Monday, September 07, 2009

Fallen Off The Face of The Earth




I have been very quiet and not without good reason. Life has been crazy. Since my last post DS1 has had his GCSE results - which were excellent, truly. He is now back at school and radio silence has ensued which I know means all is well. However I am left bereft having enjoyed his company all summer. Tomorrow DS2 returns to school. He has grown another inch and is now the tallest in the family. He doesn't want to return but accepts the inevitability of it with his normal grace. On Wednesday DD leaves home for boarding school for the first time. I am trying to be brave. I really am. I know it is right for her but it is hell for me. Of course she doesn't see this and mustn't see this. She is full of fear and self loathing at the moment which worries me. The self loathing was there and has nothing to do with school but with her own inner perfectionism. Having struggled with that all my life I wish there was some way I could help her through - other than love her and talk to her. Anyway enough of my family stuff.

I have lots of exciting things on the agenda coming up. First I postponed my return to Dubai to fit in Alison Baverstock's getting published workshop at Kingston University. It's a great line up and to make even better I am staying with fellow writer Biddy. I return briefly to Dubai then I'm back in the UK for the Eid holiday and seeing the kids - one weekend each which left me with time to take Cornerstone's course 'Writing Commercial Women's Fiction' taught by the wonderful Julie Cohen. I know she is a fabulous teacher and has so many times gifted me with light bulb moments.

I am hoping between the two it will fire my enthusiasm and help me chart my way onto the next level of writing. I have received my NWS report back - quick I know. So quick my clever plan to have it sent to sil in London so it wouldn't wallow away lonely in Cornwall went awry. It was an excellent report - not in the sense that it was filled with glowing praise, but in the sense that it was filled with concrete advice to lift the level of my writing. Never an easy pill to swallow, but just the medicine I need at this point. No, it wasn't negative at all. The reader said lots of lovely things, but read the script with a careful eye and pointed out where I needed to strengthen the book and my writing in general.

So that leads to what to do next. I need to complete the first draft of Penderown, I need to polish the revised August Rock. I need to complete another rewrite of A Cornish House and finally I have another book bashing the walls of my brain waiting to escape onto a page.

I know ACH needs a break so that is easy to let rest. I have just another ten or twenty thousand words to finish Penderown. August Rock will be a major project, but one I am looking forward to. I think the new book can be contained in my brain until the New Year. So beginning Thursday I will pick up Penderown again (try and remember what the hell was happening without going back to read because I would never move forward). Once the draft is complete I will work on August Rock. I want to have that done and dusted by Christmas so I can let the Pilgrimage out of my brain. Once that is complete I will then move back to ACH. All this sounds set in stone, but of course nothing is. It means that I will have nothing in the market which may not be a good idea. However I think as the trilogy of AR, ACH and Penderown begins with AR this should be the lead book.

I hope to be blogging on a more regular basis soon. In the mean time there is a great post on research and one writer's approach on Anita Burgh. Can't recommend this blog enough as she knows her stuff having 23 books under her belt and tackles writing from a very no nonsense approach.

Finally a few photos - two of August Rock on a beautiful summer's day and two of some of the antics at the village regatta.



15 comments:

Flowerpot said...

Good to catch up with you last week Liz and I can well imagine how hellish you feel at DD going off to boarding school. I really do feel for you. Hope to catch up for a writerly coffee if you have time!

Anita Burgh said...

So sad for you with dd going to school, no doubt she will be fine even if you're not. These blogs are like getting super letters. Thanks for the nice things you said about mine. xxx

Chris Stovell said...

Good to hear from you, and my goodness you've been busy. Well done with all the WIP.

Sue Guiney said...

Glad to get caught up on your doings. You're so busy, with so many projects! Sounds great, exciting, and lots of hard work. I so commiserate with you about your kids going off to school I just left my youngest at Uni. He'll be in Boston while I'm across the ocean in London. It's always hard when they go away, but when they are so far away, it's really wrenching, isn't it?

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Hugs to you re having to say goodbye to your youngsters; never easy.

I'm about to send J off to his first year at Uni and although I'm being positive with him, I'm not looking forward to it, but will be glad when it's over and he's settled.

Having said that, he can't wait to get on with it all.

Tana said...

Aww, be brave enjoy the solitude.

HelenMWalters said...

Gosh, you are busy. Hope that all comes together for you.

Caroline said...

I can only imagine what you're feeling about DD going to boarding school. Be gentle on you and I wish her lots of happiness.

A sign of a good mother is one who puts the needs of her children before her own... keep reminding yourself of the long term benefits xxx

sheepish said...

Oh wow I feel exhausted just reading your post. Puts my ambition of just finishing my first wip into perspective. I am sure DD will be fine, easy to say but hard for you.
Good luck with all your projects.

cs harris said...

My thoughts are with you at being separated from your daughter while she's still so young. I don't know if I could have done it. Mine is 20 and I just cried when she drove off for her junior year at uni in Florida. Having been raised an Aussie, she has that British 'stiff upper lip' that I lack. I'm sure your daughter does, too, and will do just fine.

Kate Hardy said...

Big hugs, Liz, on sending DD to boarding school. Sorry, no advice on perfectionism other than that you learn to live with it (and I speak as one whose eldest has the same thing, sigh - my littlest is more practical). And great news that the RNA report has given you more direction. Go for it!

Rick said...

My but you have been busy! And you sound like such a great mother that it warms my heart.

Phillipa said...

Liz - I've been away but saw yor post and had to say . Massive massive hugs on the children going away. I know *exactly* how you feel and my daughter really does fly the nest for her PHD very soon. Remember, yours will be back for the hols and you have three so can enjoy them for years to come! P xxx

Steve Malley said...

Wow. Sounds like you've really had a tiger by the tail lately! Glad you got a chance to fill us in... :)

Unknown said...

Just wanted to say thanks for all the support. DD is doing really well and enjoying it most of the time. Needless to say there are huge bouts of homesickness - which if there wasn't I would be worried. Am back in Dubai and writing! Once I hit word count today i will blog about the Publishing Conference at Kingston University.