My Writing Odyssey

We interrupt our scheduled blog posting (involving a fantasy series) to bring news of a new competition from Mslexia for budding female novelists. Whilst on the way home from work today I received an email from women's writing magazine Mslexia.   This is usually a nice surprise, more often than not containing some thought-provoking survey about how some aspect of life (mental state, viewpoints on adult material, etc) affect my writing.  Oddly enough, they are fun to do when I have a few minutes free, and like I said, they can be thought-provoking. As a bonus, participants in the survey will have the satisfaction of knowing they contributed to the next issue of the magazine. But this was a different email.  Like all good writing publications, Mslexia regularly holds good writing competitions for its readers to participate in.  This time they are holding a Novel-writing competition, offering a first prize of £5,000.  Three finalists will also be offered free p...

Living in a flat situated at the heart of a small city, I am used to finding my postbox filled with what ould only be referred to as "crap:" flyers, takeaway menus, catalogues from Peter Jones just because I bought a Mrs Tiggy Winkle music box for my mum many years ago...not to mention business cards and other nonsense that simply leaves me dumbfounded.  Most of it gets thrown away, although my fiance and I have been known to make use of the coupons sent to us by our local McDonalds. Today was no different - coupons for the online store of a clothing store who happen to own a shop almost across the road from my flat, and something from the electricity provider.  But I also recieved an unmarked white envelope with my name - correctly spelled - on the front.  But when I turned to read the back I was immediately intrigued by the word "Mslexia." Whilst my entry for the magazine's annual competition at the beginning of the year failed to impress the judges, it w...