This post is part of a weekly meme by PartTimeMonster where bloggers talk about the week they’ve had as if they were all sitting down together for a coffee and catch up. The blog posts are also shared on Twitter using the hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare I think it’s a great idea because we’re all so busy filling our blogs with all sorts of great things, we don’t stop for a minute and just catch up with ourselves and each other in a more personal way – though I absolutely do have friendships due to blogging! Anyway, I thought I’d join in and if you fancied it, you will find one post here that explains it a little more.
If we were having coffee, I’d throw it away and pour myself a tea for starters! Then I’d tell you that it’s been one hell of a week and I’m glad for the sit down with friends and a cuppa in my hand and that today, I mostly intend to spend the day with my feet up reading. Note the use of the word mostly. I do have a couple of bits on today’s to-do list, but only a couple.
It’s been a massive week for my first novel Shallow Waters, only three weeks into the world on its own and it seems to be doing OK out there. The paperback became available on all Amazon stores this week, so if you’re not an ebook reader, you can now get your copy in paper format. On Monday I announced that you could get your name in the next DI Hannah Robbins novel HERE and there’s still time… And also on Monday I found out that the cover for the book had not won December’s cover contest over on Joel Friedlanders blog but it had come in so close it had earned itself a gold star. Friedlander is a big name in the Indie publishing world. I was really proud as was my cover designer Christa at paperandsage.
I started the first in my series of Bite-sized (10 minute) interviews with crime authors for my YouTube channel and interviewed crime author Mel Sherratt on the differences between self and traditional publishing. I’m looking forward to growing this area of social media. I think it went really well and both Mel and I enjoyed doing it.
On Tuesday I had a hospital appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon about my thumbs as they both subluxate (the joints come out-of-place but not a full dislocate) due to the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and it’s getting pretty painful for me. I only wanted thumb splints, but he examined me and was lovely. And after a raft of awful hospital appointments I was extremely happy. He said I could have the splints but in the future I may need my thumbs fusing if they get worse. I can ask my GP to refer me back to him at any point. I actually had the thumb splint made up that day! These are the awful NHS splints I have to wear. I am now starting to be velcro’d together on the outside…
When I can afford it though, I am aiming to get these beautiful things instead. These silver thumb splints will look more like jewellry than a disability aid!
And my final comment before my tea goes cold is I took the plunge and drafted my first contributors post over at Sourcerers blog. It will go live on Monday. Writing on your own blog is one thing. Doing it on someone else’s is something else entirely. If you read it, I do hope you enjoy it and come back for more.
I’ve enjoyed chatting to you. If you’re not doing coffee already on a Saturday (There is a sign up linky each week) and you don’t have scheduled posts in, it would be great to see you and see what you have personally been up to in the week. See you next week – for tea! 🙂
Vicky @ Books, Biscuits, and Tea says
This is such a great idea! 🙂 And I LOVE the silver one – it does look like jewellery. If I didn’t know what it was I’d think it’s a ring.
Rebecca Bradley says
It is a great idea isnt it?! That’s the great thing about the silver ring splint company, all their splints look like rings. And they’re gorgeous. 🙂
Victoria Lagnehag says
What a lovely idea Rebecca! I will definitely join you all for coffee next month over at my blog. Happy Saturday! xx
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s a great idea isn’t it. Looking forward to seeing you 🙂
Steph says
What a great idea, when I eventually set up my blog I will join you in having a cup of tea.
Rebecca Bradley says
You need to set one up Steph! And WordPress. If you need help setting it up, I can help you.
hollykerrauthor says
I love the silver!! And meeting for coffee (tea for me too!) is a fantastic idea! See you next week on my blog!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I can’t wait to be able to order them. I look forward to coffee next week! 🙂
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – That silver ring splint is absolutely lovely! And thanks for catching us all up on what you’ve been doing. I’m really pleased for you about Shallow Water‘s success. Well deserved!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Margot. And those splints are beautiful aren’t they 🙂
MarinaSofia says
Lovely to have a good old natter and catch-up with you. Definitely go for the silver thumb splint – it does look stylish. You’d be like an eccentric Russian countess in Paris in the 1920s…
Rebecca Bradley says
They are gorgeous aren’t they. Definitely eccentric looking 🙂
Gene'O says
Ohhh. You have a YouTube Channel and I did not realize! I don’t comment over there, but I love to share some videos. I subscribed to it. Also followed you on Pinterest, because I think it’s silly to visit all these blogs and not be building boards when I can find stuff to pin.
