Winter Interlude

My manuscript is now printed out and composting for the second time. It awaits what I hope will be the final round of editing. This will include checking that all the chapter endings either make readers want to turn the page or make some sort of satisfying conclusion but that leads the story forwards. I also want to check that every scene also moves things forward in some way; that the dialogue doesn't waffle on too long once the point has been made or a character is revealed. Then finally, there's the housekeeping again, such as repeated words, typos and misplaced punctuation.

In the meantime, I'm not even peeking at it. I'm stepping away from it. It's not going anywhere without me so I shall leave it for another week. In the meantime, I'm tidying out kitchen cupboards and wondering why I have three jars of Marmite (open) and four assorted marmalades (open) and no jam. Standards have definitely been slipping.

I have also been out and about around the village every day instead of chaining myself to my desk. Today was perfect for walking--no wind, the usual gloopy mud frozen solid, although the sun failed to shine.

So follow me on this short circular tour in the frost.


Walk south along the main road and then turn right up Gill Lane and cross the bridge where the North Dale Beck joins the River Seven.

Turn right again at the White Horse Farm Inn along the road to Thorgill...

...where you will see Rosedale Abbey down in the valley.

Follow the lane left past Sevenford House Bed and Breakfast. (This Victorian house is the former rectory.)

Just past Sevenford House turn right by the lone tree and follow the footpath (part of which is an old paved trod) down through the field (no sheep today) ...

...across the footbridge back over the Seven...

..and through the campsite. In the summer the river is full of children swinging across the river on the rope you can see in the centre of the picture. (The river isn't deep here unless in times of heavy rain.)

Take the narrow path out of the camp-site and cross Milk Street towards The Church of St Mary and St Lawrence...

At the junction of paths in the churchyard, take the left one and follow it through the gate back onto the main road. Turn right and back into the village...

...where it crosses the North Dale Beck disappears under a row of cottages...

...turn left up Heygate Bank, past The Milburn Arms Hotel (sadly empty but not for much longer, we hope) and ...

...and back home. (That's our camper-van in the car-park.)

Next time, I talk about the necessity for extreme ruthlessness when editing. It's not a job for wimps.