Family matters...

So I didn't make it through to the second stage of the writing competition. How was I ever going to console myself?

Well today I think I found the perfect solution. At 6:02 am, my eldest brother and sister in law graced our family with their first child, my parent's first grandchild and my nana's first great grandchild! 

Yep. My other brother, sister and I are now uncles and an auntie. My other sister in law and the mother's brothers, and their partners are also honoured with the same titles, respectively.

After three long days for all of us, and even longer for the new parents, my mother received the phone call she had longed for since their admission to hospital on Friday lunchtime.

As I clutched my Quaker Oats (with a hint of golden syrup) ready to take with me out the door on my way to work, the phone rang. I heard my mum rush across her bedroom to the phone cradle on the far side and answer it.

I'm suggesting she take up auditions for Shakespeare or a soap opera given her award winning performance today. The shriek was worthy of any of the Albert Square cast.

She then shouted in joy down the line to my brother who had called to announce his own joyous news, finally! "Oh Jamie, that's fantastic... Oh, that's wonderful. I can't believe it."

Like the patient fellow I am, I waited for my mum to hang up before yelling up to her. "What is it?" 

If she said a baby, I'd bugger straight off to work, not even indulging the joke. We'd all been waiting long enough to be kept in the dark any longer. None of us knew what they were having and neither did the parents. They wanted to keep the surprise until the last moment. 

"A little girl. Emmy Janet."

What a way to start the day, especially on my first day back after two weeks annual leave.

Catching up with my mountain of emails, I was irritated, as I usually am, by the whatsapp group I'd been added into that kept buzzing all morning. Everyone had an input, but my mum was the main culprit of the buzzing of my phone every half hour on my desk. (OK, it was like three times, but you get the drift). My mum was asking for just one picture of our newest addition to the family. After a few hours, my brother obliged, and instantly my irritation melted away.

Little Emmy was a beautiful, little thing with my brother's ears and my sister in law's nose. She is going to be spoiled rotten and I can't wait for them to bring her home. If I thought me going travelling in June this year around Asia was special, this little lady has knocked that ball out of the park, never to be seen again. I am today, a very proud Uncle.

I'm drinking in every minute of this euphoria and I send my very best wishes to my brother and his wife for all the luck and happiness in the world with their little family. 

To my niece - welcome to the world. You will be loved by all of your family and I will be your crazy Uncle Dan, playing Lego with you, teaching you to cause havoc on your parents and in general, showing you how to have fun.

Today has only sharpened my focus and understanding that family matters more than anything and that I am proud to write about this day!

DEDICATED TO MY NIECE, EMMY JANET, ON THE DATE OF YOUR BIRTH. WITH LOVE, ALWAYS FROM YOUR UNCLE X

Sitcom writing

Hey guys,

So I have today finished editing the first three episodes of my six episode sitcom, set around the lives of a couple of roommates from different generations. It is honest, heart warming, and extremely crude, but I think it works well.

I wanted something that young people and older people can relate together, touching on issues such as divorce, sex and general awkwardness - the latter I'm an avid partaker in!

Tomorrow I'm having a script reading with a bloody good unofficial editor, who doesn't shy away from the realities of missing links and flow of a story. (I'm surprised she's not already an editor to be honest). She has a keen eye for spotting bits I've missed where I am blinded by the story so my gratitude goes out to her. Cheers Suz.

Let's hope she likes it!

All the best

x

Short Story Competition - 2015 & Radio Play

Hey guys!

Happy 2015!

So, I entered the 2015, International Short Story Competition online. I'm was placed in heat 42 and was the only representative of Great Britain in my group (a shout out to the two Irish participants, who are helping me fly the flag for Europe).

Our criteria was to create a mystery short story, with a character (main or sub) who was a traveling salesperson (I know travelling has two 'l's' but it is an American run competition so I must respect their spelling), in addition to incorporating 'a secret hiding place' into the mix.

We were given 8 days to create something and after four days of pulling my hair out (what's left of it anyway - check out my author page to see what I mean - http://aloomb.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html), I managed to produce a story called 'It's Only A Matter Of Time.'

Unfortunately, at this time, I can't share any of it with you, due to competition rules but I am currently working on my diploma, and a radio play. Below is a short snippet, which I hope you'll like and leave me a comment on. Remember, radio is all about audio, not like television. So you have to describe and direct when there is noise!

With best wishes, always.

                NARRATOR:                        Monty gazed to his left at the business man 

                                                         snoozing against the window. His face was 

                                                         concealed by the huge collar from his long, black 

                                                         coat; it was wrapped around him like a blanket. On 

                                                         the other side, a young, female had her headphones

                                                         in her ears and was typing away on her laptop, 

                                                         furiously. Monty felt out of place. Everyone around 

                                                         him was young, and at eighty six, he felt that  

                                                         he was intruding in a world that now belonged to 

                                                         young people; a world that had once belonged to 

                                                         him at that age. That feeling was strengthen when a

                                                         young man slumped into the seat opposite him.  

                                                         Monty smiled to greet him, but all that was 

                                                         returned was ignorance. The man just put his 

                                                         headphones in and proceeded to put his hood up.

FADE OUT.

FADE UP – TRAIN RATTLING ALONG TRACK.

                TICKET COLLECTOR:         Tickets please.

SHUFFLING MOVING SOUND.

                TICKET COLLECTOR:         Thank you, Sir.

A RINGTONE PLAYS ALOUD IN THE CARRIAGE.

                ASH:                                 Hello..? Hiya, how you doing? (PAUSE) yeah, I’m 

                                                        on the train now. (PAUSE) dunno, probably 

                                                        another couple of hours yet. (PAUSE) don’t 

                                                        worry, I’ll be there. (PAUSE) I promise. (PAUSE) 

                                                        you know it difficult for me. (PAUSE) because I 

                                                        don’t like Christmas, and regardless of what my 

                                                        mum says, it’s not easy to just pretend 

                                                        that everything is normal. (PAUSE) Yes, yes, I 

                                                        know. Look, I need to go but I’ll see you later. 

                                                        (PAUSE) (WHISPERING) Yes, I love you too… Bye.

ASH SIGHS ALOUD.

                MONTY:                            Um, excuse me, son.

                ASH:                                 You talking to me?

                MONTY:                            Yeah… is everything alright?

                ASH:                                 What?

                MONTY:                            Is everything OK?

                ASH:                                 What are you talking about?

                MONTY:                            I’m was wondering if you were OK?       

                ASH:                                 Why?

                MONTY:                            I just heard a bit of your conversation…

                ASH:                                 You were listening into my 

                                                        conversation?                            

                MONTY:                            Well, I would have properly, but, well, you know, 

                                                        these damn hearing aids are a hindrance 

                                                        sometimes.

THERE IS A SHUFFLING NOISE BEFORE A HEARING AID WHISTLES.

                ASH:                                 What are you doing?

                MONTY:                            Adjusting these blasted things. I can’t hear what 

                                                        you’re saying.

THE WHISTLING FADES OUT.