Finally!

Finally, I have gotten round to writing my blog. I never forgot you!

Sorry to all my readers and followers who have been disappointed by my lack of attention to my blog this year. But this year so far has been a rollercoaster of incidents, happenings, occasions, celebrations, shocks, and surprises, from the death of my brother, to the birth of my first grandchild, conferences, writing courses, illness, getting my last daughter through her GCSE's and reeling with joy at her fantastic results.... and so much more.

One thing I have learnt from it all, is that whatever happens in life, is not a reason to give up or give in. Because once you do, you are on a very slippery path to destruction.

Last night I completed the last edit of my novel - The Last Year of Childhood.

It stands today at 466 pgs long, and 119,725 words.

I cannot tell you the relief I feel. Of course that is just a milestone to being published, whether the book is traditionally published or self published.

My next goal is finding an agent I can work with, who will believe that my novel will interest enough people, who will buy it, so it will be worth a traditional publisher taking it on.

That is where you, my followers come in....

Personally, during my final edit I enjoyed reading it so much that I forgot that I had written it. There were places where I was so pleased no one was in the room when I burst out in tears. Another day I was in such hysterics I really couldn't stop laughing.

It is a multicultural novel about two young girls who spend their last year of childhood in self-discovery. The novel spreads across many serious issues about people and how they relate to their environment. But it is also about relationships between friends, husbands and wives, parents and children, finding love, making decisions, who influences you, reaching your goals, and so much more. When you think the novel is over, there is more - another twist and yet another. I hope I have tied up all the loose ends, whilst still leaving the reader thinking about the human condition.

If you want to know more, please follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/outofthecocoa

And I promise the next post won't take that long!

Bye for now

Marilyn x