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As it has been a while since I last did this, I’m starting the additional illustrations with an easy one. Pencils done; now to outline in black ink. The colour of the leaves will be different as I need a picture of autumn leaves. Seventeen more to do after this. #ScriptoriumChronicle #BookSky

I’ve come to the conclusion that “The Scriptorium Chronicle” needs a final few illustrations. Have printed out a handful of samples to work from. No need for AI slop when you’ve got inks, brushes and a can-do attitude.

Age verification? I typed in the code for games from magazines.

I don’t want to raise anyone’s hope of spring too early, but these guys are making a brave show that it’s on the way.

Newsflash! I have finally finished the edit/rewrite/extra material/new ending of “The Flipside Of Somewhen”. Started 35+ *years* ago, I can now see it aside for a little longer before going back for further editing. It feels good to have finally got this monkey off my back. #BookSky

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have come up with a new word: doomtrumping. They have a sense of what it means and leave readers to use it in appropriate contexts. These include, but are not limited to breaking wind while playing Doom and scrolling through newsfeeds.

Bread rolls update: Two and a half hours in and there are signs that something is happening. It is so slow that a glacier could probably overtake it.

To have bread rolls for breakfast tomorrow, I needed to make bread rolls today. I mixed the flour, salt and water, kneaded the dough and set it to prove. Only then did I see the yeast on the side, unused. Adding yeast after the event, so to speak, is more an exercise in hope than anything.

Author problem: character has to come up with something clever. Said author feeling particularly dim today. Solution: have the other characters come up with an idea. Not a clue what it is yet, but it buys me some time. #BookSky

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes listened to a discussion on the radio about students using AI to write essays, and teachers using AI to mark them. They can’t help but wonder at what point the actual learning takes place.

The Flipside Of Somewhen saga continues. After junking the old ending and adding several more chapters, I find myself at the end again and needing to end it differently. Again. This is not going as planned. #BookSky

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes found out that the TV show with scribes in it is called Fallout, and not Outfall. One is set 200 years in the future after nuclear devastation has ruined the world, and the other is 200 yards away from the privy into the brook. It is also a scene of devastation.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have heard about a TV show which has scribes in it. Naturally, they are interested. Apparently the show is called Outfall, or something like that. They are looking through the telly schedule to find out when it’s on.

What’s that quiet, intermittent clicking coming from the computer? Backing *everything* up in case there’s a hard disk crash on the horizon…

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes are putting the finishing touches to their newsletter and will be sending it out in a day or two. Feel free to sign up or visit the website for back issues: scriptoriumscribes.com/newsletter

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have taken down the Christmas decorations. Last to be removed was the wreath on the priory door. Mrs P has been busy baking cakes, and a barrel of ale has been brought up from the cellar. Tonight there will be roistering, revelry and the quoting Shakespeare.

Cooked a huge pot of stew and made the mistake of putting some Etna chillies in it. The clue is in the name. It has a bit of a kick to it (the kind where hobnail boots are involved). Tasty, but not as intended.

Happy Hogswatch Eve to those who celebrate

Taken an inventory of the freezer. Sooo much frozen rhubarb. Now I am frozen, like a bag of rhubarb.

Scriptorium alert: If you see twelve lords a-leaping today, it is the ten lords (plus two substitutes in case of injuries) getting some practice in for their turn in about three weeks.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have been using woke fonts. This is nothing new. They’ve been using woke fonts since writing was first invented. Woke hieroglyphs, woke pictograms, woke cuneiform, they’ve done it all.

Happy World Soil Day to all who celebrate!

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have seen four blackbirds, or colly birds as they are also known (colly is an old word for coal-black)(see also collie dog). Alexa is insistent that the 12 Days of Christmas doesn’t start for another 3 weeks. The scribes are confusing it with Advent.

In the Scriptorium today, three Faverolles chickens have been sighted pecking for worms in the kitchen garden. The scribes think that this is a breed of French hen. Alexa the scullery maid has pointed out that the 12 Days of Christmas only start on Christmas Day, so these are early and don’t count.

In the Scriptorium, the scribes received a bare rooted pear tree and a Partridge Family Greatest Hits CD yesterday. Two turtle doves were on the bird feeder today. Bets are being taken for what will show up tomorrow.

