busybusy

Current work: nonfic/MH book 2 c1
Listening to: Martin Ostertag and Boris Bagger, Nocturne (cello and classical guitar)
Reading: Eileen Ramsay, The Stuff of Dreams plus some nonfic research

Busy writing. One work week left until the kids break up. Have started new book in a completely different way (had the lightbulb moment in the five minutes last night between my live radio interview on BBC Radio Norfolk and having to go to the meeting at school, where I’ve promised to go in during Book Week and talk about being an author); guitar went OK (am doing prelude to Bach lute suite in Dm and there are some tricky stretches); am trying not to get overexcited about the fact that the BBC is putting up a feature about me on their website (OK, so am failing miserably at this because am actually very overexcited about it) and I also get a feature in the EDP at some point in the next week… And the nice thing is that it's all because of positive achievements. I work hard and it's lovely to have that recognised. (There are people who refer to my career as 'your little hobby'. Teeth-grinding moments.)

Though I’m not moaning. I love high-octane busy weeks like this one. And I love it when a new book starts to work properly. Doing what I love most - writing - is a real high. Authors often talk about books being like their babies. I think that’s true: they’ll arrive in your head when they’re ready and not before, just as babies will arrive when they're ready (eldest was 10 days late and put me through a 2-day labour on top of that). And I always get the same dip after delivering a book that I had after both children were born – obviously emotional rather than hormonal, but similar in feeling.

Right. To work.