Hello everyone,

General:
So I'm sitting in my armchair – which has taken on a new life since Zena's challenge; but things are not quite as they should be… You know the saying that removals come higher in the stress stakes than a death in the family or marital breakdown; well it's true. Believe me. Despite my best efforts, as you read this I'm either waiting for the van, or shifting the box marked 'stuff-12' to the van, or scratching my head while an impatient removal man waits to know to which room the box marked 'stuff-12' has to go.

This is being sent from the sanity of the library. I hope my computer turns up this evening. I'm thinking of compiling a retrospective blog which I might circulate (subject strip "don't do it") which, if you're of a weak disposition, you won't read!

I had a mail from Di. She told me about some software to help with long pieces of writing (phonestory type stuff) called 'Dragon Naturally Speaking' which allows you to talk and your machine types it "without your fingers ever leaving your hands" she assures me! Thought it might be of interest to some of you. I have no more details other than the software title.

I'm keen to get the membership back up to the numbers that we've had for the last few years. Discussions continue with people who've shown an interest and I hope to let you know about new members before alphaday 3.

I've had a couple of comments about poetry, which often takes a back seat in alpha-activities. Simply because my domestics have been a bit hairy for the last few days, I've left further comment and action based on the ideas presented until next time.

You should all have seen the phonestory by now. I had praise from some – described as a "riveting read" even. However, one of the sharper eyed readers spotted two 'errors'. (How dare they!) The first was a word that should have been clipped. Early on there is the section about finding Lord Framworth; the belief that he's committed suicide; and Raworth talks about having "the murder weapon"… Of course, that should have been changed to "a weapon".

The second is towards the end where things do get a bit hectic. Sol's in hospital and Davey has Sol's car and Ginger. "So how can Sol drive his car to the Hall the next day?" came the question. So here's the lowdown – but don't tell anyone. Sol was told where his car was and collected it on his way to the Hall (taken to Dora's house in a police car, of course). Ginger, meanwhile, is perfectly safe at Jade's house with Ziggy. And how did Dora get to the Hall? Well they went in her car, didn't they!

I was 'talking' about a challenge with one of you recently and it got me thinking about empathy and how I couldn't get any for the challenge setting this person has in mind. I wondered if this is one of the reasons why people tell us to write about what we know – because it's difficult to get any empathy with characters in settings we know nothing about. But it also made me think about the issue of research.

I remember that I got the best grades (not that they were particularly good) when I was doing my Open University courses, if I had to do research on something about which I knew little. Did my research help me to empathise more with the topic area or simply learn facts? Would research help me to better empathise with the setting for the challenge we were discussing? Do we only have to write about things that we know? Certainly, I'm of the opinion that we can write well about things that are alien to us. The two group stories have, in my opinion, shown that.

So where's my Dorling Kindersley book of chairs… Oh! Too late. Zena's deadline has been and gone… (Dates for challenges are in the preseason circular, for those needing a reminder)

Challenges:
I hope you have all completed challenge one and sent it to Zena. Thanks Zena for an interesting challenge. She is sending out the entries for you to vote on. Remember that even if you didn't enter, you can vote. Rosemary is sending out her challenge today. One of the more difficult ones, as far as I'm concerned but thanks Rosemary and I hope you all enjoy it.

Log:
I'm hoping you have had more time than I have to do some proper writing. I find it fascinating to see what a wide spectrum of writing we all get involved with.

Research:
I was saying earlier about research – well the topic came into my mind because I'm preparing for this year's nanowrimo. I've been pasting up pages from googlemaps that show contours and let me create something of this strange post-global-warming-flooded east anglia that is the heart of story. And there are days when I find myself getting so engrossed in contours, how people might re-route roads, vanished villages, travel without petrol, crops in a warmer climate… that plot and characters drop off the list!

When preparing for last year's nanowrimo, I came across an item on the net about a cold-war underground bunker being up for auction. I spent the next fortnight reading about a mammoth bunker in the west country and creating a mythological subterranean old-people's home just off the main road to Saxmundham…

I wondered if you, too, have a vast collection of indexed clippings from diverse sources. And if you, too, become sidetracked by learning about your topic. Writing? Who needs writing when there's so much fun to be had in just thinking about it!

Finally...
My daughter was on the phone the other day telling me about a BBC series (this week?) about big cats in the Masai Mara. As we visited this area as part of our safari last year, she thought I'd be interested – even if I can't watch it! However, in celebration of having broadband sorted, here's my big cat from that visit. The cat in question was but a few yards from our vehicle…

Best wishes all

- David