Big News and Good Eats
And I know Victoria’s secret…
It’s been a big couple of weeks here, friends. As you know, I started my new job last Monday, and I’m really enjoying it. And I ran 10 miles last weekend as part of my half marathon training (and felt really good). But, as a cherry on top, I have book news:
I finished the first draft of my novel!
This news has been a long time coming. I started the book almost exactly 4 years ago, after a lunchtime chat at Ty Newydd about library home delivery services sparked a thought in my mind about how good a way that would be to bring a character into contact with lots of other people they might not normally meet… and here we are.
So, what’s next?
A few friends have got copies of the draft to read through, and it’s been lovely seeing their reactions. The characters have all lived in my brain for the last four years, so it’s wonderful to hear what other people think of them. They’ve given me some really useful feedback about which characters aren’t well enough described or places where the timeline seems wonky (obviously I have it all written down in my own notes, but not all of that detail goes into the novel), so that has given me a list of things to resolve, in addition to a few plot holes I know I’ve left behind for myself to fix. And then I’ll start querying agents.
It’s a long road to publication, but the most important question is answered: yes, I can write a whole book. Because I’ve done it!!
Good Eating
I have two things to share with you this week; neither of them are ‘recipes’ per se but both of them were delicious and I had to tell you about them.
First, I made this black bean and ‘beef’ burrito bowl last night, and like many delicious meals, it photographed really badly (maybe I should have photographed it before the dollop of yoghurt and the mountain of vegan grated cheese).
I fried off a sliced red onion, a chopped red pepper and one packet of the Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers ‘No Beef Pieces’, with a tablespoon of paprika, some chilli flakes, garlic powder, and some chipotle & lime seasoning powder. Once that had all cooked down and smelt amazing, I added a can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a big squeeze of tomato purée, and about 150ml of water, and let it cook together on a low heat for 15ish minutes.
To go with it, I made a quick salsa with a packet of cherry tomatoes (quartered), two sliced spring onions, a slosh of olive oil, and some chilli flakes and salt. I served up by putting cooked brown rice and salad in a bowl, then spooning on some of the ‘beef’ mixture and some salsa. For toppings, I put a big dollop of Greek yoghurt and some Nurishh grated ‘cheese’. If you can eat avocado (I can’t), I imagine guacamole would go fantastically with this too.
And now for something much less serious: bread-and-spread, in the style of Neapolitan ice cream. Left to right, these stripes are: Biscoff spread, Bonne Maman chocolate-hazelnut spread (very like Nutella but palm oil free), and Pip & Nut peanut butter. So good, and exactly what I needed to keep me going when I went out earlier this week and knew dinner would be later than usual.
Something Good…
It’s ‘Edinburgh in August’ in a way we haven’t experienced since 2019, with the Fringe, the Festival, and all the other events fully back up and running. I saw Grace Campbell’s show on Thursday; it was really incisive and very funny. Plus, now I know what Burnley FC’s home ground is called. I’m also looking forward to going to Andy’s Moon Show - he’s a friend of mine and has worked super hard to prepare for the Fringe.
I can’t get Jax’s song Victoria’s Secret out of my head (Spotify link). Listen only if you’re ready to get angry.
Hope you’re all staying cool enough,
Speak soon,
Lily