I purposefully did not post towards the end of December 2017 because I figured people had better things to do with their time than read my letters from the dark side: like eating to excess, opening presents, watching a large amount of TV. Oh and reading, of course.
Well, now we are the other side of the monstrosity known as Xmas (insert any politically correct phrase if you rankle at the use of such a Christian term). And I’m back.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been suffering a writer’s block that has meant The Getaway launch has been delayed. I only finished the first draft at the end of December – 6 weeks behind schedule. So that was disappointing and then a bunch of personal matters descended on me that means I haven’t been able to start editing the thing at all yet. I intend to turn this around and hope to be close to production-ready by the end of January. But that is not a promise, not by a long way.
The hiatus has given me the opportunity to flesh out more ideas for the Lagotti series: I’ve plotted the sequel to The Getaway, provisionally titled Powder, and have added another book to the series itself – at least I’ve written down a new idea and can see it having enough content to count as a separate story.
My plan has been to publish four novels a year for the next few years but, given what happened since October, my expectations may be greater than my capability to deliver. That said, I think I know what sent me into an inability to write (it happened once before). I’m hoping I’m sufficiently self-aware, finally, that when it happens again, I’ll be better placed to get myself out of the hole.
And on that cheery note, I wish you all the very best for 2018: keep on keepin’ on.
