July has been a busy month, and the UK heatwave didn’t help productivity at Black Cat HQ. The tower fan and lots of ice cream have got us through.

The launch

Black Cat Editorial Services has been up and running for a week. The name and brand have been well received, and I am so very grateful for all the support that has been shown.

Things I’ve been working on

It’s been all books this July and all for publishing houses. I started the month with a proofread of a biography of an amateur runner, and then took on an epic work of fiction set during the English Civil War. It reminded me of one of the great strengths of fiction: it made that period feel real. It was no longer merely a series of conflicts that happened hundreds of years ago; it was a terrifying, almost tangible reality.

I finished July with the proofread of a lovely novel about an elderly gentleman who didn’t feel part of the world anymore. It was beautifully and thoughtfully written.

Local meeting

The SfEP West Surrey and North Hants local meeting took place in early July. We managed to nab an outside table at the Heron on the Lake in Fleet. It was a beautiful day, and a lovely lunch in good company. Discussion included our current projects and the merits, or otherwise, of the training courses we had undertaken. The next local meeting will be in September.

Looking ahead

No summer holiday for me this year. But August won’t just be for work: I’ve signed up for Future Learn’s Introduction to Linguistics course, which looks fascinating. My thanks go to Hugh Jackson for alerting me to its existence.