Cat dreaming

Silver tabby watches windows
keen to see all outside.
Waiting eagerly for the day
he can venture out with pride.

Slowly creeping nearer
his fluttering chirping prey,
finally catching in his jaws
on the best of all his days.

To catch a tiny tasty bird
and gobble it up with ease,
leaving only feathers
to show he's been released.

But for now he'll keep on watching
as they fly innocently past the glass,
completely unaware of what
shall very soon come to pass!

Garden Birds

Fat Finches,
Rowdy Robins,
Tiny Tits,
Blackbirds and
Black Birds.
CAT!
Fluttering
Skuttering,
Chirping,
Panic.
Cat climbs.
Cat waits.
Birds see.
Birds hop.
Birds fly.
Cat jumps down.
Birds safe,
for now.

THINGS YOU NEED TO START EBAY TRADING

 Access to a computer which can go on the internet
 A camera with a reasonable quality picture
 Reliable access to a post office
 Stock of high quality
 Packing materials (bubble wrap for delicates – tissue and post bags ideal for clothes though bubble envelopes good too as prevents damage in post)
 An Ebay account. A buyer account will start you off in developing an online presence in the Ebay community. It’s best to hold off selling until you have a positive feedback score of 50 or over if possible as those with less than 50 tend not to make as much money. You will need to register your credit card with Ebay in order to start selling (this is to protect them in the event you forget to pay your ebay selling fees!)
 A Paypal account. Although you can offer alternative payment arrangements for people to pick up items or take cheques paypal is the safest way to make and receive payments and it is also compulsory to offer this if you are selling.

FIRST THINGS FIRST –

Start off small! Sell one or two items first to get yourself off to a slow start. That way you wont panic if something goes missing in the post or if you get one of the occasional nutters trying to steal your stuff! Most people are honest enough but there are always tryers!


 Take a good quality picture of the item you are wishing to sell – depending on what it is you may like to take more than one picture but make sure this is worth the outlay as remember each picture over and above the first costs money (not a lot but still worth remembering).
 Research the item – by brand, type and qualities (ie colour or whether new or used) to find out how much they sell for.
 Decide whether you wish to gamble on auction style (where buyers place bids) or fixed price format (where you set the price you want and buyers simply click buy it now)
 Head on over to ebay and click sell (at the top, next to my ebay).
 If you are selling a book or Dvd put in the ean/isbn number to put a stock photo and basic description on your listing. Click quick sell (unless you are selling something unique or exceptionally high quality that needs more information or which you wish to sell at fixed price only – the following still apply but will be on a page by page rather than point by point basis) You may need to sign into the site again, this is normal and is just to maintain site and account security.
 Compose A good headline for your item (point one on the quick sell form) For example trousers is rubbish as it doesn’t grab anyone or give them enough information. Navy Fat Face trousers Size 12 VGC Funky is better as it is succinct yet gives lots of info re brand, size and condition of the item. This is especially important when marketing clothes. With Dvds always mention the region (region 2 is usual for uk dvds)
 Point 2 is finding the correct category for your item. If you browse through the categories to begin with that’s easiest as you get to know them. Ie if selling clothes start in clothes then work out to specific category – CLOTHES, SHOES > MENS CLOTHING>SUITS AND TAILORING.
 Point three – add your picture – remember to rotate and crop the picture to its best advantage, remember your buyer cant pick up the item so its your best chance for them to fall in love with the item. You may have to install ebay picture services – not a big file and very helpful for fixing basic pic issues.
 Point four – the description – most important selling tool! Maximise your profits by talking of the best aspects of your item – condition all important! Also, colour, cut, fit, brand again, sizing (also measurements if the sizing not standard). Very important at this point also to mention any defects – people don’t mind the odd little thing but if you don’t mention it then it’ll bite you in the bum when it arrives and they aren’t happy with it. Also people don’t mind waiting for an item but this is the time to mention if you only post out on Saturdays/Wednesdays or whatever as they need to know how long it will take to arrive. Also invite questions – people don’t trust sellers who don’t offer more information, particularly if they are bidding on higher value items something along the lines of Please contact me with any questions is perfect. Don’t forget to fill in the recommended info at the top of this section, this all helps to market your item in the correct places.
 Point five- setting your minimum selling costs. This is where you make some big decisions. How much is the smallest amount you are willing to let the item go for? Place this amount in the start bidding at section. You can also add a buy it now option if you like at this item although this disappears if someone bids. Remember if you start the bidding over 99p this costs extra, also a buy it now costs money too (don’t worry – a total cost pops up before you finalise the listing so you can go back and change it if it is too much! All the info on how much fees are can be found here http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/fees.html ) Then postage costs – remember to factor in costs of packing material as well as actual postage but keep it fair. Ebay have recently standardised postage rates in several categories and so may limit the amount you wish to charge. If your item is going to cost more to post then you can offer collection only to avoid losing out. Make sure you are realistic about dispatch time as people hate it when things don’t arrive when they should.
 Point six – payment options – as I said before Paypal must be one of these options but you can also put cheque etc if you are happy to accept those – personal choice. – click save and preview once all this is done.
 This is where they tell you how much your listing costs – with a single picture and 99p start it should be free in most categories! You can also preview your listing. It’s worth casting an eye over to make sure there are no spelling mistakes or obvious errors.
 Click place listing and that’s your item live!
 You’re not finished there though 
 Once the item has sold and been paid for ensure it is clean and packed securely and that you post it out as quickly as you can to make sure your customer is happy with the transaction. Customers like you to let them know when it has been posted – I usually send this in a message from my ebay


