24 January 2014

The Life of an Author by Jackie Buckle!

A few weeks ago, Curious Fox sent me a copy of the book Half my Facebook Friends are Ferrets for review so I got into touch with the author to see if she would be interested in collaborating and she said yes! As Facebook Ferrets is written in diary entries, I asked her to write a morning in the life of an author and here is what she wrote, enjoy.

Saturday 11th January 9.30am- Coffee Shop
Today I am being a proper author! I have come into town early so I can nab a quiet table in my local coffee shop. I have a medium latte and a wedge of millionaire’s shortbread to keep me going. I am feeling guilty about the shortbread as I only had breakfast about half an hour ago. I’ll have to make it last.
I open up my laptop, begin to type and realise that the table I’ve chosen is a bit rickety. I debate moving to another but the other tables aren’t in as good a place. Besides, I bet J.K. Rowling didn’t let rickety tables put her off when she was writing the first ever Harry Potter in her local cafe. When you are totally focussed, rickety tables do not matter. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and focus, zen-like, on my writing.

9.40am
I eat the last bit of shortbread. How can anyone concentrate with a piece of chocolate, caramel shortbread next to them? It’s not possible. Anyway, now I can knuckle down to my writing.

9.50am
I’m having a bit of trouble thinking of things to write. No problem, I’m sure something will come to me. I mustn’t panic...

9.52am 
I start to panic! The problem is I only have this morning off so I have to make the most of this time. I must think of something to write quick or I’ll have wasted the whole morning!

10.00am
I buy another coffee. Coffee helps me think.

10.10am
The coffee shop is getting busy now. There are lots of people with toddlers and babies. There is a large group of women who have very loud voices and even louder laughs. “Hey, this is a cafe not a nightclub!” I feel like saying but instead I show my disapproval by looking slightly annoyed in their direction. They are too busy screaming with laughter to notice.
One of the toddlers has a tantrum. “If you don’t stop yelling, we’re leaving!” yells his mum.
“I want sugar,” says the toddler. “NOW!”
“Don’t YELL at me!” yells his mum.
Hmm...

10.30am
The coffee shop is heaving now and people are staring at me as I am taking up a table and my latte mug is clearly empty. I smile my best smile at everyone and go buy another.

11.00am
I’m feeling a bit weird and on edge - possibly due to the three coffees I’ve drunk. Also, the fact that I CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING TO WRITE! isn’t helping.

11.15am
I pack up my laptop and leave the cafe. In the last one and three quarter hours I have written just one word and that was “Aaaargh!”
Feeling fed up, I start walking through the Park to my home. I think about the group of noisy women. I guess they must have been celebrating something. I wonder what it was? And that mum with her toddler - why was he so upset? Was he a sugar addict? (If so, I can sympathise!) and why was his mum so quick to lose her temper? Maybe she’d had some bad news and was coming out for a coffee to cheer herself up.
Hmm, lots of thoughts are rushing through my head.
I find a slightly damp bench in the park, open up my laptop and start typing away like crazy!

Wasn't this great? Thank you to Jackie for writing this for me, go give here some love on the links below! 

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