Tying Up The Month

Image: Jerry Daykin

First half: reading and researching. I was up at the crack of dawn and sorted for the day before anyone else in the house was even on their penultimate roll over in bed. Laura had her pal staying overnight, but despite the house requiring fumigation after their “beautifying” party they were relatively quiet.

And so to research for Blood Ties. I’ve done more reading than I probably need to on the subjects of the Great Plague and so forth, and what I need to now is focus on the particular aspects I’m interested in. Thanks, therefore, to Devon for you suggestions yesterday. The acknowledgments sections on the books I bought are packed with references, and I’ll try and pop into the book shop before I go away this week and take down some more from the books I never bought.

There’s a good chance most of what I’m picking out won’t get used, but it’s interesting stuff nevertheless.

During my recent refurbishment of this site, I also decided I would bring my main website which I use to promote my work and such like, up to date with an overhaul of its own. If you visit my website today you will notice it’s down for the time being while this is being carried out.

It won’t take long. I got through most of the redesign today and am almost ready to re-launch. The new design will provide more opportunity to take advantage of some of the web marketing ventures coming my way, and will also make the site easier to update and control with a view to future publishing ventures.

Not much else to report. It was a quiet weekend for Gail and I because we both have so much work on just now. I’ve also got a contracted week coming up as I will be away from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. I’m off to visit my rich friend out in Spain to stay in his luxury 5-bedroom house overlooking the Med. The rest of the squad are coming too, of course, complete with kilts and an inclination to partake in some quaffing.

With all that ahead, I need to complete my editing work on Stella and get it submitted (the markets have been selected in advance). I also want to tie up and publish my GDR lists for this month and next, prepare the newsletter, and leave as clean a slate for the start of NaNoWriMo. While everyone else will be starting on Monday I’ll be losing two days and can’t begin until Monday morning, 5am.

I do love a challenge.

Stella (final draft by chapter)