Back in the saddle again...

I came across an interesting blog post yesterday How To Get Back Into Writing (Once You’ve Lost Your Groove), and it struck a chord with me. (Okay, so it's about writing, but the principles could be applied to many other things.)

I'm lucky. I've had masses of support - much of it from 'stranger friends', people I've never met - and am never likely to. Kind, supportive, beautiful souls who had no reason in the world to reach out to me. But they did. And I love them for it.

So, what do you do when you've lost that loving feeling for whatever reason? For anyone who'd care to 'peep beneath the hood' as it were, here's my answer...

My dad died in March and ever since then I've been... floundering. Mired down in a mass of grief, family discord, and all the paperwork that accompanies a death.

Back when life was dandy I (foolishly!) promised my readers I'd have another two books out this year, so I tried to keep going, to keep on writing, flogging myself with guilt to write a page or two a day of my second draft. But everything I wrote came out bleak and hollow. (I suppose it doesn't help that some of the subject matter of my third book deals with some dark topics. Not the right time to write that, I guess.) 

But it didn't end there. Ever since I learned that joined up letters formed words, writing has been my escape, my safe place. Suddenly, there I was, locked out of my sanctuary at the time I most needed it. Even writing Facebook comment became a Herculean effort. Tbh, it still is. I can't seem to string two sentences together without huge effort, and a shedload of editing! 

Q: Has grief short-circuited me, or have I simply lost the precious 'gift' I've always taken for granted? Answers on a post-it please. :)

Know what I did? I gave myself permission to take the rest of the summer off. To be with my kids, watch old movies, to re-read all my favorite keeper-shelf books (because reading new stuff can be difficult now. Don't know why.) In short, to 'find my happy' again.

Has it helped? Who knows? It's too soon to say. Ask me again in November(ish!)'

Hello again!

Just back from a fabulous holiday on the east coast of Blighty. While we were visiting Scarborough, we found one of those photography studios that specialize in recreating pictures of bygone times.

Well, my kids are currently in the grip of 'Titanic' mania, so how could I resist when they asked if they could pose for a picture on the famous ship's most beautiful staircase?

It was quite spooky how my normally boisterous chicks, once their costumes were on, immediately slipped into their roles with very little prompting from the photographer lady. And look! See how my boy's hand rests so lightly on his cane while his little sis stands so demurely at his side.

So glad they talked me into this.