It’s been a good week. I’ve managed to do a lot of writing and now have two possible versions of a new opening chapter to Tales of the Countess. I remember once seeing an interview with JK Rowling where she spoke of how she wrote and re-wrote and re-wrote the opening of the first Harry Potter book. I know how she feels as it is always the first third of my book which needs major surgery every time I do a new draft.

This time round the opening chapter of the book is particularly important. I really need to show how off the rails the Countess is to make a contrast with later in the book when she gets her act together and, hey presto, the man of her dreams starts to pursue her.

Speaking of Harry Potter, I started reading Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone this week. It’s brilliant and I’m really enjoying it. Something tells me that I’ll be reading all seven books back to back. From a technical viewpoint it is interesting reading too as I paid good attention to how JK Rowling introduced the concepts and the muggle and wizard worlds. I think this has helped me find solutions to some of the difficulties I have in my own book. Thanks JK!