The Zodiac Files: Marilyn Chapman ~

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about whether or not they're typical of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

I featured fifty-one writers and bloggers last year ~ if you would like to have a look at the list (with links), they're all HERE

Now please give a big hand for the last Zodiac Files guest ~ Capricorn writer Marilyn Chapman, who I 'met' via the blogging community on Twitter.  I need not introduce her as I have with the others, as Marilyn has kindly given all her information in the last paragraph of her piece, so I've put the links there ~ now I'll hand you straight over to her!

"Did you know that Capricorns usually marry for life? If so, please don’t tell my husband – he thinks he has served a long enough ‘sentence’ already! 

Born on Christmas Eve, on the cusp of Aquarius, I nevertheless do have many of the Capricorn’s goat-like traits.  Stubborn?  Yes. Fatalistic and pessimistic? Yes. Humorous? Oh, yes.  ‘My mummy’s not like yours,’ I heard my then six-year-old daughter tell her friend. ‘She jokes all the time so please don’t take her seriously.’

I’m practical but not always prudent, ambitious but not disciplined, confident and strong-willed but certainly not calm.

The traits that really give me away are a tendency to self-criticism and doubt which can sometimes lead to an onset of the blues. (I don’t like the word depression – it makes me feel well, down.)"

"When my paternal grandmother had her fortune told at a church fair she regarded it as harmless entertainment.  The fortune teller said that her elder son (my father) would ‘make his living with the pen.’  He became a successful journalist. His five-year-old brother, on the other hand seemed to have a very hazy future. He died of meningitis when he was 11 years old.

Hearing this story year later made me conscious of my own random ability to predict the future.  I still prefer to call it intuition.

I was born in the Channel Island of Guernsey and still think of it as home even though I left there when I was a young child.   I have French ancestry which might explain the fact that I hate injustice and have a fiery temper."

"I have always been moved by stories of hardship and heartache suffered by so many innocent people during World War Two.  My debut novel, Baggy Pants and Bootees, follows a young girl’s desperate search for her long lost father. Shortlisted for the Festival of Romance New Talent award in 2013 the book was published in paperback and e-book format in 2014. My second novel, a historical romance set in the Occupation of Guernsey, is complete and I am currently working on the sequel to Baggy Pants and Bootees.

I began my career as a trainee reporter on my local newspaper in Lytham St Annes and later freelanced for national newspapers and magazines. My blog, guernseygirlieblogspot.com takes a weekly look at ‘reading, writing and really amazing things’ and I’m also active on facebook and Twitter. I love doing radio interviews to promote my work but hate having my photo taken. Finally, here is my long-suffering Geminian husband on holiday in Norfolk. And yes, he does snore – just a little…."

 

Having lived in Norfolk for 9 years I know it well!

....and once again all those traits reveal themselves!  Thanks so much for being the final guest on The Zodiac Files, Marilyn, and we wish you well in your writing career, of course!

Last of all, I've searched my file and found that I had only two remaining Capricorn writers (the goat section took a bit of a battering in December!), so here they are!

...short story, poet and children's fiction writer Rudyard Kipling....

 

....and science maestro Isaac Asimov

A huge thank you to everyone who has read, contributed to, commented on, tweeted, retweeted or otherwise made this series a success :)

The Z Files: Georgia Rose ~ Capricorn

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about whether or not they're typical of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :)

A Capricorn with a very cheerful smile, rather than a dour saturnine expression... I am delighted to welcome romantic suspense/mystery writer Georgia Rose! 

Georgia's the author of the very well received Grayson Trilogy ~ you can see all three books (and read the sooooper reviews!) on Amazon HERE.  She's active on Twitter and the blogging world, and very supportive of her author friends; she also reviews for Rosie Amber's Review Team.

So is Georgia a typically serious, hardworking Capricorn (but with a bit of a nutty streak, like they tend to have)? 

"I’ve always considered Capricorns to be the dullest of the Zodiac signs. Born at the bleakest time of year our birthdays are forgotten among the excesses of Christmas or the gloom of January. And it’s all so serious with us goats - where’s the fun, the frivolity?" 

Georgia tries hard to be an Aquarius....

"I’m a hard worker, determined to complete whatever I set my mind to - just as well considering the writing schedule I set myself this year. I’m able to work alone - this I do on a daily basis and I’m definitely independent. Serious as a child, I’ve probably always been 40 so I totally agree that I’m gaining a more youthful outlook as I get older. 

Depression - it’s a constant challenge. Solitary - totally, I love the peace and quiet and always choose staying at home rather than go out. Ruthless, self-centred and uncaring about others - well now, I am driven and I’m guessing in my determination to get stuff done I have probably, hopefully now in the past, been all of these things - but never deliberately. However to all those I’ve treated badly rest assured I feel guilt very easily and have a hard time forgiving myself."

"We are loyal, supportive and will tell you what you need to hear, even if it’s not what you want to hear - what more could you want? Other than me to beta read for you. Well how about this, although we need no one to complete us, once we love we have a hard time letting go, but, not caring for money, cars or clothes we only need your love, loyalty and dedication - now that’s not too much to ask, is it? However, we very rarely find ourselves attached to people so if we feel for you consider yourself lucky! Or not, depending on whether you’re interested in someone this intense."

