I'm sorry for the break in blogging. As a select few of you know, my mother, Clara, died on 7 December last. She was 89, and it was her time - she had had enough - so I console myself that she is in a better place. Nonetheless, the change has disrupted our family life - she used to live with us as she needed care - and I, at least, haven't got back into my stride yet. Mourning apart, there is all the practical stuff to do, like arrange probate. Then we need to sort this house out and do a serious de-clutter - that should take about a year.
It seems to be a curse that whenever I start writing something happens. Breaks in writing do not help as I have an active mind (some would say too active) and the idleness sets me thinking of other projects. Frankly, unless I am going to live to be 120, and be fully functional with it, I already have too many prospective books lined up without adding a Great War saga plus Constance of York and the Case of the Poisoned Queen, my latest theoretical additions to the list. I need to focus and get on with the bloody R3 project!!!!
Writing is hard work - at least it is to do it properly. Any fool can come up with ideas, but the actual sitting down and banging at a keyboard, followed by rigorous self-editing takes time and discipline. I've got the time, but currently I lack the discipline. Sometimes I feel like hitting myself, but it does no good. I need to get back into my routine. Though honesty compels me to say that I shall never be a prolific writer, the sort of person who produces something every 12 months. Even if I were on a million pounds a book, I could never be that productive! (Though if were on a million pounds a book, I suppose I'd try a lot harder to write at least a couple.)
A bit of blogging may help, so I'll try to write something here from time to time.
7 comments:
Sorry to hear about your mother, but glad to see you back! I'm looking forward to your Richard III book, if it's any added incentive to get cracking on it!
Brian, I am so sorry to hear about your mother. I can well imagine how your routine has been disrupted. Not that it's anywhere near the same as losing a mother (or another human) but we lost one of our dogs right before Christmas -- it was unexpected and threw us all for a loop. I'm glad to see you back -- and I can't wait for your take on R3!
Sorry about your bereavement, Brian, and hope you get back on track soon. These things throw one right out of kilter.
Losing a parent is terrible :(
You wrote a few months ago: "Given that Richard III has had more written about him than almost anyone - with the possible exception of Hitler - there are periods in his life when he just vanishes!"
As my knowledge of Things Royal starts with Henry VIII and comes to a shuddering halt with the Regency, I need to ask you why. He reigned for a very short time and was hardly famous for the princes in the tower. So what do you believe the great interest in Richard III is about?
thanks
Helen Webberley
http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the kind comments everyone.
Helen - re the interest in R3, I don't know,but the fact is I have heard of three new (factual) books that relate to him that have been published *this year* so far alone! This demonstrates that there must be serious interest.
As to why, I think it's because it's a seriously knotty and multi-faceted mystery. New facts, insubstantial in themselves, appear on a regular basis, and there is just so much to know. Richard's reign was very short, but you can't understand it without the context of Edward IV's reign and arguably those of Henry VI and Henry VII.
I have been a member of the R3 Society since 1983 and I was interested, at a less intense level, a good 10 years earlier. But I still come across fresh angles on the story, and I still don't *really* know what happened. IMO no one does or ever will, but for some folk on both sides of the argument, it has become a matter of faith.
I'm really sorry for your loss, Brian. But also very glad to see you back online.
Sorry Brian, I thought I'd posted a comment but maybe i dreamed it!
So sorry to hear about your mum. I lost my dad 7 years ago and it really hit hard (he was only 59). 'Normality' does disappear for a while, which is only natural.
But it's good to have you back. Looking forward to your posts in 2009!
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