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23/3/2025 On resuming work on my third novel... Thirteen years ago, I wrote the first chapter of The Right Place, which will be my third novel.
Since then, I have launched my imprint, Arcane Publishing, I have edited and published my first novel, I Am a Muse, I have written, edited and published my second novel The Book of Thoth and I have moved to Dorset. Whilst writing the first two novels felt natural and joyful, this one has become a rather arduous task as Real Life has kept getting in the way and writer's block has reared its ugly head many times over the past five or six years. I am determined to get this published in 2026 and then move on to my next book, Hell Lane: A Barton Stacey Mystery, which will also be Dorset-based and inspired by the artistic community of 1930s Chaldon Herring. 11/3/2025 Vera Brittain: 2 Cheyne Walk, London I have just finished Vera Brittain's Testament of Experience. After having read Testament of Youth, her book about her experience of WW1, I had to read this follow-up, which deals with WW2. Both books are a fascinating read for many reasons, and I cannot wait to get started on Testament of Friendship, her book about her great friend Winifred Holtby, the author of the superb South Riding. On my visit to London last weekend, I just had to go and have a look at 2 Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, the house Vera Brittain and her husband purchased before the war - he had fallen in love with the building at first sight.
 As I prepare to resume work on the first draft of my third novel, The Right Place, I find it inspiring to read about other writers' experience of writing.
I am hoping that 2025 will bring me back to my books as I have struggled to sit down and complete my manuscript over the past few years (Real Life sometimes doesn't play ball and interferes with one's ambitions...) It is high time I published this book as I become more and more obsessed with the next two novels I am planning to write! 6/3/2025 The Dorset Pavilion: inspiration Yesterday, we finally managed to see the Dorset Pavilion exhibition at The Bridport Arts Centre - some fantastic art there, and it could have been much bigger! I now need to have a look at some of the artists' websites! In the free exhibition booklet, one can find a wonderful essay by Jon Woolcott which features so many references I have encountered during the research I have done for my first Dorset-based novel The Right Place! How lovely to see Geoffrey Household's Rogue Male mentioned, as well as some of my all-time favourites (PJ Harvey, Rob McFarlane...) Also featured is the 1930s literary/artistic community of Chaldon Herring, which I started researching a few years ago for my fourth novel, Hell Lane: a Barton Stacey mystery. This aspect of Dorset seems to have been relatively forgotten/overlooked, which I really find quite strange as it is a truly fascinating story! I will also have a look a few things I've learned reading this essay... More to discover! I now feel really motivated as I try and resume work on my manuscript... 
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AuthorI think therefore I write. Archives
March 2025
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