2007- the year of wish fulfillment

I decided 2007 was going to be the year of wish fulfillment before the old year had gasped its last.

And I'm delighted to tell you that so far it's living up to its designated title.

• You already know that Trading Tatiana has just been published in Spain.
  

• Well now I've been emailed by the PR at El Tercer Nombre. Wow! Direct contact at last!

• Apparently, 2 Spanish radio networks want to interview me - but only if I speak fluent Spanish, so that's out. Shame ...

• But 2 Spanish magazines - one national monthly and one online - also want to do interviews after they've read the book. If they're done by email, translation shouldn't be a problem. As long as they don't use Babel Fish ...
  

• I hadn't wanted to admit, but I was struggling a bit with my current novel, Depth Charge. The plot revolves around local government corruption but the theme is blood relations. (As opposed to the alternative Nirvana family.) I was worried that I wasn't binding the two together effectively. Over the holidays, I read through the story so far and wrote the content (or intent) of each chapter in 3 or 4 words. Then a few days ago, I had a bathtime moment. For the first time in ages I jumped out and, still dripping, grabbed pen and paper and scribbled down an outline of where I was going as well as a later chapter that I'd visualised clearly. It works! You see, I'd forgotten. This panic always happens about 30-40,000 words in.
  

• Remember I said I needed to find work? Debi got proactive. Think irons ... think fires ... I put my cv in at LG's school for possible classroon assistant work; I applied for a p/t charity finance worker job; on the advice of my agent, I contacted some of the literary consultancies. And guess what ... I have my first 90,000 word m/s to read and write a 3,000 word report on!

This is what I said the last time I posted about getting work:

So the harsh reality is that I'm going to have to look for a job. I can't see any way round it. I'll try to find something that fits in around the school hours. It would be good if it was local, so I don't have to spend hours travelling. It would be wonderful if it was related in some way to writing.

Blimey! This wish fulfillment thing is mighty strong medicine ... Pinch me ...