It is day 150 of Lock-Down, or Lock-Down Phase X. Who knows? The summer is ticking along and as August reaches the mid-point, things look mostly on track regarding the open projects that I am trying to release by the end of the year. Mostly. Autumn and winter could be heavy on editing, but it is too early to say for now. Project XI is going to the editor on the 24th, so we are hopefully looking at a late September, early October release for that title. Projects XII-XIV are still ticking along, with Project X also waiting for the editing room floor.
For the last few weeks, it has been mandatory mask-time in shops and whatnot. Something that should have been mandatory from day 1 of Lock-Down, but it is better late than never. I went with a sci-fi theme with my masks. Terminator, Aliens, BSG, and 1984 all represented. I am thinking of adding a few more, cannot hurt to have more than four masks available.
We have had some great weather in London recently. Even got the chance to break the pool out! Much needed when the temperatures are above 30.
I have been heading into the City a few times this summer to collect alterations from my tailor. It is only a 30-minute cycle, and with my current fitness and diet I have lost a bit of weight, so I needed some trousers adjusted and whatnot. It is scary when talking to him and other people with small businesses about the future of their trade. It sounds grim, and hopefully there will be more government help for small companies, not just the big ones.
On the cinematic front, I finally got around to watching ‘Threads’. The idea of nuclear war has always fascinated me, as I am currently reading ‘The Doomsday Machine’, which is about US nuclear war planning, and I read ‘The Dead Hand’ last year, also focusing on WMD. Anyway, ‘Threads’ was released in 1984 by the BBC and takes place in the town of Sheffield. I will not dive into the characters or the plot, other than to say that a nuclear exchange occurs between the NATO and the USSR, resulting in Sheffield getting hit by 2 nuclear bombs. The film is considered the most accurate representation of what would happen in the event of a nuclear attack and its aftermath, and quite simply, the film holds nothing back. It is a brutal and bleak look at what would happen in and after a nuclear war. It is a must watch for anyone. The world is at risk of nuclear conflict now in 2020 as much as it ever has been, and this film is a stark reminder of what could come to pass.
When looking at the remainder of August, the focus now is getting Project XI to my editor by the 24th, then turning my attention to the editing of Project XII and continuing to punch the keys on Projects XIII & XIV. I am also in the process of completely redesigning my book covers, trying to have a better uniformity between the covers. That process will hopefully be set before Project XI hits Kindle.
Until next time.