Anna Aden Writes

Another update, yay! I hope everyone is keeping well. Novel In Progress It seems I write an average of 10,000 words a month so I'm estimating another 40,000 words. This means I'm looking at an October finish. Let's make that November. It's going okay and a bit slow because I'm also doing some research so that slows down the pace. Saying this, I'm glad I'm past the midpoint and heading to the first crisis point.  Photography and Photoshop I had no real time for this.  Books I'm doing a YA Fantasy reading tour and up to now have read about five. They all tend to have the same baseline story and characters. I have plenty of books-in-the-pipeline and it is only after finishing the current one will I review the others.  A lot time ago, I did a children writing course so maybe this might be something I could do.  The curious case of Mister Big Man This is messy it is what it is. Mister Big Man knows everything but really knows nothing and opines at lot about s...

I've got a potential breakthrough for my book so this means I can probaby start to work on drafting out new scenes. It hasn't been the easiest of books to edit, because I had no sense of direction and though I'm taking an editing course, I didn't feel I was making any progress. So I had to pare back to basics to focus on this story. The thing is I like the story, the themes are there but it's so easy for the hero to walk away. There is wasn't anything to show how the relationship developed over time. Yes, they have plenty of sex, but there wasn't enough of a feeling of seeing them fall in love. You know the emotional grip, emotional journey - the bit where you think, awww....I hope these two make it. It was just that bit. I have the bits when they did fall in love and etc, but it was that development. So I think I've cracked it. I hope so. We'll see. So hopefully, I'll have a different story to post when I next give an update.  Other t...

My new workplace offers breakfast. I was told it wasn't very good but I decided to try it since I doing a a semi-non wheat detox. How's that working? Well, it's the 20/80 rule my way. Let's just say, I've cut out a few treats unless they are irresistible. What is irresistible you ask? Reduced pastries thought I managed to avoid buying any yesterday. Or passing through an artisan bakery on empty stomach, actually just passing by a bakery does it. So I had mushrooms and beans, I love fried mushrooms and baked beans. Then one hash brown. One hash brown you ask? Well a portion is 80 pence (so in total that is £2.40) and I have asked how can one hash brown, just a single hash brown cost 80 pence - this is over one dollar. why not two hash browns? So is pretty much my breakfast until I get something sorted out in the morning. Also the weather has been wet, grey and cold,  so I wanted to eat something warm, comforting and sweet. Are there cheaper options? Yes, ther...

My day-to-day casual shoes were wearing out. They are pair of green suede converse pair of tennis shoes, I think I got them in the sale. The soles are worn down, and I keep on meaning to find where I could get a decent pair of shoes. I don't mean going-out shoes - I have lots of those. But just something for daily wear (I'm not this isn't good so at least have a few pairs to alternate). The only really daily pairs are trainers/sneakers/tennis shoes and they tend to be branded. I'm sorry, I'm not going to pay beyonds the odds just because of a brand. I probably need a good pair of walking shoes but for the interim just something decent. Made more apparent when the security guard at work looked at my feet. Yes, I was shoe-shamed in a way so that did force me into buying something quicker. I wanted to check out other stores. So shamedfaced, I found my way to Clarks - there is an outlet shop near me. And I discovered a nice pair of knock-about shoes for fairly r...

I love raison muffins the same way I love cinnamon buns. To be frank, I love most bakery products -yum! Simit Sarayi is a Turkish bakery with branches all over world - some are franchises , BUT my favourite branch in the one on Southhampton Row, WC1. https://www.simitsarayi.com/en The staff are so welcoming and friendly. Always nice and smiley which isn't the easiest thing to do on  grim rainy London mornings, afternoons or evening.  I've been to other branches before but this is my favourite one. I even introduced a former colleague to them. So its not really about brand but rather the people behind the counter. The muffins - the main reason for this blog - are delicious. Juice raisons and a delicious baked muffin.  It doesn't taste chemically like shop bought ones, you know the shop bought ones that taste like there is too much baking powder or baking soda in the next. Or maybe the stuff to keep it longer on the shelf.  Then the ones that taste like the...

Challenge: To complete the drawings in this book! Drawing has always been a hobby and I think I covered in an earlier blog post. However like every other hobby I have, I like to buy or borrow books about it. I have countless drawing books - okay about ten or more. Not sure how many because they are scattered around the bookcase. They are also books I've acquired since I was a teen to now and that is over about two decades.... So moving on with drawing. This year, I decided to downgrade my drawing hobby from seeking to being a better drawer and perfectionism to just drawing. Normally I get frustrated that I can draw properly and things are out of sink. I've also been about two live art courses and two cartooning courses. Yes, I had high and deep aspirations to do with art but the frustration with my drawings led to stop and start inconsistently over the years. Now I've reconciled myself to just drawing. The Task So deciding this, I've decide to just comp...

