Upgraded

Over on my blog I wrote about feeling restless and several writer friends explained that this was perfectly normal. The lovely Marika Cobbald called it ‘post success stress disorder.” After years of working hard to write books and wanting to sell them, it all happened rather quickly. I signed with my wonderful agent on Valentine’s Day and on St Patrick’s Day I knew that the Dutch wanted A Cornish House. Last week while away on holiday in the Maldives, I knew there were several German publishers in an auction for it and then I heard that Orion wanted me for a two book deal. Suddenly I felt like I had been upgraded from my normal old me to a new me. It was a bit like going from a Fiesta to a Ferrari and instead of bumbling along I was doing zero to sixty in seconds not years or even months.

I have developed a normal rhythm to my writing life. I write one new book a year; normally in the autumn after I submitting to the RNAs New Writers’ Scheme and the rest of the time I’m revisiting and rewriting books that haven’t made the grade. A sort of forward/backward dance while working around the kids, the husband the cats and the flights…

Now I find myself waiting to hear from my editor on changes she would like and oh…the second book looms. I wondered if she would want one that I’ve written already or something completely new??? Should I work perfecting the old? Write fresh synopsises??? Maybe take up a new hobby like putting my head in the sand?

I couldn’t settle…I should be knee deep in revisions in my normal yearly schedule…but I didn’t know what to revise.  I couldn’t focus on anything. This was not good. I was not happy. I like my schedule. I like working – weird I know. Then I decided to start something new…I picked up my Cornish legends book and read until that spark hit…my mood lifted and oh that magic of a new book began.

So restlessness has gone and a new notebook is being filled…characters are forming, research lists growing, devious twists are being debated and a silly grin has returned to my face. Some days I just love being a writer…