Friday, March 17, 2006
I’m writing this at home again, and hoping my fingers don’t freeze before I finish. Yesterday it was completely different – all sunshine and warmth and Spring waving a cheery ‘hello’. I went to Godrevy with my girlfriend and a pasty and we sat on the beach, all warm. After clambering around on the rocks and watching the birds and the ocean for a while, we climbed up to the headland and looked down on Mussel Cove (I think). At least 70 (gray) seals were sunbathing on the beach, including a few fluffy youngsters. Usually they just sleep and bark a bit, but yesterday they were very restless, slapping each other with their flippers and making a real noise. On the way back to the car we passed a field with a dozen or so rabbits in it, a couple of whom were running about like mad. Must’ve been the weather.
I’ve now re-drafted Chapter 2 of Part One of the new novel. It’ll all need at least one more re-draft, but I’ll wait until I’ve done Part Two. It’s certainly got more substance and direction now, which is what I was after. I even know what’s going to happen in the end now. But I do need to spend a day on the moors, investigating Daniel Gumb’s cave - he was a hermit in the 1750’s (I think) who lived near Cheesewring – and familiarising myself with the town of Lanson, where most of the book is based. Well, the bits on Earth, anyway. Christ, this was supposed to be a funny little short story and it’s just grown and grown. And what will I call it? A few ideas are now swimming around...
Meanwhile, I continue reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and love it to bits. I thought it would be much darker than it is, and definitely not so irreverent, even to its major characters, but it’s serious and funny at the same time. Big shout to Susanna Clarke! What a writer. The website’s gorgeous, as well. And my best friend is moving home, from Berlin to Leipzig, which sounds like a lovely little city not far to the south-west of big, bad Berlin. I wonder how he will cope away from the city that’s been a magnet to sexual deviants and assorted weirdoes over the year (him being both), but presumably it means he feels safe enough to leave. Journey well, D.
I’ve now re-drafted Chapter 2 of Part One of the new novel. It’ll all need at least one more re-draft, but I’ll wait until I’ve done Part Two. It’s certainly got more substance and direction now, which is what I was after. I even know what’s going to happen in the end now. But I do need to spend a day on the moors, investigating Daniel Gumb’s cave - he was a hermit in the 1750’s (I think) who lived near Cheesewring – and familiarising myself with the town of Lanson, where most of the book is based. Well, the bits on Earth, anyway. Christ, this was supposed to be a funny little short story and it’s just grown and grown. And what will I call it? A few ideas are now swimming around...
Meanwhile, I continue reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and love it to bits. I thought it would be much darker than it is, and definitely not so irreverent, even to its major characters, but it’s serious and funny at the same time. Big shout to Susanna Clarke! What a writer. The website’s gorgeous, as well. And my best friend is moving home, from Berlin to Leipzig, which sounds like a lovely little city not far to the south-west of big, bad Berlin. I wonder how he will cope away from the city that’s been a magnet to sexual deviants and assorted weirdoes over the year (him being both), but presumably it means he feels safe enough to leave. Journey well, D.
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