Monday Morning!

Dear Diary,

How's things?  its Monday morning and today I'm back at work for the start of a four day shift, not that I'm complainng as if it wasn't Monday yesterday wouldn't have been Sunday.

And yesterday I had a Fantastic Day, I woke early, brushed my teeth, had a cuppa and then snuggled back in bed with my kindle and began to read. I had already downloaded 'The Book of Deacon' by Joseph R. Lallo and began it a few days ago but not really had time to give it a real go. I stayed in my bed all day with the world passing me by. Me my kindle and occassionally one or other of the cats. I got up only for the bathroom and to eat a really nice Sunday roast at the dining table in my P.J's. before returning to bed with another cuppa.  I enjoyed the book so much I downloaded the second in the series straight away. 'The Great Convergence!'

By  evening I must own I was feeling a little guilty as I'd done nothing with 'The Tessellation Saga' (my book) and was more than a little tired but having spent the entire day in bed I thought perhaps it would be prudent to spend just a little time with the other members of the family,  so I donned a dressing gown and went downstairs.

Yes the house was just as I'd left it after washing up after dinner. (bloomin' dishwasher on the blink!)  Family in front of TV. Fire blazing away in the hearth.

 On the Tv 'Call the Midwife' was on. Its a series based on the memoires of a late 1950's midwife in London. A brilliantly written program that I'm glad I got up to watch.

After my Oh so gruelling' day and seeing the hardships and ofttimes poverty that families in those days had to live through made me glad my children were born long after then and gave me a newfound respect for my late parents who brought my siblings and I into the world not long after that time.

So back to this morning, I have made myself get up early and leave the kindle beside the bed. The Great Convergence will have to wait until I get home from work, so thats about 23:00 and from now until I have to get ready for work myself, (still in P.J's though clean ones, I hasten to add) The Tessellation Saga will have some of my attention. The Great Convergence can wait.

Just a thought, a wish really, Tessellation is enjoyed only half as much as I enjoyed Book of Deacon, I would be extremly happy!

If I knew how to post a link to my book, here would probably be a good place but its available on Amazon for kindle. The Tessellation Saga, by yours truly, D.J.Ridgway.  If you fancy a read, hopefully a good one,  so, Ta Muchly!   see you soon.

PS. I'm dead impressed I managed to post the Picture,  I'll be copying and pasting in no time! lol

Speak soon! :)

Hello me,

I've been online all morning trying to find a very cheap way of disposing of some garden rubbish! (apart from putting it into my poor little car and taking it to the dump.) I can't believe how much has managed to accumulate over the years. My plan was to  pile it up in front of the house to MAKE myself do something about it quickly as it is such an eyesore but with all the best plans comes a hic-cup. Finding an inexpensive skip is a nightmare! Luckily the metal bits and pieces just kind of vanished overnight last weekend, the 'metal fairy' obviously, its just a shame the 'wood fairy' can't come and do the same, the majority of the pile is pine trees that were cut down as they had grown far to big and were beginning to resemble a forest. I did think of a lovely big bonfire which could be quite fun but then it would take forever to burn. Aww well, back to the drawing board I suppose or the computer at least...

Sorted. Rubbish being collected for a reasonable price next weekend! Such a relief as its been bugging me so much I couldn't think of anything else, let alone write.

Back to The Tessellation Saga, Oh yesssss!

Hello Again

Hello again world!

Perhaps I should say, ‘Dear Diary!’ as I’m convinced I’m the only person who actually reads this but I must own it’s a really great way of putting thoughts to bed, if you see what I mean.

Yesterday we had a team meeting at work. During one exercise (on team building) we all had to choose a person who had inspired us. I chose Nelson Mandela because of his great humanity and his ability to bring a great country around to what is right, despite his age and infirmity. After the meeting I went home and thought about other people who have inspired me. Like my mum Sylvia for one, a lovely lady who died way too soon and suffered far too much, then there’s this one very dear friend of mine.

This friend said a few years ago, something like, ‘ok so the kids are grown up and I want a year off!’ so she took it, buying a ticket to go travelling round the world all on her own. She could have chosen the more well-travelled safe routes but no, she decided to start in Spain and ok so that’s nice and safe… but then she went on to Guatemala in central America and other far flung and dangerous corners. She says her wanderlust derives from being the granddaughter of a gypsy, I believe it too; as I speak she is in China!

My point is, I admire her courage and her bravery, believe me some of the places she went she couldn’t even take her phone for fear of being mugged and they probably hadn’t seen a lone Englishwoman in years. I had a message from her today, she downloaded my book last week and finished it today and happily for me, she loved it! If she were a character in my book she would be young Jed, with a desire to learn about the world and to travel around it. I suppose in that case I would be Gideon, happy to stay at home and nest! But in my head I travel, I can see Devilly with its busy river ways, bustling markets and imposing castle and I can see the Green Home Forest, deep dark and mysterious. I can also see the world of Arotia with its tall cold mountains and its fields of sunflowers and grape vines (Gideon’s party wake up on the slopes of such a mountain when they arrive on Arotia.) but I personally have never felt the need to actually travel, it is nice to go away but I always enjoy coming home, being at home, having roots if you like. Maybe it’s because I don’t think I could do what my friend has done, just pick up and go. I’m not brave enough, I don’t have the nerve; she has inspired me in lots of ways, encouraging me to believe in myself being the foremost gift she has given me. If number 2 ever gets published it’ll be for her.

See you soon!

Just when I think I've fininshed!

Hello me,

Here I am again back to editing, seriously I never realised just how hard it is. Like the title says, just when I think I've finished I find something else. Still the proverbial 'fat lady' hasn't sung yet so I'll keep going...  

So thinking of influences, what influenced me in the writing of Tess 1? A discussion with my son Simon and the story began.

 A memory of a gentle cartoon goose gave me Gideon, his character with his selfless, loving and caring outlook on life comes from a person close to me whom I won’t name as he would die of embarrassment!  Mayan, well she is a young lady dancer whom I met at my first Zumba class, graceful, full of energy and great fun.  To be honest, Mayan was already a character but she didn’t have a face or a personality but when I met the young dancer, I immediately thought of Mayan. So as Mayan progressed in the story and grew, the young lady was there in my mind and became real. As for Toby, well what can I say; we all have dark times but out of the darkness we can usually find hope and purpose, if we look deeply enough. (OMG, does that mean there’s hope for him!).

 I have to admit though, a big influence throughout Tess 1 & 2 (which I am currently working on) is a very dear friend of mine called Gilly. I’m sure when she reads Tess 1 she will see herself in the words of both Varan and Sonal, not to mention Thaddrick.

 In the Tess Saga, friendships between siblings, parents and their children and friends are tested, time and time again. So far they have managed to prevail and I sincerely hope they continue to do so but as the characters grow I can’t tell what they will do or what will happen, blame my fingers, they type the words and sometimes even I am surprised at what appears on the page!

Till next time… J