One Day til Wisdom...

Happy birthday eve to me! 

Yes, you find me busily preparing for my special day, hell bent on twenty-four hours of raucous hedonism. And what shape will that raucous hedonism take? Well, I'm going to have a bath, go out for lunch, and then drink a couple of gentle afternoon pints. I know! The debauchery!

The real gay abandon will be happening tomorrow evening. I'll be back home in my Pjs - natch - but I've got a once-in-a-year tea planned. My brother's flat mate put me on to it. Ready? You get a plain crisp, add a blob of sour cream, and top it with a spoon of caviar. Ta-da! How fancy does that sound? I've also got a bottle of champagne ready to go. Forty-eight, baby! Not everyone makes it this far. If I want caviar on crisps, I'm pretty sure it's exactly what I should have. Just for one day, like.  

 

Writing News

Series Two of the podcast, Lights, Camera, Aggro is ready to drop. On Wednesday the first episode will be available on YouTube. Remember the format? Me and my mate have very different taste in films. We take it in turns to make each other watch a long-held fave, and see how it goes down. On Wednesday, you can hear my first impressions of the absolute classic (that I'd never before felt the need to watch) Star Wars. If that floats your boat, check out the channel here. (FYI, Series 2's sound quality is much improved.)

Culture

I've just started reading Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's book, All the President's Men. I've seen the film many times, but it's still keeping my interest. I was in the mood for reading about political accountability. Can't think why.

Talking of political thriller vibes, I'm in the middle of a cracking TV series. Does anyone remember State of Play? It was a BBC series from 2003 (there was a film made with the same name.) It's got David Morrissey, John Sim, Kelly McDonald, Polly Walker, and Bill Nighy - big hitters and all brilliant. It's a fictional tale of journalism, police, and politicians being embroiled in... something. Not sure yet. I've got three episodes to go and I can't wait.

Food and Drink

It's the calm before the storm. I live with one other person, and we both celebrate birthdays in the same week. Aside from the injustice of having diluted attention on my special day, it means the fridge is rammed with cakes and booze for weeks. With that in mind, I've been eating home made hummus and veggies in the down time before the madness. It's all about the balance.

Out and About

I had a night out in Manchester on Friday. It was excellent! Because I'm the best big sister in the world, my brother took me out for tapas. (By making that sound vague, it simply comes across as a nice gesture from one sibling to the other. Not so. The tapas was in lieu of petrol money for the many lifts I've given him when he's been home for Everton matches. Let's be clear about that.) Anyway, I love a bit of city centre boozing and much fun was had by all.

Next time this blog drops, I'll be a whole year older. I imagine that'll be evident with whatever I write. The wisdom will simply ooze from my words. Hope to see you there, if you can even stand it.

Have a lovely week, folks.

A Pastry Break Amid the Chaos...

Oh March, you absolute mofo!

Every year it's the same. March is the BUSIEST month. I've just totted it up and there are eight birthdays; birthdays of people I know well enough to send a card and present. Then there are the nights out and catch ups. On top of that, we've had Mother's Day that involved making the post. Plus, what with Easter being early this year (April 5th) there's a bit of prep needed for that too. Finally, and most importantly, it's MY birthday. Hello forty-eight! March is INTENSE.

The thing is, I love it. I like having plans and seeing different people. I like being busy - especially after the cosy hibernation of the new year. This is the time when, having emerged from the Jan/Feb chrysalis, my beautiful butterfly can soar. It just takes organisation. I've currently got March's calendar saved on my desktop. It tells me when I need to have posted cards, when I can fit in time to shop, and when I'm eating out and where. Right now, we're half way through the month and I'm on track so far. Fingers crossed it lasts.

Leeza McAuliffe

Writing News

Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out is complete. I think. The only thing that could change it, is my sister. She was mad busy at the point when I needed beta readers. Now the Easter holidays are imminent, she's got time and is keen to read. I should tell her, 'Nah, it's all done, but thanks anyway,' but the thing is, she's got eyes like a hawk. If there are any remaining typos, missed apostrophes, or general inappropriateness, she'll spot them in an instant. My final draft is locked in, saved as a PDF, and ready to upload. But while I'm waiting for the front cover to be complete, I'll give my sister time to do her thing.

