Over the last week those choices have been making themselves heard again. I previously said that it is a follow-up rather than a sequel to, The End Of All Worlds, and that is still true.  Whilst I have a car of characters – some who you know and some who you don’t – and a series of smaller companion stories, and an idea of the offer -arching big idea, the main plot is still somewhat of a mystery. What I do know is that I am to find that plot in a myth, it legend…. or a s as fa. To this end I have started to read Penquin’s seminal 700+ page collection of the Idemand sagas. I have tried to read this, on and off, for over a decade, and this time I am determined to succeed. If only is I can decide with the knowledge of having read them that I must rely on my own imagination.

I’m really pleased that, having now published The End Of All Worlds, I am able at last to get back to the small matter of Mr Tumnal’s story. Part of the reason for not getting back to it for so long was I reached one of those points in the story where I wasn’t exactly where to go next at that point, ie. not sure how to write the bit that would take me where it needed to go. I’ve achieved this now. Possibly, maybe, this might have been in part to yesterday’s review of The End Of All Worlds. To have a complete stranger read and like, and say something interesting about your book really does make you realise that the book does have something. Maybe its not so polished as a conventionally published book? Maybe it is? It’s still a damn good story that can give pleasure to people who read it.

Last night’s writing, which did have the effect of delaying the making of dinner felt good. Even if I got close to scaring myself witless with the evilness of a character. I’m assured by the master of the scary, Michelle Harrison, that this is a good sign: that if you succeed in scaring yourself whilst writing it then you’re onto a good thing.

Furthermore, I’ve also worked out in my head exactly how it is that my hero resolves the story, which is always good to know. 🙂

I had an interesting discussion with Rhiannon Lassister this afternoon about mobile phones in stories, and I think that I might be coming round to the idea that they are not such the threat that could be. In fact, Rhiannon demonstrates quite neatly in Ghost of a Chance how you can have both mobile phones and police in the story whilst keeping them as essentially ineffective to the protagonists resolving the plot.

Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five or …of Adventure books are other books I had previously thought would be ruined by mobile phones, but I think Rhiannon might be causing me to rethink this. After all, as she says, there are always to right them out if necessary. In Blyton’s books they spent a large amount of time down in caves where mobiles don’t work. And if you are working with magic, or you can get through to people who may not be able to help, or help in time…

Indeed in my own books I both write out mobile phones and embrace the modern technology in The End of All Worlds. When I need them, scientists can access the most up to date climate theories but when Eleanor gets lost in the mountains, mobiles can be out of reception, or completely in another world when it comes to mixing with the huldufolk. And in Mr Tumnal I positively enjoy going to town with social networking and modern communication.

So maybe, mobiles are not the threat to plots that I once thought.

That said, its nice to have such good friends that I can not see them for so long and still pick up where we left off. ‘Tis good. 🙂

Today, I had an idea for a setting for a future novel. Following the parallel Oxfords theme that I have begun with Mr Tumnal. Inspired by my daily walk out of the Oxford thoroughfare, under the Bridge of Sighs and round into the different world of twisting, tiny streets where the only sound is the striking of the college bells, I have found myself imagining that there really should be water flowing under it – a canal. More than that, it should be a network of canals (yes, I know Oxford is on a ‘hill’, I’d have to fix that), a Venice type place but where all the streets and life are just like the Oxford/Wren Hoe that we all know and love. The High Street becomes a ‘grand canal, Broad Street is boarded on the north by a canal. You get the Water Bus across from St Johns to the Ashmolean…

Still need characters and plot for the story though…

I’ve also been considering Mr Tumnal’s story, and where I go from here.

What follows is for my own reference, possibly rambling, it may contain spoilers

Miss Leroy is only beginning to realise that her control over Louis’ life is dissipating. She has had no reason to suspect things will not happen as they have always happened. That, once every nine years she takes a life in order to live longer. It has always been so, for hundreds of years, why would now be any different?

For Louis, he is not fighting Miss Leroy yet because he still doesn’t realise the extent to which she has been controlling, and directing his life. He doesn’t realise that he has a fight to fight.

It all changes when Kathryn discovers Louis’ other relationship with Amanda, and ends the relationship. And Amanda finds out about Lewis’ affair with Kathryn and walks out. Louis’ livee crashes down and exposes the real and the imaginary, and moves to change his life from this point forward. But Miss Leroy can’t let that happen. She needs him. Amanda softens towards him, but it is the ‘real’ life with Kathryn that he now craves…