Dates for Monday's Child

I am more than halfway through Monday's Child, the sequel to my novel Sunday's Child, set in 1814.

The dates are important so I checked my chapters and added one at the beginning of every scene. When I submit the novel to MuseItUp Publishing I shall remove them, but while I'm writing they ensure I'm not in a tangle - so to speak -  with fast moving events.

Miracle of Christmas

The shops are flooded with baubles,  tinsel and many other decorations. Small children visit Santa's grotto. The competition for shopper's money is fierce. Articles about what to buy and cook for Christmas are profuse. Credit cards purchase goods which too many people will struggle to buy. So where is the miracle of Christmas? It was in the faces of the pre-school children, who enacted the nativity today, including that my four year-old granddaughter, who represented Mary and rocked the baby doll standing in for Jesus with real tenderness. 

Christmas Greenery

My eldest granddaughter and I decorated my Christmas tree. It's something she enjoys doing with me every year.
I picked assorted greenery from my garden some with berries on it, arranged it in a large glass vase and hung small baubles on the branches. It looks gorgeous and the cuttings from evergreen trees smell gorgeous. And now to think about making a wreath for the front door using material from the garden.

Georgians Revealed

I visited The Georgians Revealed Exhibition at the British Library with a friend. The walls on the approach the gallery are lined with black and white friezes of Georgian life, and are hung with portraits of the three King Georges. From the ceiling are suspended copies of many pictures and posters of Georgian life.

In the gallery there were also a few items of costume, china and many books on display.

The gallery is divided into three sections. No 1. Public places, private spaces. No 2 Buying luxury, Acquiring style. No 3 Pleasures of society, virtues of culture.

It took my friend and I the better part of the day to view and make notes of everything. And now, to my annoyance, I have lost my notebook. I could say some very rude words, but I won't. In future, I shall always make sure that I write my name and address in front of my notebooks.

Useful 2nd hand book

While I was in the town with no bookshops I popped into the Oxfam shop. I was delighted when I found a useful book for research: The History of Everyday Things in England Volume 1 by Marjorie & C. H. B. Quennell. It was first published in 1918.From then until 1956 it was in continuous demand and ran through ten impressions and three editions. My edition was published in 1956 - perhaps more editions followed. I already own Volume 1V 1851 - 1914 and hope to buy the other two volumes.

No Bookshops in Town

I went from one end of the town centre to the other yesterday and also completed a tour of the large shopping mall. I finished my Christmas Shopping but was saddened because there no longer a bookshop in either. W.H. Smiths has survived but it's stock is limited compared to the independent bookshops which have shut, Borders which has closed down, and Waterstones which no longer has a branch in town.

Daughter's Fate, Karma or Kismet?

As though it was not enough of a shock for my daughter's car to be a write off, the car her friend lent her broke down, and was followed by a frantic telephone call from her asking me to pick my granddaughter up from pre-school.

The problem with the car was minor  but being stuck in the cold waiting for the AA added to the stress she is undergoing.

I pray that in her case bad luck will not come in threes.

Car was a Write Off

My daughter was driving on the motorway with her 4 year old and her 9 year old in the car. The bonnet opened and slammed against the windscreen. The glass shattered and the roof of the car buckled. She managed to see through a tiny gap at the side of the broken windscreen and stop on the hard shoulder. Thank God she was driving slowly and neither she nor the children were injured. Needless to say she and her son were shocked and he couldn't stop crying for ages. My granddaughter was O.K. One of her brothers came and then collected her eldest son from his gymnastic class, her other brother came and arranged for her car to  be taken to his house. But, as I've written thank God no one was hurt.

Carols at Westmister Cathedral

My 9 year old grandson sang with the rest of his class at Westminster Cathedral. He was a little nervous at the thought of singing in front of an audience of 6,500 people, but overcome by the beauty of the Cathedral, and the carols sung by other choirs he enjoyed the occasion.

'Tis the Season to Be Jolly

I've nearly finished my Christmas Shopping + Birthday Presents for 3 of my grandchildren one of whom was born on Boxing Day. Presents are piled on the dining room table waiting to be wrapped and, today, I shall buy Christmas Cards and post them on Monday. Next weekend, the Christmas tree will be in place and decorated, probably with a grandchild's help. So, the season to be jolly is underway in my house.

Choosing a Title for my Novel

I have a  title for my medieval novel set in Edward II's reign but after reading an article by Alison Baverstock in Writers & Artists Yearbook 2013 I'm dissatisfied with it. She quotes: Heather-Holden Brown of the hhb agency says: "The title matters hugely I want something that excites me, and that will draw a similarly instant reaction from any publisher I mention it to." So go for something that is topical, intriguing or witty and to the point."

