I’ve made the papers and not in a “kiss & tell” kind of a way either as predicted by my old headmistress. In fact the closest I ever got to a celebrity was when Kevin Costner whizzed past me on a golf buggy in Istanbul airport and I restrained myself from running after it stalker-like screaming “Kev I love you”; as I knew I may have been detained by security and my story could have ended so very differently.
So how surprised was I when on one of my trips to the tatty little Kahramanmaraş internet café, where everyone knew my name, to open up an email from Andy Probert, the editor of Voices, Tinky Town’s English printed newspaper asking if he could serialise the Honeymoon Stories.
There and then an uncoordinated and very vocal happy dance was performed to the bewilderment of the other clientele who had already become accustomed to the craziness of this English woman.
I owe a big debt of thanks to Andy, who is a journalist of some twenty-six years standing both in the UK and Turkey, for taking a chance on me. I am pleased to report so far so good and no posse has been ‘rounded up to run me out of Tinky Town just yet.
To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it, and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in being an author. Charles Caleb Colton
I am excited, excited, excited for you! Did I not tell you before, that you would be famous!!! Pretty soon YOU will be the one in the golf cart with people running after you! I am celebrating your success. Whatever you do, I know that you will be remarkable.
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Bless you! Mmm not sure about the fame just would like the chance to get published or perhaps get an agent. No danger of me ever losing touch with reality as when I skyped my Dad to tell him, he said “very nice, now when are you going to give me a hand putting flea powder on the cats”
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I love your dad!!!! 🙂
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Congrats Tink…can think of nothing better as a serial…good on him for realizing what a treasure you are…xo
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Rhonda, I hope you don’t mean by that that I look like I’ve been in the ground for a while and dug up LOL! Incidentally, really love all your new pics; you’re quite a talent yourself and shouldn’t be long before you have your own exhibition
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Rofl…NO you were not dug up!!! Thanks for the kind words on the photos…I wish. The desire but not the know how to get something like that going…(shhh, too shy).
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But you are really good at it and love your choices of subject! Think about it!
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🙂 will do In the meantime, you hear anyone needs a photog who catches things that stay still…let me know. haha. Thanks Tink
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Congratulations! I’m very excited for you.
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Thank you so much and I hope that this gives hope to all the other bloggers out there too; it’s always about being in the right place at the right time
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If I wasn’t still tired from my recent trip, I would have done a happy dance, too!!! Way to go Tinky!!! I am so utterly thrilled for you…. may many more great things be coming your way soon. God knows you deserve them.
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Now that would be fab Gunta, as clearly I am not cut out for nursing or shelf stacking and my technique for putting flea powder on cats leaves rather a lot to be desired too. Loving all your new pics too – have you any more stormy scenes for me ?
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There’s a whole lot more coming, I’m just being slow at posting or perhaps I just want you to savor each one in its own time. I think today’s might be considered a bit stormy?
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Just popping on over there – my favourites are your rainbows and living near Cornwall the stormy seas that conjure up images of ship wrecks and smugglers
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That’s absolutely fantastic, well done! This is the sort of thing most writers dream of.
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Thank you; I got lucky for sure. I think I was purely in the right place (Turkey) at the right time!
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Oh excellent! May this just be the beginning for you.
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I wasn’t expecting this so it was a lovely surprise and anything else will be a bonus
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That’s amazing, I loved “The Honeymoon Stories”, I couldn’t wait for the next instalment !
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You are so kind and also have a lovely name – is it part Turkish?
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Just back from Medieval Fayre (!?*@) Delighted to hear your news – congratulations and so deserved 🙂
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Thank you very muchly and re the Medieval Fayre, will there be pictures and were there tights/pantyhose involved?
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There may have been…. No pics of oneself, however, as I was playing the David Bailey role!! (Truth be told I won’t even go out of the house wearing leggings – not with my legs!!)
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Don’t believe her- she has great pins! Fantastically well done, Dallas. I could hug you! Well, I would if you weren’t all that way away. 🙂
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I didn’t believe her anyway, she always looks so glamorous in any of her shots! Thank you Jo; I simply got lucky with this and I’m hoping that the posts continue to be well received
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What a super start to your publishing career. Well done and here’s to the next serialisation or something more substantial… 😀
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Wouldn’t it be lovely to think it was the start but even if I never get another chance; I will always have this memory to hold onto
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Wonderful news Dallas, congratulations! Those stories were begging to be published! So happy for you 🙂
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Cheers Madhu; It was a really welcome surprise particularly on one of my achey face days!
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Way to go. Good luck with the series. Does this mean we have to hold you in awe???????
Seriously, all the best.
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My life is just way too glamorous – spent yesterday removing ticks from the cats and creosoting the garden fence!
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Aw that is amazing! Congratulations!
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And I didn’t even have to bribe him!
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Congratulations, and well deserved!
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cheers m’dear
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Congrats. So exciting.
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Thank you very much
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Congratulations – though it’s only what you deserve. You have a great voice and a wonderful way of making your reader feel part of a conspiracy! I hope it’s the start of big things to come for your writing xxx
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Bless you Aisha; I’d love to think that other opportunities will be out there for me but I guess that’s all in the hand of destiny. Incidentally, laughed and cried with your cowboy post yesterday; thought it was really special
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Such fab news, and well deserved. I’ve just taken a look at the link. When are we going to see the stories in print?