Hi there, just to let you know that your item has been posted and should arrive shortly. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the event of any problems. I will leave feedback when your item has arrived safely as I do not consider a transaction to be complete until you have your item safely.
Happy ebaying!
Hazel :)

 Hopefully once the item arrives the buyer shall leave you feedback so you know all is well. This is when you can withdraw/spend/fritter all the lovely ebay profits, not forgetting first to settle your ebay account (you can set this up when you set up the seller account to take payment automatically from your paypal account if you chose or do it yourself following the links from your ebay summary)


Key points
1. Always describe items accurately and post quickly
2. Always pack well and get proof of posting from post office to cover you in the event of royal mail losing/damaging the item. If you don’t get proof you will be held liable for the item by ebay/paypal!
3. Remember your fees from ebay/paypal and postage costs add up so selling lots of 99p stuff wont make you a profit – quality and descriptions mean everything!

Happy ebaying!

Blocked no more :)

It occurs to me that I should mention that I am no longer blocked but am working on a couple of projects which sadly are not bloggable (one being a competition entry for http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/short-story-competition-2011/ these guys and another being a full length novel type thing hopefully)

Still my lovelys I am sure that now my spirits are returning I shall be blogging in no time though whether it be fiction, non fiction or simply a diatribe about the difficulties of trying to find a job mid credit crunch who can say!

Happy writing x

Blocked!

So today I promised I would update my blog!

A new story.

A new idea.

Or even a new poem (though my poems are just for fun as no poet am I).

Sooooooo, as happens some times my brain is blank! Having been given the advice that something is better than nothing I find myself messing about with the keyboard just to check that my fingers still work so that when the idea comes I don't have to mess about trying to unstiffen them and heat them through so they get some feeling.

I do have ideas it's juat that they are a jumble of nonsense with no coherant thread to follow! Maybe a mind map would help or jotting down some things in my notebook.

Who can say.

Maybe I shall go and try it :)

Millions of eyes

Millions of eyes all on me
as I climb to the stage,
to collect my degree.
The degree that I have worked for,
for such a long time.
The degree that I have,
at last it is mine.

I deserve every minute
of this momentous moment.
The joy and elation.
The pride and contentment
as I hold my head high
and reach for the paper
I have a satisfied sigh
and emerge thinking, later…

What’s to come now?
The world is my mollusc,
I’ll crack open the shell
with my newly found tool.
I’ve done what intended
and achieved my goal
I have my beginning
a start for this soul.

