Victorian/Gothic/Parody novel has grown, lurking at almost 8,000 words now. i think that it will be the sort of novel that once finished, will be put in a black box and never opened again. So far, as well as ticking the usual Gothic cliches of spiritualism, asylums, Highgate Cemetery and Sinister Nuns!, we also have a Bridget Jones style of friends, making snarky comments on the plot, which doesn't exactly help in keeping the tone consistent. OH WELL. Eliza (the MC) is very, very fun to write. Not least because she seems to have  very definite alcohol problems. I do not know how this happened.

Other Novel is also progressing well. It is about Pirates. Magic Pirates. Dead Magic Pirates. Tentatively titled Pages: A Hundred And One Days, it is, in part inspired by the mid books of The Odyssey. The idea of exploring uncharted seas, filled with isle full of withes and monsters and strange cities, was too appealing to resist. Narrated by all of the main characters, in first person, with the Circe character pulling all of the different narratives together, it is very, very fun to write.

Finally, Third Novel has appeared, based on some comments in my Jewish Scriptures class; that of Court Prophets. These are the likes of Samuel, Nathan and so on in the OT, who seem to possess considerable influence over the various Israelite Kings. A plotbunny came when I asked my tutor about possible rivalries within the courts between prophets. His answer: yes, but the only ones we know of won so completely, the others' names are never mentioned. I want to write this so much, a bitter struggle between prophets in a shifting society, to gain the ear of a king. I'll need to research other ANE cultures, plus Greek prophetic traditions, at some point. But, yes. This will be full of win.

Finally, the cello is awesome. Screw weedy violins and violas, cello is where it's at. It's only taken me six years of playing to realise this.