Beathan the Brigante is coming soon!

Hello!

It's been a long while since I last posted, but that doesn't mean I've not been writing. Everything has been in slow motion for a while but I'm hopeful that is about to change right now.

For weeks now (around 12 to be exact) during serious lockdown, I've not been away from home but have had many different things taking up my daytime hours. I've been writing and editing, finishing Book 5 of my Celtic Fervour Saga Series.  I'm absolutely relieved to say that it's now out to beta reading. My intention is to publish it in July 2020. That time is now looming but things are moving. Soon, I expect to do a cover reveal and it'll be spectacular. I'm using the same designer as has created the four other covers, and it'll make a matching 5th!!

Of course, I spent time making my reenactment dress and shawl. That was meant to be worn at the Eboracum Roman Festival at the end of May. It was cancelled but I still decided to make the outfit. I created a blog post for the Ocelot Press Blog about the process but I'll be reblogging it here, too. 

For a long time, I had the beginning and the vague end for Book 5, but the rest was variable. I say variable since it went through lots of changes to the original plans of the novel. Since early Feb. 2020 I've been working on it every morning and I really love it now, whereas I wasn't happy with it before then. My character Beathan has come into his own, albeit that he starts off at 12 going on 13 years of age and is only 17 at the end of he story. Nowadays he'd be termed a late teenager, but back in AD 89, he is already matured and a true warrior! 

When not writing or creating marketing materials for Twitter and Facebook, I've also been doing major work to revamp a large section of my garden. This heavy work has been cathartic. It's not quite done but much closer than when I started in April. 

I've also been learning Scottish Gaelic and do a lesson every single day. I started a Duolingo course in December 2019 and I've only missed one day since then. I think I might just be forgiven for forgetting it because it was right at the start of lockdown, the first weekend and I was preoccupied with politics and the Covid 19 situation.

Now my priorities are finalising a short story which will go into the Ocelot Press Summer Anthology  (more on that very soon) and organising the front and end matter for my new novel - Beathan the Brigante! Of course, like my previous novels that also means creating some lovely maps to go with it.

See you soon with more updates.

Stay safe.

Slàinte!