I have now left the sun and warmth of Puerto Rica, Gran Canaria, and returned home to the rain and cold of England. Curiously, I am rather happy to be home. The experiment of going somewhere warm for at least a part of January was a success; my wife got her dose of sunshine, and I got to spend a consistent amount of time writing. It turned out to be a very therapeutic experience for the both of us.

When I arrived in Gran Canaria my book was at the 80,000 word stage, but I had not written anything for nearly two months, mostly due to the advent of Christmas. I was eager to get back to it, but I was surprised by how easy that turned out be. On the first morning in Puerto Rico, I sat on the patio of the rented apartment and started reading my manuscript. I quickly got back into the story and did some rewriting along the way. Two days later and I was starting the first new chapter. By the time I packed up for the return journey home, I was planning the conclusion of the story after writing an additional 27,000 words. I certainly think that qualifies as a success!

This morning, listening to the rain falling outside, I am beginning the end of the book. I expect to finish the actual writing very soon, but then comes the review part where I will go back through the manuscript and see what I can make a better read, look for typographical errors, and check that I have the chronology and the technical details all completed correctly. Writing this book has given me such a creative burst of energy that I hope it will carry me into finishing my King of Pomerania novel next.