The Slow Onset of Madness

As kids it used to crack us up in the play ground, running up to someone and saying 'did you know the first sign of madness is hair growing on your palms?' And when they reflexively look adding 'and the second is looking for it!' hahahah (kids, so cruel).

Well, I'm starting to count signs that I might be losing it.

Sign number 1: The talking to myself out loud has increased, which wouldn't be such a problem except I was working out how to describe people as characters while on the tram.

Sign 2: I take directions from my characters and am starting to suspect they might be smarter than I am.

Sign 4: I've started having insider jokes just with myself.

Sign 5: Not writing a sign 3, and not caring.

Sign 6: I then laugh hysterically at my own insider jokes all the same.

Sign 7: I've starting knitting fluffy animals.

Sign 8: I want to model my life on Miranda Hart and might be halfway there (watch the first 30 seconds, that's what I'm talking about! But who has a set of tails in their wardrobe, seriously?... Seriously? I can has tails?).

So, in other words, think I'm totally on the way to becoming a professional writer.

In other news wrote 18,000 words on the weekend, but then was just over it all today, so only got 2,000 this morning, and a grand total of 1,000 this evening, because I preferred to knit. Yes, I know, all I need are some cats.

But story is now over 36,000, and has some actually sort of interesting bits in. The romance isn't amazingly thrilling at the moment, I have to admit, but the adventure and action is working really well. Though, have had to pull back on the gruesome details which keep trying to pop up. Had to get rid of a decomposing body or two. Sad, but kills the 'mood', if you know what I mean (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Not that it ever worried Indiana Jones, I've got to admit. But Harrison Ford is 'mood' all by himself.

Have just started reading an Amanda Quick. For those who don't know, she is a successful writer of historical romance (hers are meant to be the good ones!). I'm hoping it will give me more inspiration for the romance part, but at the moment I'm fighting not to burst out laughing every few pages. But hey, at least they are good for something.

Also reading 'Born to Run', as I originally thought about doing a ridiculous number of books after hearing about ultra-distance runners. I think running a marathon is crazy, but what do you do once you can run a marathon? Run fifty in fifty days! Or something similarly ridiculous. Well, what do you do once you've written a book? Set yourself an even more insane goal.

So I feel there is a lot in common between an ultra-distance runner and a prolific writer. I'm trying to tap into the mind set that just says 'yes, I've been doing this for hours and hours, but I totally want to keep going for twice that long again.' Once I've cracked that it's all going to be sweet. So expect some updates from the book.

Sadly not all things translate so well to writing. Have started drinking Chia Seeds, to see if their endurance properties apply to mental abilities. Have not been super impressed so far, especially since I keep wanting to go for a jog when I should be writing. Fail, Chia Seeds, Fail.

Well, farewell for tonight.