My characters and I have settled on 'intriguing' but I didn't appreciate them waking me up in the night giving me their input while I was half asleep. They suggested something on the lines of 'When once you practice to deceive what a tangled web you weave,' but  I told them that 'it ignores the romantic elements in my novel.' On the other hand... However, my protagonists needs to understand I am the boss and they are acting under my direction!

What is on my Mind

First of all the Hindhu Wedding Service in which the bride and groom understand they will be joined in marriage for seven births. I've always thought that's risky. Suppose the marriage is unhappy and continues to be so for six more births.

This week I've dressed warmly and got on in my garden and greenhouse. I've sown micro greens which can be snipped when they are four inches high, and peas for shoots to be added to salad.

I cut the yellowing lower leaves off my Brussel sprouts and tied the plants to stop them from toppling over. I then raked and weeded the bed, fed the Brussels with a liquid feed and covered them with horticultural net to protect them from the beady-eyed wood pigeons that visit my garden. I have also spread manure around my fruit trees in the hope they will give the same bumper crop as last year.

Today, I hope to do a little more in the garden after a writing session followed by tidying up the house.

Father of the Bride's Farewell

At the end of the long Hindhu wedding ceremony that I attended on Sunday the bride's father spoke the following words.

"When you wake tomorrow morning there will be an empty place at our breakfast table. We will always remember you. Please, never forget us."

I admit his words brought a tear or two to my eyes.

Word Pictures

I enjoyed Sunday lunch at my youngest son and daughter-in-law's house with their three children, my daughter and her three children. The conversation turned to my paperback which they are very excited about, particularly because it is dedicated to my grandson, Harry. They asked me questions about how I write and I mentioned word pictures. Curious they asked me what I meant so I quoted from my new novel, Monday's Child the sequel to my e-book, Sunday's Child.

"The sun was low in a sky streaked with pale gold and powder-pink as though painted by God’s almighty hand."

This sparked their imaginations and they commented on it.

A Hindhu Wedding

I attended my youngest nephew's wedding in a beautifully decorated conference room at a large banqueting centre.

There were approximately 500 guests to witness the bride in a magnificent white silk sari beautifully embellished with red and green beadwork and embroidery, and the bridegroom in a white heavy silk tunic worn over matching trousers, tight at the ankles.

All the ladies and little girls were resplendent in colourful outfits and jewellery, and the men, many who wore slippers with pointed toes reminiscent of Aladdin, and colourful tunics and trousers were equally resplendent.

I met people I had not seen for many years including a couple of ladies who I taught at secondary school in Nairobi.

The wedding ceremony was followed by a formal lunch - flat breads, curries, a savoury, rice, sweets and much more.

I returned home tired but happy.

New Novel

Phew! 1,750 words to write and I will be  halfway through my new novel Monday's Child set shortly before the Battle of Waterloo.

I send chapters to  critique partners who offer constructive criticism and revise each chapter after I receive their feedback. This means that when I reach those magical words The End I have a novel which needs little dusting, polishing and revision.

The Eagle of The Ninth Chronicles by Rosemary Sutcliffe

As an avid reader and a historical novelist I enjoy giving books as Christmas presents.
I wracked my brains trying to decide what to give a 12 and 10 year old for Christmas. Both of them are keen readers and are interested in history so I chose The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles by Rosemary Sutcliffe.

In her foreword she writes:

"Sometime in about the year 117 AD, the Ninth Legion, which was stationed at Eburacum where York now stands, marched north to deal with a rising among the Caledonian tribes and was never heard of again.

During excavations at Silchester nearly eighteen hundred years later, there was dug up under the green fields which now cover the pavements of Callleva Atrebatum, a wingless Roman Eagle a cast of which can be seen to this day in Reading Museum. Different people have different ideas as to how it came to be there but no one knows, just as no one knows what happened to the Ninth Legion after it marched into the northern mists.

It is from these two mysteries, brought together, that I have made the story of The Eagle of the Ninth."

Titles and Forms of Address

I treated myself to a copy of Titles and Forms of Address A Guide to Correct Use from the publishers of Who's Who, A & C Black, London. "A reference book for the desk that shows how to address (in speech and on letters and envelopes) men and women with ranks, honours ...etc.,".

I am pleased to have corrected a mistake I made in Monday's Child, the sequel to Sunday's Child. A character introduced another character as Colonel, Viscount Langley, instead of as Colonel, Lord Langley. I have corrected my mistake in the novel. Phew! I do like to be accurate.

Cold Weather and Research

Warm and cosy indoors during the cold spell I read Antony Wild's lavishly illustrated The East India Company Trade and Conquest from 1600. the research will come in useful for my novel Monday's Child and a sequel to my recent paperback Far Beyond Rubies. All in all a profitable afternoon.

Cold Weather and Research.

Warm and cosy indoors during cold weather I spent an enjoyable couple of hours researching my novel, Monday's Child, by reading The East India Company Trade and Commerce from 1600 by Antony Wild.