Deadlines, distractions and discipline

Snow, cold and rain brings out my natural instinct to curl up by a log fire with a glass of mulled wine and some energising chocolate and resist the urge to hibernate. Then along comes Yule with its prerequisite obligation to get out there to overindulge, overspend and be the life and soul of the party. And all this with novel deadlines looming that should be shackling us to our desk, where our bright witty dialogue and original plot ideas will rivet our readers during the forthcoming year. I would have thought by my time of life I would have got the balance right and yet every year chaos becomes the mother of invention and somehow I muddle through and everything gets done.

My greatest helpmeet (apart from my wonderful "longsuffering" husband) becomes the internet for the not too last minute shopping and double checking research when the snow has stopped you getting to the library. Yet this becomes another distraction as I get side tracked by skipping from website to website gathering absolutely fascinating yet completely unnecessary trivia. Then just as a get myself disciplined to get back to the writing in hand the door bell blasts announcing the arrival of some rather merry and well meaning family and over excited grandchildren bursting with the joys of the season. They are of course completely oblivious that I am in panic mode over a particularly difficult plot twist for my penultimate chapter. So I put this on subconscious hold and count my blessings that I have such a loving and charismatic family that want to spend time with the grouchy old fossil, who by now is muttering over her mince pies about some daring, dashing Loveday who has charged headlong into life threatening danger in their bid to right an injustice. But that can be a typical day in the Tremayne household when I am living with the Lovedays.

Yet the years of discipline needed to juggle family and the great privilege and joy of being published is that somewhere within all this chaos my essential plot twist arrived at 5 am this morning. Admittedly after seeing in the New Year I could have done without the lousey timing. A brilliant sunny dawn after all the rain and snow had woken our 16yr old and somewhat senile springer spaniel desperate for a visit to the garden. Yet what better way to start a new writing year with an amazing burst of inspiration and getting back on track to meet my deadline.

I may be a little late in the day putting up my blog for you this month but I wish you all every joy and success for 2010. May all your troubles be behind you and your dreams be fulfilled.

Kate Tremayne