In fact, triple whoopee! I can at last put an end to Ro going around in circles, and get her on the road again in The Exiles of Ondd III. I know, I've said this before–more than once–but this time she's actually broken free. That won't mean a lot to anyone who hasn't read Discord's Child or Discord's Apprentice, but for anyone who has, and is beginning to get tired of waiting to find out what happens next, this is good news. I'm so relieved I could dance around the room, but I won't–promise! As soon as I finish this, I'm going to set off on another chapter.
    I hate it when I know what I want to write, but can't get the story from A to B. In fact, I hate it so much that I'm sure I must have blogged about it before. Usually, if I go back a paragraph of two I discover that the section I'm struggling with isn't necessary at all. If that doesn't work, tinkering is rarely successful. What usually solves the problem is not to focus on the scene(s) that won't flow, but to try and look at the bigger picture. Is there something in the back story, or the culture/beliefs of the characters or region, that would lead down a different track to get my characters where I want them to be? A little lateral thinking can unlock all sorts of possibilities.
    Letting my mind wander while doing the ironing straightened out the tangle I'd got my characters in (if not the creases in the sheets). It's still going to be a while before the final part of the trilogy will be ready, but I'm hoping I'll be able to put it up for pre-order before spring is out. There, I've said it–that's jinxed it for sure!
    In the meantime, you might like to take a look at SFReader (http://www.sfreader.com/r/) where you can now find my story 'Flying True', which was awarded an Honourable Mention in its annual contest. It's in good company. I've read all five of the top-ranked stories, and they're all very well-written (even mine, I hope). Please take a look–it's free. If theatre is more your thing, I heard this week that my play, Antarctica, has been chosen for the last night of The Playhouse Theatre One-Act Festival in Northampton on Saturday 26th May. I'll post further details as I get them.
    Meanwhile, I have a stack of paper waiting for me to fill it with my untidy scribble.