Sunday 2 August 2009

Claudius

The first book of the new trilogy is on track for hitting the publishers' deadline. I'd been struggling a bit with it, but this week has seen a lot of progress and I'm on the brink of the big battle scene that will be the centrepiece: a doomed last stand that I think of as Rome's Alamo. Early Roman Britain is a fascinating place, with the retiring legionary veterans putting down roots in places like Colchester and lording it over the natives, and the conquered Britons still conscious of their defeat and either co-operating/collaborating with their conquerors or covertly keeping the fire of freedom burning with the help of the druids.

This second week has made me very aware that I should have done a lot more work to prepare for my new life. I'm sitting on a leather office chair that only has one arm (teenage party casualty) and typing on the same laptop I used on the train. It's not a great combination because I've started to have niggling back pains. I should have set up a proper office, with new equipment and decorated it so that I don't have to sit and look at pale blue wallpaper with white daisies on it all day. So sometime next week I will start with a new office chair and look at buying a new computer (I'm thinking iMac). The wallpaper will have to wait a while longer.

3 comments:

Doug said...

Thanks Juliana, I took a look at the site it's better than anything else I've seen

Mary said...

Hi Doug,

This is Mary McLaughlin here. I came across your profile on Rhona Evan's Facebook listing, then I Googled you. The Internet is a wonderful thing.

Congratulations on your book. That's quite an achievement. Not sure I can get a copy in Malaysia, but maybe I can get a friend to send me one.

Other than the back twinges, I hope you are happy and well. Good chairs are important. :)

Warm regards,
Mary

Doug said...

Hi Mary, brilliant to hear from you! Hope life's treating you well. I'm really enjoying being a full time writer after all the years on the hamster wheel. I'm still working hard, but doing what I want to do. I was down in Jethart last weekend seeing the folks and my mum and dad wll be really pleased you've got in touch.

All the best and keep in touch

Doug