Shocking News

I'm devastated.

One of my favourite outlets has undergone a revamp and reduced the number of readers' letters published in each issue. I suspect this might be a cost cutting exercise.

This development isn't a surprise, it's a trend that’s been in the offing for a while. Not so long ago, star letters in this magazine carried a massive £100 payment, this was halved a while back to £50 (still v good for only a hundred or so words).

To fill the void, the remainder of the page is now filled with light news and celebrity items, presumably written by staff members.

Anyway, this week, I turned to the letters’ page – as I do every week – only to find a miserable SINGLE letter and one photo of a reader with a celebrity. The reader/celeb slot isn't one I can target as, not only am I the most un-photogenic person in history, but I also don’t know any celebs and don’t know where to find any celebs. In fact, I'd probably not even notice a celeb until they’d wandered off, even if they trod on my toe.

This is a magazine I've bought regularly for many, many years – and not only because the 13-year-old has avidly read it every week since she was six (vetted first when she was younger, a couple of the medical specials have been decidedly adult in nature). No, this was a magazine I felt was on my wavelength and the real lure was the letters’ page – I loved to read the views of other readers and, what’s more, it provided a very lucrative outlet for my own opinions.

In the past year alone I’ve been lucky to see 11 of my missives in print in this publication. But, with this overhaul, chances of further sales of letters here have plummeted.

Who will publish my complaints and bitchings about minor celebrities now?

Which leads me nicely on to the need for writers to continually diversify and find new markets. So, the search is on.

And, in the meantime, my opinions will be foisted upon my blog visitors (sorry).

Anyway, to thank you for listening, here's a treat: Erasure with O'Lamour - and doesn't lovely Andy Bell looks fab in a unitard and boots?

New Voices - last time, I promise

Whoever suggested I might be obsessed with NV is spot on. But, with so many terrific entries on the site, it's hard not to be. And I'd like to mention some more fantastic chapters:

Valentino's Angel by Romy Sommer

Claiming Her Italian Magnate by Sri Pammi

Taming the Lion by Joanne Cleary

Misbehaving with the Retail Magnate by Lacey Devlin

If you'd like me to add your link to this post then please leave a comment and I'll be happy to do so. I was going to add a list on a clickable link on my sidebar - as other have done - but technology and I aren't on the best of terms, so by the time I've worked out how to do it, the competition will be over. However, if you scroll down to the last few posts, you'll see all the chapters I've linked to.

There are now 824 first chapters posted on the NV site. That's right - 824 writers, who want to be published by Mills and Boon. Scary biscuits. It makes me dizzy just thinking about it.

Over at Planet Sue, I've stopped checking my rating - nerves couldn't stand it. But I'm glad I entered, I got some lovely comments about my chapter and that's given me a bit of a boost.

And what's next? Well, busy, busy, busy with the day jobs - and writing, of course. And I know I'm guilty of neglecting blogland - but will catch up with you all in the next day or two.

XX

New Voices - My Chapter's Up...

To prove I'm not all talk, my chapter's now viewable on the New Voices site. Is is silly that I felt really chuffed when I got an e-mail to say it had been approved?

It's only attracted lovely comments so far, so huge thanks to everyone who's dropped by already. And, if you haven't read it and have time to hop over, this is where you can find it:

Manhunt - chapter one



XX

All about New Voices

I pressed send.

Feel sick.

Hopefully my chapter will be viewable at some point soon.

In the meantime, another three terrific chapters for you to read...

Angie Peters with Warming the Sexy Stranger's Bed

Kristy Price with Being Reckless with the Rogue

Elissa Graham with Two Weeks to Transform the Tycoon.

Well done all.

Celebrating Welshness - and more New Voices

Few of you who visit regularly will be surprised by my Welshness - apart from the fact I go on about it regularly, 'Jones' is a bit of a giveaway. Having left my homeland at the age of ten, though, I'm finding I'm getting more and more homesick.

I miss Wales.

I miss Welsh people.

I miss cawl, celebrating St David's Day and the habit Welsh people have of making enemies but then making friends with those enemies when they find a third party they both despise (or is that just my family?).

Welsh people are funny and kind and brave and fiercely loyal. And that's not to say other people aren't also these things, but I yearn for Welsh funny and Welsh kind and Welsh bravery and Welsh loyalty.

So... I've been watching TV. Or, rather, the computer. Pobol y Cwm (The Valley People) is my new favourite on BBC iPlayer. And I've been watching Gavin and Stacey. In one memorable episode, Gavin was actually watching Pobyl y Cwm on his mother-in-law's TV. That was a great day in this Jones household.

In New Voices news, there are now 374 entries - and I'd like to bring your attention to:

Joanne Pibworth with Sequins and Secrets

Caroline Storer with The Roman's Revenge

Sally Quilford with The Venetian's Command Performance

Fab chapters all.

Let me know if you've entered and I'll pop over for a look. And don't forget to get your blog badge from Lacey.

Normally, when I enter a competition or prize draw, I always expect to win. I'm shocked every time my numbers don't come up on the Lottery and it's a surprise every week when I don't win the Take a Break car. However, with New Voices I have no such expectations. The entries I've read have been just smashing and I know I don't have the skill to compete.

However, I said I'd enter, so I have finished my chapter. It has a title: Manhunt. But I'm still dithering and faffing and putting off the moment I press send.

I know, I'm just a big fat wuss, but I didn't say ALL Welsh people were brave.

Great News and New Voices

I've just found out Coach Trip's back for a fifth series. Missed the first two weeks, so thank goodness for 4 On Demand. You all know I adore Brendan and, when I've time, I'm planning to sit down with chocolate and enjoy the story so far...

The New Voices competition has proved very popular, with 175 first chapter entries uploaded already.

I'm still planning to enter, but my chapter isn't working at the moment. I've re-written the first couple of paragraphs countless times and they're still making me cringe. However, I hope that once I get the tone right the story will flow (nothing like being optimistic). I'm still a bit wobbly about exposing my work to everyone, but others have been brave and I will be, too.

Among the chapters already posted up are a couple of brilliant ones I just have to mention: In Too Deep, by Lorraine Wilson and Talking Dirty with the CEO by Jackie Ashenden. So, if you have haven't already, drop in and read both chapters - you're in for a treat.

It's also worth visiting Lacey Devlin - she's constructed a Wall of Fame for entrants and badges for our blogs. Great work, Lacey.

If you've entered, please let me know - leave a comment with the details and I'll pop over for a read.

M&S Bags For Life and New Voices Competition

I saw the optician this week, for a contact lens check. He was a nice young man, even if he didn't seem old enough to be qualified (a trend I'm noticing more and more with all sorts of professionals).

The appointment followed the expected form and, when he asked if I'd been experiencing difficulties, I reeled off my list. You'll be pleased to learn I only related ocular difficulties - we'd have been there all day if I'd taken him up on the offer to discuss all my problems.

However, he didn't seem the slightest bit concerned that air that escapes through my tear duct whenever I try to blow my nose (resulting in the odd phenomenon whereby I end up blowing in my own eye). He was also disinterested when I revealed my glasses irritate the life out of me so I can't wear them.

But, when I explained the reason I'd brought a number of shopping bags was because I intended to visit M&S, he perked right up. Did they, he asked, still charge for carrier bags? And how much did they charge? What was the quality of the bags? Did they disintegrate on contact with shopping like some of the supermarket ones? Or did they last? When I mentioned bags for life I thought he was going to pass out with excitement.

Aren't some people funny.

On the writing front, not long to go before the New Voices competition opens and the romance writing community is alive with the thrill of it. Oodles of luck to all of you who are going to enter. Can't wait to read your chapters.