Bigger and bolder than before!

This year our film festivals are bigger and better than ever. Stratford on Avon Film Festival now has an evening awards ceremony with buffet and free drink from the bar for an incredible £22.

Not to be outdone, Birmingham Horror Film Festival now boasts a horror convention alongside the film festival and has even more news to come.

There is still time to submit films to both festivals and for traders to book the last few remaining tables - but be quick!

Hello again!

I have been extremely busy editing today. In fact I have edited so much, I have already had about fourteen cups of coffee and four squares of chocolate and it's not even lunch time!

[And ok I know the chocolate does not help the editing process in any way but let's just pretend!:)]

I thought I should have a break before my head exploded and I was going to use this time to take the dogs for a walk but then I decided to update you a little instead...so where should I start?

Quite a lot has happened recently. I have been approached by a very new publishing company who are interested in one of my children's stories. Since this still requires extensive editing [what MORE editing?] I have shelved the project for a few weeks whilst I get on with what I need to do first of all, which is get the current book I have been working on up to a certain standard.

But what I really want to tell you about is yesterday, when I conducted my author talk at the Women's Institute.

I had never been to a WI meeting before and felt strangely excited at the prospect. The WI holds a strange fascination - images of a secret ceremony reminiscent of the Mason's was almost what I expected, symbolic vestments and ritualistic handshakes what I was on the look-out for and animal-sacrifice what I almost feared!

Instead of any of those things I found a group of exceptionally pleasant and welcoming ladies, who discussed events with the easy familiarity of  long-held friendships.

A slightly older audience than I am used to, they were nonetheless attentive and interested with a notable exception. One elderly lady, well into her late-eighties either fell sound asleep during my discourse or actually died. It was a toss up between the two as to which was the most likely outcome.

Now I am not known for my boredom factor, so I surmised that this narcolepsy must have been due to the lady's age rather than the sound of my dulcet tones, however it did make me start when I looked up from reading my book excerpt to find her with her head rolled forward onto her chest and looking as pale as parchment.

"Oh God, someone get a mirror and let's check if she is breathing!" I wanted to shout but casting my gaze around I found that I was the only one who was wide eyed with panic...clearly this was not a one-off event.

I struggled to continue the reading, worried about the welfare of my elderly listener. So when another of the ladies drifted off, I knew I was done for! I kept my eyes on the page and stifled the giggles that threatened to well up in me.

I think it was only the applause at the end which roused them [or perhaps the vibrations restarted their hearts, who knows?]

But even so they were a truly wonderful group of women and if I ever get to their advanced age, I hope someone lets me nap when I am tired :)

I know the rest of the group enjoyed the talk immensely and I even gave them an extra laugh at the end of the session, when leaving my car in their car park, I popped over to the supermarket a few minutes away and then had to return to the car with two heavy shopping bags in tow, wearing a white summer dress in the sudden torrential downpour.

They drove past me out of the car park, literally rolling in their seats at the sight of the stupid, never-quite-in-the-real-world author with her hair plastered to her scalp and her dress stuck to her skin...

And as for the two old ladies who fell asleep? Well I will forever remain in their memories as that young author with the relaxing voice...

Happy Reading. :)

I conducted a second book signing and book talk/reading last night at Bleakhouse Library and had a wonderful time yet again.


It's always lovely to speak to a receptive audience and the folk who turned out to see me last night were both welcoming and interesting. I talked about my series of books The Owners and also about my novel Split Decisions, which is just starting on the editing process. In return I was asked lots of questions about the development of the plot within The Owners and my writing in general.


But what struck me most was how enthusiastic the audience were. As a writer it is easy to get caught up with the characters and plots of your own fabrication but it is quite another to see it in a reader.


I hope that the audience enjoyed it as much as I did!


I am returning to Bleakhouse on the 4th of April as I have been invited to deliver a prize to a winner of a school/library literacy competition. Again I will be talking about writing and available for book signings.


How I love my job! :)

Sorry!

Sorry readers...I feel I have neglected you a little but I have been so busy writing Volume VI and taking bookings for my talks/ creative writing sessions, that I have not had any time to blog!

In fact I have spent a large part of today booking in schools and exhibitions etc. who want me to conduct talks/ creative writing sessions and so on. So here is the schedule for the next couple of weeks.

I will be at a school in Sandwell doing author talks next week, followed by the Women of the Year Luncheon Awards on 11th October and I will also be holding talks about writing sci-fi and conducting writing workshops at Avoncroft Museum on November 16th.

In between these times I may be coming to a library or school near you...just when you thought you were safe...!

I hope to see you at one of these events. But if you can't make them you can still contact me at Carmen.capuano@ymail.com

Happy reading!

Carmen.

The Owners, Volume VI : Blood Sky

Now that she was approaching the crux of the matter, she didn’t really know where to begin. Here where she was at with her own personal knowledge? Or further back so that they could all get the wider picture.

This volume is flying along and I am already on chapter 7.

Don't forget you can find me at the Andromeda One sci-fi convention at The Custard Factory on Saturday, along with a whole host of other authors.

I will be selling my books at a discounted rate for the occasion and will sign them for you too!

Have a great weekend, whatever you are getting up to!

A real honour!

I have had a special invitation extended to me...I have been asked to conduct a book signing at the Women of Year Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel.

I am so thrilled and honoured to have been chosen, not least because I never put myself forward for this but was asked to be present.

Women from all over Britain will be attending and the A list status of the speakers alone, is enough to make your throat clench in excitement and anticipation!

And then there will be little 'ol me doing a book signing!

I'm sure the female readers amongst you can imagine what is going through my head, from what to wear to how many books to bring along. And this is on top of the sci-fi book signing I am attending next week!

It is brought a realisation to me however. We all have a tendency to think that what is currently going on in our lives is plain to see but the truth is so much deeper. Each of us is involved and intertwined  in infinitesimal ways with numerous other lives. So much so that we only ever see the very tip of the iceberg and that often just before we impact it.

I have learned that there is much going on behind the scenes that involves me but that I have yet to hear about and I believe that is a universal truth for all of us.

So if there is one thing that comes from all of this, it is that you don't know what lies ahead.

Just keep the faith. x