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Hello and welcome! I’m Penelope Friday. To find out more about me, look at my ‘About’ tab. To find out more about my writings, look on my other tabs. To get a slightly bizarre insight into my life and interests, read my blog (below). You’ll find out about interesting words, happy things and much much more!

Satisfied Saturday Six

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Well, it’s been a little while since I’ve posted one of these, but I think I need it, even if the world doesn’t 🙂

  1. One Plus One has been getting really splendid reviews online. I’m really thrilled about that.
  2. Also, I received my copies of the paperback yesterday, which was incredibly exciting. I made ridiculous squealing noises, though refused to let Lovely Partner take a photo of me holding them as I was naked in bed at the time!
  3. I probably need to accept my body as being terrible as a general thing, rather than feeling like I’m continually in a ‘bad day/week/month/year’ but I’m so grateful this week – as, to be honest, I am most weeks – by the way my extended family gather round and help support me and Splendid Son in particular. It is SS’s summer holiday, and he’s spent days with both sets of grandparents (and assorted aunt and uncles) as well as my managing to have a friend of his round this week.
  4. I’ve also been writing some things this week about Harry Potter. Can’t say more yet, but hopefully there may be something out in the not-too-distant future!
  5. I’ve chatted on the phone to loads of lovely people this week, including friends and my mum and sister. When I’m too ill to see people or can’t see the people I love, it’s a great joy to be able to keep in touch somehow.
  6. I bought some books recently, which I haven’t been able to do for a while. I’ve finally read a full copy of Trials at the Chalet School (very important differences to the paperback!) and am looking forward to reading The Fainting Room when I go on holiday next week. I am Virtuously holding back from reading it so that I have it as a Special Holiday Book.

Friday Fiction

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Yes, I know it’s Saturday, but that loses not only the alliteration but also the link with my name 🙂 Anyway, I thought I’d post one of my earliest stories, just as a sort of celebration of a decade of writing. I like to think I write even better now, but it’s not bad…

It’s also NOT SUITABLE FOR UNDER 18s.

Housemate Potential

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Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

  1. Last Saturday, I ran a group trip to see Charlton Athletic. And everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, I didn’t lose any of them, and Charlton even scraped a draw! I’m calling that a win.
  2. Yesterday, I managed to write a complete short story. Not for publication, but it was nice to get something finished. I seem to be working on big projects at the moment and never finishing anything, so that was good.
  3. I also passed having written 50,000 words so far this year. Again, many aren’t publication-worthy, but it’s all good practise.
  4. In the latest copy of Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine, there is a letter dedicated to talking about how well I write 🙂 I won’t quote the whole thing because I’m not quite that boastful, but let’s just say that it begins: “Your magazine serves as a constant source of inspiration to creative writing students at the college where I teach. In particular Penelope Friday is possessed of admirable technique.” So, that is rather flattering, if I do say so myself! I like the thought of being used to teach creative writing.
  5. Our sitting room is tidier than it has been for many a year after the organiser we’ve been employing came for her last session and helped out in here. There’s a way to go, but we’re getting there.
  6. I’m on to the second edits of One Plus One  and we’re looking at probably a late July/early August publication date for the novel. Really excited about that!

Satisfied Saturday Six

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  1. We organised downstairs cupboards and the porch and back lobby this week, which is good. Oh my goodness, we have organised cupboards!
  2. I’ve got the first edits on One Plus One  (Maths Part Two) and my editor is really enthusiastic about the story, which is making me feel so good.
  3. I’ve also finished Maths Part Three (no definite title yet, but I’m calling it Three’s Company for the moment) to the point that it’s ready to be sent to my editor. But that will have to wait until I’ve finished with Part Two 🙂
  4. Scarily enough, I also wrote a bit on Maths Part Four (yes, I might just be obsessed with these characters).
  5. Splendid Son got good news in that he’s got into the Secondary School of his choice. We anticipated there being no problem (boastful mother moment: he did brilliantly in the test they make kids do in my area) but it’s comforting to have the confirmation. He was also, coincidentally, singing in a concert in that very school the evening we heard!
  6. I had an Indian Head Massage on Wednesday, which was really nice. AND I got some bras and supportive vest tops which actually fit (is that the sort of thing one’s not supposed to share? I’m never very good at knowing boundaries. Sorry, if so!) so I am quite pleased with that.

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

  1. I’ve arranged to write another article for Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine, which is exciting. I’m looking forward to researching the different branches of Christianity and the different treatment afforded to them.
  2. Very proud of Lovely Partner this week, who passed his written exams for becoming a fencing referee. (Both epee and foil.)
  3. Also proud of Splendid Son for doing a fantastic job sorting out his bedroom in epic fashion this Monday.
  4. I set myself a writing target for the month and I’ve already met it, which is quite pleasing. Not all that much is publishable, but keeping writing is always useful practice.
  5. I started knitting something again this week for the first time in a while. I’ve not had the energy, and I still struggle to do it for very long, but it’s nice to be doing it again.
  6. I’m not doing brilliantly healthwise at the moment, but my family are being so kind and helpful. I don’t know how I’d manage without them, and I appreciate them so much.

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

Hmm, it has been a very quiet week this week, so I may have trouble thinking of anything particularly good which has happened.

