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You're right, there was nothing on the website, or anywhere else I googled. The competition was run in association with the Romantic Novelists Association - and last time I looked there was nothing on their site either.
As I said though, just to be published is great. It's enough for me! (Unless they're offering...)
You were right to celebrate your success! We should all do more of that - perhaps a Champagne truffle for finishing a piece of work we're pleased with would be a good idea?
Wow, what a great success. Massive congrats LilyC. What a thing to have happen to you and not in your genre too, shows to everyone how adaptable you can be. Hopefully i'm back writing now, this will serve as inspiration to me.
I think you ought to let S know what your daughter's post-it note said word for word, it is so adorable I think they might like to get the 'Aw' factor mileage (more publicity!) out of it!
Right, well I'm taking my daughter to school in the rain and the gale force wind tomorrow at 8:30. Should be home by 9. The hair and make-up lady is arriving at 10 and she says I shouldn't have any make-up on, so I shall have to go to school as a bare-faced lie (I NEVER go out without my face on!) She's told me I can't wear my dark lipstick as it will make my eyes sink, but I said don't even try to put me in pale pink or my face will completely disappear (maybe not such a bad thing). Someone else rang to say could I please wear something bright. Erm, everything in my wardrobe is black. I've just bought some cheap colourful tops from Tesco, but they're not me. I'll try not to let it show. Maybe I'll just overload on jewellery.
Then the photographer arrives at ten, and we're going up the beach. I suspect my long hair will need to be lacquered to within an inch of its life to stay anywhere near my shoulders. Ho hum.
YOU wrote the winning story, that's YOU, however you look, whatever you wear. You might have "sold" them the rights to your story but you still have the right to be yourself.
Some of the advice will be valid - lighting and cameras can do strange things to appearances - but don't let them dictate or have them make you come across as something you aren't or don't want to be. They're just doing their job but you're not a product or a piece of merchandise - you're an INDIVIDUAL.
That individuality comes across in your writing and makes it stand out, it won you the prize - don't sell yourself short here.
Pretend it was all happening to your daughter - would you tell her to be dictated to by all these strangers or advise her to be herself?
This is a time to be PROUD of yourself and your achievement - try and ENJOY it, you deserve to. :)
Lily, I am cultivating very long hair deliberately, despite my age and comments from daughter about it being 'unsuitably long' so if anyone photographs me in the future for the books or in connection with the books, they will have to contend with the hair flying everyplace, as your photographer will. It is part of you. Let it blow free, it could make for some natural photographs which it wouldn't otherwise. Relax, as much as you can in the circumstances, but most of all, enjoy the attention! Whatever they ask, remember they are there for YOU as much as them. YOU are the centre of the day. Make the most of it!
Good advice from Celtic C.
Ker-ACKER! Get that note from your daughter somewhere they can't miss it ...
Can't wait to find out a)what you wrote about
b) what you look like!
c) what your prize really is
The stylist took nearly an hour on me (obviously needed it) and now I look like my mum, which is OK. But I wasn''t allowed my signature 60s eyeliner or my dark red lips. I'm looking all glossy and natural (not sure about that!) She flattened my hair so I look a bit like a pinhead, but it's alright.
The photographer (Rebecca) was great; really fun and interesting. Regrettably the weather didn't behave so we have hundreds of photos with my hair flying in all different directions on various locations up the promenade.
Isn't it amazing how people are determined to get in the shots!! Even had one woman who started fishing around in a rubbish bin near us - you could tell she was just earwigging, not a bag-lady. Extraordinary!
We came back to the house and Rebecca asked if she could take some shots in my dining-room which has gothic red walls and black bookcases, spilling with books. She took loads in there and she really liked them, but said the mag will probably go for a beach one, because that's where a major part of the story is set. She's going to let me have some of the photos, which is good of her.
Oh, and they made me change my black top, but I'm still wearing a long black skirt (with dark pink roses) so that's OK. Had to breath in a lot though.
So, I'm sort of floating around now, waiting to pick my daughter up from her first day back at school - aw, she looked so sweet in her uniform this morning.
Thanks for telling us, Lily - sounds like fun. What would they have done in you'd lived in the Hebrides! helluvva trip from their base ...
Hope MinnieLily enjoyed school!
Great to hear about your day, especially as you must have been a little nervous about your daughter's first day. My granddaughter starts full time on Tuesday and it brings a lump to my throat thinking about it.
What a lovely memory you have to think back on. Did you daughter enjoy her first day at school?
She loved her first day back, Susie. Thank you. New teacher, new classroom, new uniform. And after school I took her to register for ballet lessons so she's very excited about that too.
I am SO tired now. Didn't realise how much excitement can take it out of you. Think I'll be in bed asleep by 8!
