To all my readers and everyone else for that matter - from Gabyland.
It's cold and wet here - others have it wetter, I wish them well, not a good day if you live in the Eden valley.
We've had the traditional Christmas tragedies, thankfully with fewer casualties than in recent years - it's almost as though it's dictated that a car/bus/truck will kill/maim innocents as an Xmas gift.
Today for me will be quiet and solitary - lunch will be cooked, radio listened to and then i'll crack on with some writing, the results of which you should see in the next few days.
Here we are, 12 days before Christmas, the extreme weather is about and my muse has taken a stroll - it may be gone sometime! Well I hope not but what it'll come up with is anyone's guess.
I might not have been to the German markets this year but I've visited a few around the country instead, Birmingham, York, Lincoln, Leeds and of course Sheffield. I've managed to acquire some gluhwein mugs for the collection, eaten a variety of German goodies, drunk oodles of gluhwein, bought a few prezzies as well as some treats for home!
RL has delayed my writing a bit this last few days - that and a vagrant muse, so the expected third arc of the new book may be delayed by a few days.
The good news is that I have plenty of writing time scheduled over the holiday period so with a bit of luck part 4 shouldn't! Be delayed by any significant amount!
Well as the title suggests I did get the second part finished and you should be able to access it on Kindle later today! I will sort out a paper version and Lulu download for next week.
Also today you can read the next part of Book 12, chapter 22 or 502 if you want to be pedantic!
There being no rest for the wicked i'll push straight on with the next arc of book 14!
4 more chapters of the new Gaby book are in the can this week but that leaves me three short of completing the second arc and putting it out. With nothing really standing in my way this coming week I should manage to have it ready for next weekend for the impatient amongst you.
That's pretty good for me, only a week later than planned!
Of course tomorrow you can look forward to reading another chapter from book 12, chapter twenty.
To everyone who has supported Gaby by buying the latest volume - you've made the Wunderkind a winner again - she's number 1 in kids sport books ahead of literally dozens of horsey novels!
So thank you again, the next arc is under way which will be much more adventuresome than the first bit!. I hope you're enjoying it, it's quite a challenge writing in three languages!
I've finished writing the first part of Gaby Book 14 and as has become habit it will be available via Kindle and Lulu from Sunday, yes the 25th of October!
Overall i'm running a little behind schedule but not so much I can't catch up! The next segment should be @ 3 weeks away so after a long wait there will be a quick succession of Gabyness for the fans, I hope it's worth waiting for!
The completed book is still due over Christmas / New Year and with a following wind I might have the next Nena out about the same time - it's 2/3rds written already.
this time but the reason for delay in posting was a trip to Switzerland by yours truly last weekend! Quite fitting really and although I had a fun weekend it was nothing like Gaby's adventures!
Historic tram in Basel last Sunday!
I know I keep saying it but regular postings should resume again now, at least for a few weeks!
In other news, Book 14 part 1 will hopefully be ready next weekend so look out for the announcement.
Yes, another chapter of Swiss Cheese to munch through.
On another front I can report that Book 14 is coming along, 6 chapters complete so for the impatient the first quarter book should be ready in a fortnight - I'm away this coming week taking a party to look at some Swiss Archaeology.
Sorry for the complete £$%! up last week but I was having a senior blonde moment!
Good news tho - Book 14 is almost 2 chapters long - I'm aiming to have at least 6 by next weekend but its pretty intense as its currently set in Japan so the research is taking up longer than the writing!
I know you are all waiting for some new Gaby but blondeness got the better of me today.
It was my last sportive event of the year today, @2000m of climbing squeezed into 102km of riding including the steep Holme Moss climb. My mind was therefore not concentrating on collecting the drive with Gaby on it to post or other stuff I had intended doing this afternoon. I will try to get something posted one evening.
Re my website - I know not what is going on there, if anyone does please let me know so I can get stuff fixed, I understand that the invigorated pages are almost ready to go live!
Well i'm back three weeks after leaving, almost to the hour as I write this.
So, i'm back from Friesland (different areas spell it differently) with a bunch of photos, tired legs and a couple of kilos less me! The sun didn't always shine but we both enjoyed the 1400km plus trip.
We visited 8 islands, used 13 ferry services, enjoyed blistering heat and thunderstorms and took @ 3000 photographs!
Now i'm back home normal service should resume this week and i'll crack on with more writing - 39 more chapters to write of book 14!
....until I get back from my hols! Indeed the next posting will be in September so once again I offer you 2 chapters to tide you over.
There is something missing from the last few chapters - the illustrations! Sorry about that, I seem to be crap at putting this stuff in so if anyone fancies a go, be my guest (hint, hint!)
So me and Nena are off on our jollies on Tuesday, collecting stories, trying new food, visiting new places along the Dutch and German Fresian coast - hopefully i'll be able to post pictures etc when I get back.
The expected change to my working pattern kicks in this week - back to office hours Monday to Friday for the first time since 2004! This means that starting from next week, updates will be on Sundays not Wednesday. The new fast connection is in and running - thank you Virgin so with any luck a lot of my recent connection issues are now sorted.
Okay so this week things have got pretty weird. Let me try to explain. Last week the bosses at work decided to move the contents of our 2 adjacent stores around - in a major reorganisation which effectively moved me from the store i've worked in for over a decade to the other premises. Well after stuff has settled at least.
Then yesterday afternoon the boss asked to see me and offered me a new job. They must have been reading my mind, it's Monday to Friday no stupid late shifts and a move from sales to stock control.
By devious means managed to publish the Gaby Character Guide on Kindle using just my BlackBerry! It should be available in a couple of hours if anyone is interested - just search for either Maddy Bell or Gaby Character Guide and it should come up.
I'm hoping to get it onto Lulu as well but might have to wait until the new internet connection is up and running in @ 10 days time - likewise the next Gaby chapter.
Please note - i've pitched it at the lowest price that Kindle allow!
Later today for a new Gaby publication - Gaby Character Guide.
It's jam packed with illustrations depicting many of the main characters from the main series, covering the first 13 books. There's also a quick synopsis of the Gaby fanfiction as well as some information on locations and the Bond family tree.
So providing I can get an internet connection i'll post more details latert today.
Sorry that there isn't a Gaby chapter this week, my borrowed internet connection no longer works so that's probably it from me.
It's also occurred to me that the new Maddybell.com site is actually no advance over the original in that I still won't be able to upload updates. So whilst i'm grateful to those who've been working on it it's something of a Dodo as far as i'm concerned.
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Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
