The arrival of November can only mean one thing.

NaNoWriMo!

For those who have been living under rocks, NaNoWriMo is a competitive project that revolves around the concept of writing a novella (50,000 words) in a month.

I love it, and last year had my first win with my story 'Marionette'. It finished NaNo at 62,000 words, however has now been polished and sits at just over 85,000 words. I also won Camp NaNo this summer with my story 'The Worn Out Dancing Shoes', which came in at just over 50,000.

This year I'm taking a risk. Uni has become extremely time consuming, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the project justice. However I'm going to give it a try! My story this year is called 'Following Reuben', and the basic idea surrounds a girl called Isobel who has always been heavily influenced by her best friend Reuben, so much so that when he takes off in a camper van to travel festivals she can't refuse the offer to go with him. It's a young adult novel, with a good slice of romance thrown in for good measure. It's not as heavy as what I'm used to writing, although with all my prior commitments that's probably a good thing.

That's my very simple cover. It may be juvenile, but I always like to have a cover picture for my stories, it makes them feel a little less abstract. The photo is from one of my looks, 'Dappled light on a country lane', since I think that it fits the general feel of the story so far.

Wish me luck for November - I'll post a few updates throughout the month, and if you're lucky there may even be a few excerpts!

INSPIRATION EXISTS, an interview with Mariana Soares Branco.

Tell us a little about yourself?

Well my name is Mariana, I'm an eighteen year old girl from Lisbon (Portugal) and I write the blog "An impression of light". I finished high school this year and I'm starting medical school in the fall, which is something I'm really looking forward to!

In my free time you will find me either spending quality time with my friends or doing some of my favourite activities: gymnastics, horse riding or anything fashion related, whether it is shopping or surfing the internet for cool blogs.

Where are you from, and how has it influenced your style?

As I said, I'm from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. I guess this place has indeed influenced my style, but I never really thought about it.. Firstly, there is always such great light here in Lisbon that I never feel like wearing outfits that are too dark, so i mostly wear either bright colors or nudes. Secondly, there aren't many people here who actually dress up, so I sometimes tone it down a bit to fit in better, especially if I am just going for a walk through the city. Last, but not least (and this is a very practical influence), I don't wear heels nearly as much as I would like to because the floor here isn't concrete, it is covered with something called "calçada portuguesa", which is made of thousands of small rocks that have little holes between then: I'm telling you, it is any stilleto's worse nightmare!

Tell us a bit about your approach to fashion?

I believe fashion is a way of expressing yourself, it is your own personal art. Everyone should have fun with it and present themselves as they like best, instead of dressing to appeal to other people. Like Gore Vidal said, “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn”!

How would you describe your personal style?

I would like to believe my personal style is classic, yet with a little bit of freshness and youth to it. I always prefer cleaner looks though… whether I throw on some jeans and a white tank top or some fancy dress, I prefer to keep it simple than to go over the top.

Do you have any fashion icons? Who do you admire?

I don't really have a fashion icon, but there are several people in this world i admire. I absolutely love the style of both Olivia Palermo and Emma Watson, I think they always look beautiful and so, so polished. Bloggers wise, I adore Kristina Bazan from Kayture. As for designers, my favourite is Elie Saab without a doubt!

What are your favourite fabrics to wear?

My favourite summer fabric is definitely cotton, maybe leather as well for details. As for winter, I really like to vary my fabrics: wool, tweed, suede…

Do you have a favourite item of clothing right now?I do have a favourite item, it is a brown backpack I bought at Blanco (which you can see here). It may seem too plain, but I love it since it is rather comfortable and goes with absolutely everything!

What items are you lusting over at the moment?At this moment I am lusting over a red leather jacket I saw at Zara. It is absolutely gorgeous, but a bit too expensive!

Tell us about your ambitions?Fashion wise, I would love to have a successful fashion blog so I could share my views on fashion and other themes with the world. As for the other aspects of my life, I would like to finish medical school, work at a good hospital where I could help people and one day get married and have a family.

What's your favourite quote?My favourite quote is either “always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else” (July Garland) or “inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” (Pablo Picasso). The combination of them both sends the message that you have to fight for what you want, but you shouldn’t lose yourself while doing so!

You can find Mariana's looks here.

The day the teddy bears had their picnic.

Yesterday I returned to Bath after a lovely weekend in Cornwall. I saw a handful of relatives who haven't visited for years, drank far too much rosé, and ate until I could eat no more. With uni in full swing it was exactly what I needed.


This look includes a few more goodies from the student lock in last week; the zip pocket shirt from H&M and the high-low hemline skirt from TopShop. It was also the first outing for my faux fur headband from Dorothy Perkins. First of all I'd tried on a similar one in Urban Outfitters that cost £16, however I was strict with myself and hunted down a cheaper one - this one cost me £10. A bit pricey for what it is, but it's very cosy and kept my ears toasty.

Remembering games and daisy chains.

Whilst I'm still in Cornwall here's another look. My new(ish) peter pan collar shirt from New Look, my ancient petticoat skirt from Urban Outfitters, my boater from Next, and the same cape and shoes from yesterday's look. Me? Stuck in a rut? Not at all.

I'm going back up to Bath this evening, so dependent on whether I find a new place to shoot looks it may be a while until I post a look again, but do keep your eyes open for another fashion interview in the coming week!