I have been working on this novel for a few years now, and I am not sure yet whether I am half way, two thirds or what! It’s not just about word count – while I have about 55K on ‘the page’ and I am aiming for a 80K finish line ( not my usual >100K work – apparently no-one wants the longer form nowadays, which is fine with me!) so that would make it – quick check of the calculator – about 70% through! Ha ha ha ha – wouldn’t that be great! But none of that takes into account the editing, the restructuring, the editing, the rewriting and the fiddling diddling about…. But this is not the first or even second year that one of my New Year’s resolutions has been ‘FINISH the work!’.

This year (2023) I have not even put it on the list – what I decided on my brief but very sweet New Year’s visit to the Central West was to recover my lost tai chi forms – two swords and one ‘real’ tai chi – one of the Chen long forms. It might be called Heaven & Earth but then I think they all are called that!

But I know that Handel is waiting for me to to finish it. And since he wrote everything very fast – very fast – massive operas and oratorios coming together in three to four weeks – during disciplined times away from the London scene, from the public work of putting on the show – he must be wondering what the hell / heaven and earth is going on!

Anyway this is my way of saying hello to any interested viewers/readers… and here is a pic of Mrs Cibber.