Optimism

I’ve written another novel. No 6. Favourite yet.

They’ve gone in this order: ‘Moonbathing’ – really quite shite but fun to write. About a woman running off to Thailand. Stalled before the end.

‘The Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore’ – AWFUL title. Basically the plot of the film Leisure Seeker, only I wrote mine first. Again, pretty rubbish but possibly less rubbish. Definitely not fit to send anyone.

‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ – fairly mad and lots of fun to write and possibly has possibility.

I’ve forgotten no 4, it was that memorable. Several laptops ago. May not exist anymore. Will not be a loss to bookshops. It’ll no doubt come back to me at 3am one morning, like everything else that doesn’t need solving at that particular moment…

‘Carly and Jim’ – working title – I like this one. Sent it off to several places, didn’t get anywhere. 90k words. A love story. A story of fate and coincidence.

‘All of This Happened’ – WIP. Good (I hope) first draft complete. 60K words thus far. Best yet. Motivated every day to write, completed draft between end of August and now. One full edit done, currently writing the epilogue. Very happy with it. Would love it to get somewhere. Have sent it off to two comps and an agent….

I’ve learned by Doing. During the the first four I found it hard to get the words out and it was an effort. All of This Happened pretty much wrote itself, I just had to turn up and sit down. C and J was the same, during lockdown.

I’ll keep editing and keep editing and find the right words. And I’ll keep everything crossed that 6 is a magic number.

As Winter draws in I’ll try to stay motivated – I find it a tough time of year but we have a new family member – a new puppy – and he’s keeping me on my toes and he’s keeping me moving, getting fresh air and writing because I’m home more. (The cats and chickens and ducks are furious as he has a penchant for chasing them, all apart from my oldest and wisest cat who just sits and stares at him with disdain.) My holiday let goes sleepy during the winter so not so much work to do. The bees are in survival mode, the garden is in stasis and I have time during the weekdays when the family are at school and work. Writing days stretch out ahead. They may be bookended by too-late sunrises and too-early sunsets but the hours between are filled with words. I have a fire and peace and a good story to tell.