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.

Overthink the Day...

This week I've been pondering delayed gratification. You too? No? Fair enough.

I'm not impulsive by nature. I like to ponder, plan, and then plan some more. People who make snap decisions terrify me. Well, let's be clear. If their behaviour doesn't affect me, then they're hugely impressive. They're grasping life and taking it by the scruff of the neck while I'm still weighing up the pros and cons. When their decisions DO affect me, however, then I'm not on board. I need to stew, to ruminate, and to wallow. Then I know I'm ready to act.

Eventually, after lots of thought, the pay off arrives. The decision is made, the action can happen, and the day can finally be seized. That's what I've been thinking about this week. Whether it's Writing News, the Culture section, or the research I'm doing in Out and About, the long game is how I like it. But read on, because in some areas, the delay is nearly over. It's almost time for some lovely gratification!

Book 2
Book 3 coming soon!

Writing News

It's almost seventeen months since the conception of the new Leeza McAuliffe book. It was August 2024 when I sat down with a notebook and spewed out random ideas for what might happen next. Time flies! Since then, there's been multiple drafts, a variety of beta readers, one editor, a sensitivity reader, and countless queries to my twelve year old niece about high school life. Despite the comings and goings, one thing remains. I love these characters. I love when other people love them. I can't wait to share them with the world and I'm hoping to do that soon.

I'm gearing up to leave
Luke's Diner. Wish me luck. 
 

Culture

On Friday night, my Gilmore Girls rewatch came to an end. Sob. What can I say, it'll be a massive wrench to leave these characters behind. I started in mid-November and with only a brief break for Christmas movies, I've watched every day. Thoughts and prayers as I say goodbye to the loveliest town with the quirkiest people. It's been a joy and I'm not ready for you to go.

In more Friday night news, it was announced that Catherine O'Hara had died. That someone so comedically cool could do something as mundane as die, is a real head-scratcher. I love her work and the fact it's there to be enjoyed forever, is the silver lining on a particularly crappy cloud. I often use Schitt's Creek gifs on this blog - they tend to provide something for every eventuality -  but they'll have an added layer of poignancy from now on.

And in even MORE Canadian news (Catherine O'Hara was Canadian, gang!) I'm racing through the Game Changers books series by Rachel Reid. Despite having watched the TV show first, they enlarge upon the characters so much that it's no bother to cover old ground. In fact, they're utterly addictive and have convinced me that I'm now an ice hockey expert. It's a funny old world.

Food and Drink

I've no sweet tooth and rarely bother with dessert but there are a couple of options that'll get ordered every time. Pistachio ice cream for one. There's never a time when I don't want to eat it. That's just how it goes. The other dessert I can't ignore is affogato. Cold ice cream, hot espresso, served with a shot of amaretto. Classy but easy peasy. It was the pudding for my Burns Night meal with the added Scottish short bread doing the cultural heavy lifting. It tasted fab and reminded me that coffee, amaretto, and ice cream are decent ingredients to have on hand.

Out and About

I visited my brother's new flat. In my capacity as furniture shifter, I got a sneak peak last week and it's lovely. It reminded me how much I enjoyed city centre living, how beautiful a skyline can be when filled with lights in the dark, and how soft low lighting can create the loveliest of ambiences. I'm now looking at my own lamps in exasperation. 

Aside from that, I finished booking my holiday. Later this year I'll be out and about for real. For now, I'm exploring Visit Canada sites and getting excited about knowing a new North American city. It seems consuming Canadian stories and thinking about Canadian comedy legends has been somewhat influential. 

Planning, pondering, weighing up options - the anticipation of a trip is the best. I've got months of overthinking to do. Months of learning about metro systems and train time tables, climate temperatures and hockey fixtures, places to eat and must see attractions. A late availability deal could never hope to compete with all that fun.

Whether you're seizing the day, or making notes about the day for when you're ready for that day to arrive, do whatever works for you. That's the most important thing, right?

Have a lovely week, folks.