I went off to the Cotswolds for a short break towards the beginning of March. It’s such a beautiful part of the country, even in slightly cold and cloudy weather. I always think that being outside in nature is a great way to regain a little perspective on life. I knew that Bourton-on-the-Water is a popular tourist spot, but I didn’t realise just how popular – it’s a stunning village, but it’s not the best place to visit if you find yourself a bit anxious in crowds.

Book mail

When I got back from my trip to the Cotswolds, I had a lovely parcel waiting for me. Look at this cover design! Look at this book swag! It was accompanied by a lovely note from the author, and I can’t tell you how much it means to receive something like that.

I first worked with Ashleigh Bello in 2020, and since then, she has published six books. Her latest novel is A Myrmaid’s Kiss, which takes place in the same world as the Belvedor Saga, but it has, let us say, very different themes. I don’t often (ever?) work on spicy romance novels, but this is dark, complex adult fantasy, and it is always a joy to work with Ashleigh. The production of this one was a saga all of its own, but the reader response has made it all worth it. Congratulations, Ashleigh. I can’t wait to work on the next one!

What I’ve been working on

I finished off both the copy-edits I started in February: the speculative novel for an independent author and the fantasy fiction for a publishing services company. I moved on to the proofread of a writer’s guide to constructing short stories and the copy-edit of some contemporary fiction. My next critique manuscript arrived too – it is a new experience to critique a reworked version of a manuscript I critiqued some time ago. It is pretty remarkable to see how it has evolved. That will take me into April, alongside two proofreads. One is historical fiction and the other is mystical speculative fiction – I feel like I have been doing a lot of copy-editing recently, so I am enjoying the change of focus for a while.

What I read for fun

I think I’ve mentioned before how much I’ve enjoyed Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. I finally got round to reading The Bullet That Missed, which is the third book. Some unusual style decisions aside (I’m usually very laissez-faire about style, as long as it is consistent, but there’s something about ‘eight a.m.’ that puts me on edge), it’s an enjoyable, easy read, and an excellent example of how to write engagingly in present tense.

Looking ahead

I’m off to a pony day after Easter – I didn’t get to take part in one as a child, so it will be a new experience for me. The ‘lighter schedule’ I’d planned towards the end of March didn’t really work out, so my services and fee review is still on my to-do list.