December 2023 - Update #4

A cold clear morning, and my last update for this calendar year. I've made better progress this week, but that is partly due to some recycling, as Gwernin et al are traveling along routes I described in The Ash Spear and Storyteller. I'm hoping to finish chapter 5 in the next couple of days and at least start chapter 6, which will take them to Ynys Môn at last.

In the meantime, one more holiday to celebrate here before the old year dies. Happy New Year, all! See you next year.

 

December 2023 - Update #3

 I finished chapter 4 last week, but have only just started chapter 5; I spent most of this last week on Oak Leaves. That job is mostly finished now, and the issue is with our proofreader. Hopefully I'll make more progress next week, as Gwernin and his friends start their journey to Ynys Môn. 

The weather has been mild for this time of year, but we may get a bit of snow tomorrow night. A sort-of-white Christmas? Maybe. In the meantime all seasonal good wishes to anyone who reads this. I am hoping to get back on my writing schedule next week, but we'll see!

December 2023 - Update #2

 Still plodding through chapter 4 ("The Third Man"). Gwernin is  negotiating with his wife for permission to take his older son Ianto with him on his summer travels, and Neirin is showing signs of taking over the story (he does that). It will be interesting to see what happens when they all get to Ireland, but that will be a while yet.

Winter has settled in here in Denver - a little snow the last two nights, gone by late afternoon. We'll be celebrating Midwinter Saturday. I am looking forward to the days lengthening again.

December 2023 - Update #1

 

December at last. I've managed a little writing this week - a few hundred words at the start of chapter 4. I've needed to look back into the earlier books, especially Flight of the Hawk, to introduce Neirin properly. It looks like he will be going to Ireland with us. He is the historical bard now known as Aneirin, who later wrote (most of?) the long poem called Y Gododdin. That will fall in my projected Storyteller book #8, the middle book of the Fall of the North trilogy, which will resolve a lot of situations I set up in Flight of the Hawk and The Ash Spear. 

The last three days have been mild, but we should be getting snow and colder weather again tomorrow. That should be good for writing.