, I am weird so it’s all good.

Currently the little git is 10 weeks and is already driving us nuts AND WE’VE ONLY HAD HIM ONE WEEK! But the parents are okay with him, so it’s again, all good.

On a sad side, we lost Maggie in February, poor thing had to be put to sleep as she really wasn’t very well. She was 14 for her age, so for a cavalier, she’s done really well. And then only 2 weeks ago we had to put another family member down, our Ragdoll cat called Saffy. 😥 No, you can’t every replace your animals. And I mean there will be NO animal and I mean NONE that can replace my Molly. She was my soul mate in dog form. Don’t care if that sounds weird, not many people will get that but there you have it folks. Molly was mine, she was my child and I loved her very, very much.

Okay, back to happy things! So last year, in April, I got’s promoted to Care Coordinator. Damn, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

So basically my job is unfortunately one of the hardest jobs in the company. It sounds easy but it’s kinda tough and a lot of people don’t see the stressful side of it. My job in a nut shell, is to ensure that all our customers have care. Sounds simple? No, no it’s not. There has to be the right start time, the length of time, then I have to ensure the staff have travel time to each customer’s house and then that they don’t go over their hours, or have enough hours, or that the carer is female cos they don’t want male and cover for holidays and sickness and asking and asking for help! GARH! IT. IS. ENOUGH. TO. DRIVE. YOU. BONKERS! But I love my job. Keeps me on my toes and I like puzzles 🙂 What I don’t like is, “I can’t work because…” 😦 Makes me a sad panda. SO FREAKING STRESSFUL!!!!!!!

So working is literally what I do. I hardly get the chance to write. You know, I went on a cruise in February around the Canary Islands (it’s not just for older ppl btw, there were young ppl on there too) and I ended up writing 6 chapters. 6 IN ONE WEEK!!! These days it’s hard pressed that I get one chapter done in a MONTH! Let alone 6 in one week. So my dad laughed at this and said you know what you have to do? Give up work. Ha! Like that’s going to happen.

Currently, I am the only one bringing in the bacon.Hubby decided to leave his job and fair play, he kinda had to. Believe it or not but primary school children are horrid. No seriously. At such a young age, children are swearing, hitting, spitting, biting, punching and kicking teachers and what happens?
The finger comes out. “No that’s bad. Say sorry and write a card.”
“No.”
“Then you will be suspended from school.”
6 year old child goes home. “Should I play Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty?” Pretty sure BOTH shouldn’t be played by a 6 year old child. Good parenting there… NOT!

This is happening all over the UK and it’s so depressing to talk about. So I won’t!
On the plus side, hubby has passed tests to drive huge ass lorries! A classroom day or two with rabbiting on about safety and what not, then he’s on the road taking things here and there and then driving more and… you get the drift.

Crap, I’m talking about what is happening this year and not last… Well if truth be told apart from the conservatoire,  and the cabin being built… that’s all folks. No holiday as we couldn’t afford it… er… wrote more books? Yes, I had written quite a few. So I guess I can talk about that… a little bit if it’s not too boring?

So The Cursed Hill kinda did a flying leap on Wattpad and won an award 🙂 Proud moment there and since then I have written 2 more books and writing a 3rd in the series. I can’t believe I am making it a series! It’s so much more fun writing in the opposite sex, and Rick being an American and living in the UK. It’s great banter. Love it.

And some time ago I saw a link for a horror contest. I’m quite new to horror, but it’s been fun to write in the genre, so I get to try all sorts of horrific tales as I somehow, got into the top 15!!! The 2nd challenge started the other day and it has to be finished by next week. Seeing its 300 words I am stuck! I have written two stories and I think there may be a third! 😦 I need to pick one that is gruesome and scary. One is Stephen King soul destroying scary, the other is more Bram Stoker scary and heck knows what the third one will be like, Susan Hill?  Not sure. I still have a few days to adapt and change some words, or edit some to get 300. Just have to wait and see.

Right, I think I have yammered on FAR enough for a post. So, I shall be signing off.

Toodly pip!

You know, when I first bought this web domain, I thought, “DO IT! BUY IT! And then you can write whenever you want and it’ll be amazing…” So, oops seems to be appropriate. I haven’t written anything since like August last year? Probably before I got married… so from August before Tattoo of the Black Angel, was out, lets bullet point what happened up until now:

-Got married on the 22nd of August 2015

-My best furry baby, love of my life, doggy soul-mate Molly dies in my arms at the tender age of 15 after having a stroke. I felt like my child had died- well it would if I were to have a child, which I’m not, so I guess unless you have had that special bond between that one animal, that’s how it feels when he/she dies. It’s like your heart has been ripped out by a blunt knife and it’s being stamped on whenever you see something that reminds you of said dog.

-We are in March and it is still taking all this time getting over her… let’s move on.

