Well, if there's one thing I can say for sure, I'm glad that one is out of the way.
The 'one' I refer to is, of course, the second book on the Britannia series and boy was it ever a battle to write. I imagine as a reader, you've read plenty of blogs by authors who tend to want to lay themselves bare about their life experiences in and around the world of their writing. I suppose this short blog is going to go down more or less the same road in some respects. However, I will try to keep it as pain free as possible. Not least because I do wonder if baring one's soul actually brings all that much to the table for the reader.
I suppose I'm really readying myself to make excuses for why the book has been delivered a lot later than expected. But then again, should I really couch things as excuses? Life gets in the way sometimes - simple as.
In an ideal world, I would be a full-time author, free to take the time to exercise my creativity at my own pace and unencumbered by the demands of having to go out and do 'the day job' in order to keep a roof over my family's head. However, for many authors, that is the way of things and I've learned to accept it - even if I do resent it a little bit.
What's great about this last book is that it's almost one of those 'forged in the fires of adversity ' jobs. For a good couple of years, life has grown increasingly hard. I've had plenty of personal struggles to deal with - all of which have stifled the creative process and caused me to divert my attentions to real-life matters, rather than attempting to give some fictional character a life.
But, for all that, I did it. I've gone through a period in my life which forced me to work through my problems and issues and push on with my ideas. Slowly at first, the will and the ability to put the words together returned, until I eventually found myself full once more of that old drive - not being able to pull myself away from the keyboard.
If I'm honest, I reckon the whole experience has allowed me to produce a book which, although I'd have liked to finish it sooner, is nevertheless a piece of work that I'm very proud of. Moreover, I personally view it as my best work yet. Though, clearly, I need to leave you to be the final judges on that score.
Anyway, I'm not going to drone on anymore. My life seems to have got back on track again and I just wanted to pop my head over the parapet again and let you know I'm still here. Hopefully, I'll get some feedback from you in the fullness of time and then we can talk again.
In the meantime, if you decide to dip your toe in book 2, I do hope you enjoy the read and I promise book 3 won't take as long.