oh dear - quel very long time since I wrote something here. Ah well - the sun doth shine and the September day is warm. This sea of my inspiration, a stone's throw from where I sit now, helped me create a story - Magnus Fin and the ocean quest -and Magnus Fin and I won the Kelpies prize and will soon be in print.
And the joy to have an editor who is wonderful. Many long moons ago, when I was a journalist in London, I had an editor. Since then I had forgotten what that means - that there is someone there in conversation with your writing and those final touches do not have to be done completely alone. So much of the writer's life is being alone. It is a state I am getting used to and cherish. But all this writing or the best of it - I hope, is ultimately for other people - so it's interesting to now enter this communal aspect of writing. How about this? she says - and you said that in chapter two so don't want to confuse readers by saying this in chapter five etc.
Thank God. at the polishing stage it's fine and right to let others in.
Then there's the next book already to think about. I need to learn to trust the pregnancy of that and stay - like Mary - silent with the knowledge of it growing under her breast. I've blabbed too early and that's asking for a miscarriage. It's not for nothing foetuses are hidden and protected.
Anyway, nuff of that mystery. I met Joan Lingard and was presented with £2000 - which was utterly wonderful considering my card that very morning had been declined!
Ah but these short listed ceremony affairs are difficult. I had a deep feeling I would win but of course prepared myself not to - which meant numbing down on the whole feeling realm so as to, if it came to it, be a good runner up.
The book launch will be in Edinburgh on October 22nd.
much love xx