PORTLAND JONES

My next novel, The Dollmaker’s Story, is coming along nicely. I have the plot worked out, at least to a certain extent. I’m not a plotter in the fullest sense of the word but I have a written guideline to where my story is going. I don’t plan each scene, but I do record before I start what I want to include somewhere in the writing. When I am writing I can see in my head what is happening. I know my characters and how they would behave in any given circumstance. And when you

So what has kept me away from my desk recently? The bad: an abscess that made me look like hamster with stuffed cheeks led to a trip to the dentist which in turn led to anti-biotics and an appointment for an extraction. Also bad, my central heating has decided it won’t turn off. In winter this may not be a problem but here we are in the hottest weather of the year so far. Spending time out doors seems the best option. Engineers are expected on Friday to resolve the problem. A

I think I may have told you that I have a problem with memory following a stroke. Usually this means I might forget a character’s name, or whether it’s summer or autumn. I keep copious notes and lists so I can look up details like this and usually I get by with no major concerns. It just takes me longer. Recently it led to a huge disappointment. I had been writing my chapters in separate documents. I found it a fairly simple way of keeping track of progress. I had a sudden th