Culture

On Saturday I was at the Royal Albert Hall. Get me! I know what the Royal Albert Hall is because of the Last Night of the Proms. And I know what the Last Night of the Proms is because when I was a kid, I'd get a knitting needle from the bits and bobs drawer and pretend to be the conductor when the orchestra played Rule Britannia. On Saturday night, there wasn't a union jack or string section to be seen on. Nope, it was a live recording of the podcast Off Menu. Loads of laughs, and fab to see Ed Gamble and James Acaster interview Kiell Smith Byone.

Meanwhile, I'm quietly smug about my 2026 reading habit. I'm still averaging a book a week, still trying not to be competitive about it, and still enjoying filling my head with words. I've just read Nick Hornby's Juliet, Naked, and I'm about to reread Camp by LC Rosen.

Who says the perfect gif doesn't exist?

Food and Drink

Despite what I said at the top of the blog, I had two very lazy days in the week. Due to the convergence of my period along with being home alone, there was a chunk of last week that could be poetically entitled 'Wallowing in Pastry.' I couldn't be faffed to cook, didn't have the energy to do much more than read/type in bed, and so any food items needed to be handheld and cold. In related news, aren't almond croissants lovely?* I saw off more than a couple last week and they hit the spot perfectly. Now? I'm cooking for two (not pregnant - just no longer home alone) and I'm post-menstrual. It's back to the veg and the balance of it all.

James, Kiell, and Ed at the ROH

Out and About

Yep, I had my second London jaunt within a month. It's just the way it worked out - defo not the norm. Two weeks ago I was catching up with Uni mates and this time I was catching up with my podcast friends. (Ed and James, right?) Beyond that, I had a lovely potter around Highgate Cemetery - it's the most calming place to visit - and ate a fit Sunday roast. Back in Merseyside for the foreseeable now.

Did you have a good International Women's Day? A happy Mother's Day? Have you enjoyed yourself lately? What with my busy-ness, it's easy to forget to enjoy it too. Let's all stop, take a moment to clock the fun, and then keep on having it,
yeah? Yeah.

Have a lovely week, folks.

*I'm now questioning whether croissants are pastry and I don't think they are. They're bready, aren't they? But the flakiness? Bread doesn't do that! Someone check with Mary Berry and get back to me.

Reinventing Spring Cleaning...

Hello March, you beautiful beast! Encourager of daffodils, home to a clock change, month of my birth; in the words of Delia Smith, let's be avin' you.

March is often when the freezing drizzle of winter gets kicked into touch. Shoots emerge from the soil and fresh air and vitamin D perk everyone up. It's also the time when people feel the need to spring clean. They deep clean their house from top to bottom rather than relying on a quick spray of bleach and once round with the hoover. Spring cleaning is definitely a thing. 

It's not, however, something that features in my own life. I don't care enough. A quick spray of bleach and once round with the hoover is more than enough for me. (If that.) In this precious life of finite time, I refuse to waste one second pulling out the contents of drawers and wiping down surfaces that don't get seen. I respect myself too much. Fair play if a deep clean is your bag. Knock yourself out. I just don't feel the need for it in my own life.

That doesn't mean the seasonal change passes me by. Oh no. Spring cleaning as a term can be utilised in all sorts of ways. Forget your cupboards and shelves. Forget cleaning your windows and laundering every bit of bed linen. MY version of a spring clean presents itself in others ways. In no particular order, here they are.

Clean up the Planner

On my TV, under RECORDINGS, there's a mish-mash of content. Some series-linked TV shows with multiple seasons, some one-offs and specials, and some bought content from the Sky Store. I hate how disorganised it is. There should be an option to organise it into files like a desktop but there's not. Instead, I can delete. Delete the stuff I've watched. Delete the stuff I recorded at Christmas that I've not bothered with yet. And delete the build up of series-linked TV. TOTP2 is my personal nemesis. There's loads of them and they build up quickly. Instead of mopping my kitchen floor, cleaning up my planner can bring me joy.

