P&Q

An unearthly calm prevails and I am all alone. All visiting children and dogs gone, neighbours on holiday, husband at work. What is that unaccustomed sound? I do believe it's silence. I can hear Tucker snoring gently in his basket, birds singing in the garden, the fridge humming off and on. And Laptop sulking reproachfully in the corner: so just when is this novel going to get written?

So I have dutifully risen with the lark for the past several mornings and have now written another couple of chapters. Yes, it did feel like duty at first. the struggle to reconnect with characters and plot, the effort to squeeze out more words, words, words. I actually found myself stopping to count the words I'd written and thinking 'Good. 800. Only 200 to go' since I'd promised myself at least 1000 a day. But - joy! - yesterday, I found myself sneaking back to Laptop several times to add to what I'd written in early morning. I am back with it and missing it when I have to leave it, wanting to get down the stuff that is coming into my head as I cook, hang out washing and dog-walk. Oh, now that's a good feeling! And a great relief. There's this nagging dread - when you're too busy or too caught up with other writing - that the novel will get away from you, grind to a halt, become a maze you can't penetrate again.

So I have a couple of weeks of P&Q (peace and quiet) before the next rush of busy-busyness with visitors and festivals. Off to make the most of it. To work!!