Taking a Step Back

When writing a novel I usually forge ahead trying to write 2,000 words a day until, triumphant, I type The End. However, I have slowed down and put aside the sequel to Sunday's Child, Monday's Child set in the Regency period. for a few days. I have made notes on how the plot develops in the remaining third of the book, and on tying up loose ends, but I need to think them through. On Monday, refreshed by distancing myself from my hero and heroine for a few days, I hope to return to Monday's Child full of enthusiasm.

Miserable Day in More Ways Than One

This morning, I have no idea why the formatting on an important document changed. I struggled for over an hour to correct it. I then rewrote the entire document - 8 pages of single spacing with not wide margins. By then I was cross and more than ready to have breakfast. If my mother had not brought me up not to swear I can't imagine what I would have said.

The sun shone a little but it was very cold so I went shopping for groceries instead of getting on in either the greenhouse or the garden. I bought half of the items on my shopping list, had lunch, and then bought the other half. When I reach home hailstones rattled on the car, on the pavement and on me as I took the shopping in.

You up there far above the grey sky, if I pray very nicely, please may we have some nice weather.

Mini Peach and Nectarine Trees

The mini-peach and nectarine trees in my garden have flowered. The blossom is exquisite. Yesterday, I pollinated it with a fine paint brush and hope to have delicious fruit.

I also potted up half a dozen strawberry plants - old fashioned favourites called Cambridge, and sowed mustard and cress on damp kitchen towel, and rocket in a pot of compost. As my garden is on the small side, I grow a lot in pots.

Later in the day, I went through the gardening catalogues that arrive regularly in the post and ordered black-skinned tomato plants, which the supplier claims are blight resistant and a variety of sweet potatoes call Beauregard. I also ordered a tool to help with weeding. The bottom part is placed over the weed, the top is pressed down and, 'hey presto' the weed is removed, another press at the top and the weed plops out into a container. Finally, I treated myself to a 3 metre long ruler which helps to sow seeds at the correct spacing. My justification? Mother's Day is approaching and I'm a mother so I decided to treat myself.

Tomato Plants

Saturday Lunch

At the end of my novel, Far Beyond Rubies, is the recipe for Spinach, peas and Indian Curd Cheese curry. I have made it for my youngest son and his family who are coming to lunch today.

Rest of the menu.

Sweet potato, butter beans, tomato curry to which I added some greens a dry curry served with cucumber raita (grated cucumber in seasoned yoghurt).

Moong dahl, (an Indian version of soup spiced with powdered cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and fresh coriander. 

Chappatis (Indian flat bread made with brown flour).

 Brown basmati rice.

 Mango pulp.

I defy anyone who thinks a vegetarian diet is unhealthy to find fault with the nutritional value of this meal. Incidentally, the spices have their own health-giving properties and moong is rich in iron,

All the best,
Rosemary Morris
Historical novelist published by MuseItUp Publishing

Beautiful Spring Day

The lawn has been cut, the flower beds are ablaze with daffodils and a raised bed has been prepared for runner beans. Good quality soil at the bottom, a layer of shredded junk mail to retain water topped by well rotted manure beneath homemade compost.

There are artichokes and strawberries in the greenhouse waiting to be planted out and the compost is waiting for me to sow seeds. The mini peach and nectarine tress are about to flower.

I really think my organic garden is a little piece of heaven. Deep, appreciative sigh.

Threatened with a Policeman

When reading this, please bear in mind that no one has ever threatened to report my 4 year-old granddaughter to the police. My only mention of the police was to explain that her chocolate drops had to be paid for, and if they were not the shop keeper might summon a policeman.

Today I took her out to lunch. I didn't finish all of my meal so she told me in no uncertain terms that a policeman would punish me for not eating up. I would be taken away and cry because I would never see her again.

The child not only provides me with material for novels, she is also a budding author. Due to her vivid imagination, her mother and I are very nervous about what she says to her teachers at pre-school

Regency - Weight Loss

While researching the Regency era I as amused when I discovered it was believed that salt meat caused profuse perspiration and thus aided weight loss!

Viking Exhibition at The British Museum

I phoned the British Museum to book tickets for the Viking Exhibition. I've never waited for an answer other than repeated requests to continue holding for the next available operator. After a long, long wait, which I should have timed, I booked tickets for the 5th of April for myself and a friend. Now that the booking is confirmed I am really looking forward to visiting the exhibition. I have an idea for a novel set in the Viking era and am sure I will  be inspired when I see the artefacts etc.

Far Beyond Rubies by Rosemary Morris - Book Trailer

I'm delighted to announce that the book trailer for Far Beyond Rubies is now on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NpGoKe3qjs&feature=youtu.be

Comments would be very welcome,

All the best,

Rosemary Morris

Saturday Lunch

I made a favourite vegetarian meal for Saturday lunch. It's Sweet Potato Balti, a mixture of sweet potatoes, spinach, butter beans and tomatoes spiced asofoetida, curry powder and soup stock. Delicious served with mint and cucumber raita i.e. grated cucumber drained in a tea towel for half an hour, finely chopped mint, salt and a tiny amount of sugar mixed with yoghurt. I made a double quantity of the balti to freeze and then enjoy it on another day.

