This week's chapter was partly crowd-sourced. I'd like to record my gratitude to those people on Twitter who told me whether the celandines were out in their part of the country, whether they'd heard any chiffchaffs or willow warblers yet, or if the larks were singing round their way. This is really helpful, because I'm not routinely walking past Lindchester-style English hedgerows here in Liverpool.
The other thing I canvassed opinion about was what type of tattoos Freddie May has. Obviously, I had my own ideas already, but I wanted them endorsed. One person told me he'd have 'Celtic circlet around the bicep' and that she wasn't guessing, she knew. I found that rather gratifying. It means that Freddie has become a 'real person' to that reader. (Ha, bet you'd care if I threw him off the palace roof, now, wouldn't you?) In this process I also learnt a very rude German word for 'lower back tattoo' ('Arschgeweih': 'arse antlers'). You can read what I decided on for Freddie here (she was nearly right with the Celtic tattoo): http://catherine-fox-novel.blogspot.co.uk/
In the past Twitter told me what kind of vestments Father Wendy would wear when I enquired, which was also extremely welcome. What is much less welcome is nitpicking feedback after I've uploaded a chapter. I'm inclined to flounce, and mutter Write it yourself then, if you're so clever. But then I go back and make corrections in the dead of night, and never once admit I was wrong. So I am grateful, really.
It's so exciting seeing our dog walks & Holy Week wobbles transformed into something that gives so much pleasure. So - returning the thanks with interest (and apologies if I've done that correcting thing...hope not!)
ReplyDelete