I’ll shoot you an email once I scan the post. I have no doubt that it will be fabulous!
Rebecca Bradley says
I needed the YouTube channel for the book club videos but decided I needed to do more with it this year, hence the bite-sized interview idea. Thank you for subscribing! Pinterest is something else I need to work on. I need to create a blog post board and then work on creating better images that can be pinned. I’ve recently found picmonkey for editing which has helped me with the thumbnails for my YouTube videos so it’s onwards and upwards.
As for scanning my post, the thought terrifies me! 🙂
Jacqui Murray says
Congrats on your book cover. I’m a Joel fan, also. It means a lot that you were selected.
I like this feature.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Jacqui, it is a great idea for a feature isn’t it? A quick catch up and round up of our weeks. A way to throw new ideas around and update on running ones. And yes, it meant a great deal to be picked as a significant cover for Joel Friedlanders blog. My designer was, as you can imagine, thrilled. She had no idea I’d entered it!
Murees Dupé says
Congratulations on your first release! I’m late I know, but I’m so happy for you. It is great that it is doing well. Sorry about your thumbs. I agree, those silver thumb splints do look like jewelry, cool ones in fact. Wishing you and your family the best.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Murees. You’re not late. It’s hard to keep up with everyone, there are so many of us blogging now. I appreciate your kind thoughts. The splints are gorgeous aren’t they! 🙂
Prashant C. Trikannad says
Rebecca, thanks for sharing your week over a cup of coffee (or tea). I’m glad “Shallow Waters” is doing really well and what better way than to see actual copies in bookstores. Many congratulations!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Prashant. Unfortunately the book won’t make it to bookstores over here, but the paperback is still available to order online for those who prefer it. It looks lovely as well. 🙂
Robin Rivera says
First, congratulations. Your book cover (almost) win is a big deal. Second, for a writer hand troubles are the worst! I spent 6 weeks in splints once to avoid surgery and it was not easy. I wish you all the best with your thumbs, I hope the new splints work wonders. Tea with you was fun. Thanks for sharing a bit about your week.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you for stopping by! The splints aren’t the best, but they are actually giving me some relief so for that I’m grateful. It means I can do less work on my phone though as they are quite unwieldy as you know. And thank you for your congratulations, I’m really proud of Shallow Waters 🙂
Diana says
Glad you stopped by for the coffee posts!
Congrats on Shallow Waters doing well so far, and good luck with it, too. 🙂
Also, those silver splits are beautiful. 😀
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I think I’m going to be stopping for coffee on a weekly basis now 🙂
They are beautiful aren’t they. I can’t wait until I can get them! 🙂
mbarkersimpson says
I’d tell you I know exactly how you feel about contributing to someone else’s blog, I’m a little nervous too – but it’s an excited kind. I’d congratulate you on the gold star for the Shallow Waters cover, and the fact your novel is now in print (it’s so exciting when you receive the first copy!). Enjoy the rest of your day 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Ha! I know you do. And you’re right, it is a nervous excitement.
And nervous excitement is also how I feel about Shallow Waters as well!
Have a great weekend 🙂
mbarkersimpson says
You too 🙂
C J Alan says
Congrats on the book and thanks for sharing. You had me twitching at the thought of throwing out good coffee!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. And sorry about the coffee! 🙂
C J Alan says
No worries, I usually have a thermos full close at hand! See you next week!
Rebecca Bradley says
You will! I’ve really enjoyed this week 🙂
Rose Red says
That cake looks good 🙂
All best as your hand heels.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. Unfortunately, my hands won’t heal, it’s going to stay this way or get worse, but I will learn to cope with it.
And the cake was delicious, that’s why it’s already half eaten by the time I took the photo! 🙂
acrimereadersblog says
This is a great idea, hope to meet for a virtual coffee one Saturday. Also congratulations on the novel, I’m looking forward to reading it.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it! And it would be great to see you for a virtual coffee! 🙂
Annalisa Crawford says
That silver splint is gorgeous – what a great niche that company’s found!
Rebecca Bradley says
It is lovely isn’t it! And yes, it’s quite a niche!
somberscribbler says
Congrats on your book! I hope you can get the silver splint soon. It’s so pretty. It’s hard to believe something that small and dainty can do the same function as the big one you have now! Very cool.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you! And the splint, it looks dainty, but I’ve tried it on and it’s actually quite solid and sturdy and does the job really well. The idea is to stop your joints moving past the point their supposed to, which mine are moving way past and they do a great job. They have a bar that goes down the back that’s not quite as visible as well which helps keep everything in place. I can’t wait!