Stealth desk

Where did I go?

Today was a trial run, so I stayed close to home in a small piece of woodland on our property. There is no need to be stealthy here, but folks are so friendly that if the neighbours see me, they will come over for a chat. The whole point is having a tranquil day to is to work, so I will keep my head down.
The woods were quieter than I expected, and at midday, even the birds were asleep. I heard a tractor twice on the lane this morning but nothing else . Bliss!
The thing that I’m enjoying most was the smell, damp, musky and delicious.

It’s late afternoon now but cool because the canopy is thick in the area I’m sitting. My phone says it’s 26 degrees centigrade but I’m beginning to wish I had a jacket.
This morning the hardest thing was starting. I found it so peaceful I felt as though I was on holiday and ended up taking an hour over my breakfast, simply enjoying the place.

What am I working on?

I am working on the first book I wrote and published on amazon. The title was ‘The silver chalice’. But it isn’t available any longer? I took everything off last year, having decided that nothing was good enough.
I need to confess that I have done what you should never do, lost confidence and tossed my toys out of the pram. Since then, I have put books back on Amazon much improved technically. In making technical improvements I lost my voice the thing that made them authentic, so now I find myself at the bottom of a deep dark rabbit hole fiddling with old manuscripts.
Now I have got that off my chest, I will be positive. I have planned a way to get myself out of the dark and into the light again. Only time will tell if I succeed.
The story is about a Church of England Vicar, who has lost her confidence. She moves to a large church as associate minister after a chance encounter with the Rector John Jeffries. He needs help with pastoral work, the one aspect of her job that she loves, and he persuades her she is the right person for the job. She takes a twelve-month contract with the condition that she can assess her calling or vocation at the end of that time.
Two months after she arrives, an intruder breaks in to the church and murders John Jeffries. They steal his personal papers, the church silver, and a historic book kept in a glass case at the back of the sanctuary.
Thrown into turmoil, Alex must find out who broke in and what they wanted. As she solves the mystery, she finds friends and a sense of purpose along the way.
I know so much more about writing than I did when I started. I am creating a stronger, more cohesive story I hope.
Today I worked on the subplot. (It didn’t have one before.) So far, so good. When I have finished, I plan to run it as a serial on here before republishing.

What’s in my lunch box?

Wow, lunch time!

This morning for breakfast I had egg mayo with bacon on a home-made cob.
I still use the midlands term for bread rolls. When I lived in Yorkshire, I called them teacakes, and I bet you have another name for them. This kind of stuff makes me love the English language, and encourages me to keep writing.
For lunch I have another cob This time brie and gooseberry Jam . An English Kitkat which taste different to the Spanish ones, and a crunchy bar brought over by a friend who pays for her visits in chocolate. She doesn’t have to pay at all, but don’t tell her that!

For my afternoon snack, I had chocolate chip cookies made the day before with smarties and chocolate chips.
Plenty of water and a can of orange fizzy pop completed it.
I missed my fruit and salad so I will add those in next week.

What am I reading?

My computer does not have enough battery life for the whole day, so brought plenty of reading matter with me.
At lunch time I started a book called, Tea and comfort by Andrea Hurst. I will post a full review in my blog. So far, I am unsure about it. It is not a genre I read, and I bought from the cover, without reading the description, so to be fair I will finish it before I write a review. I am convincing myself that reading novels is part of being a writer.
In the afternoon, I read part of a book called Intuitive Editing by Tiffany Yates Martin. It is brilliant and I will put a full review on my blog this week. It cannot say how much it has helped me. And the best thing about it? it is so encouraging, breaking everything into doable stages with headings like how to find it and how to fix it in every chapter.
I am building a collection of craft books because. I aspire to be the best writer possible. Some books are better than others and now this is at the top of my pile. I intend to review those I have found the most helpful in case anyone other writers out there find themselves down the same rabbit hole as me.
Hey ho, and onwards we must go.

Reflections.

Was the day worthwhile?

Absolutely, I not only had a wonderful time, but the following day I was buzzing with enthusiasm for my writing. It pulled me out of the rut I have been in for a while.

What would I do differently?

I need different gear,

In the long term, a battery pack so that my computer lasts all day. I need a new phone so I can use the internet. A camping tarp, so I have protection from the rain. And a camping stove, for days when I want a hot meal.

Oh, and I didn’t use my hammock. I was sure I would.

I use a walking aid because of a back problem, so I am adapting an old rucksack to give me more carrying capacity, meaning I will go further afield. Even though the next two or three weeks I plan to stay close to home.

I have already bought a small flask for my breakfast coffee and individual lunch box so that I don’t have to take the big one we use for picnics

I know people write in cafes, and occasionally I have done that, but this is so much more me. I have a desk in the house and love it. My books, notes etc, are within reach but it was feeling claustrophobic as my mobility issues worsened. I cannot set off for a brisk walk to ‘ blow away the cobwebs’ in the way I once could. This appears to solve that problem. I’ll keep you posted.