It's that time of the year again, when the summer break looms and people start to make plans to spread their wings and fly, and today, my feet feel itchy! I've tried a couple of times this year to change the course of my career but to no avail and now, watching people packing up to move on, I wish I was going somewhere too - either in reality, or metaphorically! Instead, I feel perminantly grounded! And when people say to me I should make an effort to 'do something' with my writing, I get even more wound up!
This time last year I was frantically trying to put the finishing touches to Scotch Pine - it is hard to believe it has been in print that long. Looking at the little notebook I take to writing courses and book events, I was full of enthusiasm and energy last summer: after the Writing day in Harrogate I felt ready for anything, really felt this was something I wanted. What happened? What changed? I don't really know! But I don't feel I've made a lot of progress at all. It is increasingly difficult to write in term time - hours, days and weeks fly by with terrifying speed! - and the little writing I have done this year feels rudderless. It's not like writing Grouse and Partridge!
I think maybe I'm kidding myself with all this reading and making notes that I'm doing something towards the final piece, but I'm actually conning myself - just creating another displacement activity to make up for not writing!
Maybe, like last year, I need a deadline to concentrate my mind!
Best cake? Banana and Date loaf at Shepherd's Dene retreat house in Northumberland - seriously scrumtious! (the house as well as the cake! See picture!)
