Serendipity

I have made some progress on my latest book. I think it’s going to be a short one, so more of a novella but 30,000 words in now and around 20,000 to go. Serendipity has also come into play this week. I was struggling over a DNA question when up popped an invitation to go and listen to a lecture by Dr Turi King – the leading expert on familial DNA – you may have seen her on TV. She was also instrumental in the identification of Richard III.

I wrote my questions out and headed off to Norwich Arts Centre for what turned out to be the most fascinating talk and all my questions were answered before I had the chance to ask. I was able to write up that piece for my book with confidence.

I was writing another scene earlier in the week which is set in The Sainsbury Arts Centre (though I may not call it that), thinking I must visit again because I need to tighten up some details. Once again, I received an invitation to go on a chauffeured visit quite out of the blue. That’s happening tomorrow. Happy Days.

Last year, my first book, Search for the Light, was offered free on Amazon Prime, Australia, for six months. While I did not see any upswing in sales of the other books in the trilogy, what I have noticed recently is that ratings have gone from 86 to 330 of that one with an average of 4.2. The second one has also much increased ratings with an average of 4.1, the third has increased but not so much with an average of 4.4 – so on balance, I think it was worth agreeing to that offer.

It’s been splendid weather recently, so I took the opportunity to visit the ruined church which was the inspiration for my latest book. i took some images and found the angle which I think will work for the cover, though I need a ghostly figure somewhere. A long, dark cloak and a willing granddaughter are the next things on my list. I wonder if serendipity hand me the cloak. Do you think I need sunshine as well?