Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 2

Image: David Goehring

I’ve decided what I’ll submit to the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust’s programme for reading slots at this year’s Edinburgh Book Festival. I wanted it to be something punchy, engaging and would prove a good advert.

I had two stories immediately in mind. I was cut between LETTING GO, a sad story about two old men gone fishing, one of whom is struggling to get over his wife’s death. It’s good and fits the length requirements but it’s possibly that little bit too sad and slow moving. My other idea was A POINT OF VIEW, the sharply emotional story of a guy being sacked from a job he never really liked anyway. It’s fast paced, intense and engaging from the start. Above all it reads well aloud and is solidly in my own voice.

I went with the latter and spent the last two nights polishing it up. I’m going to give it some vocal try outs this weekend just to be sure.

I’ve also been working on GREENER IS THE GRASS, moving through the manuscript while remembering some of the tips I picked up from Stephen King’s On Writing. Nothing complicated, just things I never used to look out for specifically, like adverbs, themes and concentrating more on what the readers sees. It’s getting there.

I’ve had no more submissions back but I do have some ideas for new markets. New Writing Scotland has opened for subs to their next anthology. They should expect something from me very soon.

The sun has finally given in to cloud over the past couple of days but it’s still as warm as a brothel’s boiler room. Scotland in June and several days of sunshine means we are already talking about droughts and possibly hosepipe bans. Meanwhile, in the highlands, there is still snow lying on the ground. What a contradictory place we live.

Speaking of the sun, I think I forgot to mention we booked our family holiday last week. We’re flying off to the Algarve in a few weeks for some relaxation of intense proportions. The whole family needs this; it needs to be a good one.

I’ve got a busy weekend coming up: Edinburgh Book Festival tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow, so tonight I’ll be finalising the events, workshops and debates I want to attend. I also have to start getting some new clothes in for going away—I’ll need a bunch of new thongs and vest tops, maybe some new hats and definitely lots of sun cream.

Wife and daughter are heading to Glasgow for the day tomorrow and won’t be back until late. Cue much unbroken writing during the day for me, with some spells out playing with Pippin in the garden. Tomorrow night I’m planning an Indian take out; something hot like Madras, along with a good film and some really cold beer.

Shalom!

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