Roberta Writes – Writing! Writing! Writing! My year to date and ahead

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2022 has been a very busy year for me, both from a work perspective and from a writing perspective. A lot of work and no-one to help me, combined with contracting Covid-19 in March and taking a month to recover, have resulted in my putting my draft novel on hold in the short term. I am just returning to The Soldier and the Radium Girl now, 3 and 1/2 months after I was diagnosed with Covid.

I may not have felt included to work on my novel, but I have not been idle. I have been working on a number of poems, short stories, and a children’s book, all of which will be published over the course of this year in some form or another.

Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, WordCrafter Poetry Anthology

I have six poems in Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships a poetry anthology I edited and compiled together with author and publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth.

UBL: https://books2read.com/u/3kP8aK

If you would like to read an ARC copy of Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, please email me at sirchoc[at]outlook[dot]com.

Ask the Authors 2022, A WordCrafter Writing Reference Anthology

I contributed an essay entitled My Writing and Publishing Journey and answers to most of the questions posted about writing and publishing, to Ask the Authors 2022, compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth. You can find out more about this Writing Reference Anthology here: https://writingtoberead.com/2022/06/25/ask-the-authors-2022-book-blog-series-editing-revision/

UBL: https://books2read.com/u/3LnK8e

If you would like to read an ARC copy of this book, please email me at sirchoc[at]outlook[dot]com.

MEMORIES OF MOM: Rave Soup For The Writer’s Soul Anthology, 2022

I contributed a story entitled The New Baby to this Memories of Mom Rave Soup for the Writer’s Soul Anthology 2022 compiled and edited by author, Nonnie Jules.

Once Upon an Ever After, A WordCrafter Fantasy Anthology

I contributed a short story called The War Babies to this interesting WordCrafter fantasy anthology, compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth.

My story features the British women, nicknamed ‘the canary girls’ who worked in munitions manufacturing trinitrotoluene shells during the First World War. In accordance with the them of this anthology, my story also has a strong link to a well-known fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson called The Storks.

This anthology is available for pre-order here: https://books2read.com/u/mKdWGV

You can learn more about it here: https://writingtoberead.com/2022/06/24/once-upon-an-ever-after-available-for-digital-pre-order-now/

Visions, a WordCrafter Anthology

I contributed a short story called The Bite to this anthology which will be available later this year. My story was the winning entry for 2022 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest which is incredibly exciting for me. You can read more about it here: https://writingtoberead.com/2022/06/10/and-the-winner-is/

Lastly, I have a new children’s book coming

While I had Covid, I wrote a new children’s book called Haunted Halloween Holiday. This book is approximately 3,600 words in length, so a lot longer than my children’s picture books, and also includes a number of fun limericks about the various characters.

Haunted Halloween Holiday includes some of my fondant and cake art, including my Haunted Halloween Holiday Hextravaganza creation which one first prize in a gingerbread Halloween competition last year.

The photographs of the moon which form the background for some of my artwork in this book were taken by talented photographer Wayne from Tofino Photography, Professional Wildlife, Landscape and Seascape Photography. You can view some of Wayne’s amazing pictures in his gallery here: https://www.gotofino.com/tofinogallery/

Lovely blogger and good friend, Bella Shah from Thoughts ‘n Life blog assisted me with compiling the illustrations. You can find Bella here: https://thoughtsnlifeblog.com/

This book is due for publication by TSL Publications in August 2022.

