Retirement, Lucy Worsley & Dogs…
Hello everyone!
I truly hope this finds you well and happy!
Am I well and happy? Yes, thank you, I am. The remains of the cough that dogged me over the past month have gone, and I can safely say that I am over whatever bug floored me when I last wrote to you.
Which is just as well because I have been busy, busy, busy!
I told you last time that I was about to tread the boards playing roles in three Shakespearean plays that make up the War of the Roses. In total, we performed for over 30 hours over three weeks. I played Warwick, the Kingmaker in Henry Vi and Edward IV (an abridged version of Henry VI Parts 2 & 3) and the Duchess of York in Richard III. There were more deaths on stage than a two-hour episode of Midsomer Murders and it was great fun. On the last day, after ten hours of performing, it was wonderful to receive a standing ovation from the audience that had been there from ten o’clock that morning! I think we also have four curtain calls and two encores, but I was so elated by everything, I lost count.
Being involved in this cultural extravaganza meant that I had little time or energy left to write, so I am slightly behind schedule on that and the associated release of the third Mike Atwell book – Death on the Nineteenth.
But August also saw me move on from the day job of working in a local university, through voluntary redundancy and early retirement, to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time writer!
With a small financial cushion and an empty nest (my youngest son is moving out in a couple of weeks), I will have plenty of time to catch up with my writing schedule. Who knows? I might even become more consistent in writing these updates!
As to what’s coming up over the next few weeks, I have some personal matters to attend to (don’t we all) and I am also going to give myself some grace as I slip into a new routine and way of working. Maybe I will start waking up at 5 am and write a few chapters before breakfast as my co-author Steve Higgs does every day? Hmm, I doubt it.
I prefer a slow morning. A bit of somatic yoga and a bit of tapping with Brad Yates via YouTube (I am a huge believer in the power of EFT). Some meditation and a leisurely breakfast.
And, of course, Iggy is delighted I will be home more. Lots of walks through the local woods and even occasional trips to the beach or a cafe are on the horizon.
One key date in my diary I am looking forward to is a trip to London on the 15th of September to hear the gorgeous David Olusoga speak about The Truth about the British Empire at the Royal Geographical Society.
I am a huge history buff and Mr Olusoga is one of my favourite TV historians.
Talking of favourite TV historians, I had the pleasure of listening to and meeting the wonderful Lucy Worsley last year. I have watched and rewatched all of her BBC series numerous times. She was talking about the amazing Agatha Christie.
Anyway, I have words to write and stories to craft. And, Iggy wants his lunch.
So, until next time.
Au revoir,
Penelope x
