I am typing this week's newsletter on my phone. As you can imagine this is far from ideal, as my typing speed is about 3 million times slower this way, but my laptop has shuffled off the mortal coil. I've found a friendly local necromancer who is making best efforts to revive it, but I've been warned that zombie laptops have a habit of crawling back into the ground within 6-12 months. C’est la vie. Or perhaps more appropriately, c’est la mort.
This leaves me in a tricky spot. I write using a specialist software (scrivener, for those who are interested) so popping to my local library to use their computer for a few hours isn't that feasible. And with the sweeping cuts to libraries in recent years, finding one that's open at the times I'd need it would be a challenge all on its own. So, here I am, unable to complete edits on A Quartz Storm, nor able to continue drafting The Faerie Cake Killer. I've occupied my time with Christmas preparations and house maintenance, reasoning that all things need to be completed sometime, and that I can claw back my writing time later. But the laptop necromancer tells me that the part he requires, whilst mercifully cheap, needs to be shipped from far enough away that I'll be lucky to get my laptop back before his seasonal closure. I can't be that long without a laptop - not just for the as yet unprofitable novel writing, but paid employment is reliant on it too. I'll work something out, of course, but it's a reminder of the additional stresses that self employment brings.
It's not all doom and gloom this week though. Some of you may have noticed that I've now turned on paid subscriptions, and I already have my very first subscriber! I honestly can't tell you how much it means to me, I'm so grateful for your support. You have a character named after you in appreciation! And thank you also to everyone who continues to subscribe, read, and engage. Particularly on frustrating weeks like this one, having people like you in my corner means the world.