The Spoons That Are My Ears!

I had a real day of adventure yesterday. The most technical climbing I have managed so far, finally overcoming my reliance on jug holds and learning how to trust crimps, slopers and pinch grips, and getting the feet to balance successfully on much smaller footholds than usual. I'm improving slowly. Managed to get stuck at the top of an outcrop for five minutes, had to fight the fear, keep a cool head and get myself out of trouble calmly and precisely. Good practice!

There was also an interesting scramble through a narrow gully with smoothish sides and a race against the incoming tide to climb over the final obstacle and get clear. It was a sunny day but cold -- like a professional smile. Despite my dislike of the cold, such conditions are better than endless rain and smothering greyness.

"Adventure" in real life, for me, is a rather less bizarre and catastrophic concept than it is for the characters in most of my stories. The ultimate fictional adventure I have written so far is that of the apeman test pilot, Stringent Strange. This book still needs pre-orders! In fact it needs another ten to be a viable product. So if you are feeling heroic, why not help him out by pre-ordering a copy? You'll get a mention in the book itself.