Writing Diaries is my current blog where you can follow how I am getting on with writing my latest novel, provisionally named The Henna Painter. I hope to be posting every so often- so you’ll be getting live updates on my progress and perhaps even a sneak peak here or there of the actual manuscript when it’s in a fit shaped to be shared!
Writing this novel has been a challenge as it is set in Morocco and Paris- another world, another culture with different customs and way of life. I love Morocco and the people of the country who I have made friends with. Some of whom are helping me with the research for this novel.
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Christmas Eve 24/12/2013
I didn’t think that Christmas Eve would be a productive day- writing wise- but thrilled with my progress. I actually managed to write a powerful scene. It’s the second time in my life I have actually cried when writing a passage.
Its a powerful scene between Turaya, an older woman, and Hind, a young Morrocan woman. Women who have hated each other. A baby lies in one woman’s lap- won’t mention anything else as I don’t want to to give the plot away!
Last time I wept during writing was when I wrote and read a very powerful scene where Zarri Bano, my heroine of The Holy Woman, breaks down in her mother’s arms- after she has found out who her younger sister is going to marry. She cries out in pain to her mother-
‘He said that I will remember him till the day I die, Mother. I thought that I had killed and buried the old Zarri Bano behind the folds of this burqa, this black shroud- but she lives, Mother. She lives! Tell me, Mother, how can I kill this woman inside me, still passionately in love with this man.’
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New Names 13/12/2013
Busy with the first draft of my fourth novel- provisionally titled the Henna Painter. Many scenes to be written yet. In the process of embedding authentic Moroccan names for characters- supplied by a kind Moroccan friend. Quite a task finding out who’s who and what their names are. I can assure you that it is not an easy job, names are getting mixed up here, there and everywhere. Replacements are leading to deletions and it’s all getting rather confusing- but I will get there eventually!