A bunch of things

Uhm, yeah. More daffodils. I’m so in love with that color!
Staring at them, trying to take good pictures, made me realize something important. I was thinking if a picture of a single daffodil would show their beauty better than the whole bunch of them. I do that a lot, taking pictures of single flowers. I like it better that way.



But then it occurred to me that this was symbolic for my life at the moment. My life is full, so very full that I sometimes feel like pulling back and closing the door on all of it. I would like to have things happen one at a time, one single event after another.
But all that is happening to me lately is good stuff (well, most if it). And I think I need to learn to appreciate the bunch of it. I can’t have life feed me things (good or bad) one at a time. I need to take it how it comes. Even if it means that I feel totally overwhelmed every once in a while.



So, another very busy week behind me, a lot of things to do this weekend and another full week after that. But it is all good stuff again, so I am just going to take a step back and enjoy the whole bunch!

Daffodil

Well. you knew it was coming, didn’t you? One of the daffodils is open already. Such a great color to look at while outside it’s dreary and dark!
I have even more daffodils in the house now, because I got some as a thank you gift from the library today. I was a member of the jury for the regional reading-aloud-contest. Such fun to do! But also a little hard to make the right decisions.
The other two members of the jury and I were unanimous on which two children were the winners (out of eleven), but it was hard for some of them to accept it. Truth was, we thought they all were very good, and some of them were even very good. But the two we choose just stood out. One of them managed to read a piece of a book written as a diary, which is very hard to read aloud, since there is no dialogue or real tension in the story tiself. But she did very well! There also was an 11 year old who read from the Hobbit (in dutch). She did nice too, but she did so many funny voices it was a bit confusing. We did compliment her on reading such a difficult book however.
This was also my first appearance as a writer. I didn’t do very well on that. I never realized I was supposed to introduce myself, so when they handed me the microphone I nervously babbled about the book they most likely wouldn’t want to read, since it is meant for adults. Ahum! Oh well, on to the next event, I guess.
One of the other jury members is a writer of childrens books. I had met her before (as a reporter) and we chatted about how scary I find it to do these public things. She reassured me and told me it will become easier. I hope so! Also she promised to try and be at my book presentation, which would be great. She is the kind of person that calms you down by just being there.
She also told me one thing I really need to remember these days: Writing should be fun and it only is when you still feel like it’s a hobby.
I so needed to hear that (she has published a lot!). I feel a bit obligated to be able to tell people I’m working on my next book which will be out on….. So I was kind of stressed out when inspiration struck two weeks ago and I really wanted to finish this book before the presentation. Which is nuts and probably the reason for the headaches.
Writing is a hobby. And fun. Yes, thank you!

Inside garden

Today I finally got around to doing some household chores. I’m still having headaches, but I managed to do quite a lot. And to celebrate that my house looks like a home again I bought myself some flowers.
I love these small hortensia’s and I can’t wait for the daffodils to open up!

Tiny crocusses

They are really tiny this year, but still, they did pop up last week. I love seeing little sign of spring!

Little blackbird

I was planning to keep blogging this week, but I have been so busy! And to top it all off I have had a terrible headache the last three days. So I just popped in to wish you all a very good weekend!
Hope be back on regular blogging next week!

Chaos of gulls

Sometimes I feel like my thoughts are like these birds.
Too many, too fast, too chaotic. There is so much happening right now!

Can you guys keep a little secret? I am still not feeling like real writer. I do not feel confident enough to present myself and my book to the public.I have to start sending out invitations for my book presentation, but I honestly feel like I would like to get to bed, pull some blankets over my head and just stay there until things are over. And I’m not even really thinking about the speech thing yet…

The guest blogging is great, but it takes a lot of time, because some people are asking interesting questions that I really want to answer the right way. So much different from just chatting with some blogging friends!

It’s not the best time to be writing another novel too. I am getting absorbed in the story, which would be fine if there weren’t so many other things to be dealt with. And putting it aside is no option too. My main character is heading for so much trouble, that I feel like I want to keep writing until there is someone to get her out of it.
Yes, I am crazy…

So…I just realized that this is the safest place for me to let go of some of my doubts. So I just did. You are all so supportive, even while you will not be able to read my books. Thanks so much for that. I wish I could write a story for you in English. May be I will, someday…

Guest blogging

For those of you who can read Dutch: this month I will be guest blogging at Trouw Schrijf! (Trouw is a national newspaper) about my writing, my books and the ins and outs of being a new writer.

So exciting!

Words... reading, writing

That’s what I’ve been doing these days. Reading. And writing.
I was so tired last week that I spent most of my time on the couch, reading. And resting. A little knitting on the green dress, but nothing much. I had great plans, rearranging furniture, decluttering, cleaning, but I ended up just doing enough and not even a little thing more.
Two days ago I got a struck of inspiration and a new romance is growing on my computer right now.
I think I did rest enough.
I don’t know if I will be able to post everyday, my head is filled with these people in the story and I still have some other things to do, but I will try.
Blog break is over, I think! I missed you guys!

It's here!

I really had to interrupt the blogbreak to show you this. My book. For real!
I can’t sell it or give it away until the presentation on March 11th, but it is printed! So weird to see my own words in a real book!

Break

I’m taking a little break from blogging. Maybe just a few days, maybe a little longer.
See you soon!

Grey and white

High in the sky