writerlywitterings

Last week I was glad to finish one edit – this week I have another.

All I want to do is head off to the moors!

It’s one of the more accurate observations, the fact that all writing is rewriting. I estimated that my first novel was the result of reading and rereading my manuscript somewhere in the region of thirty five times. By the end of that marathon reading/editing session, it’s little surprise that I really didn’t want to read the book again! However, I am glad to say that when I reissued the novel with Simon and Schuster after some eighteen years, I was very pleased with it.

Last week I was lucky enough to have an evening away from my desk on Monday. I went with Karen Maitland to give a talk in Taunton at the excellent Brendon Bookshop. It was really enjoyable – a lively audience with plenty of questions.

One of the questions that people always tend to ask is, do you, as the author, have a favourite book of your own? Phew! That is like asking a parent which of the children is their favourite. It’s a horrible question. If there was a favourite, that must mean that there would be a less favourite, or even worse, among the rest of his or her works. Mind you, I have to admit that different books do appeal more or less over time. I cannot deny that I’ve always had a soft spot for the first because LAST TEMPLAR was my first. In the same way, I’ve always liked DEATH SHOP OF DARTMOUTH because that was my twenty first novel, and also because it was shortlisted for a major prize (the Theakston’s Old Peculier). But then I love MERCHANT’S PARTNER, and MOORLAND HANGING and all the others. Basically, I write in the hope that the books I’m working on are the kind of books that would appeal to me. That means that as my tastes change, so does my writing style, but it also means that I hope there is a continuing market for my type of work.

Talking of work, well, having completed one edit, now I’m on with the next. This is the third book in the Vintener trilogy, and covers the battle of Poitiers. A horrible battle, leading to the death of so many, and my vintaine suffered accordingly. If there is one fact that is never-changing, it is that the one book no author wants to work on, it is the one that is in front right now. I always want to be cracking on with the book I’ve got fixed in my head, which is the one I haven’t started yet! I’ve two weeks to finish this, and then, at last, I can refill my Visconti pen with Diamine inks, grab my Atoma notepad, and embark on the new novel. I’ll be looking forward to that!

However, it is coming close to Christmas now, so I’m preparing all my book stocks for sale. If you have any friends or family who deserve a good read, do please contact me here, and I’ll get back you you as soon as I can.

In the meantime, if you are bored and need a break, do go and check my latest YouTube video about my favourite pen!

Have a great week!

Walking a Devon lane