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HARPER FLIPPING COLLINS!!

Happy Monday guys!
Good day so far. I won £20 for creating the best collage of pictures from work AND my big plan to surprise someone worked out amazingly. A* to me!

A few blogs ago I mentioned meeting publishers but I didn't go into detail...well when I was working at a bar, it was closing time and there were 2 people left at a table. I was talking to one of the regulars about my book and the 2 people were listening. They asked me if I was a writer and I said yes. They said they worked in publishing. I asked for who and they said....wait for it....HARPER FLIPPING COLLINS! So obviously cleaning up wasn't important anymore and I spent about 30 min talking to them about my book and they were lovely. We swapped email addresses and they told me to get my agent to contact their head of children's department. I did think that they wouldn't remember me the next day but they did and my agent got in touch. Turns out the head of kids was leaving for a holiday before Christmas, caught my agents email in time and said she would take the book with her!!
Currently we haven't heard a yes or no from HarperCollins, which is a bit odd but if it's meant to be it will be. I'm grateful that one of their people went out of their way to help me so much.

Then

At church I was leading the 9-10's Sunday School lesson and I brought in my book to show the kids something that God helped me with. Turns out one of the adults helping me was only married to someone who works in publishing! And get this, they had about 16 years at HarperCollins and now work for Bloomsbury and the next day my agent told me that my book is being read by Bloomsbury. All I can say is something amazing is going to happen guys :D

Taught a class and had a new kid. I asked what his name was and he said, 'Michael Jackson.'  I laughed and asked again and he repeated Michael Jackson. By now the joke is kind of dead so I said, 'Tell me your name or you can't dance." When I tell you this boy went crazy. He kicked the snooker table, punched the wall and I'm standing there thinking, I just asked for your name. Meanwhile, all the other kids are staring at me waiting to deal with this crazy boy. So I grab him and tell him to go outside. He starts getting upset then and I told him, 'You are five years old, you can't have an attitude.'
So he goes outside and a few minutes later, one of the helpers brings him back in and he apologies. I said, 'What's your name?' He says, 'Kanye.' I start getting really mad at this point, then the helper goes, 'That's his name.' My mouth honestly drops open. I know it's silly but I thought the only Kanye was Kanye! So I say to Kanye, 'Do you know who Kanye West is?' He says, 'No.' So I told him, 'You have the same temper.'

Speaking of Mr West, I am going to see him and Pharrell at Wireless Festival!!!!!! And it's in Finsbury Park, close to me. I have no idea why the tickets have gone up from last year. At least last year was in the Olympic Park, this is only Finsbury Park.

I went to a dance class for the first time is ages. My goodness I felt rusty but it felt so good to be back in the studio. My body was in agony after though. There was a deaf boy in the class, which was pretty ironic seeing as the song was too Brandy 'Can you hear me now.'

Every good Chinese takeaway near me is closed down. Got one on the way home from class in Mare St and it was revolting. The meat hadn't even been seasoned. I literally had to take out all the meat and veg and re-season and cook it to make it edible. Yuck.

All my kids in my classes are starting to dance and freestyle so amazingly and they have no clue how fab they are. Proud.

Went to a 80's vs 90's night at Jazz Cafe, Camden. I thought 90's like Aaliyah, they thought 90's like Aqua. Was a fun bit of cheese though.

Writing Tip: Do your research. Find out how to write a query letter, synopsis and get that agent. Google should be your best friend.

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