Tell the wife I feel lucky.
I have just had a Thermopylae day.
When I'm in writing mode, my target is 2,000 words a session. But today I only managed 300 before someone sneaked the Persian hordes in behind my back and annihilated my resolve.
Or maybe it was a combination of women's boxing at the Olympics and a new author I've discovered.
Have you read A L Berridge? Honour And The Sword and In The Name Of The King are novels of swashbuckling heroism set in 17th century France that are quite breathtaking in their scope and literary execution.
Women's boxing I didn't take seriously until I saw young Irish girl Katie Taylor knock seven bells out of her opponent to move into the semi finals. She is a four times world champion and there is nothing sissy about the way she slings her hook.
As for my writing, I'm in the last furlong of completing Redemption, the final part of my post-apocalyptic trilogy (see also Reaper and Angel elsewhere on this site). Only about six thousand words to go and I'm suffering battle fatigue for the final conflict; who goes where and does what, who dies and who survives.
I hold the power of life and death, of happiness and great sex, of prosperity and starvation. Maybe God is a novelist? In which case, he could have given me a better storyline, one where I win the Euro lottery when it reaches £150 million.
Still, mustn't grumble. No good if you do.
I doubt whether King Leonidas grumbled at the pass of Thermopylae when he was told a renegade had guided the Persians along a secret track so that he would soon be surrounded.
'Bugger,' he probably said. 'Looks like I won't be down the pub on Saturday night. Tell my wife I love her and kiss the kids for me. And tell her to buy a Lottery ticket this week – I'm feeling lucky.'
Then he mustered his 300 Spartans around him and they held the pass to give the armies of Greece time to gather and mount a proper defence against invasion.
Everybody knows this classic story of heroism, but I only just found out, courtesy of Wikipedia (where would we be without it?) that Leonidas also had 700 Thespians with him.
When I'm in writing mode, my target is 2,000 words a session. But today I only managed 300 before someone sneaked the Persian hordes in behind my back and annihilated my resolve.
Or maybe it was a combination of women's boxing at the Olympics and a new author I've discovered.
Have you read A L Berridge? Honour And The Sword and In The Name Of The King are novels of swashbuckling heroism set in 17th century France that are quite breathtaking in their scope and literary execution.
Women's boxing I didn't take seriously until I saw young Irish girl Katie Taylor knock seven bells out of her opponent to move into the semi finals. She is a four times world champion and there is nothing sissy about the way she slings her hook.
As for my writing, I'm in the last furlong of completing Redemption, the final part of my post-apocalyptic trilogy (see also Reaper and Angel elsewhere on this site). Only about six thousand words to go and I'm suffering battle fatigue for the final conflict; who goes where and does what, who dies and who survives.
I hold the power of life and death, of happiness and great sex, of prosperity and starvation. Maybe God is a novelist? In which case, he could have given me a better storyline, one where I win the Euro lottery when it reaches £150 million.
Still, mustn't grumble. No good if you do.
I doubt whether King Leonidas grumbled at the pass of Thermopylae when he was told a renegade had guided the Persians along a secret track so that he would soon be surrounded.
'Bugger,' he probably said. 'Looks like I won't be down the pub on Saturday night. Tell my wife I love her and kiss the kids for me. And tell her to buy a Lottery ticket this week – I'm feeling lucky.'
Then he mustered his 300 Spartans around him and they held the pass to give the armies of Greece time to gather and mount a proper defence against invasion.
Everybody knows this classic story of heroism, but I only just found out, courtesy of Wikipedia (where would we be without it?) that Leonidas also had 700 Thespians with him.
Nice place for a show.
Which evoked thoughts of Bombardier 'Gloria' Beaumont leading a concert party in Burma and the enthusiasm of Mickey Rooney saying: 'Let's put the show on right here.'
And they did.
In fact, the Spartans, Thespians, Gloria and Mickey Rooney all put on a better show than I did today. I retired early to watch girls bash each other. I'll be back to being God tomorrow.
And they did.
In fact, the Spartans, Thespians, Gloria and Mickey Rooney all put on a better show than I did today. I retired early to watch girls bash each other. I'll be back to being God tomorrow.
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