Get a Haircut

I've been meaning to get a haircut since October. Life's been busy and it's just not happened. That's meant that the back of my hair has been the longest it's ever been (down to my bra!) and I've resorted to trimming the front with nail scissors. That ends now. In the fields, sheep are being sheared (probably) and in my own home via my mobile hair stylist, my hair has been cut. It feels great. A literal weight has been lifted. And for those of you who've never had the pleasure, let me tell you. The first time you wash your hair after having a load of it chopped off, is the absolute best. So quick! So easy to rinse! Happy spring!

Charity Bag the Lot

Yes, you could definitely eBay that pile of clothes you've allowed to build up. So go on then, eBay them. Or, if you're like me, accept the truth. You're never going to be arsed to take the photos, post the info, and answer questions from randoms about how many centimetres wide the £10 top that you're selling for £2.50 measures from armpit to armpit. Bung it in a charity bag and be done. Last week, I got rid of four bin bags that have been sitting in my bedroom for months. A charity benefits and I have more space. Plus, now's the time to have a look on Vinted for a whole new spring wardrobe. Fun.

Unsubscribe 

I bought a White Fox hoody for my niece in Christmas 2024. I'd never heard of the brand before and I've never bought anything since. However, for a good six months afterwards, they were kind enough to email me every morning to let me know they had other products to sell. They are not alone. I reckon I spend my first ten minutes of every morning deleting the email spam that's been sent overnight. Recently, I made a decision. I spent a similar amount of time scrolling to the bottom of each unwanted email and simply clicked the unsubscribe button. Genius, right? It felt far more satisfying than scrubbing burnt cheese off baking trays (insert more accurate spring cleaning chore here. I'm running out of ideas.)

Make a Change

It's been eleven years since my last tattoo. I have four, they're not all small, but they're discrete. With the new book coming soon and the gust of fresh spring air about the place, my tattoo tingles have started up again. Right now, I'm working it around my head. I've got ideas and I know where I'm going to get it done, but the final details are still to iron out. A change is as good as a rest, or something. Sod your dusting, polishing, and ironing, and get a tat instead!

Look, it's not up to me to dictate how you spend your time. You want to scrub, buff, and wipe? Be my guest. For me, however, I'm spring cleaning in my own way. Along with lovely walks, reading more than ever, and knowing the book I've worked on for two years is on its way, I'm cleaning out the old and ushering in the new. I just don't need to be wearing Marigold gloves as I do it.

Have a lovely week, folks.

Time Will Tell...

Greetings from the past! I'm writing this last Thursday, four whole days before it's available for your reading pleasure. How've you been?

Usually I'm much more up-to-date. I write this blog over the weekend before posting it on Monday. However this weekend - the one I'm about to have and the one you've just finished - is choc full of plans. I won't be able to write about the week just gone in time for the Monday deadline. That means I'm sitting here on Thursday morning, still living your last week and with no clue how it'll pan out. I don't know, for example, who won the Gorton and Denton by-election, I don't know how Connor Storrie did on SNL, and I have no idea how my Uni mates catch-up went on Saturday night. 

Actually, you know what? I know exactly how that went. Thirty years ago I met two guys in my first days in Northampton who became my pals. We're crap at keeping in touch but when we finally get our shit together (every couple of years or so) it's the best. I know now, days before it starts, that I had a blast last weekend.

Leeza McAuliffe

Writing News

My ego was thoroughly nourished this week. I had tea with my goddaughter who had received a typo-riddled advanced copy of the new book from me for Christmas. To my absolute delight, she was keen to talk about it at length. The actual thrill of it! We chatted about the plot, the characters, and I bounced ideas off her about the next book's direction. All in all, I had the best conversation whilst struggling to hide my overwhelmingly smug pride. 

Culture

I'm on a reading high right now. Since January started, I've had a book on the go consistently. This is marvellous. When I'm writing my own drafts, I tend to avoid immersing myself in other people's words. When I'm mostly done, I can return to the comfort of curling up with a novel. 

