Monday 21 March 2016

Happy Spring!

   Happy spring everyone!
   I'm so very excited. I'm a winter girl really, it's much easier to get comfortable in the cold with blankets and jumpers, but in the summer...well, there's only so much you can take off. But the spring is my second favourite; I love the brighter and longer sunlight, it always fills me with such motivation to do anything and everything I have on task, and I especially love it pouring through the window while I'm writing because my concentration goes through the roof. It's not all gas when they say that natural light improves mood and working efficiency!


   And, speaking of writing, I started my new book last week! I had intended to write a post about it sooner, but...well, I was writing. Once I get started I tend to get shoulder-deep and it's quite difficult to tear myself away. It's amazing I found the time to write this post at all!
   The writing is going really well - it's the strongest start I've ever had to any story before, jumping right in without getting nitty-gritty detail. I'm also trying to refrain from thinking 'it's moving too fast' because no one likes a slow start, and if I start getting in my head about it progressing 'too fast', I'll start to add in pointless details or events to try to drag it out. In the end, it's better that it progresses too quickly because it's much easier to add things in than it is to take things out. I had that trouble with my last book, so I have greater hope for this one!
   And, speaking of my last book, I've heard back from 4 agents so far, all rejections - no surprises there, I'm submitting a highly specialised genre (fantasy, for those who are new here), and regardless of that point, most books get rejected. It has to be something truly special for an agent to pick you up, not to mention that your timing has to be right - they need to be willing to take on the work, and if their client list is full, well, that's just too bad. But I'm very proud to say that I'm not letting it get to me at all, I've been paid a direct compliment in one rejection letter, and I've got plans for if the rest respond similarly. So, needless to say, I'm pretty keen right now!

   I'm especially happy to welcome spring, because, while the shine of the new spring sun has coincided with the start of my new book, I also became quite ill last week and it wasn't until Friday that I started feeling better. It was just a bug, but it's the most ill I've been for years. It was not fun, partly because I was so sick I couldn't sleep despite being dead on my feet all day, but mostly because my head was on upside down. I've done some great writing since I started on the 12th, but on Wednesday there was simply no hope. My brain wouldn't start up - I even forgot how to make a cup of tea, and when you consider that I only drink green and don't take milk or sugar, it just shows how muddled I was. How can you get water + tea bag wrong?! I think I must have had to stop and think about it literally four or five times while making it. So I ended up spending most of Wednesday mouth breathing on the sofa - thank goodness for space week on Eden, at least I had something to watch (and I must confess that I watched part 2 of Last Steps: Apollo 17 on Eden, then turned to Eden +1 and watched it again). Having to take a day off of exercise was also annoying, but better that than pushing myself to a migraine by forcing it.
   I'm feeling much, much better now, aside from an irritating cough, but poor Seeg has picked it up. I can be quite...well, I suppose quite unsympathetic sometimes, so I'm glad I had the rotten germ first. Now I know what he's going through and can understand his misery.

   I'm super excited for Easter, too. I've been following my own advice to keep my waistline in check this Easter; I've been behaving myself when it comes to food, only eating what is good and keeping refined sugar down - I didn't eat any refined sugar on Saturday, I'm not sure how that happened - and, aside from the unscheduled rest day, I've been exercising really hard and really well. If I can keep it up this week then I can indulge in my Hotel Chocolat extra thick Easter egg on Sunday without guilt. I admit that I plan to eat at least half of it, which is terrible, but I've also recently realised that it's likely I'll feel sick long before I get there, and while I don't want to make myself sick, at least I know there is a limit!
   I've got one more week of Darebees workouts after Easter, and I'm going to push myself to the max on each of those, and after that I have something else planned, returning to one of my real fitness loves: kettlebells. But more on that at the end of the month!

   And, on a final note, I've been filling out my wardrobe. I bought skirts - three of them - two dresses and a pair of green trousers. What has gotten into me I have no idea. I don't wear skirts or dresses, it frightens me, I've been in jeans for years and years, but I've wanted to wear skirts every time summer rolls around and jeans are too thick, but I've never had the guts. Well, there's nothing wrong with my legs at all, and given that pencil skirts and the likes are in, I can make a safe transition without the fear of my skirt blowing up and showing my bum. These are the things I worry about.
   I admit I've been keen to try them, but it's still quite chilly, spring or not, so I decided I would wait until April. Of course, it's all well and good to put one on in the morning, but whether I have the guts to stay in it is another matter...

   Does anyone have any amazing plans for spring? I'll be glued to my laptop as always, working away on my book, but I absolutely adore it. I may well go for another horse riding lesson with my dear and lovely Lucy, but that's still to be arranged.



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