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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Time Flies 03/02/2014
Balancing a career in writing and in education with family life is a juggling act in itself. But when my commitments to work in education take priority, the task of writing my fourth novel has to take a back seat for the moment. At times like this I often find myself thinking ‘so much to do, so little time’; flying away to literary festivals, travelling as an education consultant and writing the Henna Painter. As a mother, my mind is always on looking after my family but also focused on tasks I must complete before deadlines. Although there is a lot to do, striving to do the best I can whilst retaining a calm persona is the key this balancing act.
So at this moment in time I can only say that progress on the Henna Painter has been paused for a short while. I have managed to fit the odd day in where I had a good writing session. It’s been a busy start to the year but hopefully I’ll be able to concentrate on my fourth novel soon.
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Distractions 06/01/2014
Just sharing my latest progress and apologies that this post is a little late, but we’ve managed to overcome our minor technical hitches with the website.
I am struggling again with writing. First thing I wanted to do was write to make up for two lost days. But so far I have managed to get very little done. Morning gone! This morning it’s the same. I am doing other things i.e. cooking, tweeting, answering emails etc. but not writing.
I am finding with this latest novel- the biggest hurdle is other distractions. The prime culprit has got to be- INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA. I feel like asking some one to remove the internet from my computer, so that I can just concentrate on my novel. I wish you or some one else says sternly – JUST WRITE !
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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 Moroccan 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!