About me…
So, what do you want to know? I regularly write short stories and flash fiction for the sheer love of it. I also study with the Open University. My house is a mess. I have the first draft of a novel completed and another one in bits. I have a handful of short stories published with Ether Books e-stories app.
<– There should about 30 more Open University books in that pile.
In the last ten years I have studied Technology, Social Sciences, (dropped out of maths, nutrition and web design), Arts foundation courses, Creative Writing, Psychology, Advanced Creative Writing, Philosophy/Health & Social Care module. In the coming 2011-12 academic year I will be studying Twentieth Century Literature to complete a BA Hons degree. All with the OU.
But in the last two years my main interest – nay passion – has come to be writing.
Last year I finished an OU Applied Psychology module, and focussed on the autistic spectrum, and at the same time had a short story published in an Anthology – Shambelurkling and Other Stories to raise money for The National Autistic Society. I was also October’s ‘Writer of the Month’ on Authortrek’s short story website.
I try to write a flash fiction most weeks, which I post to this blog.
I write a little – or plan or read or make notes to do with writing – every day. It is who I am. It is probably who I always was. It is important to me beyond words (which is a bit crap for a writer – to not find the words!)
Music is also important to me. I play the flute (not so often or so well these days), the piano (not so often or so well these days) and have a love for music of all genres. And I used to sing a lot once…
Things change.
I have three children in a rather tricky combination of teenage girl, teenage boy and 6-year-old girl. It’s not harmonious. But they are all very, very important to me.
My husband, who was British surfing champ in 1863* owns a surf shop in Croyde, North Devon and I am responsible for the bills, accounts, wages and V.A.T. He’s the people person and I am the paper person.
We have been together since I was 19 so that means I have been with him in my teens, twenties, thirties and now forties (only just forties though, mind you…) He is very important to me. North Devon is also very important to me. It is my family home on my mother’s side and I feel it is where I belong. Luckily it is also incredibly beautiful.
In January 2009 my father died after a vicious battle with leukaemia and it has brought human fragility and mortality to the fore. I think this has given me the urgency to get on and be who I want to be before it’s too late. He sent me a card once saying ‘Chase your dreams’ He didn’t get to see me do it and I’m sorry. But I know he would have been proud that I finally found out what they were.
I thank both my parents for my weirdness, my creativity, my crazy sense of humour and my social conscience.
North Devon's beaches are wonderful
(*Okay – it was 1984)
Here’s an email form if you want to contact me:
Love your interpretation of Freewrites but wasn’t absolutely amazing what come up in those???
dont know why I had’t visited before. Love ur blog and ur writings.. adding you to my blog roll over at My Kitchen Table (www.barbarascully.blogspot.com)
Oooh, I love your blog! I think I may settle down for a good read later with a glass of wine and my laptop!
Thanks for adding me on Twitter Rachel, blog looks great and I identify with the depression post. Will definitely keep reading x
Hi Rin. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. And yay for Twitter! I’ve ‘met’ some great writing people there
Just caught up on several weeks worth of writing, and loved it! Your stories have an incredibly delicate, yet powerful, feel to them – really beautiful
So glad that you’re sharing!
Thanks Amanda. That’s really encouraging to read. What a boost.
I see you’ve started a blog. Great
Just found your blog through Twitter. I did the A215 and am just starting on A363 too. Must say your writing is wonderful and makes me feel a tad inadequate, but has prompted me to think about starting a blog myself though. Guess I ought to!
Thanks Kaye,
Let me know when you get that blog going
Hi Rachel, I love your blog, I got here from our tutor group forum, we appear to be in the same boat. I’m normally based in Ilfracombe but partly in Winchester at the moment as I’m doing an MA (which, if anything, is slightly easier than A363). Enjoy the course!
Hi Reb,
Good to see you here. Just had a quick peep at your blog and now I’m super impressed that you’re managing to fit in so much studying and life stuff. Hope it all goes well.
Thank you for your blog Rachel. I enjoyed reading it and I appreciate the lighthearted style in your writing. Plus 3 kids?! Impressive.
Hi Rachel, Your journey through OU brought back many happy memories. I too worked my way through years of courses… and now I’m lost when I’m not on a course of some sort. Writing is my focus now….. well it was until I discovered Twitter.
Thanks for your comments, Julie and Christine
Hi Rachel, What a lovely collection of stones for A River of Stones! Hasn’t it been a great project? And I love your blog. I’ve recently started one and I’m adding your site to my list of inspiring blogs.
I don’t usually post on anyone’s blogs or websites as I’m more of a lurker than anything but I just wanted to say that I am really enjoying reading your posts. I have only discovered your page today (via Michael Jeck’s Twitter) but what you said about being shy/socially awkward and about writing has really struck a chord. I myself have written some short stories (in a much derided genre known as fanfiction) that I posted online and have also written two books, neither of which I will ever be brave enough to send off to a publisher or editor. I’m certain they are nowhere near publishable but nontheless I can’t stop myself from making up stories in my head; it is something I have always done whenever I’m not conciously thinking (worrying) about anything else.
I’m looking forward to reading through your older posts and stories, although I hope you’ll forgive me for the fact I’ll probably never come out of my corner long enough to comment again. I just wanted to say though that you write in a very engaging fashion and it is nice to think I am perhaps not as alone in the way I feel – about life and about writing – as I had previously thought.
Good luck with your OU, writing, and everything else.
Michaela
What a lovely lovely comment, Michaela. I am in the middle of writing a short story right now but I just had to stop and respond. I hope you do come back and read this. I wonder, do you share your writing anywhere at all, and if you feel like contributing to FridayFlash or some other short story place? I don’t think we all need to strive to be published in this crazy modern world of continually seeking public recognition for everything we are remotely good at but knowing that someone, somewhere will read what we have written is a lovely feeling. Do we follow each other on Twitter? If not, we should. Sorry to be brief – I’m only half in the real world at the moment! Thank you for your kind words. Rachel x
Thank you for the lovely reply, Rachel
I’m afraid I’m not on Twitter since I can’t imagine anyone being *that* interested in what I get up to on a daily basis! Also I’m still quite confused by it if I’m honest so I tend to just end up there if someone I know of – like Michael Jecks – has a page and I’ll end up reading a few posts before it starts to not make sense anymore.
I quite agree that in this day and age people are a little too concerned with receiving public recognition for anything and everything. I must confess though to harbouring a secret desire to be a published author if only for the fact I could legitimately say ‘I am a writer’ and – silly as this sounds – for my characters to be known (and hopefully loved) by other people. Then again even if by some miracle that did happen I’d no doubt be completely crushed by the inevitable first person who either hated my writing, or the characters, or both. I don’t know how actors or published authors deal with critical reviews and comments, I really don’t. Other than probably not reading them.
I did venture so far as to ‘publish’ my fanfiction stories online and that does allow people to leave comments. I was lucky really and for the most part the feedback I had was quite polite and nice. It’s all done under pen-names though so at least I had a certain degree of anonimity still.
As far as FlashFiction if you’ll pardon my ignorance, is that short stories? Only if there is one thing I know for certain I am it is verbose so I very much doubt I could manage to come up with an idea for something less than Lord-of-the-Rings-length on any given subject!
Anyway, forgive me, I’ve rather rambled on again. Once again it was very kind of you to reply and I really am looking forward to reading your posts (and not just because I should be working
)
Take care.
Michaela