Just a quickie. Whilst waiting for various happenings with the first two novels (there will be some news soon!), I find myself diving nose first down a new and glorious research rabbit hole: the late Georgians, mostly the rural ones. Got to keep my foot on the writing pedal, got to crack on with the next one, the beginnings of which poured forth yesterday, much to my surprise and delight. I have decided to revisit the breathless hubris of the historical novel I wrote aged 14 to see if I can bring it into the 21st century, whilst keeping it in the 18th century, if you see what I mean. I don’t have the original (it was awful!), but would like to reuse some of the characters and the story fundamentals.
So: research time! That can mean only one thing: second hand books! Ahhh! They make me SO happy! The collecting has begun, although I already have a few ‘in stock’.
As ever, I’m astonished at the absolute gems you can pick up for a few quid, certainly less than a fiver. And of course, the old-0ld books smell divine! I shall end up smelling like an old book myself and I don’t care. I shall be a book-stinky old lady.
Eau d’Olde Tome. Marvellous!.
Whilst I worship the ground Lucy Worsley walks on, her books are not old enough to acquire ‘The Smell’ just yet, but I do not hold that against them. Hang on in there, Luce, their time will come!
I’m particularly pleased to discover ‘The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker’ by Tobias Smollett. A Scottish writer (and surgeon), he had a rather jaded view of Georgian society, but as always with contemporary fiction, you get the truth of the matter, I think. I’m looking forward to reading that in particular. He looks a bit world-weary in the portrait below, a bit like he’s just done a really big sigh.
Have a good weekend, even if you don’t have any smelly old books to hand. (Go get some!) 😃
Jacqueline Day 
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