I absolutely love this time of year. I know it's a cliche but it's a time when everything starts to come alive again after the darkness of winter. The world once more becomes a colourful place and it's a pleasure to spend time outside.
In saying that, it also means there are more jobs to be done. I've spent a lot of time during this recent spell of sunshine trying to tame the wilderness that is my garden. We've lived in our current house for 22 years and to my shame I've never managed to create a garden that I'm happy with, and can enjoy spending time just relaxing in it. Every year I promise that this will be the year I'll create that perfect garden and so far every year I fail. Dare I say it that this year will be the year? Well, I'm going to say it anyway. And maybe because I have said it here, it will hold me accountable.
Step 1: Weed, weed and weed again and eventually, hopefully, I'll get to the stage where I can start adding to the garden rather than taking away. To me its a bit like housework. Not much pleasure while doing it, but satisfying when it's done, for a brief time, until you have to start all over again! To make the time more enjoyable, I listen to podcasts, especially ones with author interviews and about writing, so at least I'm learning something whilst I'm doing it.
As for my writing this year, I seem to have been doing a lot of work, but don't appear to have achieved much. I'm currently in the process of writing a trilogy. It's set in a hamlet on the outskirts of Chester and once more focuses on the hospitality industry. So far I have read and edited Book 1, I've written a rough first draft of Book 2 and I'm 12,000 words into the first draft of Book 3. I would really like to have the first drafts of all three books written and partially edited before Book 1 is published, just in case I have to make changes along the way. Each book focusses on a romance between a particular couple, and then in the next book a new couple, who were introduced as characters in the previous one, take centre stage. I'm really enjoying spending time in my fictional world, and hope that soon you will be able to share that world with me.
Last month I also did my very first author talk at Chester's lovely independent bookshop, Books on the Walls which is situated, as it's name suggests, on the Chester Roman Walls at the top of Northgate Street. I must admit I was incredibly nervous, but I really enjoyed the experience and a big thank you goes out to Kate, who very kindly allowed me to talk about my books and my writing.
I've also been volunteering for the Romantic Novelist's Association, the professional body representing authors of romantic fiction in the United Kingdom. I've been doing some behind the scenes PR work for the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards (the RoNAs), an annual event established to celebrate excellence in romantic fiction. The awards ceremony is being held in London in May, and I'm really looking forward to going along next month to watch the celebrations unfold and to meet and socialise with fellow authors.
Well, that's about all my news for now, I'm off to get some more words down on the page for my work in progress, and maybe even attack a few more weeds!
