Sometimes Life Takes Over!



'Coastal,' watercolour on paper, 12 x 10ins



I began my novel in 1998. It was only a few months after the sudden death of my partner Tom. I was forced to return to the UK, because at that time you needed to renew your visa every three months, and without Tom I could no longer use our engagement as a reason. I returned to the UK and tried to give shape to my grief by writing. I learned so much about the creative process of assembling ideas and conversations into a novel, and I thought I had finished it within 8 months. How wrong I was! I ended up doing about 40 re-writes, because the novel continually demanded changes, or seemed less rounded than my cursory read revealed.



'Transitional Landscape,' oil on board, 22 x 18ins

Originally my novel was saved on one of those ancient items called Floppy Discs! Luckily I transferred the file to a Memory Stick just before Floppy Disc drives died. Then my novel lay fallow for some years - life took over, I was promoting my artwork, and began a new relationship. I looked at it again a few weeks ago, and with entirely fresh eyes. It could have been written by someone else. I found that it needed minimal editing, and I am currently preparing it for electronic publishing. Options have changed a lot since I began the book, and a Publishing House is not the only route.

I aim to finish my novel by the third week of September. It is great fun doing the final touches, and in between this, I'm also starting new paintings.