http://www.samanthagrosser.com Official Author Website Thu, 20 May 2010 12:28:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's been a long time since I last wrote a post and there's a reason for that. The writing hasn't gone well for the last year or so - I've been struggling with a couple of ideas that I've simply been unable to find my way into. Both in the ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=90 I heard back from Exeter University the other day. Not good news. They liked the play but unfortunately for me they've had a surge in student new writing and that has to take priority. http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=89 Good news last night - Dead Letter took second prize in the Bench Theatre Playwriting Competition, which gave me a real boost. My work never seems to get placed in competitions so I was very chuffed indeed. This is what they said: "We were particularly impressed with our two prize-winners; ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=88 I went to England over Easter and as well as having a brilliant time catching up with friends and family, I also came away strangely inspired (thank you Jo) and since I got back I've been rewriting Thin Ice. Having submitted it to several agents in the past, most of ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=87 A couple of other MNW writers (Matt Curran and Frances Garrood - see Friends in the sidebar) recently suggested that I might be able to get back the rights to Another Time and Place from MNW, and thus follow other avenues (like self-publishing) to get it into bookstores here in ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=85 That particular bubble didn't last long - the Australian agent who was interested in After the Twelfth emailed to tell me that "it wasn't for her." She did say however that I "capture people and a certain milieu extremely well" and she looks forward to seeing my name in a ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=84 Things are finally starting to look up on the writing front. With Jake now back at school (Day 4 and already he's complaining about it), I've managed to start writing a children's story that I've been thinking about for a while. It's a sort of Famous Five-esque adventure on Dartmoor ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=83 After the rather humbling experience of being told by MNW that they wouldn't do a reprint of Another Time and Place in spite of a firm order from Angus and Robertson, I've now discovered that according to the Macmillan website, I no longer even exist as an author. The book ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=82 We've just moved again - across Sydney this time to a lovely new house in the Western Suburbs, to be near the army base where husband Steve is currently posted. Nice neighbours, new puppy for Christmas - on the personal front all is going well. Except that I've had no time ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=81 Still no decision on numbers for a reprint of Another Time and Place - apparently all the "interested parties" have to be "satisfied that a reprint is viable". Very frustrating. I've now given the rewritten Char and Wads to a an actor friend, so I'll be interested to hear what ... http://www.samanthagrosser.com/?p=80