Pretty much cardboard hair - very flat and straight. It got whipped/wipped (?) about like mad in the gusts. Anyway, if you see me in the mag on 27th September, it probably won't look like me!!
Also, I've submitted it under 'Lily Childs' which.... da da da da da da dahhhhh.... isn't my real name. Although I submitted it under that name. I did tell them what my real name was, and all communication has been in my real name, with no mention of Lily Childs.
Haven't heard a word since Thursday. Who knows what will happen next!!?
Only got to TB today so missed the great news. Hope the euphoria is still flowing and running into your word processor to produce more successes. Shall look forward to reading the story and seeing the pix. Many congratulations !
* Over the last couple of days I've been talking with the lovely journalist who actually organised the competition with the RNA (Romantic Novelists Association). She sent me a load of questions for an interview, then followed up last night with a long phone call.
* Found out there were 1100 entries, and that the judges had to bring in the RNA to help filter before shortlisting.
* The journalist read the judges' comments out to me, and I nearly cried; they were so lovely. She's going to 'weave them into the interview'.
* As I thought, there is no prize. I'm just happy to be published!
* Decided to go with having the story published under my real name - Michele Ranger, then quickly realised that just in case anyone is remotely interested by the writing, I ought to start a new blog in my own name as well as the Lily Childs' Feardom one, so spent this evening adding http://micheleranger.blogspot.com. Bit basic for the mo, but...
* My dad said 'Well done' to me, for the first time in my life. That and my daughter's note to me ^ has become the most important thing about this.
* At work today, my boss made me tell everyone in our team meeting about it, and my assistant - who is a journalist/press officer, said she'd like to write a press release about it/me for our local and regional paper.
Blowing your own trumpet - it's SOOO hard!!
I tell you what - I'm feeling really humble right now. And not a little bit chuffed. Looking forward with some trepidation to Sept 27th.
Lily, I think! She started it all off, and I think I'll remain with the chiller/horror/mystery genre which is Lily's thing. And I like her - she's been with me a very long time.
It's what to call myself for the children's stories I keep coming up with that's the problem - Verity Fortitude, Isabella Balletica, Pat Ball - only joking - haven't even considered that before now! Mind you, Isabella Balletica has a real Helena Bonham-Carter feel to it. Oh, gawd - off again..............................
What a fantastic post, LilyC - feel well-chuffed and proud of yourself. :D)
First out of 1100 - that's a statistic to remember!
Your daughter's note came with the truthful spontaneity of the young; your dad's comment took a lifetime - both are, in their own ways, so proud of you and rightly so. Be proud of yourself and your achievement - and thank you for sharing all of this with us.
That is wonderful news Lily. Make the most of the publicity. :)
I actually like Isabella Balletica as a pseudonym- very fitting for children's stories- unless they're horror! ;)
Lily (you'll always be Lily to me, sunshine) you go on blowing that trumpet, the Trumpet Voluntary - I'll gladly conduct. Can't wait to read your story on the 27th! well done again ... perhaps you should join the RNA and have a bash at a full-length romance ? (No vamps there, though, I don't think!)
You have to have had a novel published before you can join the RNA, though they do have their New Writers' Memberships.
Something that makes me a little bit weepy (in a good way) is that if I hadn't joined TB, I'd never have had the confidence to enter that comp in the first place. I am so grateful to everyone's advice and support. I'm not used to support; it's rather, wonderfully, overwhelming. Sniff, sniff :)
Here's a virtual hanky, sunshine. Blow. There - Better?
(I feel the same about TB - I've gone back to work I dumped years ago and opened them all up again because of things some members said, and have several Complete Rewrites in hand. For all its digression sessions, it's a great Forum!)
Not long now and your cover is blown. Your name will be All Over The Place.
I won't be in on Sunday, so I've asked my Paper Man (honestly!) at the hospital if he'll keep one back and bring it in with the other papers on Monday 28th. Isn't that obliging of him!
Comments
As I said though, just to be published is great. It's enough for me! (Unless they're offering...)
I like Phots-Moll's idea of a champagne truffle. Num num!!
Then the photographer arrives at ten, and we're going up the beach. I suspect my long hair will need to be lacquered to within an inch of its life to stay anywhere near my shoulders. Ho hum.
Aaaaaaargh!
YOU wrote the winning story, that's YOU, however you look, whatever you wear. You might have "sold" them the rights to your story but you still have the right to be yourself.
Some of the advice will be valid - lighting and cameras can do strange things to appearances - but don't let them dictate or have them make you come across as something you aren't or don't want to be. They're just doing their job but you're not a product or a piece of merchandise - you're an INDIVIDUAL.
That individuality comes across in your writing and makes it stand out, it won you the prize - don't sell yourself short here.
