A break

Now is not the ideal time to go away - given the weather particularly, but also given that I'm working flat out to finish my walks book for the deadline of end of March. I've actually only got one more walk to do but that is, hopefully, on Bodmin Moor, and no one in their right minds would go there at the moment as it's far too boggy. With a walks book, the writing is in a way the fun part. What takes more time is editing all the photographs, and sending those over. Tracing the route on maps and scanning those in and sending those off. Writing the introduction and the blurb on the back. A biography. And, of course, proofing it when it comes back from the publishers. I have edited the walks several times, as have four trusty friends, but it's amazing what slips through even the beadiest eye.

However, having worked very hard since October - and straight through Christmas - I feel I deserve a break, so Friday will see us heading towards Dorset where the weather has, so far, been kind. (I rather doubt it this time, but you never, know. I may be lucky.) However, I intend to do a lot of walking and exploring, enjoy some good food and see my dear friend Av.

So here's to a break. And to kinder weather. Please. Will be back in March!

Room, Holyer an Gof, and Talks

This is of a gorgeous pine tree near Durgan - any local walkers will recognise it - near the car park at Bosloe!

First of all, I went to see ‘Room’ last night - an incredibly powerful and brilliantly acted film about a young woman who was abducted, raped and kept locked in a garden shed. When her son was born this gave a new meaning to her life, and when he reached the age of 5 she launched a bold and desperate plan to escape. But what none of the reviews mentioned was the very clever look at the after effects - what happens when they tried to fit back into real life…..

Go and see it but be prepared. This is emotionally harrowing….

On a lighter note, I had an email from my publishers, Sigma Press, the other day. She said she had entered my book (Walks in the Footsteps of Cornish Writers) for the Holyer An Gof Publisher’s Awards 2016. There are 6 different categories of books, but basically it’s for books either written about Cornwall and/or in Cornish.

I was surprised, delighted - and then I read the different categories, and standards of excellence, and my hopes plummeted. Surely there will be others much better than mine? But anyway, I decided, it is great to be considered good enough to enter.

Last week I went to give a talk at Hayle WEA who were one of the best audiences I’ve ever encountered. And I have been fortunate in usually having very appreciative audiences for my talks.

This gathering of older, intelligent, lively minds, were a joy. With the exception of one elderly gentleman who snoozed through part of it, they all appeared interested, and had some wonderful tales of Cornish history to tell afterwards. Furthermore, they bought quite a lot of books…

One lady took me round a converted chapel in Hayle afterwards, introducing me to everyone who had a unit there (and there were a lot), including a lovely gentleman who has a Cornish bookshop, who would also like to stock my books.

So when presented with a gathering of older people, never underestimate them. This lot were solid gold!

A talk and Robin Ellis's book

Not much to do with this post, but I haven't been able to download recent photos due to lack of technology. My good friend Fiona gave me her old Sony phone to use to take pictures (an excellent phone and much lighter than lugging my Nikon round with me on long walks). The pictures look great but I'm not able to download them at the moment, so waiting for my lovely computer guy to rescue them next time he's in Falmouth.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm giving a talk at Hayle WEA on my walks. I felt it was time the talk had a revamp as I;ve give it enough times to get bored of what i'm saying, and suddenly realised this is another excuse to talk about Poldark....

I am just hoping that it will stop raining enough for me to do my last two walks for the book which are on Bodmin Moor. The ground everywhere is saturated, but on moorland, it tends to be even worse, so it either means wading through bogs (not advisable for safety reasons, let alone enjoyment), or keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will improve enough to walk there in the next month. My deadline is the end of March, so time is ticking on....

On the back of that, i was sent a press release last week about Robin Ellis's new cookery book for diabetics (he played Ross Poldark in the 1970s TV series and is a Type 2 diabetic himself). I was commissioned to write a 500 word piece about this and I have to say the book looks very good - really great recipes for everyone wanting to eat healthily. He will be in Waterstones Truro on March 12th so go along and get a copy!

Many thanks for all the kind comments about losing Echo. it hasn't hit me yet. C suggested going down to see how she was, but I don't think I can bear that yet. At least the weather isn't conducive to boating at the moment, and I am busy enough with the book to keep my mind off Echo.

