State of the Beecroft update
Off to hospital tomorrow to swallow a camera so they can check whether this is a stomach ulcer or not. They sounded alarmed that I’ve been steadily getting more anemic even while I was taking iron tablets, and instead of going “Take this and come back in a month” they’re now going, “OK, next week is too far away, can you come in tomorrow?” I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I get the choice to be sedated while it happens, so I think I’ll go for that.
This has all put a bit of a crimp on the writing, but I have started a new book and am 8000 words in. As is typical of me, having blogged about the Fantasy I began thinking “This needs more research time,” and have ended up writing a contemporary instead. This is fun because I have decided to take a leaf out of many peoples’ books (Midsomer, St. Mary Meade etc) and create my own small English city rather than set the book somewhere that really exists. So now I’m enjoying mapping out the environs and features of Trowchester, which will contain everything I find at all interesting and nothing I don’t. This satisfies my desire to worldbuild while also being cosily familiar, and I can do with as much cosy as I can get at the moment.
Alex, I’m sorry to hear you’re still being plagued with things that make you visit doctors and hospitals. I hope they can find out what’s going on and begin a treatment that leaves you pain-free and able to do more of what you like.
Wonderful news on the writing front, though I have to admit to an amused grin when you said you decided to go for a contemporary. Not that I’m complaining, but you have mentioned here and there how you struggle so much with them versus the alternative. I adore the idea of you creating your own English city. The fun thing that popped into my head was imagining you writing a historical set in the same place. Writing (and reading) about generations does have its own special charm.
Be well.
Ugh – hospitals & tests 🙁 I do hope they determine what’s wrong and get you on the mend right away. I guess it’s good that they are bringing you in sooner rather than later for the tests.
The contemporary piece sounds fun. Research on historicals and fantasies can sometimes be overwhelming – fun at times, but frustrating, too. I have 4 biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine sitting on my table and not one of them gives me specifics on her whereabouts between Oct and the end of December 1193. I know she went to Germany and arrived there in early January 1194. I’d love to have her show up at a wedding in Nov or Dec. in Lincolnshire. 🙂 I’ll keep looking & will keep the interlibrary loan staff at the university library busy these next few months.
Get well soon!
Thanks Carolyn! I hadn’t thought about historicals in Trowchester, but with a name like that it must go back to the Romans at least. And there’s a Bronze Age hill fort and several neolithic stone circles nearby, so the history of the world is my oyster 🙂 Which reminds me to make a note that there are likely to be some sexy archaeologists about, and quite possibly some modern-day druids. I don’t see why Glastonbury should have a monopoly on being a New Age pilgrim magnet 😉
Heh, I start off with a nice normal concept and inevitably it becomes weird after only moments in my hands.
Thank you!
Thanks Char! No joy yet on the diagnosis front, but I can’t fault them for trying.
I’ve been trying to change my rather negative attitude towards contemporaries. After all, so many people like them I must surely be missing something. Decoupling my town from having to be any real place has definitely helped. Now I feel it’s more mine to control and explore as I wish, I’m more interested in what I find, if you see what I mean.
It will probably end up being a slightly whacky place, but that’s no bad thing.
At the risk of being blasphemous, I would say that if nobody knows what she was up to during that time, why not just have her do what you want? She could have sailed back from Germany for the wedding and then returned in time to pick up the known timeline later 😉
It will probably end up being a slightly whacky place, but that’s no bad thing….
and from your comment to Carolyn, And there’s a Bronze Age hill fort and several neolithic stone circles nearby, so the history of the world is my oyster 🙂 Which reminds me to make a note that there are likely to be some sexy archaeologists about, and quite possibly some modern-day druids.
That just makes it charming & mystical, right? Nothing wrong with that. Fort & stone circles, sexy folks – yes, yes, yes! Sounds wonderful!
And regarding the blasphemy – yes, you’ve captured my thoughts. I’ll just stick a mea culpa in the author’s note.