I’ve begun thinking it may be time to get on with a new writing project, something different to my current, big project, one that is different to that current project, in many ways.
So my current project is working on an anthology, where I’ve asked for the work of others, to come to me, so I can work with those words, and make a beautiful book. The book will be “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19”. An important book, for sure, an historical book, that will be a record of what people have been doing, thinking, and writing about in this difficult time.
But with that project at a waiting stage (waiting for what? Waiting for me to work out what the next step was), I’ve been thinking about putting some of my thoughts about what life was all about, into a book, a new book. Writers write, editors edit, and those you do both of those things, well they self-publish …
I know how to write, how to put a book together, and I know a printer who knows me, and has worked with me on most of my self-published books. I trust him, and he does a good job. Marketing is a problem, for many writers who have to take on that role, but writing and getting the writing made into a book, what a lovely time that is. But marketing the book … It has to happen though, doesn’t it? If you want to sell your new book, you have to show it to people.
And of course, having a blog, obviously, that is useful, to show your work, your words, to other people. So here I am, talking about my previous books, my current book-in-progress, and the one that may come after the current book. I’ve written about a number of different things. In the photo above we have “Mick Jane and Me”, which is a memoir talking about my life with Multiple Sclerosis. And “Precious Gems” is there too, a poetry collection about child sexual abuse, and other abuse too. And then, for something completely different, is “Dig It!”, an amusing little book with illustrations I created with my clever friend Ally Hean who did the pictures.
All mine, all self-published, and all available too, if you’re interested in having a copy go to this page and find out how. So books are my thing, books and words. If only marketing was as natural to me … I’m trying though, and if anyone out there would like to have me talk to a group about my writing, I certainly am a natural at doing that, for sure. I can talk about anything, in interesting, and amusing ways, if I’m asked, and it’s something I love doing!
Libraries, service groups, school students, I’ll happily talk to them about writing, poetry, and my books! Once upon a time, I was a shy and retiring little mouse, who never said boo to a goose, now, talk, talk, talk, I can go on for as long as I’m asked to, and I’ll be interesting, informative, and maybe even funny!
So my next book, that began this blog post, has a working title, which will not be its final title (Life Is …), and it has some chapter headings. five of them, in fact. And some of those chapters have brief notes on what they may be about. And of course, I’ve just remembered, I actually have another book-in-progress, which still seems unlikely to become my ‘current work-in-progress’ still, the first in a series of murder mysteries. Time still feel to fraught for that one.
Although, there’s the next book in the Buster the Dog series, that began with “Dig It!”, nd that one will not be a serious book, but a funny one about Buster the Dog, and McTavish the Cat, and the troubles they have learning how to live in the same house, after Buster’s ‘owner’ finds a new woman in his life, and moves in with her (and her cat). At the moment, this is still a project to come, as I’ll be writing it with my friend Janette, who is doing the McTavish side of the story, and both of us are working on other things.
And thinking about that thought, I almost had a title for that next book, but it drifted in and then drifted out again, before I could write it down … Ah well, if it’s a good enough idea, hopefully it will drift back in, and I’ll write it down next time! Words come and go, don’t they? Words and thoughts, good ones, so so ones, terrible ones. And the title of that book may well depend on something that will come,and be appropriate when I’m writing the book. Time will tell … Hmm, Time Will Tell – could that be the title? Haha, who knows I have to write the book first!
