Back at it!

Well, what a time it’s been. You may remember I was having some pretty serious health issues which began last year? Glad to report that after fairly major surgery in February, I am feeling much recovered now and able to do much more than I could (although I’m still nowhere near what I was pre-covid. I have to pace myself carefully.)

That’s why I’ve been pretty quiet on the Scribbles. My recovery time has been filled with knitting and resting and reading and plants, rather than writing.

A few pics from recovery time: An odds-and-sods jumper…our new mini-pond-in-a-bucket (Mr Squidge did the digging to sink it!)…another jumper, my first time trying a top-down, yoked, colourwork project…and a sunshine yellow vest.

Interestingly, although recovery time seemed like the ideal opportunity for it, I realised that I couldn’t write. My current WIP was begun around the time I fell ill, and it seemed so tied up with that time and what I’ve suffered since, I couldn’t face working on it. So I dredged up an old novel instead, abandoned about eight years ago, and have been very gently reading it through, allowing myself short writing sessions of no more than an hour or two at a time to work on it. Who knows, I might go back to Effie at some point, but for now, I’m with the Crystal Keeper’s Daughter…

I’ve been challenged to have a go at illustrating; in one of my facebook groups for writers and illustrators, there are monthly challenges and on one particular challenge, instead of the pairings being an illustrator and author like normal, for some reason we were both authors! I offered to have a go at illustrating our double page spread about a red planet - BRB (Big Red Ball) - so here’s what I came up with. Although my painting classes came in handy, I’m not sure I want to be an illustrator! The spaces are for text, which my author buddy placed when she put the two pages together for the challenge submission.

The poem that goes with the images reads:

Planet BRB’s a big red ball; the home of Brubbles, large and small who bounce and roll, spin round and fly, and don’t mind sailing through the sky. The service stations pump them full to keep their colour looking cool. The fun they have will never stop unless you hear a big loud pop!

As I’ve got better, I’ve also been able to get out and about more. I spent my birthday in June at Belvoir Castle for the day, and Mr Squidge and I spent three days recently, moving Squidgeling J into her new flat in Bristol. We saw balloons…and swifts…and found one of the new Wallace and Gromit statues in Bedminster. It was called ‘Scone with the Wind!’

Next week, I’ll be at the Newarke Book Festival if all goes well. On the 10th I’m at the Palace Theatre with other children’s and YA authors in the Tudor Hall, then on (hopefully) Saturday and Sunday (12th and 13th) I’ll be in the Literature Village in the Market Place. Depending on how I cope with the Thursday, I may not be able to do both days over the weekend, but I’ll see how I go. It’s due to be a warm one, with temps predicted to be in the 30’s yet again, and the heat takes it out of me much more now. It would be lovely to see you if you’re going…there will be a chance to win a book!

Feels great o be able to catch up with you all again. Promise it won’t be as long before my next post!