RNA Winter Party

I had a wonderful night catching up with friends and of course making some new ones. Frustrated as always that I didn't get to see all the people I knew there....maybe next time....

My pictures are up over the RNA Blog. And here's a pic of the boots I wore last night but they were not as lovely as Nicola Morgan's red suede ones.

Have fallen behind a bit on NaNoWriMo but am still having a ball writing it...

NaNoWriMo Progress and Travel Again

There is a bounce in my step...this year I'm on target and in fact ahead - just a tiny bit, on NaNoWriMo, which is so different from my experience last year. In the far reaches of my brain I have wondered why...because I do things like that, silly I know. I have come to the conclusion because I have let go. I have shut the inner editor firmly off and I'm writing pure fantasy because I know nothing of the thriller world or genre. It might be classified as a women's fiction thriller but of course there is no such thing. It is not like my previous venture into the thriller world with the experimental Dickens Challenge piece EXPLOSIVE DREAMS which was chick lit meets thriller. It is a wholly different beast and pure fun to write.

I began on the first of November fully expecting THE SUMMER OF THE BLACK HARE to fall in line with previous work - the work that has been growing into my voice for the past few years but no. I have discovered that when I try first person my voice morphs into a different mode. It wants to take risks and experience things differently. It still explores some dark things, but it is more playful as maybe when using 'I' a lightness from me must slip in - a touch of irreverence.

This is a good thing to learn as I have said here before AUGUST ROCK needs to be in first person so when I make that transition I will be aware of the consequences....for August Rock is not meant to be a thriller but it may become more shall we shall Gothic for lack of a better term...

In the meanwhile I'm cracking on with TSOTBH and enjoying every moment of it - because if I'm not I just move on - such freedom is bliss. I am also aware the title does not fit the book any more, but I doubt this book will ever see the light of day so it doesn't matter and I can write one in third person which will.... (Funny how one knows instinctively that the title doesn't fit - may explore this thought more another time)

On Tuesday I fly back to the UK again in time for the RNA Winter Party....oh the joy and the agony of what to pack and wear....maybe it's a bit like what to call a book....

Are you a 'try everything on in the cupboard sort of person' - or do you know without even looking what to wear -or what to title to call a book -or even what to write??????

Camouflage or Feather Boa? OK, So I'm Writing A Thriller Now

I had another plan for a post today on what is Sexy but NaNoWriMo has taken over my day, which is good because I'm catching up. I should be at 13,336 by the end of today and at the moment I'm at 11,132 having written roughly 3000 words so far.

There is a problem though in this willy nilly head long word count rush...I find I'm writing a thriller-of sorts. No problem you say...but I don't read 'em (that's DH territory) and I'm clueless-just writing what comes along next into my head, which is pure freedom and madness. However I'm not going to stop the insanity and try and make this fit. This year's NaNoWriMo for me is about stretching the writing muscle. I'm writing in first person and I can't tell you how many times I found myself slipping back into third. Out of the separation and into the firing line so to speak.

This is all good or at least so I'm telling myself. I have also discovered I have left the comfort of the Helford River and have found myself writing in the middle of a war zone in some yet to be identified African country????

All this is good isn't it? Have you ever left your comfort zone and ventured off course? Did you continue? Was it a path to despair or enlightenment? Or finally will I look good in camouflage rather than the boa thing?

The Nanowrimo Experiement

I had had no plans to do National Novel Writing Month this year in fact on the morning of 1st November it still wasn't on the cards. I was finishing the rewrite of A CORNISH HOUSE (complete on Thursday) and planned to go back to the rewrite of PENDEROWN or failing that pick up last year's nano project PILGRIMAGE.

But somehow I began THE SUMMER OF THE BLACK HARE and am having a ball. Having been so focused on the making ACH perfect, I'm writing with wild abandon in first person (have only done this for that other writing experiment Explosive Dreams) with no idea where the story is going. It is a tonic to my weary writing soul. I fully accept that this month's product will be nothing more that a messy outline of a book at best - a draft zero as one blogger has called. But I will have exercised my writing muscle and I hope that will bring a freshness to all my other writing.

Are you doing Nanowrimo this year?

Tanzanian Taster

There is so much I could say about Tanzania and our stay but it's Nanowrimo... so I will give you a few of the pictures we took (total over 3500)....