Mid January already?

[Originally published: 16th Jan 2023]

Hello readers! Much to my surprise, we are already halfway through the first month of 2023. For some reason, I feel as if I’ve been incredibly busy, and yet I haven’t much to show for it. That being said, I thought I’d provide a progress update as we go into the new year.

First off, a photo of the Lake District

Here you go. There are plenty more where this came from, don’t worry.

This is a photo of some ruins on the flanks of The Old Man of Coniston, a mountain in the southern Lake District. Apparently, the strange name of this fell comes from a corruption of the Celtic “Alt Maen”, meaning “high stone”, although I can’t find any sources for this beyond other blogs. In any case, I feel slightly let down by this name origin. “High stone” might be apt for a rocky peak, but it’s a little unimaginative. I was hoping for something more Tolkien-esque; for example, a tragic tale about a giant old man who sat down, couldn’t get back up, and eventually turned to stone. Poor guy.

Anyway, it’s a great walk if you get the chance. The route is straightforward, the views over Morecambe Bay are fantastic, and the fells in the area are littered with the intriguing remains of mining activities. Over the centuries, people have extracted various metals (namely copper), and huge quantities of slate – with a lot of the waste left lying around in towering heaps.

The slate itself is gorgeous. Coniston green slate is volcanic, formed from ashy aggregates that fell down from a plume during an eruption. Its slateyness is actually quite unusual, as most volcanic rocks in the area won’t cleave into nice, flat planes. However, this ash wasn’t hot enough to weld together when it landed, which allowed the round particles to be squashed into discs as more material was piled on top. These discs were then reoriented by a period of mountain-building millions of years later – and when elongated particles are squashed into alignment, we get slate. End of lecture.

Progress update

I am still intending to publish another book this year. The book in question is the sequel to Highmoor, and we’re about to enter the final rounds of editing. I will give an official announcement at a later date, but for now, I can let you know that we’re aiming for late spring/early summer.

Also in the works is the third book in the Highmoor series. This is very much in the first draft stage, but I’m past halfway. For me, that means the toughest section is over. At this point, things start locking into place, and the clear end goal makes the writing easier. Still, don’t expect this book until at least next year!

The mind bloggles

I also have some interesting ideas for the blog, besides waffling for several paragraphs about cool rocks (I am aware this is subjective). I’m thinking reviews, for all sorts of things: books, museums, Greggs sausage rolls, films, walks… But I’ll try and keep the tone consistent. Also, as much as I enjoy writing scathing reviews, there are also some TV shows on my radar that are begging for a more serious, insightful dissection – for example, the recent adaption of His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Just know that I intend to keep the blog lighthearted where possible!

On that note, I will draw the progress update to a close. I hope that you have had a pleasant 2023 so far.