100 hours of novel-editing in one month in Berlin

If you haven't heard from me for a while, I've been doing a novel-editing marathon! 

The wins: 

• I've been spending time in some lovely places, and really enjoyed myself! Like this cafe in Hufelandstrasse, Prenzlauer Berg. Also, a treehouse in a children's playground, and my writing desk at home (pic below).
• I worked my way through 4 chapters (about a quarter of the novel) - so I now I know I have to allow 300 more hours!
• I kept running, and ran 10K
• I've lost a stone. Only minor bad behaviour with a bag of nuts and a box of chocolates in the final days

The hurdles:

• We haven't had any internet connection at home, or phone line, and so I've become hopelessly disconnected from everyone - apologies
• I've forgotten all the German I learnt before this month started
• Too many espresso macchiatos

Now I know a few more things about the creative process, and can plan the next one better! (Two weeks, then a healthy week, then two more - that's as long as I can last before entering caffeine hyperspace)

Rob Marr and Cara Sebastian: goosebumps in Berlin

Thank you for an electrifying gig you two uniquely talented performers! Heartfelt, personal, carried-away music reminded me how spine-tingling live performance can be.  

Smoky cellar bar, some old brown velvet curtains as backdrop, a red light - the whole kind of bombed-out dirty-brothel vibe you'd hope from a Berlin gig. 

Images from the narrative songs, as lyrically alive as poems or short stories, drift in and out of my head today; little pictures washed up on the shore of my mind: pubic hair and money and melting snow and a bleeding ear. 

Don't worry, I'm not in a rush to create another performance myself, despite the inspiration. But seeing them immersed in what they were doing on stage, and hearing their words, something was restored to me. 

Find their Europe tour, and more, here; also Rob Marr's facebook page, and Cara Sebastian's facebook page.