These two quotes rang well with me as at
the very end of July we had a wonderful family wedding, where the rain
thrummed on the ancient roof of medieval St Andrews right through the
ceremony. This was really lucky. The rain meant that we were allowed to take
photographs within the marvellous interior. The day brought joy to us all
and made us confident that the new family face a well-deserved, wonderful
future. Apricots and gillyflowers, honey and wine are the least I can wish
for my son and his beautiful new wife.
(I have to admit that despite the bad foot, I
managed to dance all night. A miracle!)
The church inspired me consider writing in a
period further back in history. The period of the Civil Wars – when things
were pretty hot up here with changing values, passions, brotherly strife,
amazing women, the smell of witchcraft – becomes increasingly tempting.
I am still, though, very much engaged with the
twentieth century, with the imminent launch of my new novel NO REST FOR THE WICKED. This
story opens in the streets of Paris during the funeral of Sarah Bernhardt,
ends up in Sunderland in North East England, and features Bishop Auckland’s
Eden theatre and Sunderland’s Empire Theatre in 1923. You can download the
opening pages at the end of this page.
With this one finally launched, I am now
head-down over a new novel (whose secrets I will reveal in a later letter).
This is filling my life, alongside this new writer’s craft book, which will
I hope, be personal, practical inspirational, and a really good read. Some
elements of this book will emerge from my workshops. My aim is that this new
book will be as good to read about writing as Elizabeth David’s books are
about cooking. So you can see I have so much to absorb me that I haven’t
much time to get up to mischief. But as always if mischief beckons I will
not resist.
I have had wonderful response to A WOMAN SCORNED and thought it
might be fun this month to have a little competition with copies of A WOMAN
SCORNED and the new one NO REST FOR THE WICKED as the prize. Click here to
find out how to win.
At last I have a new lease of life as my poor
broken foot is nearly back to normal and I have a new little car to
celebrate my new found freedom. After nine months of being delivered around
like a parcel by very kind people I am now returning to a writer’s freedom
of going where, when, why and how I want. Alone. The legend is that writing
is a lonely job, as though that were a drawback. I think to be a writer you
should relish that time alone. I am enjoying going back to that.
Breathing out at last.
Keep those letters coming. I enjoy hearing from you.
