The early start of the winter festivals combined nicely with the first seasonal fall of snow. It was like the many Christmas films where everything seems to come together at the right time.
A brass band played in the Rose Garden, Christmas Stalls littered the street, even Bodach Na Nollaige (Father Christmas) and his bonnie reindeer put in an appearance. Although I have to admit I wasn’t there for that event.
It is not that I don’t like Christmas or even reindeer. I love the chance to meet up with family and friends. And how you cannot like reindeer they are such bonnie beasts? It all adds to the magic.
It is more the fact that I am becoming a bit adverse to crowds. It is probably the lack of practice. I was never at home in large crowds anyway, now it would be so easy never to venture into them again.
However, as a writer, I need to meet people and sample life outside my head. It is amazing how an unexpected comment by someone can lead you off on a train of thought.
Many of my ideas have come from a simple conversation that sparks my imagination. Of course, this also accounts for the numerous comments on my report cards from school about me daydreaming. If only they knew where that would lead me years into the future, maybe they would have left me in my head to further develop my creative thoughts.
I have been developing my ideas for Grumpa 4 recently. Hopefully, they will lead to a complete story and the publication of a new book next year. I’m unsure if I will take him further than this or if I should look at a new character. It is not that I don’t have loads of unfinished stories but maybe they could be told through other characters. Perhaps I should ask my readers if they want more of him.
Blàs three is coming along nicely. The first draft is at least halfway through. As a Christmas gift to myself, I’m hoping to have this wonky draft finished by the end of the year. Then it will be months of rewriting and reworking before the real editor sees it. Once the first bulk of the words are all down, I know I am on the way to a completed story.
A title would be nice for either my Gàidhlig Grumpa and, to be honest for my English Blàs book as well. I am fairly decided on the Grumpa title but will hold out to be sure for the next few weeks. I’m not going to hear anything back anyway until February at the earliest.
Blàs three is a different matter. Nothing is jumping out at me yet. Do I stick with Blàs then a subtitle or do I go for something different? Judging for all that is said you should stick to the same look. Therefore it will probably be Blàs …..in the/of the ... It will bounce out at me eventually. Maybe once I have the first draft down it will become clearer.
Right at this moment one of the characters has landed me with a dilemma. She has taken me down a path I had no intention of going. I have to decide before I go much further do I pull her back or follow her on this road to discovery. It is a bit annoying as I thought I knew everything about her until this scenario began to unfold.
As you can tell I am not one of those writers who knows exactly where they are going when I sit down to write. My blogs reflect this as well. I start with a concept in mind then off I go and about halfway down I’m no longer talking about the opening subject.
I have no doubt however that the next few blogs will reflect at some point the festivities that will be taking place this year. I expect like many the great high point will be the ability to share it with our friends and family.
Myself, I look forward to the hugs I missed out on from them last year. The cosy wee chats and the warm smiles. The gentle banter and the comfortable silences. Whatever the next few weeks bring I will make the most of them, even the weather. Well as long as I can still have the heating on!