Every so often I take a day off from writing. Not because I want to. I resist and avoid and cling to my desk in a desperate fashion. Friends persuade and entice me outside. And it is always good, always nourishing and refreshing. There’s a planned outing later this week, and I can just picture my characters’ reactions when they realise I’m not there at the keyboard…
Justin notices first. He looks up, listens and checks again. “She’s gone out!”
Every character sags with relief. They go back to bed and sleep in till lunchtime. Later, they shuffle downstairs to get tea and food, and they sit in silence in the dining hall.
People who usually snipe and gripe at each other, pass the sugar without word. Two of them exchange a wry smile, for without my omniscient presence to keep them busy, they can sense what’s coming; not the details, but the shadow of something bad ahead, something they would avoid if they could. But like my day out, it cannot be avoided. It has to happen.
They head to bed early, exhausted by the hours of doing nothing, tired from the rest and relaxation.
No arguments. No sex. No laughter.
How boring! These people need me. Maybe I shouldn’t go out after all…
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The Mermaid and the Bear
Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, Ailish Sinclair’s debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.
See the press release here
“A delight from end to end.” Undiscovered Scotland
From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland
Love this idea! Have you read Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next books? He does a great take on what characters in books might get up to when the story isn’t happening… 🙂
No, I haven’t. Will have to look those up 🙂
Love this entry! I can picture all your characters and haven’t even gotten to know them yet! 🙂
Good! I hope I can do that in the book too 😉
What a good way of putting it. Your characters will appreciate you so much more after the rest.
Alas, I don’t think so. I’m sometimes so pleased when I discover how tweaking a few words can make their situation so much worse. I do love them though 🙂
I really enjoyed this!
I’m glad 🙂
I love the imagined life of your characters when you don’t direct or at least guide their actions.
It’s such a relief for them!
Thanks, Ailish. I loved that.
🙂
I love this.
Beautiful pic, too. I visited the Highlands about 4 years ago. Pictures do not do the mountains justice.
Agreed. It’s impossible to capture.
Love your creativity. Gorgeous pictures.
Thank you 🙂
Tell them to bugger off (I’m sorry for the rudeness) and that you will bring back some special memories for them when you come back!
Ha ha, the perfect response to the situation!! 😀
😀
This made me smile. Broadly.
😀
Laughing here. I never thought about my characters idling when I wasn’t writing. Hilarious. I think they push me about when I write more than I push them about, but it comes to the same thing in the end. Lovely photographs!
Glad it made you laugh 🙂
What a hilarious post! Loved it. I’m that way too. Resisting the pull to emerge into my own life when there is so much my characters need to do.
We do tire them out!
love it–thank you for the chuckle!
Glad you liked 🙂
Loved it, but reading was tinged with sadness… Why ?
Next week, we should be in Scotland.. Instead, we’re must avoid leaving our village.
Holiday rescheduled again, for November this year.. Also, via a lost Kindle, and a print copy delivered somewhere else, reading your book at last,
I hope your holiday works out well this year, and that you enjoy the book!
loved this, woke about 2 a.m, wondering what one of my characters was up to.
Sadly, no holiday in Scotland next week – second time. Instead, we must avoid leaving our village.
Holiday re-booked, for November this year….
Haha! What a great idea, this made me laugh 🙂
It was a fun one to write!