Another Busy Day!

Ah, I wish I was back out there. Kuang Si waterfalls nr Luang Prabang.

So it's been over a month since I returned home for Emmy's christening. Since then, we've had Christmas, Boxing Day a.k.a Nanna's birthday, New Year and play days with Emmy. But somehow, I feel down.

I've heard of the post travel blues before but I thought it was just a think people experienced when they realised they had to settle down or get a steady job. I'm off for at least a year in September but as I was telling my mum the other night, 'it's great to see all the family, but everyone seems to be doing their own thing and I'm not.'

OK, so I'm currently job hunting but I just want to pack up my stuff again, sling the bag over my back and go. I suppose I'll just have to be patient.

So, in my writing arena I have had a busy day today. Aside from plotting my new book set in London - I'm heading up to The Smoke next week for a walkabout in their footsteps - I have applied to be a writer with GoAbroad - a travel company who provide articles, listicles (a list based article) and general travel advice to new and upcoming travellers as well as old hats.

I've submitted my application and hope it comes to something.

I'm also starting up a new YouTube channel to showcase some of my work so I'll post details once it is ready.

Still waiting to hear back from the BBC but it shouldn't be too long now!

Lots going on at the moment and loving it.

Best wishes.

Taking some time out

Hi guys,

Sorry I haven't posted since April but I've been busy organising my travels around Asia. 

Now I'm on the edge of something amazing, heading off to Beijing to begin my huge trip on Wednesday, but I'd really love for you to stay up to date with me on my travels so check out my latest blog, A Leaf Out Of My Book: Abroad to see how I'm getting on.

As always, thanks for your support and I look forward to you leaving me a message on my new blog.

Best wishes.



Check out my travelling blog - www.aloombabroad.blogspot.co.uk

A Stroll, Some Cards, A Flutter, Some Words... All In A Day's Work For A Writer

What a day!

I've walked 10 miles on a round trip to see my niece this morning and then come home to lose on the Grand National, draw with my nanna at cards and then progress my second book in my latest romance novels by 5,460 words (it doesn't sound much, but believe me it is!)

So I went out for a walk, partly as preparation for my 100km walk in May for Demelza Hospice for Children but also so I could visit my little two week, almost three week old niece, Emmy. Boy, is she a cutie. Upon picking her up and holding her squarely in front of me, (supporting her head of course before you reel away in horror) little Emmy opts to sneeze not once, but twice in my face. Safe to say, I was not terribly pleased but then I saw what I swear was a smile and it made me laugh at the situation. She is amazing.

When I reached home, Nanna and I had a game of Five Crowns (if you haven't heard of it, Google it! It's amazing.) After breaking out into a four - one lead and with just three games remaining, Nanna in true form pegged me back to four - four and subjected me to one of her laughs that tells you, you've been bamboozled again!

We watched The Grand National and I didn't get a winner. It was genuinely sad to see some of the horses fall, reminding me that I don't really like the sport because I don't think it is a sport. It's cruel. Next year maybe a boycott for me!

Following The National, I moved into my fortress of solitude, aka my bedroom, and began work on editing the final parts of episode 4 of the sitcom before proceeding to book two of my four part book series, based in New York. I'm really enjoying this project and hope to have it published soon. It's in-depth, heart-warming, funny at times but also quite sad - don't worry, I think the sad is heavily outweighed by the rest of the descriptors mentioned above. Today I wrote 5,460 words and as I said, it doesn't sound like much but it is when you go over it and re-write it seven or eight times. After a while, you feel as though you are there on the sofa with them, discussing the life you have created as if it was you own (but that's a good thing, right?)
Anyway, its been a long day so I'm going to hit the deck.

Thanks for reading, best wishes as always and leave me a comment. x

Busy Easter Bunny.

So it's turning out to be a busy weekend, both writing and with family.

Saturday, I spent near to 10 hours writing my sitcom script. It's coming along really well, with three complete episodes written and half the fourth currently underway. Yesterday was also a particularly big milestone in my so far amateur writing career because I allowed another to assist in co-writing. Suz, who also acts as my editor, sat down with me and went through my ideas and gave her own, before we laughed our way through script writing episode four.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was working with somebody else. There is always apprehension when letting others hear your ideas but Suz shares a similar comedic mindset - I don't know if that's a good or bad thing!

Watch this space.

In my private life, on Sunday, I found myself at home with my family, including the newest addition to the family. My 2 week old niece, Emmy is visiting with my brother and his wife. A household of normally four is today occupied by nine people (my other brother and his wife came down too). It fills me with a sense of sadness that this is no longer a normality at my parent's home. Those days are gone but that is life.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a post dedicated to feelings of sorrow. Despite the change mentioned above, I am still happy that I have a family so close and that we all enjoy the time we spend together.

We played the usual family games, had the usual family debates and enjoyed each other's company over a lamb and turkey roast. It's weekends like these that I will truly miss when I go travelling.

Thanks for reading, with my best wishes x

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