Writing (a deep intake of breath) oh what a harsh mistress you can be! The need to write, and I mean need, is to me just like the drugs my flawed protagonist in City of Darkness, Detective Kessler, depends on. That insatiable need to do it at all times, sometimes locked away in my dimly lit study at the top of the house, sometimes when I’m at work on a lunch break, when I’m meant to be paying attention to my fiancé Lilly as she tells me the gossip from her day or when I’m visiting the future in-laws – there is never a time when I’m not craving to get my handy notebook and pen out and scribble away on whatever scene/chapter/character/idea I am currently dreaming up. No place is out of limits for my addiction.
This hunger has started a journey which I have grabbed with both hands, feet and any part of my body affording grip! It has already allowed me to meet a whole host of interesting people and go to some great events and next up was an invitation to meet the new Mayor of North Down and Ards (my borough) – Alderman Alan Graham – right in my home town at Bangor Castle. A strange invitation, I thought, as here in Northern Ireland public offices are highly politicised entities – and I have always tried to keep politics out of my public persona – leaving my strongly held beliefs, my soul & everything to naturally be sown into the words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, character and plot of my stories. However, the Mayor had gotten hold of a press release and wanted to have a chat with me. ‘Why not!’, I thought. I have never met a Mayor before much less be invited into his private Parlour within the beautiful grounds Bangor Castle.
Unfortunately reality hit!
Not many things get in the way of feeding my addiction – I wont let it – I have to write, love to talk about literature and whatever project I’m currently on or have just released – however there is one thing that gets in my way of living the writer’s life……My job. That is the job that pays the bills, the job that keeps me and Lilly in our lovely blue house by the sea, the job that reminds me that I’m not quite full time writer just yet but also a full time manager in the security industry. Doh! A crisis at work needing me in on my day off soon had me typing and sending an email to the Mayor’s secretary apologising for the last minute cancellation. Sad times.
How do writers, especially new, emerging writers, balance a job plus churning out a book a year? Some publishers expect two books a year! What!?
So, here I am – like one of the ravaged chem heads in City of Darkness – I have just completed a 15 hour shift at work with no sleep. Tired and hungry, I ignore the need to close my eyes, to eat, but instead divulge my addiction and write and write and write some more.
Keep the kettle boiling Mayor Alan Graham there will be another time for a cuppa or two…… 🙂
Catch the great reviews of City of Darkness at http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=3191
and 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Darkness-What-Would-Avoid/dp/1784622532
Hope everyone has had a great start to the week – catch me on twitter @DPWright79 for more ramblings
D P Wright
D P Wright 