  1. It is currently snowing. Not enough to make the world properly white, but it’s still quite pleasing.
  2. I have started writing in a safe space about stories I’ve enjoyed recently. This is difficult for me because I don’t like sharing my taste in things because I presume that everyone is going to tell me what awful taste I have and what a terrible person I am for liking [x] or [y]. So this is a cautious way of trying to get over that.
  3. I had a hair cut this week 🙂 I’ve wanted one literally for months but haven’t been able to get to the hairdresser (the one time I managed, the queue was too long for it to be feasible). So my mum came over and cut it for me! Yay.
  4. I got a little bit of writing done this week. Not vast quantities, but it’s nice to keep things going.
  5. Sports results went well this week. This is always cheering for me.
  6. Um um um…. it’s not that particularly awful things have happened this week, just I’ve spent most of it in bed and it doesn’t give much room for excitement, quite honestly. (Shut up, all ye with dirty minds. I’m not going to be telling you about that, either way.) Okay, I ordered something online and it arrived much earlier than I anticipated, which is highly convenient and may well save me money. Yay.

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

  1. I’m thrilled to say that the Prequel to my novel Love Plus One, the aptly titled (I think, anyway!) One Plus One has officially been accepted by Ninestar Press. If you want to know the back story of how Laurie and James got together, and more about James’s and Al’s friendship, this is the story you need to read. (And if you don’t, why not?)
  2. I’m also terribly excited because I’ve had my first You Tube review of a story. Love Plus One was reviewed here and it is the best thing ever 🙂
  3. In news not to do with the Maths series (that’s the series name of the two books mentioned above), I managed to send off a horrible government form this week. I’m horribly disabled, and had to fill in details about everything I can’t do, which is probably one of the most depressing things to do in the world. But it is done, finished, posted. Hurrah.
  4. Today, I not only Managed To Leave The House (this doesn’t happen often), but I got to the football. We didn’t win (boo) but we didn’t lose either, despite TERRIBLE refereeing, which is of course entirely to blame!
  5. I managed to write nearly 24,000 words in January, despite everything. Most of them aren’t intended for publication, but I’ve started a new story in the Maths series (sorry, we’re back to that again) and potentially an entirely new novella/novel. It’s using a trope usually only seen in fanfiction – Omegaverse – but I don’t see why there shouldn’t be room to explore it with original characters and plot. (If you can see why, please let me know, as it would be useful information!)
  6. Lovely Partner and I celebrated (a little distractedly, as both of us had forgotten about it) our 14th Wedding Anniversary this week. Ironically, it is the elephant anniversary, which is pleasingly humorous – these elephants did, in fact, forget 😉

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

  1. I got my copies of Love Plus One this week, which is really exciting! Books in print. (It is also officially available as a paperback on the UK Amazon site as well as on the US one.)
  2. I also received a copy of the book I edited, Capri in July, this week.It is utterly beautiful, and the author, Barry Pugh, is an amazing photographer.
  3. Splendid Son was singing in the O2 arena this week as part of the Young Voices choir. I couldn’t go (for boring health reasons), but Lovely Partner and my mother went, and apparently it was amazing. I’m very proud of him.
  4. I’ve done both some writing and some beta-reading this week, which has been good. Nothing wildly productive, but it’s good to keep my hand in.
  5. I had a bit of a bad day, mentally, earlier in the week, but chatting to a couple of good friends on the phone really helped. I’m lucky to have such great people around me.
  6. I am really enjoying my new sofabed, which means that I can lie down and basically be ‘in bed’ downstairs, thus spending more time with the family. Hurrah for practical solutions.

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

  1. Welcome to the new year! I am just about over a migraine which hit me hard on Christmas Day, which is very nice. (Being over it is nice, to be quite clear about it: I’d rather not have had it, obviously.)
  2. Love Plus One is out on Monday! (See cover design at the bottom of this page.)
  3. Splendid Son and I went to watch Charlton Athletic on Monday (one of the few times I get out of the house, so it’s always a Big Thing for me) – and we won 4:1. The best win we’ve ever experienced for our team when we’ve been there, so it was brilliant (albeit freezing cold!)
  4. I submitted my latest article to Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine – I was writing about governesses and the situation women found themselves in that led to them taking such jobs.
  5.  I’ve also been hanging around in writers’ chat rooms since the new year, which means that I’ve actually managed to get a bit of writing done. Misery loves company… or at any rate, it’s really good to have a bit of support when you’re writing. As my  sister described it, it’s like a virtual writers’ retreat 🙂
  6.  My uncle is currently staying with my parents and I saw him today, which was splendid. He’s a writer, and was my inspiration to become one myself. Long live family!LovePlusOne-4 (1).jpg

Satisfied Saturday Six

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Happy Christmas to those who celebrate! Enjoy the glorious late December days, everyone else 🙂

  1. I am feeling all loved up today because it is twenty-one years precisely since I first kissed Lovely Partner. Can I just point out how exceptionally young I was at the time? 😉 Anyway, we are very happy and in love (at least, I am – I shouldn’t speak for him, I guess!) so it was the best Christmas kiss ever.
  2. I am feeling doubly loved up because I discovered I was pregnant twelve years ago today, with Splendid Son. It was quite early to find out, but I wanted to make sure I could drink alcohol on Christmas Day, so I took a test. I couldn’t. I didn’t mind, strangely enough!
  3. My lovely sister is down staying with my parents, and I got to spend some time with her yesterday, which was very nice. Especially as a friend – originally her friend, but I’m co-opting her as my own as well – came over with her family, which made for chaos, but lovely chaos. (I admit I’ve spent most of today in bed, mind!)
  4. I have been making some new online friends this week, which is very pleasing. As I don’t get out much, making friends online is really important to me – plus, I tend to interact better in writing than in person, which means that it’s a great way for me to ‘meet’ people (and I end up meeting quite a lot of them in person in the end).
  5. The proofs of Love Plus One have come through for a final check. Very exciting – it makes everything seem very close now!
  6. I dyed my hair and now it is bright blue and very cheerful.