Testing, testing... 1, 2, 3...

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Last week, I was recording myself reading some extracts of Aegyir Rises for Stu Lennon, to use in the 1857 podcast he does. Things I've realised as a result:

  1. My cat is evil, and even the promise of Dreamies doesn't appear to distract him from his goal of having a starring role in the recordings
  2. As soon as I need to record, my mouth fills with spit
  3. I am unable to swallow silently
  4. I also develop the overwhelming need to clear my throat as soon as the record button is pressed
  5. My accent is weird - a bit of posh BBC newsreader blended with the odd flat northern vowels and a light sprinkling of Scottish (having lived here for so long, and being married to a Scot).
  6. I hate my voice

I was also so keen to try and make the opening few lines as emotional as possible, I made myself cry. 🤦

I'll keep you posted as to when they're going out, but any that don't get used will be on here.

I've also started work on the next book! I'm still at the "brain-dump" stage - writing out a gazillion notes. When I first started, possibly because for so long, I've been forcing this book to the back of my head while I got on with edits, I was scared nothing would come. I stared at a blank page and wondered what on earth would go in the book. I had a few thin ideas, but nothing that would sustain 75-100K words!

And then I started asking questions. The "why" and the "who" and the "what" and so on, that make up a book, and the notes are currently pouring out of my head. This is one of the really fun bits - the exciting "Where is this going?" bit. The point where nothing's off-limits and all ideas are still in the "possible" camp. I love this bit of planning a book.

Next up will be wrestling these ideas into a plot and deciding which ones are making the cut and which ones aren't. I already have a piece of paper taped to my dining room table, ready for a giant mind-map, where I'll note all the strands of the plot and then work out how to tie them together. It's a piece of lining paper (wallpaper). I used to use flip-chart paper, but my meagre stock of that has run out. And yes, there will be colour-coding! 😆

Then will come the plot outline (which always changes as I start writing, but is there in case I need it). And then... actually starting on the scenes!

Exciting times!

By the way, I would be delighted if you followed me on BookBub. If you click on the button below, it will take you straight there. Thank you!



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