So, it was agreed by the cosmos that my time is not yet over, the sands of time for me (despite rumours to the contrary) have yet to run out!   

I’ve had my second dose of the plague – and despite my flouncing around pronouncing to all and sundry that my demise is imminent, I have indeed survived.

Some may call my fight with Covid truly heroic and inspirational – others may cruelly snipe that my struggle was melodramatic indulgent hypochondria…  to them I simply say “haters gotta hate”!

My brush with mortality did allow me to progress (in my debilitated state) my WIP a few pages closer towards completion. 

It has already been noted that I have started this tale more than once, rewritten the beginning middle and end, killed off, resurrected, and then again re-killed characters – yet, despite it all, I’ve managed to push my tale forwards.

Hooks have been moved, intended plot lines abandoned and new ones written.

The bare bones of the narrative remain more or less as originally envisaged, the interaction between characters an ever changing (and oft deleted) landscape.  

We are still on a ship, still travelling towards Ireland from America.

We are still looking to include a scrape or two that will necessitate the sacrifice of some passengers – their bloody and violent demise a tragedy that is sadly unavoidable…

We are debating a love interest – it has been a while (two books back) since our MC had such – so maybe it’s time to remedy that omission?

We are still enjoying telling tales, still genuinely thrilled by where my imagination takes me, the creative process remains the joy today it was on day one. 

It is also true that we are still frustrated by our lack of exposure (readership), and indeed it is a matter of public record that each rejection from an agent still cuts deeply. 

So, in summary – I am still alive (hurrah), and I am still writing away.

The offer of employment for a suitably qualified agent still stands.

Whatever it is you are doing – please stay safe, look after yourself and those you love, and please stay sane!

Yep, it’s that time in the writing cycle.

We’ve reached that point whereupon we (again) question why we are doing this.

Other than participating in a hobby cheaper than golf, are we achieving anything?

Our initial goal has been achieved.

We have gone beyond the opening line and written a book – the mythical tale that is within us all we have given birth to!

Nobody’s read it though.

The spine has yet to be creaked…

We wrote one to see if we could, and then we wrote another because it was a rush to find out what happened next.

That second book morphed into a series, a trilogy that now sits at five volumes.

Still no chiropractic intervention…

The industrial rejections are a constant.

Their judgement unwavering.

NO.

So, what to do, indeed what to do?