I’ve just deleted chapter seven. I uploaded it in a hurry yesterday morning and the more I think about it the more dissatisfied I am with it. So, rather than mess about doing fiddly edits, I’ve junked it and will post it back up when I feel a bit happier about it.

Nahed and Elspeth – don’t worry, I’ve copied your comments (which helped to confirm my own feelings) so they are not lost. Many thanks for them.

As for the moving bit – well, there’s a story attached. This house actually exists (or it did when I last saw it about fifteen years ago). I did exactly what Georgia did. I was driving along a lovely country road near Lancaster one winter day and spotted the house through the trees. It was obviously abandoned, had a hole in the roof, broken guttering, the lot. The only difference was that, as I left the area soon afterwards, I never did find a way to get to it.

I’ve set this novel in Yorkshire, with The Winter House in a rural area near Leeds, and Fynn planning to move from Chester to live there. But, try as I might – and I’ve been writing this for nearly two years now, off and on – I can’t see Yorkshire from the windows of the house. Does that make sense? I’m trying to site the house where it doesn’t belong. So it’s time to bite the bullet and do what I should have done ages ago.

I’m going to relocate this story to where it originated: Lancaster. My favourite part of the country. It involves quite a bit of work but I’ll never be really satisfied with the novel until it’s done.

This won’t affect the plot at all so I’m leaving the first six chapters up and I’ll edit them as I work through them.

Thanks for all your help with this up to now. Please stick with me…

Dee
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Sounds like a lot of work, Dee but I agree, if you can't see it, it will never really work. Good luck and see you at Chapter 7 (revised)
Elspeth

Thanks Elspeth,

I think it will be worth it... I hope!

Dee
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Okeydokes Dee! Wherever you go whether it be Yorkshire or Lancaster - I shall follow!! See you in Lancaster!

N x

You bet!


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Chapter 7!! When did that hapen? I'm only on Ch 2..I've re-set my page to show 'poetry only', but I kept checking to see what fiction was about. Gosh, how did I miss all this! Will attempt to catch up...

Funny about settings...in as much as my poems ever have a setting, ever need some 'world' to anchor them, it's always in Yorkshire...Even one recently that was set in Romania, was really in that bit of Romania that's in Yorkshire...

Good luck with the re-write, Dee.
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tc

Thanks tc. I’ll amend the first few chapters as soon as I can but I’m on a roll rewriting chapter seven at the moment. It’s just grown by about 800 words and I’m still on it.

Of course, I’m also limbering up for RLG6. Have you seen anything of Sue recently? She’s gone very quiet… bet that means it’ll be dead vicious!

Nice Sue… clever Sue… be nice to Dee, Sue…

Dee

Gosh I forgot..only a couple of days now! I'm not asking for much. No dead animals and no rhyme will suit me fine. I'm sure we can rely on Sue, she has impeccable taste. Patrick - I rest my case.

800 words longer? Cripes, isn't that a whole novel's worth?

Looking forward to reading what I've missed, I have a theory and I'm wondering if it's going to be proved right in any tiny way...! This from the girl who often still doesn't know who done it even after the lecture from Miss Marple or Poirot...

And...and..it's not scary, is it? You were joking with Jumbs, weren't you, Dee? Dee....?


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tc

no no, little one... not sssscary at allllll....

wish there was a smiley for mmmwahrrrr ha ha ha...



<Added>

ps - what's your theory? it might be better than the plot!

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Nope, my lips are sealed....don't want to give it away for everyone else.

BTW, you know that house you saw?....The deserted one in Lancaster?...Didn't have a bit fenced off, so that, full of curiosity, (and beer) you climbed over the fence? ..And when you climbed over the fence, there wasn't a lone gravestone with an inscription, was there?......And the inscription just didn't happen to say...?

No, thought not.
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tc

<Added>

Best make sure I have a big cushion AND teddy handy before hitting Ch 2...

No mate. That fence and that gravestone were definitely in Elterwater... come back Richard... all is forgiven!

Chapter seven is back up now. It's rewritten and expanded. I'd really appreciate any and all comments. Does this work?

Many thanks.

Dee
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