Covid, Confinement, and Creativity

My painting of a fox using Derwent Inktense pencils.

This last few months have been hard. As someone who is classed as a 'vulnerable' individual due to a medication induced lowered immune system, chronic rheumatoid arthritis and chronic asthma, I have been 'shielded' at home for the last 4 months. That's rather crap in itself, but when you take into account that I also care for my husband (also shielded due to an incurable lung condition necessitating 24 hour oxygen therapy) and we have not seen any of our family, including our heavily pregnant daughter, grandson, and youngest daughter, since February then, to say things are 'hard' is a massive understatement. 

The fact that I am a natural creative, an introvert and have a decent outside space has somewhat mitigated what would otherwise be a virtually unbearable situation.  It has been difficult for me to write, as this takes a degree of immersion which I can no longer commit to. However, I have occupied myself with numerous other activities such as drawing, painting, sketching, crocheting, cooking, and working in my garden homestead. This has been my salvation.  

Home grown fruit and vegetables.

I have become convinced that the chances of food shortages due to Covid-19 and/or the Brexit fiasco are high, and so I have been busily 'prepping' and attempting to grow enough food to be able to support myself and my husband should those shortages materialise. I don't know if I would have coped if I had not had this outside space and my heart goes out to those in a similar position to myself who live in high rise flats or institutions. 

I have decided to resume this blog as an online journal in which I can share my experiences with others and maybe help them realise that they are not alone and there are many people like myself who are almost completely isolated from the outside world. Technology is a blessing in this situation as it enables a degree of social interaction that at the moment I cannot experience any other way.

I will be sharing my daily activities, my thoughts, my worries and also my strategies for coping under this high level of adversity.  The development of a high level of resilience is my ultimate aim, for resilience is what will get us through this Covid-19 pandemic and the climate disaster looming on the horizon.

Keep safe.

Homemade preserves & our homestead.

Rabbit Girl - Cover Reveal and Latest News!

For the next few weeks, I will be busy completing the research and first draft of my new novel Rabbit Girl.

I have been investigating specialised mental hospitals for young people in and around East Anglia, where the story is set and I've got some super ideas for locations.

As the story is based very loosely on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, I have discovered plenty of useful material, inspiring quotes and ideas from the original book as well as from my visit to Alice's Adventures Underground this spring.

Curious? 

Here's a small insight:-

Would you abandon your best friend to save your sanity?

"You're absolutely bonkers - as mad as a hatter - all the best people are..."

Lissie has long had more than her fair share of problems. For one, her only friend Is a six-foot white rabbit called Lewis.

Add to that a childhood traumatised by schizophrenia, confusion over her sexuality, and Lissie generates enough material to keep a team of psychiatrists busy for years.

If she is to recover, Lissie must be prepared to give up the only friend she has ever known.

However, getting rid of Lewis is no easy matter...

To keep up-to-date with my progress check back here or subscribe to my Readers' Community.

Karen

Noirwich Crime Writing Festival

This week I attended Noirwich Crime Writing Festival and had a fabulous time in spite of the heavy rain.

I particularly enjoyed the Spotlight series - Ian Rankin was awesome, as usual.  He signed books afterwards and provided materials for a display of first and fourth drafts of his latest novel.

I met a lovely bunch of writers at one of the workshops and we have set up The Norfolk and Suffolk Writers' Circle.  If you are an author or aspiring writer, then drop us a line asking join the group and we will see what we can do!

Karen