End of an Era

Yesterday we sold Echo - well, it's strictly Mr B's boat so he sold it, but it's felt like ours given the hours I've spent bailing her out over the years, and enjoying good times on the water.

It all happened incredibly quickly - I put an ad on a local For Sale site via Facebook and was inundated with replies. This, in January, on a morning of tempestuous winds and rain, with people desperate to come and see her. To cut a long story short, C sold her to the first guy who offered a good price, and he was so keen he took his wife down immediately to see Echo. We're just dashing off now to collect our belongings and hand the keys over.

Gulp. Still, it's for financial reasons, so needs must.

I don't like to think of life without a boat. Despite the fact that the weather was so bad last year we hardly went out, she was there if we wanted to. Now she won't be and I feel this is really the end of an era.

We will sail with Al, of course, on his Dragon, and I may race with Flushing Sailing Club, and hope to sail with Tony, but it won't be the same. There's the possibility of buying another boat but I think we may need to win the lottery - or for my book to pull in loads of money, both of which are slightly unlikely.

But you know what they say - when one door shuts, if you work at it, another one opens. It will be interesting to see what that one is.

Meanwhile, here's to our lovely Echo. With thanks for all the brilliant times afloat.

Botallack

This was taken on the latest walk for the book, at Crowns Engine Houses at Botallack - some of the most photographed mines in Cornwall, for obvious reasons. But not many with our Moll in the foreground.

I had a very productive meeting with Celia - www.celiacreeper.co.uk - and she would like to paint each of the walks and sell the paintings separately from my book, but in conjunction with it. We've also talked about a joint book launch/exhibition and other events, which would be exciting. She's full of ideas - even on the second week in January - which is brilliant.

Then we had a lovely few days in Penzance courtesy of a very generous friend who lent us her cottage along the sea front. It was incredibly relaxing and warm, with the most wonderful window onto the outside world - you wouldn't believe how many people walk, run, skate or hobble along there - and was a real tonic. We also did a couple of long walks and explored Penzance a bit - the only regret was that we couldn't stay longer.

Now it's full steam ahead and on with the book!

The world of Poldark

This was taken last week when I did a walk for the new book with Fiona at Lerryn, and round to St Winnow. I've visited Lerryn on various occasions, but never done a long walk there - and what a fabulous walk this is, through Ethy Woods, round to St Winnow church and back through parkland by the lovely manor house of Ethy. We went this time last week, on a quiet, still day, where the reflections were perfect.

I am so enjoying writing this book - I only wish there was more money in doing so. But hey, when did authors ever earn any money?! But the journey is a joy, and if any readers enjoy it even half as much as I am, then I will be delighted.

Today there is even a patch of blue sky and we're off to St Agnes to meet a painter who is interested in possibly collaborating over Poldark - it will be interesting to meet and see what ideas we may be able to come up with. The other bonus is a lovely coffee shop there, a good butcher, and hopefully a Not Too Wet walk at St Agnes Beacon.

Here's the cat that greeted us when we returned from our walk - looking down in disgust at Moll.....

A new year....

I'm viewing the start of this year with a certain amount of - not trepidation, exactly, but uncertainty. Of course none of us know what this year will bring, but I am finding it hard to view beyond finishing writing this book.

That's no bad thing perhaps, for I am loving the work. It's turning out to be completely different from anything else I've written and I put in an extra spurt over Christmas and got a lot more done. Given the vile weather, it's also been a bonus having something positive to focus on.

Today the sun is shining, even if only for an hour or so, and I'm heading off to the North Coast to walk Moll and try and sell the current book in a few outlets up there. I've planned the next walk for the book and so am feeling pleased with progress.

Mr B arrives back on Sunday which will be a joyous reunion, and I'm hoping that we may have a few days in Penzance courtesy of a very kind friend. It would be lovely to have a break in February - I have certainly earned it - so we will plan that as well. I'm looking forward to seeing my dear friend Av, and having a weekend away with her, too. And hopefully seeing something of my brothers. I'm also looking forward to more of this kind of work, if possible. To really enjoy writing books - and journalism - is a real bonus and makes all the difference.

Here's wishing you all the best for a happy, healthy and productive 2016.