This is an interesting time for Careless Talk. With it sitting on a shelf and my creative mind fixed elsewhere, my unconscious mind has been picking over the structure of it.

Because I haven't looked at it or really thought about it for a while, a lot of the detail has slipped away. Imagine, if you will, looking at a zoomed in map view and then pulling back – you begin to see the overall layout of the land and the shape of the country. It's like that.

From way up here, my unconscious mind has begun to notice two things – one is a very clear theme that runs through the novel. The other is a very strong piece of symbolism.

My job, in the second draft, will be to tease and tweak these things to highlight them a little so they become more noticeable when up close and personal.

Taking the far view of a novel is always a wonderful experience and is the main reason why I believe there should be at least a month's space between a first and second draft. It gives you perspective.