It’s in the Jar

A Quality Product

Not these jars – well, probably some of these jars as the actual jars are re-used from year to year. What I mean is the BIG BATCH has been made and we now wait to be sure it will set.

The normal activities of a writers’ household may resume again shortly, although, there is that birthday jigsaw underway on the dining-room table. Research really, as it’s full of scenes from the Georgian world as displayed in Jane Austen’s books.

I’m currently reading Miss Austen as recommended to me by fellow Capital Writer, Kate Blackadder. It’s by Gill Hornby, but I suppose as I am, as usual, late to the party, you all knew that. Anyway it is really good, folks. I think I might re-read Persuasion again very soon.

I did write a short story this week.

Phew!

How are your days coming along? Are you back in the writing groove? Or the reading one?

COURTING THE COUNTESS is available for your kindle but my publishers, Lume Books, have made it available to read free if you’re a kindle unlimited person.

Anne

Advertisement

Diary of a Writer – Coping Mechanisms 2

A Quality Product

Morning regular readers. You’ve seen this photo before but it’s very much the time of year. Despite Brexit, marmalade oranges were available, if not in the quantity I wanted. One bag turned into enough of the preserve for three months and another frozen for later on. My neighbour has made two batches. For me it was a good escape into something ‘real’ while awaiting the ed’s decision on the most recent serial instalment.

My decision to avoid shopping in this phase of the pandemic is frustrating and inhibiting. How anyone required to shield coped, I cannot imagine. Congratulations on your perseverance.

While I had laid in a few things, like cards for known upcoming birthdays, I’ve been caught out by others. I only wear a particular type of slipper and I buy it in John Lewis. Currently closed, they will deliver, but is a new pair of slippers an essential item? The current ones haven’t actually fallen apart.

However, this blog is supposed to be about coping and not falling apart. Quite hard that      ( ed).

Indeed.

1. Have gone back to doing the Scotsman cryptic crossword as well as the codeword.
2. There’s now outside building work on the other side. Men at work to watch.
3. I am enjoying Mansefield Park. It has demonstrated to me how empty the lives of upper-middle-class people were and how very dependant they were on each other for society. Even the young men of the family had little to occupy them besides, hunting, shooting and gambling.
4. Very good lectures in the past week from Royal Botanic Garden and Royal Lyceum Theatre.
5. Put in my entry for the ‘name the van’ comp being run by Lochinver Pies. Also, am included in order for some of said pies. Yippee!
6. Did some serious researching and thinking around how the serial will end.

Okay, enough. How is your life ticking over? What are you cooking/eating/buyingonline/reading?

Anne

 

 

 

Diary of a Writer – August Writing Prompt

 

On the Boil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doesn’t this photograph of marmalade on the boil bring to mind that stage in writing when you simply cannot get the words down quickly enough? That moment when ideas seethe and trip over one another in their haste to attract your attention and slide through your fingers onto the page?

Whether it’s a tiny haiku or your magnum opus, there is that moment when the brain behaves like a computer about to crash. You know who the murderer/lover/mother/villain/hero/heroine is now and YOU MUST TELL EVERYONE ELSE!

Then – the peace after you’ve got there –

A Quality Product

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s your own analogy?

Another quality product is Courting the Countess Melissa has lost her beloved husband to an early death and herself been scarred by a summer fire. Can the strikingly handsome Harry Gunn save her from despair?

 

 

 

DIARY OF A WRITER – JANUARY WRITING PROMPT

A Quality Product

Diary of a Writer – January Prompt may seem a little counter productive. Why post a picture of home-made marmalade as it is undoubtedly a labour intensive product and might distract you?

Well. because it’s a good product. There are excellent marmalades on the market. During my short writing retreat in Assynt, I visited the wonderful The Culkein Store where I laid in huge quantities of goody bag and take-to items. Scented candles, jellies, and Three Fruits Marmalade all made it into the car. We’d previously sampled their chutneys courtesy of visiting family and were really excited to make our own choices.

So, I have a large jar of their marmalade against the possibility the home-made runs out, but I’ll still be off to the supermarket to harass the fruit and veg manager over when the Seville oranges are arriving.

It’s also the case that creativity in one sphere aids creativity in others. When the WIP is going well, it’s equally likely I’ll fancy trying a new recipe. Who knows, that baby jacket I have on the pins might even make it off them. Well, let’s not get carried away by fantasy. If I can send off the story my editor was keen to see amended, then it would be a flying start to 2018.

How about you? What activity raises your own creativity?