Today's post is brought to you by the letter...

...A!  I bet you wondered where that title was going to lead?  Today I plunged into the endless ocean that is the internet to begin some proper research for Hitched and where better to start than with 'A' for 'Alabama'.  I like to be methodical so working my way through the fifty states alphabetically really appeals to me, even though it does mean I'll be jumping around the country somewhat erratically (next up is Alaska, for example). 

I've learnt a lot already - for example, I never knew Alabama had a coastline, I thought it was a landlocked state somewhere *waves hand vaguely* in the middle.  We're just not taught US geography in school here, or much history for that matter, so all I know is picked up from TV, things I've read and the places I've been.  Considering I've only been to two places in the US - New York and Florida - that's only the tiniest tip of the iceberg of what's out there to discover.  I'm really quite excited about the whole project now, I've been bitten by the travel bug already and I'm only on my first state!  I have to hope that when the book is done and published (positive thinking here!) I can go on some sort of tour...maybe to take a photo of it with every single state sign?  That would be rather lovely. 

Japan continues to be foremost in my thoughts and I would continue to urge you to donate to one of the charities sending aid to those suffering if you can.  Thank you. 
.

Beginnings

So I am well aware (and slightly guilt-stricken) that I started this blog in March, and that it is now August, but I am finally in a position to make proper, regular, use of it.  At the beginning of August I changed the work pattern of my full-time day job, so I now work four longer days and have every Wednesday off.  Wednesdays are now my Writing Days!

I've had three Writing Days - the first I spent feeling weird (like I was skiving off the day job) and organising my office and books etc, the second I spent catching up with the archaeology course that I was a bit behind on and the third (yesterday) I spent procrastinating while excitedly waiting for my new laptop to be delivered (it wasn't, as it happened - it came today).  But now my shiny new tech-baby is all set up and I'm ready to go! 

Of all the ideas bubbling around in my head, choosing which one to put my energy into first has proved tricky so far, but I think I've decided.  It's a non-fiction work- a guide for British couples wanting to get married in the USA, and I'm really confident about it.  When I was planning my own wedding (which was in New York) there were no books and very little information available if you weren't willing to scour the Internet.  Fortunately I LOVE scouring the Internet and researching minute details for hours on end, but I know that I might be in the minority there, so I believe there would be a great market for my book.  Of course there's a lot of research to be done before I get to the writing stage but I'm very excited nonetheless! 

I plan to blog the progress of 'Hitched' separately as it develops, which you can find here: Hitched Guide blog  If you follow it, it will be even more of an incentive for me to keep going! 

Thanks for reading!

Toyah

"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them" ~ Walt Disney