I must, must, must get on with writing Book 3.

I must.

But first I’ll write a blog about how much I’m dreading it.

Then I’ll probably post the blog on facebook and twitter and keep checking to see if anyone has read it.

*SIGH*

I’ve had fairly good reasons for my lack of progress – marketing newly-published Book 2 and moving house in addition to the usual ‘real life getting in the way of writing’ excuses. You know, children requiring to be fed and Tesco needing more of my money etc but I know I could have made more progress than I have. I’ve been avoiding it.

It’s not that I don’t know what to write; the plotlines have been mapped out and my character files are comprehensive. I’m excited about the story, too. The lives of the people of Glasdrum are about to be torn apart: it’s 2016 and the District Council’s Area Manager has been found floating in the harbour, Councillors are accused of corruption ahead of imminent elections, sordid affairs are to be revealed, and 22-year old Louise has returned with vengeance on her mind.

What I’m nervous about is having to get back into the obsessive frame of mind that allows me to get the words down. It’s time-consuming. It requires about two hours per day at least five days per week to get enough words down to feel I am making progress and that there is an end in sight. I struggle to concentrate, or even stay awake in the evening, and my days are taken up with my ‘proper’ job and the unavoidable mother work, so my only opportunity to write is before the children wake up, i.e. 5-7am.

Yep, dread.

But here I go. My target is first draft by Christmas, second draft by Spring 2018, followed by fine-tuning and publication in Summer 2018.

Best laid plans etc.

See you all in a year x