Then on the 26 and 27 July I will be undertaking one of the most demanding physical challenges I've attempted to date the UK's National Three Peaks Challenge, 11 hours of driving and 13 hours of walking, as we attempt to summit Ben Nevis (1,344m or 4,409ft), Scafell Pike (978m or 3,209ft) and Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa (1,085m or 3,560ft), in 24 hours, climbing around 9,800 feet (3,000 m) and walking between 26 and 27 miles in the process. We've been invited to formal launch event by the charity we're supporting on Thursday 25 July, so no pressure there then to complete it. Incidentally the team has paid for everything (guides, driver, minibus, accommodation, etc.) out of their own pockets, around £500 each, so every penny donated goes to Sandwell Women's Aid. So please visit the teams page and consider making a donation.
I'd booked Monday 21 July off work for my final training session. I was planning a wild camping trip to the Welsh Mountains this weekend for an extended session of hill walking as part of my final preparation, but given that the UK is currently enduring its traditional summer weather (torrential rain and thunderstorms) I might have to give it a rain check. A mountain is no place to be when lightning strikes. A possible title for a novel perhaps?
Back on the writing front in the short few weeks Exiles has been available to pre-order I've up-loaded a new short story to my website (Silence), submitted another to the British Fantasy Society 2014 Short Story Competition (The Dead Don't Talk) and listed some of the future projects I'm planning on the website.
I'm currently around 10k words into one of those 'The Beast' which is likely to be my next novel before turning my attention back to Reunions the third installment of the Ark Worlds Series. At the moment its planned as a standalone novel, but who knows I'm having so much fun with the characters I'm developing for it, they might get another outing.
Hopefully there will be another blog on Friday 25 July to celebrate the launch of Exiles and offer a few final words before attempting the three peaks. Then things may go quiet for a few days while I recover, both physically and mentally.