Tuesday 28 December 2010

Mel's New Year's Resolutions

Hi,

Laura's asked us all to write down our resolutions for 2011 as a way of making us stick to them. I came up with mine in no time at all - I make the same one every year so you can guess how bad I am at keeping it!

I'm giving up smoking in 2011 and, this time, I really mean it. I only started ten years ago, to calm my nerves when the taxman was banging on the door for the VAT and the building society was getting tetchy about missed mortgage repayments.

Lester's always smoked and, to a fifteen year old school girl, it gave him an air of sophistication and glamour. However, I see now that it didn't give him panache - only fag ash. We lived with Lester's parents when we were first married and it was like being in the house with the Battersea power station chimneys. Tony was newly born so I spent every waking minute out of the house to give him some fresh air. Hours and hours I walked around Nottingham, rain or shine, trying to escape the smoke and Lester's witch of a mother. One winter's day, I walked all the way across town and didn't have the bus fare back so I sat down in a park shelter and cried my eyes out.

I'll be telling you the whole story about this, and my life with Lester, in The Accidental Guru. Although I've known Paula, Aurora and Judi for over twenty years, parts of my story came as a complete surprise but mine wasn't the only secret. To find out who else was hiding from the past, keep your eyes open for The Accidental Guru's launch in the new year.

Good luck with giving up your own vices!

Love, Mel x

Thursday 23 December 2010

Quickly falling behind

So how are the Christmas preparations coming along for you this year? If you're anything like me, you're disorganised, behind with everything and haven't wrapped any presents yet.

Sadly, delivery companies have missed the boat too and half of my orders haven't arrived - note to self, order before 20th December next year.

As a "motivational guru for the menopause generation" (according to the Robin Hood Review, our local newspaper) I should know better and will be building Christmas time management into one of my future courses. Heaven only knows where the time goes during December!

The only thing I am organised with is Christmas cards which all went out weeks ago, thanks to lovely Paula. She invited me, Aurora and Mel to her house for a girls' night in during November and, after a wonderful winter supper, we wrote all of our cards. Sadly our writing deteriorated as we worked our way through our address books and wine bottles. Therefore, there's no guarantee that Alan and Mary Youngs' card arrived but the thought was there.

Dashing out now to buy a turkey crown (you can't beat Marks) and I'm praying someone, somewhere has some sprouts left.

Good luck with the rest of your preparations and have a lovely Christmas.

Judi xxx

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Don't mention the snow

This will be a weather-free post - guaranteed.

I thought you might like to find out how I became the Accidental Guru of the book's title. Believe it or not, it was all as the result of a bet with Aurora. When am I ever going to learn?

We'd been to see a Brogan McKendrick, a world famous motivational speaker up in London - you know the type; all cosmetic dentistry and soundbites. I'd gone along for the shopping and the free meals but Aurora took it all very seriously and bought all his books, DVDs and motivational messages. Reach for the stars, live the dream and all other such platitudes.

Anyway, I accused Aurora of wasting her money when a monkey with a pencil could turn out something equally as profound as Brogan McKendrick's drivel and she dared me to do something better if I could. Stupidly, I rose to the bait. Before I knew it, she'd booked a venue and announced on her radio show the date for my first motivational talk.

What the talk was about and how it went is another story - one which can be found in The Accidental Guru which is coming soon. Why not follow the blog for further gossip and updates?

Speak again soon,

Judi xx

Thursday 9 December 2010

Hello again

As it's been so long since you first met "The Gang" I thought it would be a good idea to re-introduce you to the stars of THE ACCIDENTAL GURU, the forthcoming novel from Laura Essendine - funny, heart-breaking, romantic and restoring your faith in friendship. A book to snuggle up with and wallow in.

Judi, Aurora, Mel and Paula have been friends for over twenty years; supporting each other from ante-natal classes to university applications. Until their lives change irrevocably over six months.

Paula – perfect housekeeper and pillar of the community who's thrown into emotional and domestic chaos by the death of her mother and the reappearance of Charles Waddington.

Mel – whose three children undergo tests for a fatal, genetic condition but only she appreciates the devastation the results will bring.

Aurora – failed actress, radio presenter and self-proclaimed sex-goddess who refuses to relinquish either her youth, or her hold on a succession of toy-boys, until a young American forces her to expose a past that she’d buried long ago.

Judi – who'd abandoned her dreams to travel and write when she fell pregnant at university. Twenty-five years and four children later, she unwittingly becomes a motivational guru for The Menopause Generation. The media attention and book advance turn her dreams into reality but success is marred by Aurora’s jealousy and increasing alienation.

Is it possible to turn your past into your future and, if you do, will it be everything you’d hoped for, or the one thing you were always afraid of?

Why not sign up for regular updates on the girls themselves and the progress of the novel?
Join them for the six months that will change their lives for ever.

I'd love to hear from you so Tweet me on @bookslimited.

Saturday 4 December 2010

Really going to finish it this time!

I know, I know.

You've heard it all before

But this time I definitely mean that I'm going to finish The Accidental Guru.

I've taken a year out to study (very hard) for a degree and this hasn't left any time for writing (or sleep, come to that). As a result, I'm just getting to the revision stage on my first draft, am filling in plot holes and generally making The Accidental Guru a much more exciting read.

I can't tell you how much I've missed chatting with Judi, Aurora, Paula and Mel and will be bringing you updates again very soon.

Sorry it's been so long.

Laura X

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