I have been rather remiss lately (what a fantastically old-fashioned way of putting it!)when it comes to my blog. It's not that I haven't been busy, but that I've been too busy, and mostly with pretty mundane, uninteresting things. However...

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After some weeks of mainly editing (my 11,700 word submission for the next Legend Press short story collection, a pre-school newsletter, poetic self-portraits for Poetry News and Michael Symmons Robert's Guardian online poetry workshop), inspiration is slowly coming back to me.

As ever, it has been fuelled by good reading, including Mslexia's new writing on the theme of bugs and writelinkers Marit and Stina's latest issue of The Pages magazine. It has also been boosted by news that the Earlyworks anthology Misfit Mirror, including two of my competition second prize/shortlisted poems, is now hot off the press and should be available soon.

And if that wasn't enough, I've also just heard that the online Your Messages initiative I took part in last year is back again (though it doesn't look like there's any chance of print publication this time, it should still be inspirational) at http://writeyourmessages.blogspot.com/ .

"Every day during the month of November 2008 we will post a writing prompt of exactly 30 words and you’re invited to respond, via the comments box, with your own original piece of writing which may be either 30 words or 300 words long.

"At the end of the month we’ll be choosing one response as the overall prize-winner (although we may well comment on one or two others as well) and the writer of that piece will receive signed copies of our books: Leading the Dance, Learning How to Fall, Something Beginning With and The Oven House.

"And how will we make our decision from so much fine writing? Here are a few things to bear in mind:
1. There should be some kind of link to the prompt, e.g. theme, image, word or phrase
2. It should be a stand-alone piece of writing.
3. It has to be brilliant!"

Plenty to keep me busy then...though not so busy that I can't enjoy a little bit of fun this half-term holidays, starting with Cadburys World. Yummy chocolate - now that definitely is inspirational!