Glistening and juicy, just asking to be turned into jam

It’s a wonderful time of year here; monbretia and fuschia line the roadways, blackberries are ripe for picking and the skies get moodier as the sunny days are tinged with a slight chill in the mornings. Autumn is becoming visible in the auburn-tinged ferns and wilting ivy. But most importantly, the crazy pace of the summer (tourist) season is slowing down so it’s freeing up more time to write.

This autumn/winter, my schedule looks like this so far:

• September: Prepare novel for submission, complete picture book text for submission, nature poem for Rialto nature competition, attend Cork International Short Story festival and the Penguin publishing day in Dublin (prize for Penguin/RTE Guide short story competition).
• October: Write first draft of book for 5-8 years & draft of book for 8-12 years (to see if the ideas work).
• November: Write first draft of new novel (undecided – YA or adult)
• December: and rest!

The ivy is dying back, offering beautiful colour to hedgerows

I love the quiet mornings in autumn/winter when I can light a scented candle, treat my feet to soft slippers and write solidly for an hour or two before anyone stirs.

It takes a bit of getting used to as the days draw in and cool down – and sometimes it takes a bit of extra effort to haul myself from under the duvet – but I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to switch to a slower pace of life.

And although writing can be a lonely pursuit, I love having a blog because I can connect with other writers and nature lovers, and we can share what’s happening in our lives.

So what I’d really like to know is – what’s your favourite thing about autumn and winter? And if you’re a writer, what are you working on?