Let’s do this

It’s been a while.  I’m not sure why.

I’ve been busy, but that’s not it.  I got married a few months ago.

Actual photo of my wife and I

That was pretty good.  Everything went well except for a almost near disaster with the kilt which I won’t go into detail about in case I happen to talk myself into a lawsuit.  We had a great time and the honeymoon was amazing.  We went on a cruise around the mediterranean and then spent a few days in Rome.  Rome is incredible, although ridiculously expensive.  A little known fact about Rome is that it’s quite a religious place.  Lots of catholics.  Keep it a secret though, I don’t think they want it getting out.

What else?  I passed my driving test.  Pretty chuffed with that.  I still hate driving, but at least now I don’t have to go out every week with an instructor who I dislike and who I’m pretty sure doesn’t like me.  Nothing quite like the small pleasures in life.

Writing wise.  Well, I’ve pretty much given up on the first book.  I learned a lot writing it, I think.  I think I was able to write a pretty cohesive plot.  The problem was I don’t think it was that interesting and I was never completely comfortable with writing about an area I knew little about.  Prostitution.  I could have headed into Leith and done the appropriate research but for some reason my wife doesn’t want me to.  I have explained to her that it would be an academic excercise only but she refuses to budge on the matter.  I think she is pretty selfish.  My writing career clearly means nothing to her.  Oh well.  I will just have to write a novel where I won’t have to sleep with women for money.  Is there even such a thing?

I am writing fairly regularly though.  I have started a new novel and am also writing a tv script and some sketches.  They are all at fairly early stages at the moment.

I aim to start writing more in this thing.  More than one update in five months at least.  They won’t all be about writing.  But they will all be written by someone who thinks himself more interesting than he actually is.  And isn’t that what the internet is all about?

Yes.

139 Days

Only 139 days until I get married.  We were at the hotel this week sorting out the bits and bobs – menu, timing etc.  We’re quite well organised I think, we only really have the priest to meet up with.  Though admittedly that is quite a big one.  As an atheist, the pressure is on me not to say something I shouldn’t, like perhaps suggesting that the sheer logistics behind the creation of an ark big enough to contain two of every animal in the world, not to mention the acquisition of two of every animal in the world, would make it an impossible endeavour for one man to undertake.  I should stay away from this line of conversation.  Though obviously, it would be quite funny.

Went to see Valkyrie and Seven Pounds.  Valkyrie I liked, though it wasn’t brilliant and Tom Cruise as a Nazi talking in an American accent just didn’t work for me.  I can’t think of a film where Cruise ever does an accent.  He must be quite bad at them.  Seven Pounds was a bit rubbish.  It’s hard to talk about it without giving the entire thing away, but realistically you ought to be able to figure it out within the first two minutes.

Finally finished the chapter I’ve been on for what seems like months now (because it probably is).  Granted it was a long chapter, possibly the longest in the book, but it shouldn’t have taken this long.  I’m reasonaly happy with it though.  I think it’s a lot better than the first draft, mainly because it’s written from the viewpoint of another character.  This approach so far seems to be working with the novel.  It’s much easier to flesh out the central character when seen through the eyes of the people she’s affecting.  There are still a few chapters where I’m not quite certain how they will work yet and I also go back and forward on how many other characters viewpoints I can get away with telling the story from but overall things seem to be coming together.  Though slowly, obviously.

The Return

Got back from Ireland last night. It was a great weekend. The wedding went well. I have Galway Girl stuck in my head, but that’s only natural I think after a weekend in Ireland. It’s got me thinking about my own wedding next year. I’ve got some good ideas for my speech and I wrote some of it down earlier. My plan is to reduce the room to tears. One way or another. In fact if the speech doesn’t cut it I’ll just release tear gas into the room. That’ll teach them not to cry at my sentimental mush.

Well it’s September now. The plan is to make some real progress with the editing this month. Clearly that’s the plan every month but still. I’d like to at least be a third of the way through it by the end. We’ll see how realistic that is later on in the month but for now that’s the plan.

Prison Break is on Sky One tonight. It’s like the universe doesn’t want me to ever finish this thing.

I’m back

The wedding went well.  The bride and groom both showed up so it was deemed a success.  A good time was had by all.  I was the only scotsman there and my kilt wearing antics seemed to go down well.

So the writing then.  Back to it tomorrow.  Things got away from me tonight.  By things, I mean catching up on television (big props to Sky+).  Tomorrow I will definitely get back to it though.  I figure a two month stretch now and I will have a finished novel.  We will see.