30/1/2014 The Book of Thoth draft 2 updateI have now completed draft 2 of parts I and II of The Book of Thoth -yes, it rained constantly last week when I was abroad and editing was a most welcome activity!
I am quite pleased with it so far, although I know that these sections the easiest ones: things are getting slightly out of hand from Part III onwards, as the story gets weirder. I aim at cutting the 151,000 words manuscript (already about 1,000 down from draft 1!) to 130,000 which still seems enormous. I guess the printing costs will go up for this one! Matt ArtPix is still full of ideas for the typesetting and things are taking shape very nicely... If we can pull it off, The Book of Thoth will be really lovely to look at! 14/1/2014 The Book of Thoth, Draft 1: completedToday, after a final push - I have typed over 3,300 words! - I am absolutely thrilled to say that about 30 minutes ago, I typed THE END on the last line of my manuscript.
I started working on The Book of Thoth, my second novel, in January 2011 - at least, the planning stage, which lasted around six months, began then. The manuscript is bonkers, and wayyyyyy too long - it stands at 150,950 words at the moment. My head is screaming CUT CUT CUT CUT!!!!! It's been a challenge, as I have tried to write some kind of hybrid Gothic novel and have been adding things as I went along... But it's been - and still promises to be - FUN. Well, fun to write. Not sure what it will be like for readers. I have no idea whether it works or not - well, I don't think it quite works as it stands at the moment, and that's why I know that finishing draft 1 is only the beginning... I have edited the first 5,000 words, but there is a hell of a lot of work to do. And because it's taken so long to write, I actually cannot remember half of what I've written over the past three years! I have started the second draft of The Book of Thoth and I'm aiming to have this version finished for early/mid March - I have no work booked so far, so I should make the most of it.
The first draft is not finished yet, but I think it is time to begin the editing process anyway, especially after a week and a bit away from the computer and the manuscript. So over the forthcoming days, I will be splitting my time between editing and getting draft 2 into shape and writing the last few scenes of draft 1. I also need to start working on my Arts Council grant application for The Right Place (which might have a change of title soon as well!). 12/12/2013 The Book of Thoth extractI have just uploaded a short extract of The Book of Thoth (1st draft) to the Book of Thoth page.
I cannot wait to finish it over the Xmas holiday and start the editing! Writing it is really entertaining, I am enjoying it immensely... 15/11/2013 And another one...I have just finished yet another scene of The Book of Thoth. My aim is to finish the first draft next Friday, because I am now over two months behind my publishing schedule.
The manuscript now stands at slightly over 137,000 words (whaaat?), which is way too long. I am genuinely looking forward to getting started on the editing. I have been working on this book since January 2011! I might need to make some decisions in the forthcoming months as I need to concentrate on the editing big time to make sure the book goes to typesetting in the summer. It might involve going somewhere without any distractions - freelance work, theatre, gigs, art exhibitions, gorgeous boy - and edit, edit, edit... I'll be planning all this during the X**s holidays in December. Tomorrow, I am working on the Shorelines blog. 11/11/2013 Phew!Phew! Shorelines is now over, and I really had four great days, both as a member of the crew and artist.
Yesterday, the reading was nerve-racking but absolutely worth it. It is going to take me a while to sort out the photos and put together a blog - which is bound to be rather long as there were so many things happening - but I should be able to post a report of the event by the middle/end of the week. Thank you to everyone at Metal and Rachel Lichtenstein for putting our little corner of the South-East on the literary map. Shorelines is a unique festival! In the bookshop, I Am a Muse was in very good company! I now have two free weeks to try and finish off the first draft of The Book of Thoth before a big job falls on my desk and requires my full attention! So here it is, the final front cover for The Book of Thoth. Matt ArtPix has done a sterling job on this and also on the promo material I will be taking with me to the Shorelines festival (read his blog about it HERE.
Yesterday, I finalised the reading/presentation, only a few tweaks to the slide show to do... This week, I am going back to The Book of Thoth. My first draft is sooo behind schedule, now... I have given myself until the end of November to complete it, then will start work on draft 2 immediately. 9/10/2013 I Am a Muse at ShorelinesI am delighted to confirm that copies of my first novel, I Am a Muse, will be on sale at Shorelines: Literature Festival of the Sea which takes place in Leigh-on-Sea on November 8th-10th 2013.
The first details about the fab literary festival that will take place in Leigh-on-Sea in November have been released! It is organised by arts organisation Metal and curated by artist and author Rachel Lichtenstein. It is "a small, intelligent and thought-provoking festival. It takes place in various outdoor and indoor venues at the heart of the fishing community of Leigh-on-sea on the banks of Thames Estuary, at the point where it officially becomes ‘open sea’. This unique festival aims to provoke discussion, re-awaken senses, excite the adventurous spirit and explore new literature about the sea." I will be involved in this event but cannot say anything until everything has been confirmed! In the meantime, I will keep posting updates here, on the Arcane Publishing website and on Facebook. For more details, go to THE SHORELINES PAGE ON METAL'S WEBSITE. "Highlights in 2013 include: multi-award winning nature writer, Robert MacFarlane (current chair of the Booker Prize) on Britain’s most dangerous path, the Broomway; Mercury Award winning folk singer, Sam Lee bringing his own take on sea shanties; pop historian Travis Elborough (Wish You Were Here) on the British Seaside; Man Booker shortlisted author Deborah Levy with Swimming Home; a mixed-media installation by The SeaWomen of Korea by Greek artist Mikhail Karikis; award winning author and broadcaster Philip Hoare discussing the recently published The Sea Inside (BBC4 Book of the Week); noir crime fiction author Cathi Unsworth reading from her novel Weirdo set in a fictional seaside town, a multi-media film/performance of Swandown with cult writer Iain Sinclair, artist Andrew Kotting & musician Jem Finer; a special performance of Britten’s children’s opera Noye’s Fludde in the 100th anniversary year of his birth; French-Norwegian performance poet Caroline Bergvall (currently exhibited at Tate) with DRIFT her interpretation of Saxon sea poems; an afternoon of readings and talks by contemporary non-fiction writers exploring the unique landscape of the Thames Estuary, including Ken Worpole; Dr Jules Pretty (winner of Angel Prize) and Greek writer Julian Hoffman on the unique landscape of the Hoo Peninsula; The Fishwives Choir; local author Syd Moore (The Drowning Pool) set in the Essex coastline; an alternative audio walk exploring historical tales from the Estuary by US artist and writer Justin Hopper; films; writing workshops for both children and adults and much more."
4/9/2013 The end is near!Life, eh?
This morning, I thought I would be getting another few free days this week, during which I was hoping to get even closer to the end of The Book of Thoth. I had put myself in the mood, ready to type... But NO! Something's come up and now I have to forget about the book and focus on something else... I just hope it's only a month or two until the end of the first draft... Only a few (very important) scenes to write now, but as the pace is supposed to increase to bring the story to its climax, it will not be easy. I might even need to act some scenes out in my lounge! I am really looking forward to typing "THE END" and then go back to the very beginning to work on the second draft. I started The Book of Thoth in January 2011; it feels like a century ago... |
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