Monthly Archives: November 2013

A Break From Writing but it is never far from my thoughts.

I took five days away from writing and went to a lovely Guest House in Aldborough, six miles south of Hornsea on the East Yorkshire coast. Apart from our first morning there, when it rained, we had lovely weather. Because of the rain that morning we made use of it by going to the Maritime Museum and Ferens Art Gallery in Hull. Visiting that Museum revived memories of the days when I was researching my book, HARPOONED, the Story of Whaling published in 1980 by Conway Maritime Press. At that time the Museum was only small and in a different location, moving later into its present location in the centre of Hull and developing into the magnificent Museum that exists today.

West Carlton Country Guest House
West Carlton Country Guest House

 

The domes of Hull Maritime Museum
The domes of Hull Maritime Museum

I spent some time in and around Hornsea, enjoying the bracing sea air, the countryside, two interesting village churches and absorbing the atmosphere of the area, always of use to a writer, just as that interest in whaling led to the birth of Jessica Blair. (Even though as a writer I take time off, it is never far from my thoughts)

Jessica Blair – RNA meeting and her future writing commitment

I have been to a meeting of the Romantic Novelist Association Northern Group (Flying Ducks) today. We meet in The Blacksmith’s Arms near Harrogate the first Thursday in every month except during the winter (bad travelling) and in the Summer (people on holiday). Today was a good and lively meeting with lots of ideas and information being exchanged throughout an enjoyable lunch. With the eats out of the way we sat back and enjoyed an interesting talk from Diane Allen, Manager of Magna Large Print Books, based in Long Preston. She gave us an insight into the publishing world today, and the position of large print books, ebooks, down-loads etc in the changing publishing world. Diane gave us an insight into what led her to take up her pen, (or should that be tap the computers keys?) and become a published author with one of the leading publishing firms of today  while still managing to oversee Magna Large Print Books.

Regrettably I had missed the last two meetings of our Group so it was good today to be back among fellow writers again  – that always stimulates me to get on with my writing. So with my mind given a shake up as to how my present novel should develop, I will be tapping my computer keys tomorrow reducing the final 10,000 words that have to be written so that the novel will be in the hands of my publisher by the end of January for publication in early 2015.  That year will be 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. With that in mind my publisher asked me to write, in my Jessica Blair mould, a novel with a background of the Second World War. I have been drawing on my experience as a Bomb Aimer in Lancasters of 44 Squadron.