I’m taking a lead from Mark Twain and Elizabeth Wharton and writing in bed! I used to do this a few years ago and it worked well for me then, and so should work for me again now. Wake up early, grab a coffee and write for an hour or so before breakfast, before the phone starts ringing, before the errands, and before all the other distractions start. I might write more later, but at least by breakfast I’ve done something.

A lot has happened since my last post, but unfortunately not much of it good. Firstly, my father had a minor stroke and I’ve taken over the role of my mother’s carer. I found it difficult to guarantee meeting deadlines, or to put in the hours required, so I’ve given up my major editing contract. I’ll still be able to do my private editing, and it will also free up some time for writing. I’m in a ‘clearing the decks’ mode now.

I still haven’t heard from the publisher, but waiting for months is pretty standard these days.

We had interstate visitors last week, which was great, but it meant I got very little done. I’m up to the end of Act 1 in the re-write anyway, so it’s coming along. I’ve also had a chance to start on my second poetry book, as it’s something that’s been sitting there half-done for a long time now. I need to write many more poems of course, but once I start writing poetry it is something I really love to do.

Another distraction has been editing work, but that’s okay too as I need the gold dust. It still seems odd to me to be sitting here in South Australia editing a document for someone in Turkey, and even though I’ve never actually met him, he seems like an old friend. After that it was editing a document for someone in Japan!

I’m also studying and finally got up to date last night with Edgar Allan Poe. His stories are great because they stimulate the imagination – so much is suggested, and so little actually said. I will write some reviews. No – that’s yet another distraction. I must get back to my play!

I’ve returned to working on my comedy play, after leaving it for a while during my studies. I’m on the third draft, and I’ve made some changes and put a character back in who I had taken out in the second draft. I had lost too much by removing her!

I sent off a children’s book to a publisher yesterday, which is the first since I started my BA. I sent it to a publisher who has already published one of my books for children, so they will at least read it with any luck!

The book is a condensed version of a classic tale, but one that many children would not have encountered. It is an exciting story with knights, Camelot, a quest, and a green horse! I think kids will love it, but let’s see what the publisher thinks.

Welcome to my new site. My old one was looking tired and my focus has changed again, which meant it was time for rearranging and renewing the site.

It will take some time for me to build the site up again, but hopefully it will also be fun. At least dear old WordPress has enabled me to get something up and running in under 15 minutes, which is pretty impressive.