Hello World!

Well I seem to have joined in with the craze of the blog, but this is more like a work thing for me. Damien Walter suggested that having a blog would be a really good idea as I'm attempting to apply for a "Grants for the Arts" grant at the moment so I can finish off my first novel to publishing standard and really give my work teh best chance it can get. This blog is to help me (kinda) focus myself on my writing and where its going - mapping the progression of my development as a writer I suppose and maybe in a few years I can come back and see htis post and say "wow I've come so far..." more like "wow wasn't I daft!"


Well anyway, I'll give a summery of my writing up to date:
I graduated from the University of Leicester with a B.A. in English
I whilst at university I wrote articles for The Ripple newspaper - people didnt like them and there would be an ongoing war between me and some other reporters about my stinking attitudes to marriage and suchlike - at least people actually read my articles and were appalled enough to comment!
I interviewed Freda Warrington - a local fantasy writer - for The Ripple. She was my hero when I was fifteen and I did blush!
I studied a poety workshop under Kris Seifken while I was there for a semester and it was the only thing that would get me out of my shell as a writrer! Kris reconed I should do an MA in creative writing at UEA. I think he was quite impressed with me, but I hated creating poetry.
I was accepted into Nottingham Trent Uni to study Creative Writing as the youngest applicant in 2005. I was going to study fiction under Graham Joyce, but I dont have three grand so didnt bother. I
began studing drama under the Momentum Young writers programme in 2005. I studied in total for a year under Emma Rosoman who was the Writer in Residence at The Nottingham Playhouse - she works for the Royal Court now.
Emma took my first play "Sing, Sing Death House" to the Royal court and I was well chuffed! still not heard a whisper from them but hey who cares! at least one of their 50 resident writers thinks I'm ace!
I entered a short story called "The Colour of Magic" into the Leicester Library Short Stories competition 2006 and came joint third! I got to read my story out in the local Borders. Apart from being the youngest there I felt a bit bad as they set the mike up in front of the kids section and my story was full of swearing and drugs.
I attended the Hopefield Hall (kinda) resedency in Leicester - got to meet all kinds of people: radio publishers, lit development workers, comercial agents, grant providers, independent publishers etc
I just got interviewed by Ambrose Musyia (spelling incorect and apologies Ambrose) for an article on emerging writers.
Now I'm going back to concentrating on my first novel as it really needs the care and attention.