Where am I going now?

Suddenly it’s June and we’re approaching the half-way point of 2014. I know what I’ve done with my half so far: spent most of it battling cancer and letting Pat do all the packing for our planned house move. Now we’re settled in our rented accommodation, we are itching to go back to UK permanently, but have to wait until later this year. It gives me an opportunity though to push on with my novel, the prologue of which you have all seen now. I hope I can have it finished before our move back to England takes place. Most writers will know and understand the problems that come with crafting a novel, and I wouldn’t be the first to admit that the characters often lead you into situations that leave you wondering how you managed to run up that cul-de-sac. But it happens and often means that you haven’t got a clue about where you’re going and how the whole thing is going to end, which about sums up my predicament at the moment. I see so many different ways in which I can take the story, but there is always the problem of bringing the plot back to the dénouement. Trouble is: I don’t know how that going to finish either.

So why do writers (not all of them), punish themselves with the self-inflicted problem of writing? It’s a bit like character I suppose: you can’t help the way you are and you can try to change if you think it will improve you. I can’t help writing. I’ve given up many times but there’s always a plot line running around in my head, so it’s a as natural as drawing breath almost. If I was a painter, or artist as some would prefer to call it, I would have a studio full of paintings; probably none of them framed (maybe one or two) and still be working on my next masterpiece. Would I change it if I could? I don’t think so. Writing has opened up a world for me that I would have been a stranger to otherwise. It has been of enormous benefit to me when I have prepared sermons as an occasional preacher at my local, Christian fellowship here in Spain. I tend to approach sermons from a different angle to your usual Sunday preacher; much like a writer crafting a novel with a twist to it. You can read evidence of that in my non-fiction publication, A WORD IN YOUR EAR. It’s an anecdotal account of my conversion to Christianity since retiring to Spain to enjoy the ‘good’ life. I sometimes wonder if our four sons think that me and their mum have screwed up with that particular change in our lives, but the alternative could have been a very boozy lifestyle of which I’m sure they would not have approved. The book, by the way, is available on Amazon in kindle and paperback. Might be worth a look. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I1FCA0Y/?tag

So what’s ahead in the Parker household? More writing. More hospital appointments. More hope. More wondering. But we’re happy, and that’s a good medicine. Now back to the drawing board. Wish me luck!