Goodbye to July

I am fairly happy to say goodbye to July. Due to circumstances beyond my control I’ve spent more of the month in the house than expected, which has translated into some extra writing, but only enough to exceed my Camp NaNoWriMo goal by about 10,000 words. The goal was ridiculously small to start with as I had hoped to go to Harrogate for the Crime Festival, which would have meant a gap of a few days in my writing schedule, but in the end I had to cancel at the last minute. Anyway, I’ve managed to write over 30,000 words of ‘Heiresses 3’ (working title ‘Reclaiming Riverton’ but this will almost certainly change before I’ve finished with it) which represents around 40% of the likely total word count if my arithmetic is correct, which it might well not be. I have a vague idea of where the plot has to go for the next umpteen thousand words, which is more than I sometimes have when writing. However I might decide at this point to have a change of scenery and either return to Pitkirtly – or should I maybe send the gang on holiday somewhere? I think they deserve a treat – or to Edinburgh to draft a Christmas edition of Max Falconer. Or is there some mileage in one of the short stories I wrote during June? These included an archetypically cosy story entitled ‘Murder at the Calico Cat Café’ which could be the start of something. Or not.

Whatever happens next, I find it’s a good idea to review the options at intervals and to update my annual plan. I fondly remember writing this at the start of the year and smiling smugly to myself about how beautifully neat it looked. 2022 would obviously be the year when I would abandon all my chaotic ways and start to approach writing – and life, for that matter – methodically. How did this work out? See for yourself.

I have no idea why the plan always falls apart some time during the late spring and summer. We have only experienced a two-day heatwave here, so I don’t think I can blame the weather! I haven’t been able to do much actual gardening either because of the pollen count and some related allergies, although I have now been organised enough to ask a gardener to quote for some changes involving the replacement of the shed, which fell into ruin some time ago and where one of the cats apparently got trapped the other day, although of course being a cat she might just have been pretending to be trapped. I’m afraid the cats will not be pleased with me as I am also planning to reduce the size and complexity of the jungle at the far end of the garden where they like to lurk like very small tigers.

I have a cover for ‘Heiresses 3’ but as mentioned above the title is subject to change. Actually the whole cover is subject to change! I’m just hoping the same doesn’t apply to the plot.