Back to My Roots

There was joy in the Parker household last week because
I have started growing eyebrows and a moustache. For new readers to my blog I
must explain that this isn’t because I am searching for a new look, but because
my chemo sessions finished seven weeks ago and the hair is beginning to return.
It’s like the first shoots of spring. Pat is already looking at a long one she
can see, but I’ve told her there will be no trimming until I decide. For the
moment I’m enjoying the sight of hair and not having to look at a bald, white
face. We are off to England at the end of next week, so maybe I’ll look a
little more presentable when we go round visiting family.

Another kind of shoot is beginning to express itself,
and that is the development of my latest manuscript. Having re-worked it for
goodness knows how long, I have started again. Over the last few months of
deliberating and obfuscating, I knew there was a great deal wrong with the way
in which I was building my characters and the plot line: I needed a little more
realism. For that reason I have changed the backgrounds and lifestyles of a
couple of them, and also not pitched the plot at too high a level. This was
more for my own sake than anything else. I think there are times when you can
be influenced by other writers and forget that you should only write the kind
of novels you want to read. I also realised that I had made a technical error in
the way in which I plotted a plane crash. It would have been picked up by the
more observant reader. It wouldn’t have harmed the story at all really, but
sometimes I find myself complaining about the short cuts some top writers take
without giving much thought to facts and realism. Mind you; that’s what fiction
is about, right?

I have managed to edge further down the road with my new
website, but I have to confess that it is still some way off before I can ‘launch’
it, and much depends on my hard working son. Once we’ve knocked it into shape,
I’ll be happy. However, with regard to re-writing manuscripts and launching
websites etc., I will be hampered by our trip to UK. It’s only for ten days,
but leading up to it and getting back into the swing of things when we return
will eat into my writing time.

I’ve also made a promise to myself that I will try to
use the social networks more efficiently, and continue to spend money promoting
my books. At the moment my sales are very low, although fairly constant, but I
am nowhere near the stellar results some indie writers enjoy (and I’m not
talking about best-sellers). Time will tell though.

Our break in England is going to be a welcome release
for me and Pat after the last six months, which included selling the house with
all that it entailed. Pat did ALL the work because of my illness, and I thank
God for having such a caring, loving wife. My faith in God has also helped
through the dark times and I have felt His presence all along.