There’s a marked difference between the feeling one gets when they get all ready for the day – showered, dressed etc. – then sit down to write the 2,500 word quota of a new novel, as opposed to the feeling one gets when the 2,500 words is already down, before so much as a toothbrush has been wetted.

That’s the decision I made this morning, and with my daily quota down on paper before Gail had even finished her penultimate dream, I slid into my Sunday on an incredible high. Because, not only have I written 5k in 15 hours (9,500 since Friday), I’m really getting to grips with the story.

When I wrote Slick I plotted each and every chapter in advance – it was a complicated enough plot to merit it – but this time I’m winging it and it’s throwing up several surprises. The gap between two of the early “main plot points to reach” left me waggling at first: what do I write here? Where do I take Lennox? What would a real copper do? But the answer was there in front of me – just take him on his journey and let him be. And d’you know what? Even if some of the stuff gets cut out in the final version, I’m enjoying just following him, and most important of all, it’s allowing me to really get under Lennox’s skin where I’ve never been as much before. Slick was all about Glover, now Lennox is the main man and I really am learning to trust his instincts, as well as my own.

After the first 2,500 I wrote up some of this blog, showered, dressed, and made breakfast for me and Gail (Laura was at her friend’s house overnight – again). There’s nothing quite like a hot cappuccino in with the autumn sun beating in through windows – and silence in the house. It was an wwesome Sunday morning.

I managed another 1k before leaving to visit friends in the Borders, and with the sun shining across Scotland it made for a superb drive down to Dolphinton, near Biggar.

Gail took some snaps of our friends’ house for their website (it’s a B&B), and after playing with their two Collies – Eve and Alfie – we were asked to stay for dinner. Several bottles of Cabernet went down a treat along with a fresh lamb roast meal with all the trimmings (I even snipped the rosemary from the garden), followed up with two healthy portions of rhubarb crumble.

By the time I got back up the road I was stuffed, happy, and more than a tad merry – which is where I am now. And knowing I am 1k over my quota for the day means there is absolutely no pressure to do anything more, which suits me fine.

Blood Ties (NaNoWriMo)

Blood Ties (Full Novel)

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