Hullo everyone, I thought I’d just give you an update.
For those of your who have read “A Spanish Love Affair” I know you are anxious to know what happened next. I did leave you all with a cliff-hangar. Lots happened after that trust me. While I’m writing the sequel I really can’t believe all the things I did. I often ask myself “Did I really do that?”
No doubt you will be pleased to hear that I’m currently working on the sequel – the working title is “Another Spanish Love Affair” and I’m doing a Tim Winton by writing “Walking the Camino Backwards” at the same time.
In 2014 I walked the Camino de la Mozarabe which goes between Sevilla and Compostuela. As you notice from the title I walked it backwards – starting from Compostuela and ending in Sevilla. I religiously kept a journal every morning while I walked which I’ve now transferred onto my computer.
Although I’m keeping these two books separate for the time being, I may well end up putting them together in the one book as the stories do merge. While walking the Camino I met up with Pedro in Leon. Markus and I had lunch with him twice. At this stage I’m not sure if I’ll combine them. I am not an organised writer. My books are not a planned affair. I let them develop organically then edit. It’s how my brain works.
I’m currently on the road in a Kimberley Camper traveling anti-clockwise around Australia gathering plenty of material for a third book “The Reluctant Camper”. I do find that being on the road is hard for me as a writer. I like the routine I’ve developed at home where after my morning walk, I make a cup of tea then sit down at my desk to write. But routine has to be put to one side when you’re on the move otherwise you may as well stay at home. There’s just so much to see and do. Also, everything you do when you camp, is hard work and takes more time e.g. the laundry, the washing up, having a shower or even going to the loo which sometimes 300 plus steps away. Fortunately, I find discovering and exploring new places stimulates my creative juices. I just have to be firm with myself about making time to write.
When I’m writing I do also prefer to have all my things around me. At home I am indeed fortunate to have a lovely “room of my own” overlooking my beloved garden in Narrabeen. Along one wall I have a bookshelf full of books and on the back wall, a huge floor to ceiling cupboard full of files, both of which I like to refer to. I also prefer to work on my desktop computer rather than my laptop. It has a larger keyboard. It also has heaps of stuff on it that I can refer to. I know there are technical options for the latter but unfortunately technology and I aren’t a happy marriage. We think on completely different wave lengths.
Putting all the above aside I think I’m doing rather well. Every morning, without fail, I journal about our trip. These notes no doubt will be invaluable when I eventually sit down to write “The Reluctant Camper”.
I’ve also persuaded my husband to take an extra day at each place so I can write but I haven’t done too well over the last two weeks in Perth, where I saw the Finals of the Federation Cup and now, Fremantle. There have been just too many things to see and do.
