Hopefully, you and yours have had a lovely holiday
and may I wish you all the best for 2010 too.

Well, although it was very hot (36 deg while we ate a hot turkey dinner on Christmas Day) I've had a lovely break over the festive season from having to earn our rent but also, (most unusually for me) writing. I was just too exhausted to think creatively or even edit!

My Writing plan for the new year is to firstly finish the draft I'm half-way through of my feature 'No Strings' and send it out to my list of six possible producers or directors which I carefully identified last year.

I then plan to focus on another draft of my novel variously titled 'Toy Soldier', 'Competing' or 'Kathy's Clown'. I want an updated draft to send to a manuscript editor and published writer who I hope, will agree to mss edit my book before also(hopefully) sending it out to publishers.

Poetry always sneaks in and keeps the ideas flowing... I'm inspired everyday by people and things around inviting me to word-map them. Often the idea is cohelested in a poem, then expanded into a short story eventually finding its final identity as a script. Not always though - sometimes, the spark works at its best as a poem.

So, a book of poems and short stories may be nice to work on too... I certainly have plenty of book ideas and lots of poems and stories written since "Hidden Capacity ~ a poet's journey" was published in Ireland in 2003.

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, my very talented daughter Jessica McCallum held her first exhibition at His Majesty's last month and sold all but two of her paintings.

I was asked to 'write' to a few of the pieces and also for permission to use those poems which inspired some works. Now, quite a few who attended have asked about a book of the images with the words, so we are seriously considering doing one. Watch this space.

I'd like to make myself but also invest in short films made by my peers, this year. Just as I did last year, I can only afford small amounts but know when you're making on a zero budget, even $50 is a hugely helpful gift. And there are sooooooooo many talented film-makers out there, trying to get their visions on screen, so if you too, can afford to help even in the smallest way - don't hesitate. Every little bit helps.

Naturally, I'd like to see as many of my scripts being used as possible... and hope, like last year, I continue to get offered contracts to write or adapt books, stories and poems for others.

Visual Poems are also on the cards: I'm currently experimenting with reading and recording my poems which my daughter Jess, will add visuals to... so the collaboration continues. I've uploaded a couple of readings only to You Tube ready to have visuals added. We inspire each other and enjoy creating together - it reminds us of our time at Northern Youth Theatre which resulted in a new production every three months.

Talking of new productions: I now have a beautiful little grandaughter I intend to cuddle lots, who inspires me to write stories and poems for as well - so there's another book project!

And that's my plan so far for the New Year - I'd better get to it!
What's yours? Hope it includes lots of writing - we need writers!
May your Muse amuse you mightily in 2010.
:o))