[So, this post is again for the Sunday Circle, an initiative of Peter M Ball (see here)]

What am I working on this week?

During the week I finished the draft of my next women’s fiction novel, The Paris Wedding. Of course, it has lots to fix, but before I can do that I need to read through and make an accurate scene list and time map, so I’m doing that now.

Speaking of which, during the week, I also finished the first draft of a book about my editing process (creatively titled Edit your novel, step-by-step), which is the one I both use and teach. My writing buddy is reading through now, and I’m finishing up the e-book conversion in Jutoh. Hoping for a Valentine’s day release to all the major platforms.

On the spec fic side, the PhD begins tomorrow!! I’m hitting the ground running with reading about the neuroscience of narrative, and ideas for two stories in the world which I’m going to flesh out over the week. One is called The Two Victorias (an intrigue involving the Queen, her daughter, a doctor, an AI and some timetravellers) and the other, Destoryed (a more military flavour one about the future time of the timetravellers, where geoengineering politics have ended in war with Tesla-style energy beam weapons; it’s basically one guy protecting the travelgate).

What’s inspiring me this week?

The historical doco Queen Victoria’s Children. Man, she was a serious piece of work. So great for my narrative purposes. Also, Harlots, Housewives and Heroines. It’s too early for my projects (being 17th century) but still inspiring. I never knew about Aphra Behn (the first professional female writer) – when we’re in London in April, I must go and find her tomb in Westminster.

What part of my project am I avoiding?

The reading and scene mapping of The Paris Wedding. The beginning is where a lot of the fixing needs to happen and reading how bad things currently are there is kinda horrible.

I also am avoiding writing the synopsis for the love story I’m writing after The Paris Wedding, mostly because I can’t think of a good title. But the idea is good, I hope. Hahaha, they’re always good at this stage. I’m starting on these avoidances right now while Master A sleeps, then will continue when I head to write club.