I love cinnamon buns, it used to be a treat from the Nordic cafe in Covent Gardens before they closed down but I recently discovered Fabrique another bakery. Their buns are delicious! A bit pricey at £3.00 (about $4.00- $5.00)  a bun but worth it. Full of cinnamon goodness. Yum! I normally have a takeaway but the shop tend to be full of trendy people. This is my bun with a bit already torn off. http://fabrique.co.uk

Came home from work and it was a long day so I put on my posh pasta. I had a shop brand but decided to try this. The shapes are different. Added some tomato pesto. I can't tell the difference but I'm sure there is some was the Rummo is three times the price of the Sainsbury's brand. Back to dinner now 💖😊.

Today, I'm blogging on the go. I missed my desk feature but a desk is just a desk. I love sitting upstairs on the London Buses. You get a nice view of the busy streets. Making my way through a posh part of town. West London. I'm coming back from the London Bookfair which was queiter than last year. Got some good tips about Author Branding - basically be yourself within reason. Cloudy rainy day which is typical in London. Anyway, I'll be back on Schedule tomorrow.

I draw for pleasure, not seriously at all - it's a dream hobby I persist on doing on and off. Over the years, I start and stop so there is no consistency to it.  I have been for a few classes but due to not practicing, I'm always starting from the beginning.  I prefer inks, and markers. I'm not too big on paints or colour  or finishing but I have a case full of copic and Promarkers. As you probably can tell, I love going to the art supplies shops - I'll feature two of my favourite . At one stage I was even into card marking.  Because it's for fun, I try different styles - manga, classic comics, line drawing etc. I do what I want depending on what's happening. I have a ton of drawing books, like I have 'how to write' books and I once in a while, I'll go to an art exhibition. The last one I went to was on cats at the British Library though photography was not allowed. This exhibition will end on the 17th March if you are in London and ca...

New, old and competitor brands Walking round my Sainsburys for my weekly shopping, I suddenly noticed that Kelloggs had rebranded most of it's popular cereals.  At first I was confused but realised the big differences. Can you tell? The first difference is Kelloggs has decided to manage it's brand name bigger and more dominant when before it was the actual cereal. Why? It suddenly occurred to me this was to make it stand out from the imitators such as the shop own brand. As you can see from comparing the old Kelloggs packaging and Sainsbury's packaging there is little difference. Both have the product content in bold and both have the same colour packaging - blue. If you just wanted bran flakes then might as well get the cheaper one. However with the new packaging, Kelloggs is screaming that you are getting Kelloggs brand, not just bran flakes. Actually the new packaging without the bold Kelloggs branding is pretty more similar to Sainsbury's. They have also...

Healthy Competition  This isn't about winning or coming first but keeping in the race does keep me on my toes. Even if a person comes last at least they still  finish. This is why you are told to keep with like-minded people who inspire you. It does matter if you are fast or slow - it can keep you on focus. Pressure and desperation in comfort zone: When things become intolerable  Normally I tend to be laid back until things reach a brink, and as soon as it gets intolerable, I tend to act. I guess it's because the stakes become higher.  Otherwise, I tend to stay in my comfort zone. When comfort zones become fire zones, I move on.  Recognition, Praise & Thank you  Professionally this is a big one, also in writing. Even just saying a simple thank you is recognition and praise enough, keeps me motivated to keep working. When someone left a five star review for one of my books, I instantly became motivated to strive for a better standard. ...

Atlanta, USA This is based on all the reality shows I've watched, I've already visited Miami and New York. Los Angeles, USA One word. Hollywood. That's just basically it, it's just celebs and seeing how it is out there. But someone recommended Sans Francisco, so I might go there too. I guess the state of California in general will be good to see. Edinburgh, Scotland Much closer to home so probaby do this sometime soon.  The overnight sleeper is quite pricey but I might do it this year.  I also want to see and visit the castle as I have a story based around there. It's an old story bits are down on scraps of paper. It's a mythical fantasy story - the story is probably over ten years old. Writers tend to have a lot of stories just brewing at the back of their mind. Dublin, Ireland I've never been to Ireland but I'd love to go some day. Maybe for a long weekend break. The UK Lake District  I'm not sure when I'll go but...

A gift from my aunt The gold bracelet was a thank you gift from one of my maternal aunts. Sis had volunteered my services to bake a Jamaican Rum cake for her 60th birthday party.  I think they were talking and I my sister mentioned I baked cakes and also did some decorating.  So after Sis volunteered me, she told me about it.  Normally, I used to just bake for my nuclear family but I agreed. So I soaked the raisons in rum for about a month or two, and made the big cake. She has a big party at a posh hotel - a four three course meal with dancing,  and Sis and I carried it down. This is a faded photo of it in my kitchen. Here theme was yellow so I made flowers with yellow petals. I put her name of the board but cut that out for her privacy reasons.  And she was very happy with the finished product especially when someone rang her to say it was one of  the best Jamaica cake he'd ever tasted.