Personal blog of Michelle Gallen, recovering Catholic, skip hoker and Derg native.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Finished My (first?) Novel
I finished it last Monday at about 9.30pm. By 10.30pm I was tipsy on a chilled bottle of Moet...about 12 hours later, I published the novel on lulu.com/uk. I love this digital world we lurk in.
Loads of folks have asked for the link to buy a copy, but I need to run the novel by a few people first. If you're truly madly freakishly interested, email me with the subject 'Novel pre-order' in the subject line, and I'll email you a link when it's ready to go...
Anyway. Loving the feeling of accomplishment I've got from finishing the bloody thing. 70,000 words in 30 days in November 2006, then three years to get the next 30,000 down. Guess the lesson from that is the next time I want to write, I should take three months out from work and just do it.
Strangely, this feels like the end of this blog. End of an era. I'll probably pull it down when I get a few hours to myself and stick up a twitter feed instead.
Yep...so after a really great writers group last night where I finally read something that wasn't The Novel, I realised I've an itch to get writing on the Next Thing (not a novel...but not sure what it is). I've so little to finish on the novel that it seems ridiculous that it's not already done.
But I'm always busy, work is never done, there's always something urgent to do or a glass of wine to be drunk or a chat to be had.
So the idea is that when I'm off on hols for 10 days (heading to the Algarve on May 2nd) that I'll finish it up. The only distractions there will be the sun, food, beaches, and GBF. Yeah, sure. I'll finish it. I'll be fine. It'll be published by June. Ahem.
Look. Aiming for the stars. I don't mind if I end up swinging in a hammock just gazing at them :)
So today instead of lunch, I had a hot dark chocolate from the Chocolate room on the lisburn road in Belfast.
The hot dark chocolate is easily the best cafe hot chocolate I've had in Ireland. It could only be improved by splish-splash of cognac.
And hurray! The Chocolate Room sell their to-walk-miles-for hot dark chocolate bits so you can take it away and make it at home. I have a whole bag of loveliness to melt into not-quite-boiling full fat milk...excited :)
They do loads of other chocolate goodness there - you can check out the shop here - they even let you shop online!
So...after having 2 small run-walks using my for-show-not-use Skechers, I went to Up and Running to get a pair of 'proper' trainers. The shop feels like a boys shop. Serious running place. I was intimidated, and glad I'd made the GBF (who once ran the Paris marathon) come along as my expert back-up.
The first thing Up and Running make you do is get on a treadmill so they can analyse your gait, to see if you run funny. If you run funny, you need trainers with extra support (which of course cost extra). I'd been dreading the treadmill. My only knowledge of treadmills to date has come from watching either (a) cartoons where unfortunate creatures get injured (see below), or (b) super slick comedy pop videos where the musicians are super-cool and the timing is spot-on.
Needless to say, I was in the cartoon category. The assistant asked me was I comfortable on a treadmill. 'No.' I replied. Wrong answer. Then he said 'well, you've been on one before?'. 'Nope.' I replied. Again, wrong answer. He wasn't trained for this situation, so told me to 'just run' and pressed a button saying he was starting me off slowly. He was in his arse. The treadmill went zipping along and I grabbed the rails to stop myself from falling then began to run using ridiculously small baby steps so I wouldn't fall off the back while thinking 'oh crap oh crap oh crap my boobs are going to fall out' because I'd TOTALLY the wrong bra on for any thing except reclining gracefully on a strawberry pink chaise longue with a g&t in hand.
I could see the man looking at me. Could hear the GBF laughing. The assistant man said 'You know you're supposed to let go of the rails' and made the machine go faster. I said I was going to collapse, so he stopped it. I was gasping for breath (I actually didn't breathe while the machine was moving) and a complete nervous wreck. 'Oh my God' I said, 'I'm wearing completely the wrong bra for this'. Neither GBF or shop assistant replied to that.
So he gave me a minute to get my bearings, then started the machine again and this time I managed to let go, still doing my mincy baby running steps for fear I'd come off the back of the machine. Assistant man was standing behind me fiddling with the gait analysis camera. Moments of ominous silence as I puffed and panted on the machine. Then he said 'Do you always run like that?'
?????????????????????????
DO I ALWAYS RUN LIKE THIS????????
Well no actually. Generally I don't fecking run. And when I do, I tend to wear something that makes me feel like my boobs are not about to make a bid for freedom. And I never fecking run on a rubber strip in a shop with a pile of strangers gawking at me while an obviously confused shop assistant films my feet. NO I DO NOT ALWAYS RUN LIKE THIS.
Anyway. He stopped the machine and analysed my gait. I don't roll in or roll out, but still bought the extra support shoes. Not sure why. Guess it's so I feel safer. I also bought a running top. And a later online shopping expedition saw me sorted with some really supportive sports bras and leggings.
So there's me in the starter blocks, under the pistol, tensed and ready. And then I got hit by a viral infection. Ended up feeling like crap, on antibiotics, and unable to run. Meanwhile the GBF was off on non-stop laps of Ormeau park with a fit (female). running companion.
But this morning was good. Did my wee run-walk. Didn't think about my boobs even once on the way round, that's how good and comfortable the bra is. The shoes were great - really comfortable. And afterwards had a lovely cool shower. Now I'm fit for the Holy Godchild's Third Birthday Party. Fit for whatever 2 three year olds and 2 one year olds might decide to throw at me...
Yep...another morning of it. Up at 7 with GBF. Was made to do stretchy things by him to 'warm-up'. I'm pretty sure he was taking the piss. There was a lot of ankle gyration and leaning off walls - no grunting, but lots of frowning and looking serious. Then we both set off.
No big shakes - just a 15 minute walk/run. It was easier this morning (apart from asthma kicking in during the last 5 minutes). Probably because GBF pointed out after the first minute that I was sprinting rather than jogging. So this morning was slower and nicer coz there was someone to talk to.
Guess I'm also secretly pleased I've stuck to a second run, as per schedule!!! (oh my God can't believe I just used three exclamation marks in a row...). Have scheduled a chakra-balancing massage and some gentle yoga for Friday, as the schedule dictates that I cross-train. Wonder if some Jamesons lifting later in the day will be covered by loose label of 'cross-training'? I mean, I'm normally a merlot girl...
Have to sort myself for seem decent running gear though. I could tell by the looks on the other properly-kitted out runners around the Lagan that the GBF's tee, a pair of old leggings and some pretty skechers weren't what I should be wearing...lucky they couldn't see what was underneath. I'm lacking a proper sports bra, so today I did what the supermarkets refer to as double-bagging. Definitely more secure than Sunday's arrangement, but NOT an ideal solution. Need something that makes me feel like a runner right to my skin ;)
Ireland-based e-learning consultant and instructional designer. I blog on and create a wide variety of interactive learning content. I'm really interested in language e-learning which is why I've launched www.talkirish.com. And I've finished (and published) my first novel!