I wrote this just as I completed my degree and thought I would post it to remind myself of all i have achieved and what it was all about! The beginning, not the end :)

The dark abbey

As she stepped through the large arched doorway into the cool gloomy interior of the abbey Katy felt the chill raise the hairs on the back of her neck. As it had been gloriously bright and sunny two seconds ago as she wandered aimlessly through the town this did not surprise her.
Katy had come to Paisley to do some shopping as the small village she lived in boasted only a post office come corner shop and she was tired of buying all her clothes online. A writer by trade she rarely left the large desk chair by her computer and lived most of her life through her characters but today something had made her long for the sound of other people. She had showered and pulled on jeans and proper shoes, feeling her usual bare feet would be less than comfortable on the hot paving slabs of town, hopped into her car and drove the 12 miles or so to the town centre. Parking her car in the shade of a multi storey Katy headed to the shops where the rudeness of the assistants reminded her of why she preferred online shopping. She then had a gentle stroll in the sun and pondered her afternoons work. Her latest story, an adventurous romance, was teetering on the brink of becoming convoluted and nonsensical if she did not restrain her main characters. Her eye had been caught by the large Gothic façade of the Abbey and she realised that in the thirteen years she had been living near Paisley never once had she seen inside this large building, despite its being one of the oldest in the area.
She entered slowly relishing the change in temperature as the sun had begun to burn her shoulders and the bag she carried rubbed her right painfully. It was quiet within the dark walls, the rows of seats empty and no one in sight. Katy stepped lightly over the slabs in the floor engraved with names and dates so distant from today. She gazed up at the light dancing playfully through the multicoloured windows that pictured scenes she did not recognize from her atheist upbringing. Sunlight dappled the floor where she stood but no warmth seemed to penetrate the building as coolness emanated from the stone floor and walls. Katy listened for any noises and was surprised to realise that she could not hear anything, not even from outside.
Katy walked slowly around the interior walls of the Abbey admiring the stone work, the intricate carvings upon the choir, the windows and even the tombstones and wondered inwardly why this beautiful place was not filled with tourists like a similar building in Glasgow or Edinburgh would have been. Perhaps it was just that people did not know it was there she mused as she rested herself on a pew deep in the shadows at the back of the central passageway.
The lack of noise was just beginning to make Katy feel uneasy when the noise of footsteps echoed through the church. Sinking deeper into the shadows to allow this new visitor the same sense of wonder and solitude that she had enjoyed she felt grateful for her long dark hair and subdued clothing which allowed her to camouflage herself so effectively.

“Did you get it?” a guttural voice came from a little doorway that Katy had not noticed before and a man emerged from what looked like a spiral staircase on the left of the choir. Two sets of feet came together at the front of the choir where Katy imagined the minister would stand during a service.

“Of course I fucking got it! What do you pay me for” a small package changed hands.

Katy slipped herself further down in her chair suddenly feeling like she had inadvertently witnessed something that no one was meant to see.

“Did anyone see you?” the first voice asked, Katy could see now that it belonged to a small slight man whose face was illuminated by a random splash of light. His face looked pointed and mean but intelligent also.

“No of course not, I’m the best in the business of course no one saw me!” the second man boasted.

A shot rang out, echoing around the hollow emptiness of the previously silent arena. The second man fell silently to the ground and Katy could see a darker shadow spreading out like wings beneath him. The first man looked at his fallen friend and smiled as he tucked the package out of sight along with the small handgun which Katy had not noticed before. She was frozen to her chair, hoping madly that he would not look up and see her sitting there, a witness to his crime. After all if one death did not matter to him another would make no odds.

The sound of running footsteps came to Katy and the man at the same time as she saw his disappear back up the staircase from which he had so quickly emerged and gently close the door on his way. It was only seconds before the owner of the rushing feet entered the Abbey through the side door and came to an abrupt halt in front of the still warm body. Wheeling about a young minister ran back the way he had come shouting for someone to call the police and that someone was hurt.

Katy pondered what she had seen and wondered what she should do. The right thing was of course to tell the police everything but the temptation to sneak out, be on her way and pretend she had seen nothing was great. That way no-one would know what she had seen and she would be in no danger. Or would she. Could she get out without being seen she wondered. She slowly rose from her seat and cautiously edged towards the side aisle closest to her exit. She walked gingerly, grateful for her soft soled shoes, down the aisle trying to remove from her sight both the fallen man and the memory of his sudden demise. She was two steps from the doorway when a hand fell heavily onto her shoulder…