Until the next time...

What first appeared as blog block has turned out to be something else. I suspected only a virus in my brain’s blogging mechanism and expected it soon to pass. But for the past week a debate has raged between my brain’s blogging nodes and the newly awakened single-minded centre. I’m not sure if I always had this, lying dormant, or whether it is recently grown.

Anyway, the single-minded centre has beaten the blogging nodes into submission. They did not go down without a fight, counter-attacking the single-minded centre; alas to no avail.

I have been pushed into a fully-focused-on-fiction phase. Which means I am taking a hiatus. I won’t stop reading the blogs I follow, and several more besides, but probably won’t post again for some time.

Unless something amazing happens, of course, or the blogging nodes acquire fabulous new weapons, fight back and win. :)

Blog Block

Tara Donovan, “Untitled” (Styrofoam Cups, Hot Glue) 

The title tells all. But for those two words to be a real title, a post must be written in this space. Therefore, I elaborate: I am stuck.

I know that simply isn’t good enough. However, as this post is a struggle, I am resisting the urge to delete any words; including “I am stuck”.

Having placed “I am stuck” within quotes makes me happy to have chosen those words. They express exactly how I feel.

Blog post ideas usually pop into my mind quite readily. I then write something, find an amusing or interesting picture, and... hey presto! But, since early last week, my mind seems to have chosen to spend time elsewhere. Where exactly that is, though, I'm not quite certain.

I promise next time to write a proper post. Perhaps once my mind returns from its adventure (or relaxing vacation?)... ;)

Black Dog

In this amazing animation, “The Black Dog’s Progress” by small time inc., a series of flipbooks tell the sad story of the Black Dog. I adore this, and have watched it over and over again!

*****

Ironically, now I have more or less recovered from cold number two, which I worked through, I feel like acting like an ill person. I want to curl up and read. When I should be ploughing forward with the novel I retired temporarily from submitting/querying and am re-writing. I had hoped to finish this re-write by early January, but not until I started did I realise how different it was to become.

I’m very pleased with the changes and excited by the story. I’m into the third and final act, and all that really remains is to bring the plot to its conclusion. Which includes lots of action. (I love action!) At this stage, I feel I should be romping through the final chapters. Yet I have slowed down. Enormously. I don’t want to, and I’m not sure why...

How contrary!

A day off might be in order.

Another Week, Another Cold...

The common cold may not be the most interesting subject for a blog post. But. I am suffering my second cold in less than two weeks. What livens up this misery is that the second cold is quite different than cold number one. This time it’s all about sneezing, irritable eyes, and a very runny nose. To keep things exciting, I road-tested an alternative remedy.

Kaloba, used by Zulus for centuries, has been known to keep people cold free -- forever! I was advised to take the brown liquid three times a day, in conjunction with vitamin C.

Well, I’ve done that for four days ... and still have a cold! Perhaps my idea of “the first sign of a cold”, at which one should immediately hit the Kaloba, is a little off kilter. In which case, I have only myself to blame. Or perhaps, nothing works. And though we live in denial and open our wallets, there really is no cure for the common cold.

And speaking of cold: We had six inches of snow yesterday. To reflect the weather, this blog is re-coloured ... almost a whiteout!