Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Second Novel Now Officially Underway

I thought I'd write a blog post as I haven't done so for ages and now no-one bothers to read my blog anymore (logically). So, here's my news. Most importantly, I quit my job last Friday to concentrate on the writing of my second novel. Rash? Perhaps. This means no money since I'm not on benefit or receiving any grants or anything, however, I know that there's no other way for me to do it. I need to write in the morning first thing after coffee. Then I go for a walk and write again. So far so good: I'm doing a thousand words at every sitting. So since Monday, I've done 4,000 words.

The novel itself is a very complex piece of work. I have copious notes and character sketches and I have to work on an historical timeline that goes back hundreds of years. These opening chapters have been quite hard to write as they cover events in a family history (from very different perspectives) for the last fifty years. But thanks to my rash leaving my job decision, I'm now able to work with a brain that's fresh and uncluttered by anything else. Consequently, I'm now into chapter three.

If I can keep this up, I hope to be looking at a finished first draft in three months or so. Then with re-writes and edits, hopefully I can start podcasting it before Christmas. Maybe even by October or November.

If you used to read this but drifted away, come back, I'm going to be posting updates much more regularly than I did before. Which isn't promising a lot ;-) No, no, I jest.

Sunday, April 13, 2008


Woo-hoo! Go Ireland!
Took this today on the Irish iTunes lit chart. Delighted to see such a healthy glow here in the old adopted home country. Many thanks to all the Irish listeners for giving me three in a vertical row.