Jill's Rants

21 days to go....

on Wednesday, 31 October 2012. Posted in Jill's Rants

Feeling sexy?

JUST 21 DAYS to go until Beyond Fragile Boundaries is out there, ready for the world to read! Nervous? Yes, very. But it is also very exciting.

I have been told by the lovely Frances that editing is now finished and it is time for the final read through before layout and then going to print for the first copies. Can’t wait!

Never mind that though. Something very exciting is happening this week. Hubby (John) and I have decided to have some ‘photos’ done before we get too old and crabby. When I say ‘photos’ I mean ‘those type of photos’. Yes, sexy ones….(did I just hear my children being sick?) Well! Why not! Photoshop is an amazing thing and we are having them done for us, no one else (unless I am offered lots and lots of money which to be fair is not that likely).

So Marvellous Mandy Marshall is coming down to exotic Aylesham to John‘s plush industrial unit this weekend equipped with some very forgiving lenses and she tells us that she will make us look sexy. Can’t wait. John wants to do vampire pictures, but I’m not sure. I am also quite alarmed by his suggestion to be honest. Anyway, I will let you know how we get on.

We thought we could give copies out in cardboard frames to all of our friends and family this Christmas…… NOT! But hey! What is the point of being on this planet if you can’t have a bit of fun.

Authors Who Zumba

on Monday, 29 October 2012. Posted in Jill's Rants

..... my other skill - Zumba!

Did I tell you that I was a Zumba fanatic? Well, I am. Sunday morning, there I am, with about 30 or 40 like minded people, flinging myself around the village hall in an extremely ungainly manner. I thought I was particularly impressive with my ‘freestyle’ section of one of the numbers this Sunday. My friend Sara and I decided that we wanted to win the ‘Fitness Frenzi towel’ that was on offer for the best made up dance. Trouble is, the freestyle bit is only in fact about 5 seconds long. Not much time. So we decided that I would do some impressive break dancing and then Sara would nimbly fling her leg over the top of me.

The only fact that we had not taken into consideration was the that I don’t actually know how to break dance. Small error of judgement there which meant that the end result was me curled up on the floor like a stranded wood louse whilst Sara dragged me around by one of my legs. 5 seconds were then up and it took my another 15 seconds to get back up off the floor by which time the Fitness Frenzi Towel had been awarded to Mumma Maidstone for wiggling her shoulders. Tsk.

Never mind. There was another highlight when our great leader, Chris, asked those wearing Fitness Frenzi T shirts to stay behind after class for the official photographs for the website. I was very excited about this and didn’t mind that out of everyone in the group I was the only one with my eyes closed. Not a problem……

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Oh, and just to tell you, excitement is mounting as there is just one week to go until Beyond Fragile Boundaries is off to the printers ready for 21st November launch. I had a bit of a ‘moment’ the other day when the full cover design came through. I know it sounds daft, but all of a sudden it seems real when you see the cover. I shall probably have an even bigger ‘moment’ when I get the first copy of the press in my hands! Pass the Kleenex!

By the way, do you like reading? Have a look here and join Goodreads. You can rate books, write reviews and get ideas of what to read next. It’s fun. See you on there!

Buzzin'

on Tuesday, 23 October 2012. Posted in Jill's Rants

Chop Chop Busy Busy Work Work Bang Bang

With reference to yesterday’s blog, Monday Chat, I have been reliably informed by daughter number 2 that ‘drive bys’ include a degree of firearm usage, so we are all hoping that I got that bit wrong. There is a strong chance of that.

It’s been a busy start to the week, as usual. I paid another visit to the famous Jo Dodds yesterday who is assisting me on the preparation of my book and it’s presence in the world. She is a maniac! How much knowledge can one person hold in their head! Amazing. Thanks for all you do for me Jo. I know you think I am quite crazy at times, but I also know that you love me for it. Mwah!

I have a PR and Marketing company called Xposure. One of my favourite clients James phoned me yesterday and asked me to send him an invoice for November. I have my clients so well trained. James is a World Food Traveller and World Award winning cook book writer. He comes from Northern Ireland and has the most amazing accent, of which I only understand 50% of what he is saying. We’re a good team though, despite the communication issues. I am very proud of him as he has just been recognised by Farmers Weekly as their Ambassador for British Food for 2012. He has a great blog and a great sense of humour, the bits I can understand are really funny. Have a looky!

Book cover is now finished. Excited! Thanks Jerome at Awake Designs – hope youir man flu is better (sigh). We used images taken by the lovely Kevin Francis, Ubiquitous Images. Quite tame for some of his stuff – have a look.

Following a frenetic Zumba session this morning I was still buzzing throughout a meeting with Fitness Frenzi Chris Hillary. We were ON FIRE today. Must have been the Double Whammy Coffee! Listen, if you have not tried Zumba – YOU JUST HAVE TO! Take it from me, it’s the most fun I have ever had standing up! Top tip – don’t bounce too much. Plays havoc if you of a certain age (shocking!).

Monday Chat

on Monday, 22 October 2012. Posted in Jill's Rants

What was your weekend like?

Had a really great weekend and seemed to fit so much in.

Hysterical! Saturday morning, Sam (son and heir) took me shopping! I felt about 92 as I sat next to him and he drove me to Aldi (don’t judge – I’m careful with my money). As I sat there with my handbag on my knees, trying not to scream every time a corner was negotiated slightly faster than I was comfortable with, I realised what it must be like to get older and have things done for you. Mind you, it was Sam who dropped a jar of Marmalade which smashed into a million pieces all over Aldi’s floor. Everyone looked. They all thought it was me I’m sure, but hey-ho.

My afternoon treat was a 2 hour session with Marcus. Humph! One of my favourite boys who every four weeks fights with my barnet to make me look like Halle Berry. Enough said.

Then in the evening our friends Chris and Natalie came round and we had cheese on toast and home made apple pie (made by my amazing husband). Now, Chris and Natalie are the same age as our eldest daughter, Amy. She thinks we are trying to replace her by having them as our friends but I have explained that they like to hang out with us, ‘cos we is cool! Standard.

Anyway, the next day John and I trundled off down to Zumba in Smarty Pants (our huge car – think about it) and threw ourselves in an ungainly fashion around the village hall for an hour, after which all good intentions of housework and such like evaporated out of the window as we both collapsed on the sofa in exhaustion, to watch the rugby. Thighs!

Sausage and mash with Amy and partner Philip and of course Sam (who manages to fit us in around his busy social life of ‘drifting’ round corners and doing ‘drive bys’ or something like that at Lakeside) and our day was pretty much done. Apart from my weekly dose of Downton. Lush.

So, all in all, a pretty busy couple of days. Onwards and upwards!