Gillet of Azincourt is finally finished. It took more than a year. Perhaps more than two years, if you count from when it was just a preface for Agnes of Meaux, then became the first half dozen chapters of that novel, then spun off to become a stand alone novella and finally a novel by itself. Two years is long, but not if you think about it in context. Norman Mailer spent eleven years on Ancient Evenings. (I’m not claiming to be in the same league as Mailer, just saying that two years isn’t that bad). I’ll have to pick up the pace if I want to finish all 19 books in the Ancestors Series. Four done, three in progress (plus other things). But you have to do it right. No point going the cheap route, cutting corners or scrimping on quality. You won’t be happy with the result. Invest the time.

Gillet is Book 2 of the series. Books 4, 5 and 10 are done. I haven’t decided if I’ll write Book 1 or Book 3 next. I’ve had a few readers tell me that they prefer to read series from the beginning and learning that 4. 5 and 10 came before 2 doesn’t make them a happy dancer. But think of Star Wars. Started in the middle and then added prequels and sequels. I suppose if you passed away before seeing Episode 1 then you’re disappointed. But, so what.

Anyway, I have time now to get back to blogging a bit. I think we left off in 1963, when I lived at the Moxam apartments in Calgary and JFK had just gone to his long sleep. I don’t think I told you about Tex, the Blood house, throwing dirt clumps at pedestrians, my first Playboy viewing, better to box than wrestle, Elveden House, watching the March of Dimes parade while getting an infected vaccination or seeing how to become a human projectile off the back of a sports car convertible. All fun and interesting stuff.

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