This is the cover:

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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82 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Writing! Writing! Writing! My year to date and ahead”

  3. Goodness knows what you’ll do if you ever find some time in your life… prolific doesn’t really cover it. I suppose South Africa is probably grateful that this keeps you out of trouble… Well done, Robbie, you’re both something of an inspiration and a source of pathetic envy…

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  7. Covid is a nasty thing, Robbie. You suffered three and a half months from it. That’s a long time. It must be dreadful when you can’t be yourself and as active as you want to be. Still, you got so much done! Congratulations. Hope you’re getting better soon.
    I wanted to take part in the Vision anthology but I wanted to finish my book before my writing group goes on break in the summer. I only have one more chapter to do for next week. 🙂

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  9. You certainly have been busy. I just read Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships and enjoyed it. (I wrote a review) And I’m currently reading Memories of Mom and loving it. Your story is wonderful. There is just no stopping you. xo

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  13. Robbie, I didn’t realize you had contracted COVID. That had to be horribly traumatic. I’m so glad it’s behind you. It’s mind boggling to me all that you have managed to accomplish despite having been ill. You are amazing!

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    1. Hi Mae, my whole family had Covid in March despite our vaccinations. Strangely, Mom, Michael and Dad had very few symptoms but they had already had the booster, in Feb, because they are vulnerable. Greg and I were very sick and it look weeks to recover. I still get tired quickly.

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  18. You’ve been so busy! Well done for achieving so much and only just about half way through the year. I got Covid in February and it also knocked me out for about a month, so do appreciate your comments about not being able to focus on one of your projects. Good to hear you’re back on track again though!

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    1. HI Clive, thank you. Short stories are very fulfilling and don’t involve nearly as much effort as a full length novel. Covid is not much fun, even this supposedly ‘nothing’ one. Maybe its nothing for some people, but being sick for a month was dreadful for me.

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  21. Wow, Robbie, I don’t know how you do so much! But Congrats on all your amazing accomplishments. Your new children’s book looks adorable, and it’s wonderful to collaborate with your son again. Earlier this year, I pulled a children’s book draft out of my archives, so I’ve been working on that, something new and challenging. 🙂 I’m sorry to hear you had Covid, but I’m glad you’re better now! Anyway, Congratulations and Happy Writing!

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    1. HI Lauren, thank you, I am very excited about my children’s book. It contains some of my best artwork. I look forward to reading your children’s book in due course. I am going to be reading and reviewing a few in the run up to my book launch.

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  22. I’m glad you are feeling better, Robbie. In spite of being sick you accomplished SO much! I look forward to reading all your up coming releases l.

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  23. Wow, Robbie, I had no idea you have poems or stories in all these anthologies. And this is what you do when you’re super busy(and sick with Covid!!) Lol. I’m almost afraid to see what you’ll do when you’re retired. Huge accomplishments. I’m not going to be short on reading material for a while. Thanks for getting us all up to date. And best of luck on the lasted writing project. I’m glad to hear that you’re well and back at it. Happy Writing!

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  24. You have accomplished a great deal despite your bout with Covid. Did the rest of the family get it as well? Which of your upcoming projects excites you the most?

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    1. Hi Pete, everyone in my family got ovid. Mom, dad and Michael had booster shots in Feb as they are vulnerable and they all had very mild symptoms, Greg and I were both quite sick and needed antibiotics for chest infections. We both had a lot of fatigue and took ages to get rid of the coughs. Terence wasn’t to bad. He had two bad days. The Haunted Halloween Holiday children’s book is the one I am most passionate about. I like writing for children although I find my children’s books much harder to market. I am thrilled with the artwork in that little book.

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  27. Robbie – congrats on what you have gotten done and as Geoff it’s – you are quite the inspiration – and sorry you had Covid but seems like you like to make the most of situations –

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      1. I know Robbie it’s been three weeks for me I have the cough and fatigue, hubby is worse he has the fatigue and cough and has gone deaf. No it not nothing, I hope you feel better soon 💜

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  29. Yikes. Reading this throws me into shame. And this while you were dealing with and then recovering from Covid? Many congrats on your creativity with so many wonderful stories/poems/ and soon a children’s book.

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    1. Hi Jacquie, yes we submit our tax returns in the second quarter of the year too. Our tax is nothing like yours though, US tax is very complicated. Our tax office actually does our returns for us and you only have to do anything about it if you disagree for some reason.

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