"We can detach ourselves emotionally in a second and out of all the signs we have the most control of our feelings, but that doesn’t mean we do not feel. Because we do, passionately, and although anger doesn’t come often when it does it is the coldest anger you will ever feel and being the deepest earth sign it comes like an earthquake, will destroy the base of everything  and leave no one unaffected, which is why when I saw this....

...I was not surprised. ;-)

However I only just squeak in as a Capricorn so I had a peek at the traits for Aquarius. Unprejudiced - totally. Open - yes, got hypnotised once purely because my mind was so open, at least that’s what the hypnotist told me! (Probably a story for another time ;-)).  Contrary - of course! A bit too batty... for my kids, yes, but then they’re so easy to embarrass. 

I’m thinking I could be an Aquaricorn??"

Aquaricorn?

It so often depends which decanate of the sign you were born in, Georgia - ie the early, middle or late part, and also which signs you have in the rest of your natal chart.  For instance, I am in the second (middle) decanate of Leo, thus a true one, but have 4 planets in Virgo, which calm it all down a bit!

Georgia is someone it's well worth following on Twitter, and her blog is a good one, too, with lots of reviews and other author related stuff ~ it's HERE.

Now, famous Capricorn writers....

... a man whose most famous creation, Holden Caulfield, might have been a struggling goat/water-carrier too ~ J D Salinger...

and Patricia Highsmith, known for her thrillers ~ 

you might have heard of The Talented Mr Ripley :)

Coming next: a politically thrilling Cancerian!

Previous posts (click name to see article):

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Proofreader Julia

Leo: Rose Edmunds, Alex Johnson, Anne Goodwin

Aries: Joanne Phillips, Trisha Ashley, Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: Haydn Lee, Norah Colvin, Jerome Dumont, John Privilege, Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Capricorn: Wendy Janes, Annie Lyons, Steffany R

Sagittarius: Adrienne Vaughan, Rachel Amphlett, Wendy Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Cancer: June Kearns, Sarah Boucher, Katie Oliver, Mark Barry

Virgo: Louise Marley, Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Lizzie Lamb, Julie Haiselden, Sacha Black, Maria Savva

Scorpio: Gen Gannon, Stacey Garrity, Gemma Lawrence, Robert Leigh, Catherine Hokin Jenny Twist

Taurus: Valerie-Anne Baglietto, Val Poore

Libra: Tom Hocknell, Jen Ammoscato,  Joanne B

The Z Files: Wendy Janes ~ Capricorn

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about how typical they are of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :)

Since I made my initial invitations to be featured in this series (I invited about 65-70 writers and bloggers; at the time of writing 51 have taken it up), it's been interesting to see which signs have given me an immediate 'yes please!' and which have not been so interested.

Those cautious Capricorns were one of the three least responsive, then, just when I thought I'd got all submissions in, the goats began popping their horns into my email inbox!  Perhaps they were seeing how it panned out, first... and here is one of late, hircine arrivals, proofreader, supportive social networker and now contemporary drama writer, Wendy Janes :)

Wendy's recently published her first solo novel, What Jennifer Knows ~ it's HERE on Amazon UK.  And there's a rather nice trailer for it, too:

 
Now I'll step back and let her tell you about her Capricornian traits!

"Let’s ignore those negative Capricorn traits and dive right in with the positive ones."

 "Yes, my approach to writing is ‘organized’ and ‘efficient’. I revel in the sense of order and purpose I achieve via daily, weekly and monthly to-do lists for all my writing projects. 

I aim for ‘high standards’. I plot, I plan, I write, rewrite and rewrite, edit and re-edit over and over again. Sometimes the initial getting the words on paper/screen is a little akin to pulling teeth, but once I have something down I love tinkering with it until it feels right. 

I’m definitely ‘resourceful’. The initial spark for most of my fiction comes from my own experiences or, more often, from those of my family. The genesis for my short story ‘Verity’ came from rescuing an elderly lady who had fallen in the street. ‘Verity’ also contains a number of anecdotes that have become family folklore. My husband says he’s a trifle concerned that anything he says or does will be used in my writing. Oh look, I’m even doing it in this post."
(Terry's note: 'Verity' is from a lovely anothology about mothers, definitely the best anthology I've come across since Kindles were invented, my review HERE)

"People tell me I’m funny, so I’d like to think that in addition to creating some ‘witty’ characters, I’m fairly witty on social media, and hope I spread a little smile through the ether.

I can’t finish without making reference to the Capricorn trait of being ‘simply irresistible’. As I’ve only recently published my first solo novel, I think it’s a little too soon to judge whether the reading public think What Jennifer Knows is simply irresistible, but I can dream!"

If you'd like to know more about Wendy and all she does, here's her website, Facebook author page, and her Twitter profile

Now, well known Capricorn writers ~ and indeed we are none of us worthy...

...because the first one I've chosen for Wendy is one of my absolute favourites, the High Priestess of historical fiction ~ Phillipa Gregory 

...and Booker prize winner 

(does it make me a pleb to say I've never read one of his?) ~ Julian Barnes.

