I’m back! I’m sorry that I had to miss June altogether, and that you are once again getting two months run together, but Lloyd and Hill No. 13 proved to be a tad difficult to write. And I am one of those authors who can’t show anyone so much as a line of a work in progress, so when I was getting towards the end and I knew that it wasn’t working, I had to sort it all out for myself. Other writers can happily show the manuscript to their agent or editor or a friend, and get a different perspective on the problem, but I just can’t. However, it’s done now – two copies are being printed out even as I write, and will be on their way to my very patient publishers very soon. And since it’s now the third week in July, I thought I ought to let this run through August.

But from September, I believe that I will be able to update the site every month, and I hope to make good my promise to offer a (very) slightly different top prize in the competition. I intend having a first and second prize, and then three runners-up prizes, so I hope you approve. Let me know if you don’t. And do tell me if there’s anything you’d like to see on the site that isn’t here already, and I’ll certainly do my best.

I’m also hoping to add to the biographical page – not with anything fearfully exciting that’s happened since I wrote it, because nothing fearfully exciting has happened as far as I can recall – but expanding a little on what’s already there. So if you want me to tell you anything in particular about my life and times, drop me an e-mail.

I am interrupting this newsletter to tell you that if I get just one more message saying ‘There is an error writing to Brother HL-1240: printer is not ready’ while it is quite evidently and happily in the act of printing, I’ll scream. And while I’m on the subject – my printer is doing something else mysterious which I’d like to share with you in case anyone out there can tell me what to do about it. A dark vertical line appears down the side of the page, about an inch in from the right-hand edge. When it first appeared, I cleaned the scanner window and the corona wire as instructed, and it went away. Next time it appeared, I did the same thing, and it went away again, only this time it came back after I’d printed out about a hundred pages, and now no amount of cleaning will remove it. If anyone can help, I’ll be very grateful!

Now – what was I saying? Oh, yes – updating the site. I also hope at some point to have individual pages for the books, with a synopsis, and perhaps something about the writing of them. Again – if you have any questions about the books, send them in.

Of course, you might be saying that it’s all very well asking you to write, but you wrote six weeks ago and have never had a reply. You might have received a frantic e-mail saying that I would reply, or you might not have had even that. But if you wrote, I will reply. In fact – I’ve written a song about it:

Once I was quite cool, I was organised
But that was long before I knew the book must be revised
And then I spent so many nights wrestling with the point of view
It was overdue, and I knew what I had to do

And so I worked both night and day
To try to tell the story right so I might start to earn my pay
I should have changed that stupid plot, I should have made it half as long
If I’d have known for just one second it was going to turn out wrong

But go, girl go! Begin again!
Just turn it round, now, you make your living by your pen
Aren’t you the one that people write to for advice?
Are you going to fail them? Are you going to make them ask you twice?

Oh no, not I! I will reply
As long as I still have your e-mails, I will answer by and by
I’ve got the book under control,
And now your e-mails are my goal, and I’ll reply!
I will reply!

It took all the strength I had to sort out what was wrong
Kept trying hard to mend the problem with my denouement
And I spent oh, so many nights just feeling sorry for myself
It made me scream, but now it all seems like a dream

’Cos now I’m free! I’m off the hook!
I’m not that desperate little author trying hard to fix her book
So if you’re feeling slightly miffed because your query was ignored
Don’t think I’m blasé – and please don’t ever think I’m bored

Oh, no not I! I will reply!
I really like to get your e-mails even if you just say hi,
And now the book’s at last on track,
I’ve got time to write you back, and I’ll reply!
I will reply!

Love,
Jill

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