A big thank you to all of you who took the time to read my previous blog-post Corona as an opportunity. In it, I made brief mention of getting back to work on my book, which has been at the back of my mind for the best part of forty years and wanted to elaborate on how it was coming along.

I started work on it in late 2014 after re-commencing my healing journey. Which, as I have mentioned before, involved giving up drinking, cigarettes, gambling and coffee! Amongst other things. Not long after, around early 2015, I hit a block, and on the advice of my therapist, I took up another creative endeavour, acting. Which led me to shift my focus onto other writing formats which I had been interested in at various stages, particularly screenwriting and a new addition, playwrighting. Until coming around full circle to where I find myself again five years later, a lot closer to my original goal.

The Engine room. Organised chaos!

The book is a memoir, a detailed description of my Australian experience. In my first post Fill her up please back in 2013, I committed to share my transformational journey in the hope that it will help other middle-aged men (guess that makes me one, hey???) A guide if you like to dealing with depression through shared experience. I’ve come to learn that it’s never as bad as you think it is and the signs are always there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to follow the signs.

Over the coming weeks and months, I intend to share elements of my story as I go through my very loose first draft. I hope to highlight areas covered in the book, teasers if you like. I give it six months, whose going to hold me to it?

Finally,

ODIWTTT is the Acronym for the name of the book; it’s a bit long, I know. Whoever can work it out will be the first to read the completed manuscript. Sound like a fun challenge? I get the feeling that in the coming weeks and months, a little light reading distraction and pursuit of creativity will be a good thing for everyone. A lot better than savouring all the fear and negativity that is currently swirling around us.