Right now, I'm reading Hamnet - which is beautiful but I know where it's going (I should've read it before the film) and I'm reading Rocket to the Past: Rainhill which is properly grippy but I've no idea where it's going. That's a real thrill right there. I'm half way through and I can't wait to box off today's jobs to get back to the story and find out. Also, in keeping with the theme of this post, time travel plays a significant part of the story. Boss. The joy of letting someone else think of the stories, can't be underestimated. Aren't books great?!

If I eat a load of
shite then early
morning walks
feel like wading
through treacle.
Am I entering my
salad era?

Food and Drink

Tomorrow night (that's last Friday to you) I'm going out with friends for a birthday meal at Botanico in Woolton. Here's the thing. I've already looked at the menu. Right now, I'm planning to order the halloumi and beetroot salad. It sounds gorge as well as being reasonably healthy. I'm at the point in life where if I eat a load of shite, I find that it makes me feel - you guessed it - a load of shite. Obviously time will tell if I stick to my plan. The four cheese gnocchi, also featured on the menu, might tempt me with its wily ways.

Out and About

By the time you read this, I'll have had a weekend in London. When I was at Uni, it took an age to get from Liverpool to London. These days it's two hours. How fab is that? Two hours away from meeting up with friends, having lovely food and drink, all soundtracked by a shit tonne of laughs. Even though it's not happened yet, I know it was brilliant.

Have a lovely week, folks.

Who AM I?

Brace yourselves but I did something spontaneous. Woohoo! Mere weeks after reflecting on my need for thinking time and build up, I made a quick decision. 

Steady now

Last Monday, I looked at my diary for the week ahead and saw it was empty. I'm currently waiting for people to get back to me, so book wise, I'm in limbo. Plus, it was half term and my sisters with kids were all over the family WhatsApp doing stuff. I wanted to do stuff too. What about me?! Wha wha wha, boo hoo!

Fast forward to a couple of days later and I arrived at one of my happy places. I hit Aberystwyth for a few days of bleakly beautiful beachy fun and had a marvellous time. Who am I?

Is there a lesson to learn here? In hindsight, I don't think so. This isn't the start of a whole new me. A me that throws a bag into the boot and heads off on adventures willy nilly. Nah, it's not that simple. But, if in the future, the serendipitous event of cancelled plans, waiting on book stuff, the good time in my menstrual cycle, and spare rooms in affordable accommodation simultaneously occur once again, I'll happily consider another last minute break.

Writing News

Something fab happened. My sister-in-law sent me a photo. She'd taken it in her local book swap shop - about half an hour away from where I live. I've added it here to see if you can spot it. Can you? Can you SEE? Among all the other books on the shelf was my very first novel. Carry the Beautiful had been spotted IN THE WILD.

I loved seeing that photo. It's rare that I hear of anyone reading/buying the book that isn't directly linked to me. Family, friends, and friends of friends is as far a reach as I know. But now, in a place I don't live, there's a copy of my book on a shelf that has the potential to be picked up by anyone. EXCITING.

The fictional hockey players 
who made me watch the real ones.

Culture

It was always going to happen. You can't devour Heated Rivalry - the Queer love story set in the world of ice hockey - without actually giving a shit about the subsequent Winter Olympic ice hockey being broadcast a few weeks later. 

1984 - the last time I remember
caring about winter sports.

For many people, this wouldn't be weird. Many people actively look forward to the Olympics - winter AND summer - and wouldn't see anything odd about my interest in it. I am not many people. You see, I hate the Olympics. Sorry (genuinely! Sorry to the people who love it and are gutted it's over ) but I find wall to wall coverage of sports I don't know, dull. Yeah, I said it. I never bother with any of it, and apart from happy childhood memories of Torvill and Dean (we all recreated Bolero in our ballet leotards, right) I've never bothered since. 

Until now. Every day I've found myself checking the schedules for the ice hockey, pressing the red button, and getting thoroughly behind Team Canada. I've read the rules, followed the NHL on Insta, and can recognise and name at least four whole players. I know what a power play is, that the goalie is called the goaltender, and that a clean sheet is called a shutout. Once again, who am I? 2026 has ushered in a whole new me! Yesterday's final between Canada and USA was a real nailbiter. Commiserations to Canada, who were pipped by the USA in overtime. You were an absolute pleasure to watch.

