my journey as a civil war novel writer

Saturday 25th april Finally it was the elf weekend. Especially saturday started with glorious sunshine. I was going by public transport with the train letting me down a little by being late so it was already 9.50 when I came to Breukelen station to get the shuttlebus. Huge crowds there, in luck to get sitting room in one of the 3 busses, but it took forever for them to lea ve. Coming to the castle g ate was another shock, the queu even for people with tickets started on the public road and it was another half hour before I was through the gates and only at eleven was I o n the grounds! Glad I will be going by car the second day. First stop were booksignings. Robyn Young who writes about the templars and Adam Greenwood, who writes a bout Robin Hood and faeries. Him I had already 'met' on facebook and he is a really, really nice guy. Also Raven Dane, who writes novels about vampires. I decide d against buying her book already as they are really heavy Trade paperbacks, but we ch...

I have to apologise to my readers but posting will be sporadic for now. I have so many other things to do, think about, prepare and write having to do with the practice that this has to take a backseat. Last week I noticed that I was getting stressed again with all the things I had to do. Of course the only one making me do them was ME. So ME is the only one who can stop it and will!!! Don't worry about me, things are going well. Only like usual my brain is a little bit ahead of the rest of my body. My first client went very well last week and I enjoyed it. It also filled me with other ideas for my practice that I would like to work on. But I had a few bad days regarding pain and wisely stayed away from the computer as much as possible for a while. Bummer, the ban on painkillers is for headaches but it means I can't take them for the muscleaches either. I finished my favorite all time book again last night. Sharon Penman's Sunne in Splendour about Richard III. That books mo...

Life is more or less returning to normal after the hectic last week of the year. So many social commitments but so much fun! Both trivial pursuit evenings were a great succes and new year's eve was great fun in Deventer. I did not go to bed very late, around 1 o'clock. So I started the new year honoring my resolution to listen to my body. I was cold and tired and just did not want to push myself. I the past I would just have taken another painkil le r and soldiered on, but no more. I really h ope I can keep this up! As usual I start the year with a fresh batch of book. One of my quirks trying to finish my stack by the end of the year. One of the non fiction books is the following. Allison Weir: Katherine Swynford. She has interrested me since re ading the novel Katherine by Anya Seton a few years ago. This story is so unusual you would think it a fairy tale and not true. John of Gaunt a 14th century son of the english king had children with his mistress Katherine but after hi...

I think I have made the decision about the lost files. It was touch, but I think I will go with the middle way. Clean what I have up a bit, pretty it up just a touch and then start! In january I want to ask friends if they know people who would like counseling/coaching knowing that I am only just starting out and of course they will get it at a discount rate. So I don't have to be perfect and can learn without feeling guilty about not being perfect. Also looking into more volunteer work to get experience. The promised reviews. Finished The Founding by Cynthia Harrod Eagles. I just found out it is the first volume of about thirty!!!! And the family sage spans many centuries. I picked this one up because it takes place around the wars of the roses time, one of my favorite time periods. It was written in 1980, makes sense if there are 30 books following. I liked it but I am not wild about it. There were too many characters in the book, about three generations. The action moved a bit t...

Yesterday I was too busy to blog. Nina was visiting again. I really love that little dog and I can spend hours playing with her and petting her, but I was exhausted after a day. :) Devil's brood arrived yesterday!!!!! A new Sharon Penman book is always cause for celebration! And I know I am going to enjoy it. This one is the third bo ok in the story of Henry II and Eleanor. It is such a great story, Eleanor was such a strong woman, married first to the king of france and then to the man who would become king of England. Outliving both her husband and nearly all her children. That must have been hard! And I love the setting that these novels take place. Chinon and Fontevrault in France. I was lucky enough to visit there a few years ago. Chinon is a ruin but we spend nearly a day there taking it in. And the abbey? One of the most beautifull things I ever saw. Like I said these books are special to me. I think I read Here be dragons first. I picked that up in I think 1987. And read...

Finally decided on a pair of glasses yesterday, not funny. My ideas are very difficult to measure, that means I cannot go to the cheap chains. I did not go for the most expensive option yesterday also because I am 99% convinced that it is not for me. The shop assistant was 99% convinced it would work but I have leant to listen to myself better and stick to my guns. But still the total sum comes close to 700 e uro and I can get only a third back from the tax man, nothing from health insurance because my last glasses are not 3 years old. And there is the dentist with the 2 crowns still to come. Joy! Tax etc i s on my mind a lot today. I need to finish the email for the accountant. The one that is coming to talk to us in december during the 4th study day. Boy do I have a lot of questions for him. I don't understand money matters easily and the site of the tax office is like greek to me. Hopefully this man will be able to make me understand, it is his job after all. Finished Jean Plai...