What have I been writing?
It’s all about ‘But By Degrees’ at the moment. I’ve been beavering away like a good little author, attempting to make the novel the best it can be. I might’ve allowed myself brief thoughts about what I’ll work on next, but BBD is the priority until release in a few months.
What have I been reading?
I’ve been going through a non-fiction phase recently and the current book on my bedside table is Events, Dear Boy, Events: A Political Diary of Britain 1921-2010, edited by Ruth Winstone. It’s a fascinating look back through the diaries of people like Virginia Woolf, Tony Benn, Alan Bennett and Piers Morgan as they reflect on the big issues of the day. I found the portion around the abdication absorbing and I’ve just reached Churchill’s final retirement. The image of our greatest prime minister sat with a budgie on his head is one I’m struggling to shift!
It’s taking me a while to get through this book, mainly due to the length ( 600+ pages) and the fact that I’m working so hard on the novel draft. I might still be reading it next month!
What have I been watching?
Precious little! There’s always a bit of a summer drama drought, although I have series three of both Peaky Blinders and The Musketeers to get to when I have a break in my work schedule. In the meantime, I’m watching a few episodes of Frasier when I have twenty minutes to keep the brain amused.
What have I been listening to?
The usual fare has kept me writing – my pop playlists stretching from Dusty Springfield through to ABBA, The Nolans and right up to Steps and S Club 7. At the moment, every little bit of cheesy pop keeps me sane.
Have I done anything remotely interesting?
Well, I hopped on a train to Meadowhall (hence the picture at the top of this post). I also hosted a writing workshop in Wakefield just yesterday. It was a mild success so hoping to do the same next month. Other than that, I’ve mainly been working and drinking good coffee at my favourite writing place.
