Wednesday, November 1

Five Things About Me

Nell has tagged me for a "Five Things You May Not Know About Me" list, which I will do a little lower down this post. In the meantime -- updates!

Haunted Hearts is selling well and is now available on Fictionwise, a superb site that I believe is the Internet's most comprehensive collection of popular fiction and non-fiction available in many different e-book formats. Their current Top Ten includes Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts and Lisey's Story by Stephen King. When I first heard the news that HH was up on Fictionwise and I logged on to have a look, I was surprised and thrilled to see it featured on the homepage only inches away from those two authors! :D

I've now completed my initial plans for my beach-themed novella, which will be part of a duet with Nell, due for release in May 2007 with Moonlit Romance. Writing in earnest will begin this week. I'm also hoping to start fleshing out plans for my "fax suspense" novella idea, as I'd like to have both of these projects finished by Christmas so I can get on with planning and writing my possible-mainstream idea, The Truck of Luck.

Don't forget -- the Spooky Contest Nell and I are running, with signed copies of Haunted Hearts and From Darkness: An Anthology among the prizes, is open until 25th November. If you'd like to enter, click here. Good luck!

Now, on to my "Five Things..." list:

1. I know a lot about cheese. I worked on a deli for about three and a half years while I was studying for my GCSEs and A-Levels, and can slice a turkey crown, peppered salami, and crumbed ham (the messiest), split a whole Edam, cut a wedge of Parmesan (the most rock-hard cheese in the world), and can usually tell the weight of a block of cheddar just by looking at it. I was also a bit of a dab hand at spit-roasting chickens, but I can't say I've done that since I left...

2. I once smacked Deal or No Deal host Noel Edmonds on the bottom. (Stop laughing at the back!) When I was about five he lived in a village not far from us and he frequently flew his helicopter around the area. One time I was at the park with my mum and she'd bought me a packet of crisps from the pub over the road. Noel landed his helicopter in the park and was talking to a few people. He said hello to me and asked for a crisp, to which I (apparently) responded with a firm 'no' and smacked him on the bum. Lovely!

3. My family name on my mother's side and its coat of arms is engraved on the outside of the Canongate Kirk, the parish church of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. An ancestor of mine, Thomas Moodie, was a local merchant and left some money to the disposal of the Crown, which King James VII ordered to be used to build the church. It was completed in 1690 and the initials of my ancestor and his coat of arms were engraved on the front of the church below the Royal Arms.

4. I was born on John Lennon's 40th, and what turned out to be his final, birthday.

5. I'm only 5 foot 1!

A note from Sharon, the creator of People Collection (which seems to have originated this "Five Things..." list), says:
PLEASE LEAVE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL ‘PEOPLE COLLECTION’ POSTS:

Remember that it isn’t always the sensational stuff that writers are looking for, it can just as easily be something that you take for granted like having raised twins or knowing how to grow beetroot. Mind you, if you know how to fly a helicopter or have worked as a film extra, do feel free to let the rest of us know about it! :)
I tag Phillipa and Fiona!


Just finished reading: Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

You must have been wearing heals at the summer party as I don't remember you being shorter than me!!!

You have a lot of writing planned for November!

Cheers,

Liz

Anonymous said...

Thanks Jess - off to fill in my five. :)

Jessica Raymond said...

Hi Liz -- Yes, I was wearing heels! ;)

Hi Pip -- Looking forward to reading your five :)

Jess x

Susan Rix said...

Hi Jess,

Stepping out of 'lurkdom' to say thanks for doing the five things people collection. LOL @ smacking Noel Edmonds!! :-D

As soon as my hubby finishes Haunted Hearts I'll be reading it - I can't wait!

Sue :-)

Jessica Raymond said...

Hi Sue -- I can't say I really remember the Noel Edmonds incident, but the story gets told once in a while so I know it well :)

Thanks for your comments on Haunted Hearts -- I hope both you and hubby enjoy it!

Jess x

Anonymous said...

Jess,

i am still waiting for your first page!!!!