On Sunday, 17^th March, I reported that the WIP had reached 20,293 words and I was working on Chapter 8. I’d intended to report back yesterday, but got rather engaged by Natalie Bennet’s excellent and hope-inspiring ‘Change Everything’ and rather lost track of the time. You’ll find my review of this timely book about the state of our world and how we might fix it here.

As for the new novel, it continues to go well. In fact, better than expected. It’s now at 42,025 words and Chapter 19. I still had a small bit of research to do during the writing, as I really want to get the historical context right, and the 1970s were years full of change, turmoil, and strife.

Although I lived through those years, I was amazed at how much had happened, how much changed, and how much I’d forgotten about that time, personally, nationally and globally. It’s both instructive and fascinating to write a story set in a time you’ve lived through. This story is destined to end in the 1980s, though I haven’t yet determined the exact year for that. It rather depends how my characters develop through the period to come. They’ve already rebelled over one intended route and diverted the story along a path I hadn’t expected. But such is the nature of writing as a pantster.

I’ll try to return with news of my progress next Sunday, or, if I’m as absorbed as I have been, maybe next Monday!