Line Editing

Now that I have written Monday's Child the follow on novel from Sunday's Child, traditional regency romances, it is time to work on the line edit. I have a list of words which I check including 'and'. It is boring going through the novel deciding when to delete the word, when to rephrase a sentence and when to substitute another word. So far I've been through 150 pages and have nearly another 150 pages to check.




To mitigate my boredom I checked how many times I had used round instead of around. It's amazing how often I write - for example - she looked round instead of around. I suppose it is a minor point but in my opinion round applies to something which is round, an apple, a ball, an orange etc.




Now I have to continue checking 'and'.


Why am I being so pernickety? Because I want to write to the best of my ability.

Recuperating from Muscle Spasm

 At last the pain from the muscle in  a spasm in my back is much better. The relief is indescribable. Perhaps I'll get a good night's sleep after days and nights of acute pain. This afternoon I had a deep tissue massage which should also help.


One good thing about being forced to stay in bed has been extra time to deal with writerly matters. Today I researched competitions for novels. It's so difficult to secure either an agent or a publisher that I'll probably enter my medieval novel in one or more competitions. Mind you, I had two mainstream publishers who did not publish my novels and an agent who did not place one of them. Deep sigh.

Oca

For the last few days I have been suffering from a very painful spasm in my back. It is very annoying because I can’t do anything in the garden or greenhouse.

This afternoon I studied a gardening catalogue and wondered whether or not to grow some unusual vegetables such as Oca, which is described as having a great flavour raw or cooked. The description is: “Oca is a highly productive vegetable, it can be eaten cooked or raw and when raw it has a lemony flavour, becoming nuttier once cooked. Oca is blight resistant and requires little or no fertiliser. Harvest approximately three weeks after frost has killed plant canopy. Plants despatched February to April.” Hum, worth thinking about.

Intense revision of Monday's Child

I am revising Monday's Child, a Regency Romance and  follow on novel from Sunday's Child.


I have highlighted 'and'. Substituting other words as well as dividing sentences into two tightens the prose. It also helps me to avoid repeatedly writing 'and then'. The process is boring but the novel will read better when I finish.

Up the Garden Path

Last night the wind and rain surged against the house. By morning the sun shone and the air filled with birdsong. At the moment, I am not well but before lunch I went out into the garden for some fresh air. Although it is so cold buds are swelling on the fruit trees. I'm hoping for a good crop of apples, pears and plums this year.

Spasm & Writing

My writing schedule has be interrupted by a muscle on the right of my back. It is so bad that I didn't sleep last night. Every little movement was agonising. So, I asked for a home visit. I also have an internal infection but won't bore you with the details. The doctor prescribed various medications including antibiotics, one for my innards and the other for the muscle spasm. I swear that if you turned me upside down and shook me I'd rattle like pill box.

Children's IndoorPlay Centre

I took my five year granddaughter to an indoor play centre. Such a confident child. When we arrived she didn't wait for me to show her what to do. With delight she copied the other children. She really enjoyed it - enormous slides which she hurtled down feet first, head first, on her tummy and on her back. She explored all the overhead tunnels and climbing frames, then had a turn on the bumper cars. She also enjoyed the roundabout and loved the Cinderella's coach. The only problem is that she would like me to take her every week.

Exodus - Gods and Kings

Exodus, Gods and Kings, starring Christian Bale as Moses and Joel Edgerton as Ramses in the battle for the freedom of the Israelites. I particularly admired how much emotion Joel Edgerton managed to convey with his eyes. Yesterday afternoon I took my 13 year-old and nine-year old daughter's sons to see this film. They were familiar with the biblical account and really enjoyed it, particularly the gruesome depiction of the plagues. However they thought the slaughter of the Israelite babies, which Moses escaped, and the subsequent deaths of the first born sons of the Egyptians inexplicable and unjustifiable. I'm not sure whether they were satisfied with my explanations. I enjoyed Exodus - Gods and Kings. I thought the characters are believable, enjoyed the beautiful reconstruction of the Ramses's palace in Memphis and the scenes of the backgrounds, including the desert. I also thought the depictions of the plagues were very well done. However, I didn't like the representation of God, but I won't go into that because I don't want to spoil the film for anyone who plans to see it.

Monday's Child, Follow on Novel from Sunday's Child,

I am delighted because I have written the last chapter of Monday's Child, a traditional Regency Romance. By traditional I mean that I have not opened the bedroom door wide. Monday's Child is the follow on novel from Sunday's Child published by MuseItUp Publishing. I am now enjoying planning Tuesday's Child the next novel in the series.

The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies.

