And we're back

No, I wasn't on holiday for the past fortnight (more's the pity). But I got back to a mountain of work and, for once, resisted the urge to do some work displacement by blogging. Having cleared the Project That Dare Not Speak Its Name (PTDNSIN for short) off my desk (barring rewrites and the tweaks still undoubtedly coming), I gave myself the luxury of a day off.

The holiday was a joy - seven days on St Lucia, all inclusive and all good all the time. The only downer was the flight back, with a fantastically uncomfortable seat in BA's Scum Section (akak World Traveller) and two hours of fitful sleep. Then it straight back into panto rehearsals. I'm directing The Scarlet Pumpnickel and we're effectively having to throw it all together in five weeks. Madness, but we'll somehow pull it together. I hope.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday was devoted to my first piece of assessed work for one of the modules on my MA Screenwriting course. This was a case study for the Business of Screen Project Development. I did an obscure Michael Caine film called 'Quicksand', thanks to some juicy revelations from screenwriter Timothy Prager and director John Mackenzie. Alas, the Prager interview was done strictly off the record, so I can't regurgitate the details here - a promise is a promise.

Thursday was spent in at Napier doing Week 7 of my part-time MA, then racing home to direct another panto rehearsal.

Friday was writing the synopsis for the first half of a two-part Phantom story called Circe's Island, then back to scripting the fourth and final episode of PTDNSIN. That ran into Saturday (until 10pm). And then into Sunday (until 10pm). And on into Monday. Finally sent off the second draft yesterday afternoon. Then found out part three needs rewrites, but the script editor has volunteered to tackle those, bless him. The PTDNSIN has been a year in the making and the end is finally in sight.

So today was a pause in traffic, a chance to tidy the office and generally chill. Went shopping Edinburgh - Euryhtmics' Savage on CD, a new black silk scarf, a clutch of magazines, a ninety quid Christmas present for the wife and sundry bits & bobs.

Jobs for the rest of this week - got to write a one-page pitch for a BBC7 slot called The 7th Dimension , due in Friday. Got to start scripting the Phantom story I did the plot for last week, that's due ASAP. Got to transcribe 2.5 hours of tape before writing the final two parts of the Megazine history articles (the first of those is due by Friday next). Want to start scripting my Fiends comic serial for the Megazine, Stalingrad, although that's not urgent. No doubt some rewrites on the PTDNSIN, which goes back into the studio next week. Feck, what else?

Got to do a pitch for a BIg Finish project I'm not allowed to talk about - a very exciting opportunity, that's all I can let slip. Must try not to arse that up.

Want to put together a proper pitch for my proposed Warhammer project for Lindsay P at the Black Library.

And, of course, my third FIENDS OF THE EASTERN FRONT novel is due January 9th. And my final two pieces of assessed work on the opening modules of my MA are both due January 27th next year - I guess both of those will be waiting 'til after Xmas.

Busy, busy, busy.