I entered in #PitchWars this week, a writing contest where published/agented authors, editors, or interns choose one writer each, read their manuscript, and offer suggestions to shine it up for agents.

A few PitchWars mentees were doing #PimpMyBio, where they put up a little bit about themselves so that mentors can learn about us. There’s even a collected list of #PimpMyBios.

It seemed like fun, so, without further ado, here’s 5 Things You Need to Know About Emma.

1. I REALLY like tea.

I love tea, you guys. I really do. I am the most British of Brits, having a cup of tea in times of peril, or sleepiness, or just because it’s chilly.

Here’s the latest picture of my tea collection. I actually need to take a new photo of the changes that have occurred since then.

2. I am the most British of Brits, but also the most Scottish of Scots

Okay, I’ll never match up to a Glaswegian, but I have a strong patriotic street. Not politically–let’s not mention the tormented unicorn that is the current state of Scottish politics–but I’ll rave about haggis and bagpipes and fun Scottish desserts. This part of the country is beautiful and I love living here.

Fun fact: My family hails from the Western Isles, a lovely but flawed part of the country where religion is very strict and alcoholism is very high. Recently a church elder had to be suspended for transporting rams on a Sunday.

3. Also the geekiest of geeks

Works in IT? Check. Watches anime? Check. Can build a computer from scratch? Of course. Videogames? Of course. Comics? Yes, and I even have strong opinions about them.

I write long Tumblr posts defending Cersei and Sansa from Game of Thrones and Effie from The Hunger Games. I’m not only in multiple fandoms, but I’m in bandoms too. I know what Superwholock is and can go from Jensen Ackles to Eren Jaeger in a split second.

Sometimes I am Batman. On other nights, I’m more like Pikachu.

4. I suffer from CAPS LOCK ENTHUSIASM

I JUST. I JUST REALLY LIKE THINGS. I LIKE BEING EXCITED. I LIKE BEING EXCITED IN MY LOUD INTERNET VOICE.

IF YOU HAVE AN ARTSY THING THAT YOU CARE ABOUT I WILL ALSO CARE ABOUT IT. LOUDLY. IN CAPS LOCK.

5. I’m artsy sometimes

I draw lots of pictures related to my writing, and sometimes I commission artwork too. Here’s the pieces related to my current on-sub project, DIVIDE THE SKY.

I don’t pretend that my art is up to much, but I have fun drawing it and sharing it anyway.

My Art

[Show as slideshow]

Commissioned Art

[Show as slideshow]

hobbitnotebook

I’ve been meaning to do a post on my notebooks for a while. I go through them at quite a pace, enough that their passings and rebirths should be marked in this blog.

My preferred brand of notebook is Moleskine, because I get guaranteed high-quality, sturdy notebooks at an affordable price range. I’ve had too many cheaper notebooks fall apart on me in the past. (These days, I’ve also moved from the plain black Moleskines to fancy limited edition ones so I can tell them apart on my shelves.)

However, I’m always open to notebook recommendations. If you have a favourite notebook, let me know!

For the first half of this year I used my 2012 edition The Hobbit Moleskine notebook, a nice little thing with gold-effect embossed drawings from the first edition of The Hobbit. It doesn’t show up well in photos, but it was a pretty wee thing.

The 2012 Edition lasted approximately from 30th March 2013 until 25th September 2013. It was h0me to a lot of continuing work on DIVIDE and ALL THE BROKEN THINGS, along with a few short stories, a new middle grade project, and some chunks of the first draft of LEVIATHAN RISES.

Then the 2013 edition The Hobbit Moleskine turned up, and damn, it blew 2012 out of the water. Black with metallic red embossing, and with the first few pages filled with original The Hobbit drawings. It’s beautiful.

The 2013 Edition has been in service from 21st May and is still going strong. It should last me well into 2014 at my current rate. So far it’s been home to continuing work on DIVIDE, ALL THE BROKEN THINGS and LEVIATHAN RISES as well as the continuation of that middle grade project.

Okay, that’s enough notebook fangirling for tonight. Time to put pen back to paper!

hobbit2013inside — Drawings inside the 2013 edition

geekery

5 Things You Need to Know About Emma

1. I REALLY like tea.

2. I am the most British of Brits, but also the most Scottish of Scots

3. Also the geekiest of geeks

4. I suffer from CAPS LOCK ENTHUSIASM

5. I’m artsy sometimes

Some 2013-Flavoured Notebook Geekery