Yesterday I went with son No.2 to see The Hobbit, the battle of the five armies. I'm full of admiration for the film. I read the book some years ago and was swept away by the story. The film carried me along from beginning to end. I admired the venues, the costumes, the characters, the special effects etc.

Gardener's Diary

I have decided to keep an organic gardener's diary this year. I shall enter details of the garden and record the use to which I put my home grown fruit, herbs and vegetables. This morning the sun shone from an azure blue sky. Although there was a chill in the air it was pleasant outside. I filled up one of the bird feeders with peanuts. Within minutes, the squirrel, which often lurks in the holly bush, fed from the peanuts I spread on the grass.

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.

31st December. My garden.

It's the last day of 2014. This morning the garden was white with frost. When I opened the back door four wood pigeons, which had been pecking seeds spilled onto the ground, flew away their wings flapping. The grass crunched underfoot as I walked across it to top up the bird feeder. The resident robin flew to a branch and as soon as I left fed from the ground, but I didn't see any other birds. The ice on my small pond was too thick to break so I poured hot water onto it so the birds could drink. Little writing done this morning but I shopped for groceries and came home in time to put them away and have lunch.

Medieval Novel, Traditional Regency Romance, Lunch.

Am now very pleased because I have written the penultimate chapter of Monday's Child a traditional Regency Romance with a twist in the tale, a follow on novel from Sunday's Child published by MuseItUpPublishing. Today I lunched with a close friend at The Loving Hut a vegetarian Chinese restaurant. We enjoyed the buffet style meal with lots to choose from and nattering about writing and other subjects. We are now planning to visit the Turner Exhibition later in the month.

Today I Wrote 4,000 Words

After time off during the Christmas preparations and festivities from writing Monday's Child a traditional Regency novel, the sequel to Sunday's Child, I wrote 4,000 words this morning. The main difficulty was slipping in some historical facts without allowing them to take over and make the reader feel as though he or she is reading a history book. Through dialogue, action and characterisation I think this part of Chapter Thirty-Three reads well. I planned to finish the first draft of Monday's Child by the 31st of December and am now confident that, God willing, I will do so.

Quiet day today

After the Christmas and my granddaughter's birthday on Boxing Day, I enjoyed a quiet day today. Amongst other things, I added 2,000 words to my novel. After all the rich food during the last few days I decided to eat sparingly. I made soup for lunch - red lentils, leeks, fresh ginger, spice, coconut milk and lemon juice. Delicious! While cooking I looked out of the window from time to time to watch the birds enjoying seeds. A male blackbird perched in the plum tree, three wood pigeons, a sparrow and a robin fed on seeds which had fallen onto the grass, while the blue tits darted backward and forward.

My happy Christmas

I enjoyed Christmas Day. I stayed at my daughter's house and woke up in time to see my five year-old granddaughter's excitement when she realised Santa had left her presents in her Santa sack. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she saw each gift, "I've always wanted that." Her older brothers who no longer believe in Father Christmas were equally pleased with their presents. The three of them were thrilled when they opened all the presents stacked under the Christmas tree and my granddaughter continued to say: "That's what I've always wanted!" After breakfast I visited my twin sons and daughters-in-law and their children. As I handed out gifts I felt like Mother Christmas. The children were so pleased with everything that I enjoyed giving more than I enjoyed receiving my presents. I had lunch at my daughter's house with her family and my bachelor son, spent the afternoon with them and then, at the grandchildren's request. I'll have lunch with them and then we'll go to my youngest son's house to celebrate his daughter's birthday. However, this is the first time since Christmas Eve, on which the whole family ate pizzas at lunchtime and then went to see Night at the Museum, which I consider Movie Trash but the children liked, that I've been able to sneak some time on the laptop. I hoped to conclude my Christmas poems with ''Twas in the Bleak Midwinter', by Christina Rossetti but didn't have the chance,

Compliments of the Season

To those of you who celebrate Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

From 'Christmas' by John Betjeman

Christmas .... And is it true? And is it true? This most tremendous tale of all, Seen in a stained-glass window's he, A Baby in an ox's stall? The Maker of the starts and sea Become a Child on earth for me? And is it true? For if it is, No loving fingers tying strings Around those tissued fripperies, The sweet and silly Christmas things, Bath salts and inexpensive scent And hideous tie so kindly meant. No love that in a family dwells, No carolling in frosty air, Nor all the steeple-shaking bells Can with this simple truth compare - That God was Man in Palestine And lives today in Bread and Wine.

Christmas Poem by 8 year-old Alexander Coulson

Advent Candle Commander of wax Waiting Alone Running from darkness Chameleon of light Brightest star Flame dancer Most beautiful Flowing like a wave The most powerful energy. Alexander Coulson Aged 8 December, 1999