Food and Drink

It's unfortunate when your favourite tapas place is a three hour drive from your home but this is something I live with daily. 

Ultracomida is a deli in Aber with a little restaurant at the back. It's cosy but chatty, and serves beautiful food and the best wine. I manage to visit maybe once a year. What's great is that, despite the student nature of the workforce with staff changing with every visit, everyone knows their stuff. They're knowledgeable about wine, can make decent recommendations, and the occasionally changing menu is always delicious. Anyway, I had a lovely meal and I'll be back next time.

Bracing!

Out and About 

While I was away, I did a couple of seafront walks. The weather is what can only be described as bracing. I also spent a happy afternoon in the Pier Amusements playing shuffleboard. I lost, natch, but enjoyed playing a game where energetic movement is not required. (I enjoy darts and archery for the same reason.) 

This week, my diary is not empty. I've got stuff to do and can hopefully move forward with the book. Do you remember the title? Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out. Say it. Roll it over your tongue. Now commit it to memory. Soon, I'll be asking you to pre-order it and I don't want it to be a surprise when that happens. 

Have a lovely week, folks.

Branch Out With Me...

Welcome to February's Long Ramble! Yes, we're ditching the weekly update format and getting in deep. Do you think you can cope? It's gonna be INTENSE.

You see, lovely Readers, the time has come. After months of chewing it over, of second guessing myself, and market researching the whole thing, I've done it. I've finally come up with the goods. My new book has a title!

Book 1

You may have heard me mention this before. Writing the book is the easy part; coming up with the title is a nightmare. My first ideas are never right. They might get used - for months - as the file name on the draft but they never make it to the front cover. Isn't it interesting? My first thoughts are always wrong. There's a life lesson in that. Except I also think that 'trust your gut' is the best advice for any situation so what do I know? I'm a complicated woman.

  Book 2

For nerds who want the full picture, check out the blogs below*. Each time I've written a book, I've written about the naming process. It's never easy. There are lists, there are multiple stupid ideas, and many Google searches for synonyms of words that mean what I want but don't sound right. Anything to try and nail the concept. It's so hard. 

Some people have the natural ability of wordplay. They delight in the fun of the pithy, the snap of a zinger, the punch of the perfect caption. I love that for them. It's just not me. I'm all about the sentences and the paragraphs. I like to build up layers and create effects over time. To try and distill the essence of 60,000 words into one short phrase is challenging to say the least.

Book 3

You may remember, I talked to my friends about it. There was a week last year when I saw three separate groups of mates a few days apart. (A social whirl!) I happened to tell each friendship group that I was struggling with the title and in each case, the people rallied round. Suggestions got shouted out willy nilly and two separate friends continued to message me ideas the next day. What a bit of luck that was. Because that's when it happened, you see. That's when I got my title.

So, let me tell you what I told my mates. They hadn't read the book so needed a bit of context to get in the zone. I explained that in the new story, Leeza McAuliffe is beginning to experience life. She has her first holiday abroad, her first crush, and she finds out there are some family secrets to investigate.  She has questions about her family tree and its gaps and empty branches. All of this is done with her best friend Jake by her side. 

Book 4

That's the vague blurb. Not the actual blurb of course, because that's another bit of pithy writing that I'm still working on. Anyway, that's what my friends were told last year. And now this is where I need to credit the woman who finally nailed it. Thank you to Clair! Primary teacher extraordinaire, mother of teens, and absolutely riddled with common sense and clarity. She messaged the day after our mates' gathering to add more ideas to the mix and one of them was...

Drum roll, please...

MORE DRUMS... Please, do build the tension in your head...

Ready? OK, the new title of the next Leeza McAuliffe book is...

LEEZA MCAULIFFE IS BRANCHING OUT

That's it. That's the title. What do you think? Pithy? Does it roll off the tongue? Are you IN? 

