To Do

There's a strange temporal effect around Christmas and New Year - I've often noticed it. The week-to-ten-days break seems to stretch away almost to infinity, full of space and time and possibilities.

"I shall take the time to rest," I think, "I shall play daily with the cats, cook luscious repasts and sit reading before the fire. Yea, verily, I shall essay long walks in the Glorious Countryside and write endless, Glowing Prose. Forsooth, nuncle, my days will be happy and long."

What actually happens is that I seem to do twice as much cooking as I'd planned, inexplicably find I'm doing laundry and hoovering (which are the HUSBAND'S tasks!), spend one fraught day shopping, and avoid the Glorious Countryside, since the Glorious Countryside appears to be trying to batter its way into the house via various draughty corners and slipped window panes.

As for the Glowing Prose.... The only writing I've been doing has been adding to the Writing To Do List. Which currently reads Thus (in no particular order):-

1) Write author bio (requested by editor)
2) Fill out Cover Art Sheet (likewise requeste by editor)
3) Edit first three chapters, or however much I can work, of TAKEN (you guessed it, requested by A N Other-Editor)
4) Write TAKEN synopsis (see above)
5) Complete website design brief (requested by designer)
6) Assemble partial of DANGEROUS LIES (yuh-huh. This is the option book)
7) Write DANGEROUS LIES synopsis
8) Do MCWIFE edits (not sure when these are coming)

All of the above (apart from 8) had a deadline of, oh, about.... last week?

I'm thinking that I might get to write something completely new next year. Eventually.

Mind you, all joking aside, I never thought I'd have a To Do List like that this year. And I received my first ever advance cheque yesterday. Some things are just good, no matter how much hard work are attached to them, right?

As for today, today I'm going to shower, fire up the coffee machine (my Muse of Health just started sobbing quietly in the corner) and tackle items 1) and 2). Wish me luck!

(My days have been happy and long, though. And I have played with the cats every day...)