December/January Wrap Up & February Forecast

Once again, I have returned after a long break and have some good and bad news to note. Obviously, I'm going to start with the bad in order to return with a happy note, but it does cast a melancholic note about the entirety of the month of February. Still, enjoy and make sure to follow me @MissaBooks as I update it regularly with new snippets of information as they occur.

On the agenda this December/January Wrap Up:

1: Cancellation of my writer's scholarship in Tasmania.

2: The planned impending release of 'Ice' and its cover.

3: Impending interview with ABC local radio.

4: Scone Advocate newspaper article - take two!

5: What I plan on doing in Tasmania.

6: Scrivener V.S. Microsoft Word: my thoughts on the use of the software.

7: Festival book stand proposal in Upper Hunter, June long weekend.
8: Courses: What I am and am not studying.
9: October in Scone: A writer's time.

Agenda 1: Cancellation of my writer's scholarship in Tasmania

As I said before, I'm getting the bad out of the way so the good can prevail.
I recently was notified by the site facilitator of my Tasmanian scholarship that it is cancelled due to his ill health. Unfortunately I'm quite disappointed as I was really looking forward to it, but I wish him well and he apologised in a personified email to each recipient. He also stated that if he is well enough next year, he will attempt to run the scholarship for this years' recipients, however, he isn't in a state for planning anything just yet. Get well soon!

Agenda 2: The planned impending release of 'Ice' and its cover.

As those of you who have been following me know, my plan is to release the first book of the Poseidon's Girls trilogy - 'Ice' - on Valentine's Day, 2014. This coincides with the day I hop on a plane still bound for Tasmania, using my own itinerary in order to enjoy my time with my Nan and Pop, travelling around visiting family and - hopefully - the Cadbury factory.
Anyway, the entire book is being planned for Valentine's Day as its release date as originally intended, and I've recently been in touch with a cover artist from California about her services. She is highly qualified, produces high-quality work, produces competitive rates and is quickly becoming a new figure in the world of writing. Not only am I really excited, but work on the design will commence within the next few days, and an official cover release is to occur soon!
'Ice' will be a free eBook download and become available approximately two weeks after its release at Hunt-A-Book Scone and immediately online at www.lulu.com for $26.99 A.U.D. In eBook format, it will be available firstly from Smashwords, followed by other retailers such as Barnes & Noble Online and the iBookstore.
A book release contest may be on the cards as well, so keep tuned on my blog, facebook (M.S. Watson Official) and @MissaBooks on twitter.

Agenda 3: Impending interview with ABC local radio.

The local ABC radio is planning to have an interview with me sometime. They're looking at sometime tomorrow morning, but I'm expecting a phone call from them in order to confirm that time.

Agenda 4: Scone Advocate newspaper article - take two!

On Australia Day I was selected as the recipient of the Creative Arts Excellence Award, a feat. that came with $1000 from the local council and a certificate. I was lucky - I was up against two other art students just in my school alone. There were students from other schools from the region who I was up against, and I am thrilled to be the recipient. I've been able to replace my old laptop with its thick black mark through the screen - highly annoying - and its need of a new battery.
In addition, the woman photographing the day also offered me another photo after the customary one in order to write an article about my selection into my Tasmanian writer's scholarship - something I noted in my speech upon receiving my award.

Agenda 5: What I plan on doing in Tasmania.

So, I don't really know what I am going to do now that I'm no longer going for my scholarship, but it's too late for me to pull out of the flight arrangements now. It'll be nice seeing as I get to visit family with Nan and Pop, and I'm planning on trying to visit the Cadbury factory and different places along the way to sell my books.

Agenda 6: Scrivener V.S. Microsoft Word: my thoughts on the use of the software.

As part of my completion of NaNoWriMo I was awarded Scrivener for half price. I love the collectivity of the software. Scrivener is easily available and at the fingertips, providing all your research, character information, chapters, etc. Your previous project automatically opens, saving you the time and hassle of trying to remember where you put it.
Microsoft Word is more multi-purposeful, but I did enjoy the ability to use it swiftly, having grown up using it and easily learned how to use it. I also plan on transferring my books from Scrivener to MS Word when I create eBook formats and paperback formats.
In all, for ease of changing between chapters and other much-needed research easily and quickly, Scrivener is perfect. However, for easy use of settings and specifics, MS Word is a much-loved favourite.
In all, the writing is used best for me in Scrivener. Editing is best in MS Word.

Agenda 7: Festival book stand proposal in Upper Hunter, June long weekend.

A festival in June is being proposed to me by my Pop/agent in order to sell my novels in the June long weekend. For those who don't know of Merriwa, NSW and the Festival of the Fleeces, it is an annual event run to commemorate the land and basically pull the community together in order to celebrate the years they've been living on the land. It includes street stalls and rides for children, and these past couple of years it has sported the new addition of the restored railway station and a helicopter ride over the town of 1,000 or so residents.
By setting up my own stall there, I will be able to sell my books, sign them, speak to potential readers and collaborate with my future mother-in-law as we're looking into selling some of her home-made ice cream.

Agenda 8: Courses: What I am and am not studying.
What I am:

• Psychology in later months of this year through Coursera.
• Certificate III in Childcare Services at TAFE.
• Certificate in Romance Writing on Open Colleges (Certificate from Australian College of Journalism).
• Certificate in Creative Writing on Open Colleges (Certificate from Australian College of Journalism).

What I'm not right now:

• Astrology, but I'm planning on it through Coursera.
• Greek and Roman mythology through Coursera.
• History of the world through Coursera.
• Climate change through Coursera.
• Disaster preparedness through Coursera.
• Imagining other Earths through Coursera.
• Plagues, witches and war: The worlds of historical fiction.

Agenda 9: October in Scone: A writer's time.

I haven't heard much about it, but I'm looking into a writer's event in Scone around October. It was suggested by the local ABC radio, and so I intend on visiting.

In Conclusion!

In conclusion, there is a very busy and fun couple of months away. Keep in touch on here, twitter and facebook to follow me on my journey through the literary world.

Sincerely,

   M.S. Watson