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They’ve started them; I’m not sure if its week 3 or 4 but so far I’ve not had any negative feedback!
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I’m sure you’ll have nothing but positive feedback b/c they’re great stories, but you might have to help me find them. I’ve looked through the site and have no idea where they are. How about a link?
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http://www.voicesnewspaper.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5775 – bear in mind what I said about the Shrek-like picture!
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Yay! There you are! And you’re lovely. Of course, I would pose and light you a bit differently, but you have beautiful features—nothing to be shy about. And I can see that dry and now-well-known sense of humor radiating from you. Let us know what responses you get from the stories, ok. Your fan club is waiting 🙂
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This is music to my ears, Dallas! Congratulations! Those stories definitely need to be shared; they are wonderfully written and hugely entertaining. I’m so happy for you!
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I was really flattered to be asked and thank you for all your support, Maddie
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That’s fabulous, Dallas! Congratulations!
ps
I looove the quote!
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Me too and I thought it applied to us all
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🙂
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OOHHH well done, you! What great news, Dallas 🙂
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I was just a tad pleased!!!
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Congratulations! Great news! And there’s nothing to stop you self-publishing for free on Kindle, it really isn’t too difficult and you’d be a real fully fledged author with your own book.
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I’ll need to do some research as I’m not the most technical savvy person in the world!!!
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’twas only a matter of time 🙂
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Cheers Hayley – I wish I was that confident
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A (gold) star for a star!
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Thank you elite athlete!
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I would have done a happy dance with you. They would have stared doubly hard, it would have been frightful. So happy for you, I loved the Honeymoon stories, these are absolutely deserving to received a wide readership. You will need to buy beautiful scarves and dark glasses to hide you identity so you are not stalked by fans in stores!
I love you Dad!
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Fortunately, the newspaper is printed in Turkey and they have a relatively small readership so won’t have to buy any scarves just yet – or I could use the ones that my sisters-in-law insisted I wear which make me look like a pantomime dame
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That is very exciting! Congratulations! 😀
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Thank you; I just had a lucky break
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YAY for you, Dallas. I’m so pleased and excited for you. Way to go girl. 😀
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Thankfully I don’t have to supply any pictures which is a double blessing as I’m not like you photographers and I can barely focus the camera
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Congratulations on your success. I’m very happy for you.
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Thank you and I am very grateful for this chance and the blessings bestowed on me by all my fellow bloggers
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I’m so excited for you, big congrats!
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Woo hoo I feel incredibly lucky too!
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Woop-de-doop! that’s fantastic news, really looking forward to seeing you in Proper Print! It’s a great opportunity for even more readers to love your life-stories and I’m so pleased for you! 🙂
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Now wouldn’t that be something! But I’m grateful Andy took a chance on me and when I started I didn’t even think I have someone other than my mum reading
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That’s awesome! Congrats
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Thank you; I’m over the moon
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Hooray! How exciting is that? Congrats, my friend. 🙂
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I’m trying to catch up with all you talented people
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Oh wow!!! How incredibly exciting and truly, so very well deserved. I’m so pleased for you. This is stupendously fabulous news.
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I think it’s fair to say I am made up!
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Well done, you’ve reached the stars now keep going for the moon…. 🙂
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From your lips to God’s ears; I’m trying, I really am!
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God loves those who help themselves
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Congrats! You are a wonderful writer!
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Bless you Laurie and thank you for that. I always wish I could be a bit more creative in other ways like all of you but isn’t that always the way
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Oh, that’s exciting! Congratulations!
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I’m really chuffed – thank you
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That is great news! Congratulations and keep writing! 😉
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Cheers Daniel – very much appreciated and just read your last couple of posts; particularly liked the one on serendipity
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CONGRATULATIONS!!! You’re a published writer now and that’ll look awesome on your resume 🙂 I am very happy for you!
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Does it count – hadn’t really thought of myself as a published writer just a very lucky one!
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Yes, it counts!
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That’s brilliant, well done. One question though – shouldn’t you have run after Kevin screaming I will ALWAYS love you 🙂
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That’s really good; maybe I should have sung it and then I would have been arrested for crimes relating to noise abatement
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Congratulations Dallas, you have a wonderful gift that deserves to be recognised and shared.
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A dream come true!!! Congratulations (though that doesn’t seem to say it, does it?). Such a HUGE and wonderful opportunity – I would definitely be over the moon, back around Jupiter and possibly landed back to Earth 🙂 So happy for you and well deserved!
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The Honeymoon Stories were too good to reside forever within the WordPress world… they need to be out in the big wide world… where surely a laugh is needed. Good on Andy Probert, and good on you 🙂
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How very kind of you and you’re right the world could do with more laughter in it. For the moment I’m just sharing with you and Altinkum but next week – world wide domination
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Fantastic news. It was only a matter of time. I am very happy for you. Today Altinkum, tomorrow the world! xx
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I have my superhero tights at the ready!
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Congratulations and well deserved!!
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Thank you very much; it was a terrific surprise
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