It felt important to step away from the Leeza McAuliffe Has Something/Loads More to Say format. If this series is going to progress, I don't want to be constrained by the title structure. I needed to branch out. (See what I did there!) There's also the nice double meaning. Leeza has empty branches on her family tree and wants to know who should be there. She's also pushing herself to branch out of her comfort zone. Isn't Clair clever! Three cheers for Clair! (No really, I'm not being flippant. I mean it. She totally did me a solid.)

I also wasn't being flippant when I said that writing the book was easy. It's the easiest part of the process. The stuff now - BIC codes, Neilsen registration, the eventual marketing when I have a publishing date - is well out of my comfort zone. But as we know, my first ideas are always wrong. I'm going to ignore those thoughts and go with my gut. Because my gut says that I've done this before so I can do it again. My gut needs listening to. And with that thought firmly in mind, I'm going to get some toast. 

Have a lovely week, folks.

*Here are the blogs that announce the previous four book titles. Enjoy!

Carry the Beautiful

Leeza McAuliffe Has Something To Say

Assembling the Wingpeople

Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More To Say

Hello Perkiness, My Old Friend...

I've got it! After weeks of quiet, cosy, indoor living, I've finally found a spring in my step. February has arrived, and with it, my desire to be... well to BE. There's a big world out there and I want to be a part of it. Exciting times!

So how did this perky new vibe manifest itself last week? Well, read on. At first, it might seem there's not much difference from previous weeks. That's OK. I don't want to frighten the horses. Just know that as you catch up on my writing news and the rest of it, I'm simply brimming with energy!

Book 1.
Book 3 is almost here.

Writing 

The final piece of feedback has arrived, tweaks have been made, and so the new Leeza McAuliffe book is done. I say done, and I mostly mean it, but I've still got to do the final read through. That means printing it off, dragging a ruler under every single line, and reading the whole thing aloud. It's the surest way to catch every mistake or spacing error. It also takes ages and is as finicky and precise as a bomb disposal expert. (I'm guessing!) That's the job for this week. In related news, I've seen the initial sketches for the front cover and I'm THRILLED. More soon.

Culture

I'm pausing my devourment of the Game Changers ice hockey series to read Hamnet. Yep, after raving about the film, a friend has lent me the book. This means I now feel obliged to read it ASAP, before it sits on my coffee table for months and I forget it's not an ornament. (This has been the way with many loaned books before it. At some point, my partner will silently move them to the bookshelf and I forget that they weren't mine to begin with.) So, onwards with Hamnet. I cannot inadvertently steal another one. 

SIX - utter joy!

Then on Wednesday, I saw the musical, SIX. What a riot! I loved it. Historically fascinating but with banging tunes. I walked out of the theatre FULL of beans. In other news, I've been watching films for series two of the our podcast, Lights, Camera, Aggro. This week I had the absolute chore of rewatching Before Sunrise. Ha, JOKING. My actual goddamn heart. Sigh.

Food and Drink

We know by now I'm not a food photographer, yeah? Good, just checking. Anyway, a few weeks ago, Angela Hartnett cooked Tim Key a meal on her podcast Dish. I copied/adapted that meal and I present it to you now. Sausages and apple, served over mash with cavolo nero. The recipe is via the link but my version had half stock, half Guinness. Either way, fit!

Out and About

I've found a new podcast. Sentimental Garbage was recommended by Rach who does my nails, and it's RIGHT up my street. Each episode deals with a different cultural/creative phenomenon, from Sex and the City to Little Women, to Nora Ephron... there's something for everyone. But why is this being shared in the Out and About section, Nicky? I hear no one shout. Well, it's the reason I've been out for a bunch of walks recently. Knowing I have the next episode to plug into my ears, has made striding down Crosby seafront so much more palatable. Fresh air and cultural commentary - a winning combo that fills me with all the good vibes. Aren't I lucky.

It's a chicken and egg situation. Am I perky because I've been out more this week, or have I been out more this week because I'm perky? In the end, it doesn't matter. The older I get, the more I love the seasonal fluctuations of my mood. January is for chilling and cosying up, February is for poking my head out of the covers and emerging. I hope your own rhythms are as reliable and reassuring, whatever they may be.

Have a lovely week, folks.