A work in progress...16

Well the agent finally got back to me after almost two months. As soon as I saw the s.a.e. I knew that we would not be corresponding any further. His letter was quite polite, 'on balance' he didn't think he was the right agent for me...etc. He sent me a web link with a list of other agents and wished me well. I've sent my MS to another author friend for another opinion, and maybe she will be able to help with an agent. But maybe I'm jumping the gun, as the book is still not finished yet. Once it's complete I'm going to really concentrate on the publishing side, if I'm happy with the end result.

I've just got back to work after three weeks off, mainly spent at home writing. I stayed at my friends, Al & Elizabeth's for five days and was able to immerse myself in the work without any distractions from the family. Lewisham maybe off the literay map but the flat was ideal. As I mentioned previously I'm usuing its layout as the basis for the main charachter's flat so I got a real feel of the place. The flat is in a quiet side street and they have lots of Mark Rothko prints and photography on the walls. There's also lots of books and music and it was very close to Blackheath and Greenwhich. I practised yoga everyday, read and wrote, and cycled to Blackheath. London is such an inspiring city. I also had time to sit and think about the novel's shape and direction, so when I wasn't writing it was always at the forefront of my mind. The most extravagant think I did was rent 2001 Space Odyssey on DVD. There were some themes in the film that are similar to what I'm attempting to write, mainly composition, colour and symbols. And it was a decadent luxury to sit and watch it one afternoon when it was so hot outside, and absorb Kubrick's masterpiece and understand it for the first time, whithout falling asleep before the end. When I was leaving to go to London, my wife commented that my mood was as if I was going into hospital for an operation. I guess I was apprehensive about leaving the family, it felt really selfish and I was convinced that I was not going to be able to write anything while I was away. In the end I probably wrote about 15,000 words while I was there, and the novel in total is now at about 65,000 words; but doesn't seem nowhere near finished. It's still very disjointed, but at least I know in my head where it's going.