I sat down with my cup of tea this afternoon and realised it was, quite suddenly, Sunday – and here I am without so much as a word to share!
School Holidays is always one of my favourite times; I love having the kids close by (even if they argue) and not having to rush to school and other activities for a little while is a breath of fresh air.
As much as it’s fun to get out and do things, this holidays has been – and will continue to be – mostly about rest. Recharging all our batteries, particularly with winter drawing to a close (and handing out a couple of colds and a chest infection to boot) is where I’m putting my priorities.
Sharing my writing space during home days is always interesting, but watching the kids manage their own time is worth it. Piper has spent most of it colouring (and narrating said colouring) or building LEGO, her mind very much occupied with exploring the concept of character in her role play. Orion has consumed several novels, then drew me a comic based on one of them. We’ve had several intriguing discussions about his view of story and what he likes (and what he doesn’t) when he’s reading. I adore that he’s reading so voraciously, and so far one of my favourite holiday moments involves turning down an offer of video games to finish his book. He also loves peeking at what I’m writing – I just have to be careful he’s reading a scene that’s age appropriate! There’s been a couple of moments where he appears over my shoulder and the lid of my iPad gets shut very quickly, but we both laugh it off and slinks away with a cheeky wink.
Being at home has also allowed me to catch up on a bunch of writing jobs I had backed up, then really focus on Aislinn’s Shadow – which is shaping up to be a novel with a lot more heart than I ever thought possible. If next week is kind, I should be well and truly back on track for release sometime before Christmas, so stay tuned for more news as we get closer. (I spotted Christmas trees side by side with the Halloween displays at the shop today and really, I think I grew some extra white hairs just looking at it all.)
Are you on school holidays right now? How are you spending them – quiet at home, or out and about? I’d love to know!
Samantha Marshall 