I am but a sheep...

..following every single other writer and creative from the meta mines to the green and lush pastures of Substack. I have read and loved many others' Substacks - ESPECIALLY Otessa Moshfegh’s and also those that recommend bits and pieces and have lots of little links to click. And here is the thing no one asked for: I am joining the throng, mostly for my own purposes (more below). I won’t suggest you buckle up, perhaps just gently hold on to someone’s elbow as we get going.

THINKING:

About the fact I have QUIT MY DAY JOB for the sole purpose of devoting myself to my very much unwritten second novel. My last day in the office is 11 April, after which I will be a Full Time Writer (for a year as I will definitely need to start earning money again asap afterwards). I am scared and excited. I hope this Substack will help keep me accountable, and moving onwards. A manuscript in twelve months? We shall see.

WRITING:

Not a huge deal, OK?! Since returning from maternity leave, I have mostly plotted the shape of my second novel, which will be split between modern-day and 14th century Britain. Lots of research is needed. But time will soon be on my side…

WATCHING:

Having recovered from a weekend-long family-wide norovirus party I am not doing any writing this Monday, my usual writing day. I am, instead, (re)watching The Green Knight, which I have told myself is research. It is gorgeous to look at (so is Dev Patel am I right), mysterious and dreamlike. I love it and am taking notes for my work-in-progress.

READING:

Just finished: The Artist, by Lucy Steeds. Simply GLORIOUS, evocative, lush descriptions of landscape and love and art and food. One line I can’t stop thinking about “translucent flickers of ham” - flickers! of ham! That is just what they are. Honestly perfection.

Currently reading: I’ve very nearly finished an ARC of Heap Earth Upon it by Chloe Michelle Howarth (of Sunburn brilliance). It’s uneasy, secretive, mesmerising - Chloe has taken the ‘a stranger comes to town’ trope and spun a tense, shimmering web with it.

What’s next: Another ARC - One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford. Zombie apocalypse, and a scientist is frantically trying to find a cure while secretly keeping her zombie husband in the spare room. Can’t wait!

LISTENING:

I fell down an OC soundtrack rabbit hole last week, which betrays my age (35). So many of the songs still slap. Especially Dice - but it’s all just so tied up in Ryan sprinting up the stairs on New Year’s Eve, isn’t it? Perfection.

WEARING:

The wrong things, all the time - I tend to dress for what I feel should be the weather, not necessarily what is actually the weather. In life, in general, I am Too Hot, but recently I have been A Little Bit Too Cold which is interesting for the novelty, I suppose. However! I have enjoyed wearing a little silk scarf around my neck. This one. And my Merci cap.