Wednesday 3 October 2012

No news (sigh), thank god for agents.

Blimey, this book business is slow going. At least I don't have to actually do it. My agent is probably juggling many people's careers at once, and I know I couldn't even juggle mine. Meanwhile, I'm getting on with growing the sequel, in case it's needed, but also because I'm really enjoying it. I'm developing my own cack-handed plotting strategy: put virtual post-its up about scenes/chapters I need to write or have written (different colours - you see the strategy?) on the desktop, so I see them every time I log on.

I'm also spending some of the time reading. Nicola Abnett-Vincent has been refining her heart-wrenching novel 'Naming Names', which I now have the privilege of reading. I was glued to the last version, read the last two thirds straight through. This time I'm savouring the language, the layers of complexity, the wonderful word picture of a character who survived against the odds...but not intact. This is fiction that draws you in, fascinates, horrifies and still engages. It's a hugely emotional novel - I can't wait to hear it's going to make it into print. Nik and I met for the first time in July, at the networking event, but had been communicating by email and through each other's blogs. Sometimes our views are very different but it doesn't matter. That's what I, as a grown up, want from a friend. 

Waiting hasn't got any easier, but I'm on the low side, so I'm OK just to chill out, write, maybe go for a walk. It's harder when I have all this pent up energy and nowhere to put it. I might make some bread - that's a good way to chill out, I find, a nice combination of mindless exercise and a little creativity. I often solve plot problems when I'm cooking! 

4 comments:

  1. For goodness sakes, I'm getting twitchy! I can't imagine how you are doing. But yes, walks and baking!

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    1. Hi Downith, I am actually going crazy...I'm so twitchy, I've even been on the running machine (OK, I set it to a walk, but still...) I just wish my agent would keep me in the loop.

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  2. Kneading a loaf is SOOO therapeutic! And so much better to eat, too. I'm always staggered that a bought loaf can have as many as 30 ingredients when a homemade one has... What? 4? Tops... and one of those is water.

    Anyway, how to get off-topic.

    Thanks for the plug for Names. I shall mostly be in the air tomorrow (not mentally, but skywards to Canada), but I'll check e-mail as and when I can, so keep me informed of progress if there is any.

    Might actually go and make some bread now to calm my nerves about the flight.

    Best,

    N

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  3. I'm right there with you!! But don't worry - this is normal! The publishing industry does indeed move slowly.

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