Springtime

My back garden I shouting that spring is in the air and elsewhere. The delicate white blossoms of the bullace (wild plum tree) are flowering, masses of daffodils and crocus are in bloom and so is the forsythia. The rhubarb is pushing it's way up out of the ground, and the bluebells and forget-me-nots are about to flower.

I have a wonderful book that traces the history of gardens in the u.k. There is a section about monastery gardens in which it describes each monk being allocated a small plot in which they were allowed to grow whatever they pleased. I have another book which traces the history of plants native to the u.k. and the introduction of foreign species. One day I would like to marry the two in fiction.

Review of Taming a Gentleman Spy - Book 2 of The Spies of Mayfair Series

Taming A Gentleman Spy

 

Book 2 of The Spies of Mayfair Setries

 

By

 

Maggi Anderson

 

“If ever beauty I did see

Which I desired, and got, ‘twas but a dream of thee.”

The Good Morrow. John Donne.

 Taming A Gentleman Spy is an enthralling historical novel set in The Regency era after Napoleon has been defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and then exiled. At that time the Government feared the effect of The French Revolution and its supporters at home and abroad whose aim was to overturn law and order.

 John Haldane, 4^th Earl of Strathairn, a gentleman spy, returned to England after fighting the French in the Peninsula Wars and at the Battle of Waterloo. His experiences gathering information have marked him, and no one is more aware of this than Sibella, sister of the Marquess of Brandreth.

 Brandreth, who has heard rumours about Strathairn’s link with the war office and the spymaster, warns Strathairn not to pay particular attention to Sibella, “…who loves home and hearth. She looks for a husband who will sit by the fire with her at night.” Brandreth doubts Strathairn could make Sibella happy.

 Sibella is curious as to why Strathairn does not intend to marry in the foreseeable future. She thinks they are well-suited and his kiss thrilled her.

 Strathairn will not marry Sibella because he could be killed like his partner, Nesbit, whose widow is pregnant.

On the ground, next to Nesbit’s lifeless body, lay a cravat pin in the shape of an eagle like the one favoured by Count Fornay, a dangerous revolutionary who fermented rebellion in England, and is presumed dead. “And why,” Strathairn asked himself, does Passion, a lady’s perfume linger in the air at the scene of the murder.

 Urged on by her mother and brother, Sibella agrees to marry Lord Coombe in the hope that she will learn to love him. However, she is determined to discover the truth about his first wife’s death.

 Maggi Anderson does not overwhelm the reader with historical facts but she does impart ‘the flavour’ of the times

Reviews of Fiction. Phew!

Phew, perfectly expresses my feelings. I have reviewed each book in a tottering pile and posted my reviews to amazon.co.uk, amazon.com and good reads. It's amazing how good I feel after completing a task I have meant to tackle since mid-February.

I have one more novel to review for a friend, and then I'll be up to date with the fiction. However, I have a number of non-fiction books to review in the future, but I don't consider this urgent.

Reviewing Books

I have decided to focus on one 'writerly' thing a day, or during each writing session. This morning I have been catching up with reviews of the tottering pile of fiction and non-fiction. One of the books I have reviewed is Louise Allen's excellent non-fiction book, Walks Through Regency London. I might not complete all of the ten suggested walks on one occasion, but I will complete part of them when I visit London.

Time Management

I am trying to manage my time more efficiently. Instead of working on several things every day, I have decided to concentrate on one thing every day + blogging and dealing with e-mails. Yesterday, I caught up with critiques of submissions by members of writers' groups that I belong to. Today, I have concentrated on  critiques of my chapters.

 For the rest of the week I shall get on with writing my new novel Monday's Child and hope to write at least 6,000 words provided I don't need to do too much research.

Spring Bulbs

I round up mismatched china and, in the autumn, put charcoal in the bottom of bowls, cups, flower vases, tureens etc., in the bottom of each one. Next, I add compost and put bulbs on top of it before adding more compost. Last year I planted hyacinths, mini-daffodils, crocuses and dwarf tulips. The first three are flowering, so I've brought them from the greenhouse into the house. Beautiful - and the flowers are cheaper and last longer than cut flowers.

Cooked for my Daughter & Her Family

Helped by my 4 year-old granddaughter, I made a vegetarian pasta sauce for myself, my daughter and her children.. I cut organic carrots, mushrooms, celery, leeks and green peppers into chunks, and then stir-fried the vegetables in olive oil in which I had steeped fresh oregano and basil several months ago. Next, I added two tins of organic chopped tomatoes and seasoned the mixture with salt, pepper and a little sugar. When the vegetables were cooked I tipped everything into the blender. The result? A delicious pasta sauce - and I made enough to freeze two cartons on another day.

Too Much To Do

My daughter is making a slow recovery, but I am still taking two of her children to school and collecting one of them at one o'clock, cooking main meals for them and going to her house in the evenings to help out. This means that writing my new novel, Monday's Child, as well as many 'writerly' activities are taking a proverbial back seat. Deep, deep sigh.

Collector's Copy

I took my daughter's younger children to pre-school and primary school and, later in the morning visited a friend after arranging the three children's evening meal. Next I indulged myself by trawling through the charity shops in one of which I found a collector's copy of I Will Repay  by Baroness Orczy, Author of The Scarlet Pimpernel published. My copy of I Will Repay was published in 1906 - 107 years ago.