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<\/a>Monday we went to Silverstone. The exhibition was well-worth seeing and we had to skim several sections downstairs in order not to miss the coach. I’ve been a huge F1 fan for many years and the exhibition on British motor racing was excellent.<\/p>\nNot all my passions make it into my novels – I teach Tai Chi and yoga and spend two mornings a week line dancing but none of these ever get a mention. (Can’t quite picture Fiona, Aunt Jessica or Harry in leggings or cowboy boots.) However, in my first published novel, All in the Mind, my main character is an F1 fan as is her secretary. An idea I obviously got all those years ago when I was still working, when my secretary and I would often discuss the latest race on the Monday morning.<\/p>\n
Today, we\u2019re off to London for a Study Day in the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum with the historian who came with us on our magical holiday to Persia last November. Given the situation in Iran now, I can\u2019t see many tour operators going back there for some time. A great shame. It\u2019s such a fabulous place and the ordinary people are so friendly and helpful. As I\u2019m hoping to make Persia the setting for my next Aunt Jessica and Harry novel, I\u2019m hoping things will have settled down by the time the book is published so that my readers will not feel thwarted by learning about somewhere they have no possibility of visiting.<\/p>\n
Plans for February<\/strong><\/p>\n Concentrating on the three things I need to work on this year, my plans are as follows:-<\/p>\n Undercover Geisha <\/strong><\/p>\n I sent my manuscript to my two editors \u2013 what I call my alpha readers \u2013 last November, so it\u2019s been over two months since I\u2019ve looked at it. Last week, I decided it was time I went through it again as both editors promised me their feedback in the next few days. As every writer will tell you, no matter how many times you look through, typos, missed words and repartitions always jump out at you. I\u2019d taken the time after my fourth rewrite to use the \u201cread aloud\u201d facility on word and I thought I really had it sussed this time, but the whole manuscript was a disaster. Either I failed to save the changes (no way!) or it\u2019s not the fool proof method I\u2019d hoped. It\u2019s not my editors\u2019 job to bother with such things anyway, but I would have been happier to feel they could concentrate on matters of plot, character development and style without the distraction of a poorly proofed manuscript.<\/p>\n I\u2019m always apprehensive when I get the reports back. Neither pulls their punches. Which is just what every writer needs. In the past, their suggestions have involved a major rewrite. My first response when the manuscript was returned was to storm around the house for a couple of days before admitting that perhaps they did have a point and that after the weeks of work involved, I\u2019d have a much better novel. So far, I\u2019ll admit I\u2019ve only glanced through the reports, (one arrived yesterday and the other this morning) but I think things might be a little easier this time. I\u2019m keeping my fingers crossed.<\/p>\n Target One for this month \u2013 the editorial rewrite!<\/p>\n