Just before the beginning of November, I was thinking about Nanowrimo and a desire to leave my usual environment and work somewhere else. Although I don’t participate every year I had an outline for a new Frank Bowen novel I really wanted to nail. Whether you call it divine intervention or just pot luck an opening came up in CreativCastle. Organised by Indie Publisher and writer Derek Murphy, this irregular convening of writers takes place in castles (and possibly log cabins in the future) with the mantra: ‘Get shit done.’
View from the private garden at Borg Rappottenstein
Feeling extremely fortunate, I got a flight to Austria and headed to Burg Rappottenstein, a huge castle from the 13th century that had never been breached.
The routine was set with hard writing sprints, broken up with a few day trips and forays to get supplies and pleasant walks to throw ideas back and forth with fellow writers in the surrounding forest.
There was even a Murder in Rappottenstein collaboration thrown in for fun. Let’s just say the movie rights are being negotiated (not). đ
So, word counts. I was fairly disappointed to fall short at around 40k words what with other work but the positive aspect was I broke the back of Ghost Spies, the third Frank Bowen book! Look out for it next year.
In the meantime, I’ve learned I need to try more of these writer meet-ups as it appears to be a massive boost for creativity.
On another note, I also finished a short Frank Bowen story called Cross Wire. This will also be released next year but will free for Jay Tinsiano subscribers.
Catch up soon.