-September, cabin is up and Geraint and I have moved in. No electricity. For those of you who have a house, all I can say is, “How in the hell did you do it?” Fair point, I live in an area that has shite wage and stupidly expensive houses. Mortgae is out of the question and renting again is out of the questions. So, we made a 2 roomed log cabin down my parents garden. Thank god we don’t need planning permission.

-October, we finally get electricity, but no running water and no pot in which to piss. So all showers and toilet usages are being carried out at the parents house. WHEN WILL I EVER LEAVE!!! Also, I have started a new job. The previous one was so dire I had to leave and never return. Seriously, people are bitches in an all-girl environment. Anyway, new job! It’s amazing! Love the people, met an old school friend who I haven’t seen in a while (Hi Kirsty!!!)

-November, we finally have water! Still no toilet, but it’s nice being able to have a cup of tea, I admit 🙂

-December, we now have a toilet! Omg!!! Geraint put it in himself, well actually he stole his Porta-potti from his “Caravan of love” from Trellech in Wales (Google Trellech, amazing little village.) Christmas day I have off and the food I made, peasant, was yummo! I’m impressed with my cooking skills.

-January 2016, a new year! yey! Geraint actually manages to put in an actual toilet. Not stolen or anything. We have a bathroom, that’s sort of attached to the cabin and a basin will go in there, as well as a very low-pressure shower. Hey, anything helps the environment, right? Also, I have applied for an upgrade in my job and I got it. Extra pay, comfortable hours and people never thought I could go up in jobs. You know who you are (points a finger).

-February. Visiting of the in-laws for my husbands birthday and my new nephews birthday. Bathroom coming along slowly but surely. So is the kitchen. Thanks to IKEA we finally have one! Amazing!

And here we are end of March. March has been a slow progress of titivating the cabin. It looks much homely now and it’s warm- which is a BIG feature. I’m not a fan of the cold.

AND not to mention, since October, ish, I have been editing Mark of the Water Nymph, the second book in the Tattoo Trilogy. Holy cow! It took a while. The first 5 chapters are in the hands of editor number 1. It will be a while until I get it back. Originally I wanted to have the book out for June. But… not likely now. I’m thinking about August book release. Which would co-inside with last year’s release of Tattoo of the Black Angel. I’ll have to mull things over. I feel more confident with this book now. Tattoo was self-published and it was my first-time self-publishing, so there’s still a few steps a long the way before I can finally get this down pat.

So really, this has been an update from my fruitless attempt at blogging about my very uneventful, bland life of a coordinator/author 🙂 I hope you have enjoyed my short rambling. I really don’t know how many people read this drivel, I think about two people? Anyway, below are some pics 🙂

 

 

Well hey howdy hey folks! So, the 8th of August 2015 was meant to be the date of the release of Tattoo of the Black Angel. Needless to say, that went down the pan. I blame myself because I can’t blame the other people who spent my money, wasted it and didn’t provide. So, what’s a gal to do?

I have enjoyed watching the trailer! and chatting to my fans and apologising over and over again. So the only thing is to just keep swimming. Because drowning, I have heard, isn’t fun.

Anyhoo, the good news I do have, is that Tattoo of the Black Angel on Amazon ebook, will be available within the next 48 hours. So that’s 1/2 done. And I’m hoping against all hope, that my lovely book formatter, Guido, can provide on the print version also. Fingers crossed! He has done wonders for my ebook and I’m very thankful.

I could go on rambling about my forthcoming wedding on the 22nd of August, but this blog is about writing, not getting married. I had hoped to have some books to sell at the wedding, but if not, I can wait and maybe send memo’s to those people who came along to the wedding to drink my free alcohol and eat free food….*mumble grumble* 😀

Anyhoo, if you haven’t seen the Tattoo trailer check it out below!

It is been years, no I really mean YEARS worth of editing to get Tattoo readable. Still not there yet though mind. I do believe my beta readers will have a few things to say- and I’m glad to hear what they say. It’s nice to know that you have someone who has your back.

So while I have had 3 days off work (unheard of!!!) I have been listening to the following albums/artists to get me through those dreary days.

Owl City

Avatar – James Horner

Becoming Jane – Adrian Johnston

Charlotte’s Web- Danny Elfman

Having these guys on repeat is just awesome 🙂 On a small update, my book cover and trailer are underway. And I can’t wait to show you!

Got to get back to editing the last twenty pages!!

Talk soon!
Abi x

I AM AMAZED!

No, really I am. So, a few things happened all at once. First was that the amazing Sophie Duffy, sent back my edits for Tattoo of the Black Angel *Yippee* The second was that Nash from Crimson Productions got back to me about the book cover and trailer and then which lead onto the wonderful announcement of the release date of Tattoo of the Black Angel. Saturday 8th of August 2015!!! So, I am one happy Abi!

So in the meantime I am just editing and listening to Owl City in the background… and also getting to know this website a bit better… I’ll keep you posted!