Pretend it was all happening to your daughter - would you tell her to be dictated to by all these strangers or advise her to be herself?
This is a time to be PROUD of yourself and your achievement - try and ENJOY it, you deserve to. :)
And tell us all about it when they go!
Ker-ACKER! Get that note from your daughter somewhere they can't miss it ...
Can't wait to find out a)what you wrote about
b) what you look like!
c) what your prize really is
27th September, here we come!
The stylist took nearly an hour on me (obviously needed it) and now I look like my mum, which is OK. But I wasn''t allowed my signature 60s eyeliner or my dark red lips. I'm looking all glossy and natural (not sure about that!) She flattened my hair so I look a bit like a pinhead, but it's alright.
The photographer (Rebecca) was great; really fun and interesting. Regrettably the weather didn't behave so we have hundreds of photos with my hair flying in all different directions on various locations up the promenade.
Isn't it amazing how people are determined to get in the shots!! Even had one woman who started fishing around in a rubbish bin near us - you could tell she was just earwigging, not a bag-lady. Extraordinary!
We came back to the house and Rebecca asked if she could take some shots in my dining-room which has gothic red walls and black bookcases, spilling with books. She took loads in there and she really liked them, but said the mag will probably go for a beach one, because that's where a major part of the story is set. She's going to let me have some of the photos, which is good of her.
Oh, and they made me change my black top, but I'm still wearing a long black skirt (with dark pink roses) so that's OK. Had to breath in a lot though.
So, I'm sort of floating around now, waiting to pick my daughter up from her first day back at school - aw, she looked so sweet in her uniform this morning.
Tum te tum te tum...
Hope your daughter's first day went okay. :)
Hope MinnieLily enjoyed school!
What a lovely memory you have to think back on. Did you daughter enjoy her first day at school?
I am SO tired now. Didn't realise how much excitement can take it out of you. Think I'll be in bed asleep by 8!
Also, I've submitted it under 'Lily Childs' which.... da da da da da da dahhhhh.... isn't my real name. Although I submitted it under that name. I did tell them what my real name was, and all communication has been in my real name, with no mention of Lily Childs.
Haven't heard a word since Thursday. Who knows what will happen next!!?
* Over the last couple of days I've been talking with the lovely journalist who actually organised the competition with the RNA (Romantic Novelists Association). She sent me a load of questions for an interview, then followed up last night with a long phone call.
* Found out there were 1100 entries, and that the judges had to bring in the RNA to help filter before shortlisting.
* The journalist read the judges' comments out to me, and I nearly cried; they were so lovely. She's going to 'weave them into the interview'.
* As I thought, there is no prize. I'm just happy to be published!
* Decided to go with having the story published under my real name - Michele Ranger, then quickly realised that just in case anyone is remotely interested by the writing, I ought to start a new blog in my own name as well as the Lily Childs' Feardom one, so spent this evening adding http://micheleranger.blogspot.com. Bit basic for the mo, but...
* My dad said 'Well done' to me, for the first time in my life. That and my daughter's note to me ^ has become the most important thing about this.
* At work today, my boss made me tell everyone in our team meeting about it, and my assistant - who is a journalist/press officer, said she'd like to write a press release about it/me for our local and regional paper.
Blowing your own trumpet - it's SOOO hard!!
I tell you what - I'm feeling really humble right now. And not a little bit chuffed. Looking forward with some trepidation to Sept 27th.
It's what to call myself for the children's stories I keep coming up with that's the problem - Verity Fortitude, Isabella Balletica, Pat Ball - only joking - haven't even considered that before now! Mind you, Isabella Balletica has a real Helena Bonham-Carter feel to it. Oh, gawd - off again..............................
First out of 1100 - that's a statistic to remember!
Your daughter's note came with the truthful spontaneity of the young; your dad's comment took a lifetime - both are, in their own ways, so proud of you and rightly so. Be proud of yourself and your achievement - and thank you for sharing all of this with us.
I actually like Isabella Balletica as a pseudonym- very fitting for children's stories- unless they're horror! ;)
That's a great achievement and sounds like you had a fab day too!
You have to have had a novel published before you can join the RNA, though they do have their New Writers' Memberships.
Something that makes me a little bit weepy (in a good way) is that if I hadn't joined TB, I'd never have had the confidence to enter that comp in the first place. I am so grateful to everyone's advice and support. I'm not used to support; it's rather, wonderfully, overwhelming. Sniff, sniff :)
(I feel the same about TB - I've gone back to work I dumped years ago and opened them all up again because of things some members said, and have several Complete Rewrites in hand. For all its digression sessions, it's a great Forum!)
Not long now and your cover is blown. Your name will be All Over The Place.
But you'll allus be Lily tae me.
Starting to panic again now!