You will have noticed a dearth of blogs from me over the past eight months. There’s a good reason – I’ve been immersed in writing the last chapter of my fourth book. That writing is now complete, as is the lengthy process of editing and proofreading. The manuscript is out of my hands with typesetting done and printing underway. If the stars align, Canterbury and Other Tales - Treading Ancient Trails will be available in independent Canadian bookshops by Christmas. I'm also excited to report that an April 2024 UK book tour is in the early planning stages. More on that adventure in the coming months.
Finishing this last book in a loose series should feel like a time for celebration – a project birthed on 17 October 2013 at 4800 Metres in Nepal, coming to fruition – what’s not to celebrate?
But here’s the weird thing – as I’ve written each book, I’ve been aware of the next in the wings. They’ve been busy in my mind.
With no sequel on the horizon, my comfortable routine is upended. Friends seldom think of me as a routine-oriented person. I eat whenever I get hungry rather than a set time. I like spontaneous gatherings. I forget to grocery shop until my fridge is empty. Gosh - my fridge is empty. One day I’ll walk in the morning, another in the afternoon. My life is smattered with randomness, but I start each day with coffee at my desk while I write for two to eight hours – a random amount of time – usually weather related.
“Do you really write every day,” you might ask.
"Yes," is the honest reply. "Except when I’m travelling - and then, I journal."
But yesterday I did not open my laptop. Not once. Instead, I spent all day in my much-neglected garden. There’s been no work/life balance for the past three months while I’ve picked away at last revisions and corrections. My garden has thrived in my absence – as it usually does. The weeds! Oh my, the weeds. Five-foot-tall thistles. Wheelbarrows loads of weeds. Late strawberries and raspberries too. So sweet. So many. Such joy. They ripened while I added commas and checked spelling consistencies: mediaeval, archaeologists.
While I picked, nibbled, then filled freezer baggies, my mind drifted towards reconnecting with loyal blog followers. Having done that, I shall shut down my laptop again – feeling so much more grounded for having spent a few minutes writing to you. Here’s to a loose routine, and here are a few garden photos - please, take a seat, smell the flowers and listen to the hum of busy bees.
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