erastes

Sorry haven't been around much—although I have been twittering. After a couple of years of going "I don't get Twitter, don't see the point of it" I'm now finding it a boon for a stressed and busy writer. I can fire off updates, ask people for opinions regarding research and generally tear my hair out in quick bursts and then get back to work.

If you aren't following me and want to, I'm erastes over there. I find it a little amusing sometimes, because when people are talking, it's like butting into a conversation. We English aren't very good at doing that.

Nearly finished the first edit run of Mere Mortals—and as you will have been able to see from the flaws I've found in it, there's been a lot of work to do. My main concern is the timeline. I'd like to insert a phrase that says "weeks passed…" so the whole book doesn't take place in a WEEK, but I'm having difficulty deciding exactly where to do that. Perhaps once I've printed it off and gone through it again in preparation for the second run through, I can see where it needs to go. But I think it does. I think someone should take my box of commas away from me, though and not give them back to me until I've learned how to use them.you'd think I'd know by now.

I've asked my agent about Junction X. Whether I should hang on for "the big publisher" or whether I should try and sell it to one of the existing publishers I already use. He's going to give it some thought. I know I'd like it to do well—I still think it's the best thing I've done, although I shouldn't say so—but I'd also like it to be READ. It's entirely pointless being the best thing I've done if no-one has seen it. I'll see what he says. He is interested in seeing "I Knew Him" when I've finished it, too, which is good. BUT TO FINISH IT I NEED TO GET THE EDITING OF THESE TWO BOOKS DONE!

I feel like both Pope Julius AND Michelangelo from "the Agony and the Ecstasy"

"When will you make an end?"

"When I'm finished!"

Dad was very stressful this morning, due to various things I won't go into—think I'll be having an early night of it tonight. I took one of his Alzheimer's pills by accident (don't ask) and had to ring the emergency doctor to make sure I wasn't going to keel over with the mix of other drugs I'm on. Thank goodness, I'm not, although my heart is racing and I feel sick, but he said to expect that.

OK – back to editing… 30 more pages to go….

Saw this the other night, and liked it . Portman—who I've always thought a lot of—was astounding, and the camera trickery regarding her dancing/not dancing was superbly done. But I have to say it was a bit obvious…the way she went from wearing white and pink and then grey, then black.

I adored the Black Swan dancing section where she pirouetted and the arms turned to actual wings. WHY don't they dance with proper wings? they look amazing.Much better than all the silly arm waving.

I'm also really enjoying Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (despite there being no Spartacus.) The plot is plotty and well written, the themes thought provoking, the performances Bafta worth…..

Oh who am I kidding?

It's for THIS! (click for larger)