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Somewhere between maybe a third or halfway through the additional chapters for “The Flipside Of Somewhen”. It’s odd to be writing something I’ve outlined having pantsed the first 70k words. I just hope that the join won’t show once it has been edited.

Looking out of the Scriptorium windows today, Black Hill has become white with the hill snow that fell overnight. Alexa (scullery maid) has nipped out to the shops to get more cocoa powder as tomorrow is promising to be frosty. The scribes are lobbying for the fire to be lit.

Finishing the final edit of the last three pages of “The Flipside Of Somewhen” and I realise that what I need to do is bin them and write 6 more chapters (length unknown) instead. This edit is not exactly going to plan. The ending is not what I thought it was. [Expletive deleted]…

#NaNoWriMo ? How about #NaNoWriWTFYouWantMo ? No word counts, no assumptions, no bigotry, nothing. Just write what you want, when you want. The rest can be figured out later.

I’ve been dwelling on a few things of late, such as the effects of AWS going down and how increasingly reliant society is on technology - see James Burke “Connections” The Trigger Effect (1978). Then I came across this again. I can still remember the opening shot of the scientist dropping the flask.

Note to self: in future, do not use an adverb for one of the main character’s name. The style checker is having a temper tantrum.

The scribes would like to state for the record that they do not pay a peppercorn rent for the priory. They were given the land by the monarch of the day for services rendered and built it themselves. Any peppercorns were for making peppercorn sauce and that’s the story they’re sticking to.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes are attempting to determine the precise moment the information superhighway became the disinformation hypersewageway, as soon as their internet connection is back up and running, that is.

Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only.

In the Scriptorium today, Mrs Pritchett has been making more green tomato chutney from this year’s bumper crop. The scribes are leaving jars of it by the priory gates for passers by. All donations go to a worthy cause. Cheques should be made out to CASH (Charitable Alms, Scriptorium House)

Well that was fun. Editing “The Flipside Of Somewhen” and what started as cutting out unnecessary detail in a paragraph turned into 500 words of new material. The writing is a lot tighter, but I’m supposed to be pruning the dratted thing.

In the Scriptorium today, the gas lift in one of the swivel chairs has failed. The scribe sitting with their knees round their ears has been introduced to the concept of the standing desk. This is a Heath Robinson affair comprising of a desk piled on top of a broken chair.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes are using the “by zombies” rule to weed out instances of the passive voice. The only problem is that it’s a book about zombies and the gate to the compound was forced open by zombies. They are investigating if verb + “by dragons” will work instead.

In the Scriptorium today, the cauliflowers have been coddled and the scribes are back to scribing. Translation: up to date in the garden and greenhouse so I’m back to editing “The Flipside Of Somewhen”

In the good old days (like last year), I’d be doing the last few jobs in the garden in preparation for winter. Having got a kitchen garden going, I’ve been getting the winter crops started and have never been so busy outside at this time. The writing has had to take a back seat for the time being.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have been sweeping the priory chimneys. It is a messy job and there are a lot of them. They now know how the Blackfriars got their name.

After other stuff getting in the way, I’m now back to editing “The Flipside Of Somewhen”. The start of the third section has the word “slowly” appear in three consecutive sentences. If nothing else, this is a good example of why we edit. For what it’s worth, all three are now gone.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes received an eldritch tome, bound in black leather, with a burning eye set in a pentagram on the cover. The spine is missing, so they have no idea what the book is about, and nobody is prepared to open it to find out. It has gone to the bottom of the TBR pile.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes are being taunted by the smell of green tomato chutney coming from the kitchens. There will be none for supper tonight as that stuff takes weeks to mature.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have heard that this may well be the day of the Rupture, and have been making support trusses, just in case.

Looked out of the window to see if the rapture has happened yet. Saw the milkman and a dustbin lorry go past. If everyone else has gone, at least the bins have been emptied and we’ve got fresh milk.

In the Scriptorium today, the scribes have returned from a long pilgrimage to to abbey of Vallonné La-Bas (literal translation: “hilly over there”). Expect more scriptorial shenanigans soon.