It seems like a never ending story, the writing of my latest and possibly last Radwinter book. It has been trial by technology, indolence, set-backs, and laziness – yes, I’ve been lazy. However, the story is finished, Thomas Radwinter has accepted, and sort of completed a commission by a dear friend to find out what happened to her beloved husband one dark and stormy night. Ditto he takes on a commission to find out where a dotty old lady went – leaving behind her dog, Tony. (My featured image is of an adorable dog we met a couple of years ago in the pub – Tony in fact is a sort of terrier.) Thomas also investigates the dodgy doings at a mysterious and abandoned hotel called The White House. Meanwhile he’s juggling home life with his ever-increasing family, plus two unexpected little lodgers, and has been mis-identified as a possibly dangerous and very unstable drunk. Not to mention the mystery of the flying cow.
I don’t know why this has been such a slog – nothing to do with Thomas, all to do with me. I’m now tidying up the story, checking, double-checking grammar, spelling, repetitions etc, and hope within the next few days to sort out a proof copy for me to read through, and then see the end of this adventure! Oh yes, and I have to think of a title.
So, Thomas VIII published, what will be next? I’m thinking of collating another anthology of short stories, I’ve got dozens of them – from writing-group exercises, to personal challenges, to non-fiction family and other tales, to odd bits of nonsense I’ve scribbled down. I’ve also got a non-fiction book which will be hard to write, from a personal and emotional point of view, but a story I really want – and feel I must tell.
Of course, I’ll still be writing here every day, and no doubt will share the progress of these challenges – and maybe some excerpts too.
Message from Thomas Radwinter – he has just accepted a commission for a research project in deepest Somerset, while his family are away on holiday in Norfolk. He and his partner Simon Stone have accepted an assignment to write a family history (you really would think Thomas would have learnt his lesson after his Athelmond Grange undertaking in 2019, wouldn’t you!)
Lois Elsden 