Wednesday 21 September 2011

Jackdaws

I love Jackdaws. Their blue-black feathers remind me of Elvis, and they make the strangest parping sound when they call to each other. Like their cousins the Crows, they are intelligent and full of personality. We are lucky enough to have a bird's eye view from our roof terrace, so I am able to watch them at close hand. 


Do you know our roof terrace? Many of you will, because you are also friends. You will have seen the Jackdaws first hand - wheeling and parping all around us as we sit. Many more have seen our roof terrace from the street. You've probably noticed our collection of flags too. 


Chris decided one day that he liked flags, pronouncing them "cheerful things" and instructing me to order four. They now adorn our railings along with a flying pig, a sausage dog and a dragon fly. Whoever said "An Englishman's home is his castle" was right.


Now I know I've been lax recently when it comes to Blogging. And I know you'll be sick of my excuses (still the same), but I have a new one: I've finally started writing my first book!


It's been formulating on my back burner now for over a year. I started off thinking it would be factual, an autobiography of sorts. I've heard many times that authors should 'write what they know'. And being a literal kinda gal I took that, well, literally.


But while on holiday in Montana it came to me that my tale would make better fiction.


What?


You don't think that a story featuring a time-travelling Elvis, a God-seeking, frustrated writer and a dollop of Quantum Physics sounds far fetched?


Being an expert procrastinator when it comes to anything creative, I have contemplated creative writing courses, journalism courses and generally panicking because 'why should I be able to write a book?'


But in the end I came to the conclusion that I can do whatever I like. I can write whatever I like and if no one else likes it then it doesn't really matter. I'll still have fulfilled my desire and, as God himself said: "What is known cannot be unknown."


So wish me luck and, if you miss my once obsessive blogging, please feel free to reread my previous ones. There's enough to choose from!


P.S: I'll keep you posted on my progress.


Laura x