Up next ~ A book blogging Scorpio!

Previous posts: (click name to view article)

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Proofreader Julia

Leo: Rose Edmunds, Alex Johnson, Anne Goodwin

Aries: Trisha Ashley, Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: Haydn Lee, Norah Colvin, Jerome Dumont, John Privilege,
  Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Capricorn: Annie Lyons, Steffany R

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Sagittarius: Rachel Amphlett, Wendy Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Cancer: Sarah Boucher, Katie Oliver Mark Barry

Virgo: Louise Marley, Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Julie Haiselden, Sacha Black, Maria Savva

Scorpio: Gemma Lawrence, Robert Leigh, Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist

Taurus: Valerie-Anne Baglietto, Val Poore

Libra: Tom Hocknell, Jen Ammoscato, Joanne B

 

The Z Files: Annie Lyons ~ Capricorn

Astrology ~ a bit of fun, a load of rubbish, or something to take seriously?

I invited around 70 writers/bloggers to write a piece about how typical they are of their sign, and how its traits affect their writing life ~ if at all...

Has your favourite writer been featured yet?  Links to all previous posts at the end of this one :)

A big welcome today to another bestselling chick lit author and one of the UK Carina group, Annie Lyons ~ a sceptical Capricorn.  I laughed when I read her piece, because one of my and my sister's long-standing astrological jokes is "I don't believe in all that astrology rubbish; very sceptical, we Capricorns" ~ I pass you over to Annie so she can tell you more!

Like so many on-the-surface-staid Capricorns, Annie has a 'wacky' side, too!!

"When I was a teenager, the only magazine that any self-respecting thirteen-year-old would be seen dead with was Just Seventeen (by the time we were seventeen, it was Cosmopolitan – Just Seventeen was for babies). My friends and I would read it on the bus on the way to school and one of our favourite pages was the horoscope page. 

I tell myself that I’ve grown up since those days, that astrology is for teenagers, that you can make characteristics fit anyone. And yet... 

You see I’m a Capricorn and they are goats – stubborn and unmovable. I am stubborn. No-one is going to tell me what to think. I already know what’s what. So I approach the notion of astrology with scepticism. Apparently this is a Capricorn trait too. Hmmm…"

"I dig a little deeper but with caution - apparently this is also common to my star sign. I consider my writing and how my career began after I was made redundant. My practical side (another Capricorn trait) wanted to find something to do alongside my new job as ‘Chef de fish fingers’ for two small people."

"Once I realised I could do it, something sparked inside me (perhaps that Capricorn determination?) and I kept trying until I was offered a publishing deal.  

I have always tried to be casual about this writing lark. I don’t mind if it works, I am using my creative energy and that is enough. Pah! Who am I kidding? I want to be best friends with JK Rowling and have all my books made into films. And there’s that Capricorn ambition, right there.  

So maybe, I do share some traits of the goat but the one I do believe in and try to put at the forefront of everything I do, is humour. I want to laugh and make people laugh because humour unites and enriches our lives. I try to carry this into my writing and when promoting my books on social media. I find it impossible to take myself too seriously. I write books for a living. I’m not saving lives here. 

All in all, I remain the healthy sceptic I’m supposed to be and I’ll take the stubbornness on the chin. Just remember if we get into an argument, I won’t back down but I might try to make you laugh at the same time!"

A very well balanced and positive example of the sign, I'm sure you agree :)  I've always thought Capricorn must be one of the more difficult signs to be; I used to have a good goatly friend who often said, 'you're so lucky being a golden summer lion instead of a dark, depressed goat' - or maybe that was just her; Annie doesn't sound dark and depressed at all!

If you would like to follow Annie on Twitter, she's HERE, and if chick lit is your thing you can find out more about her books on her blog; she writes on lots of other subjects besides her books and writing, though; I really liked one post  a couple of months ago about the modern trend for everything having to be shared, via social media, all the time.

Now, let's find two suitable Capricorn writers to struggle determinedly up that mountain with Annie...

Must have been similarly ambitious ~ the fabulously successful Diana Gabaldon, 

author of the Outlander series

... and hugely accomplished romantic drama author, Nicholas Sparks.  

Coming up next ~ a delightful, homely and NOT crabby Cancerian!

Previous posts ~ click name to read article

Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Julia Proofreader

Leo: Rose Edmunds, Alex Johnson, Anne Goodwin

Aries: Trisha Ashley, Cynthia Harrison

Gemini: Norah Colvin,  Jerome Dumont, John Privilege, Shelley Wilson

Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black

Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham

Capricorn: Steffany R

Sagittarius: Rachel Amphlett, Wendy Lennox, Katrina Mountfort

Cancer: Katie Oliver, Mark Barry

Virgo: Louise Marley, Elizabeth Ducie, Barb Taub

Pisces: Maria Savva, Sacha Black

Scorpio: Gemma Lawrence, Robert Leigh, Catherine Hokin, Jenny Twist

Taurus: Valerie-Anne Baglietto, Val Poore

Libra: Tom Hocknell, Jen Ammoscato, Joanne B