I never intended to write a post like this, because it sounds like a cry for sympathy. I am not asking for sympathy, but I do feel like you guys should know why I’m a bit slow with the next book and possibly a bit quiet.
So…
This week I had to rush off to support my father who is looking after my mother, who is basically confined to a bed now. Today, someone has decided that, since my mother has a fever and is short of breath, the house is now in 14-day quarantine in case she has COVID-19. I got told this just after I’d put Bitter Wind out for sale, which is why I went a bit quiet after doing so. The annoying thing is that something other than that virus is probably responsible for my mother’s symptoms, but no one is taking any chances. And I can’t really blame them.
While I can work from here, more or less, it’s far from ideal. I’ll try to get an art dump up in the next day or so. I keep my reference art on OneDrive, so that should be okay. What I can’t do is produce new reference art for anything new. Just the fact that I’m helping with my mother’s care is going to make things difficult, but I’ll be doing my best to keep working.
That said, most of the chaos today has been caused by our need to suddenly source food which can be delivered to the house. Yes, we’re really being required to stay indoors; we can’t go out for anything. This should be really exciting. It’s possible I just might decide to do a post-apocalyptic story after all this dies down.
Witches and Ray-Guns 
Hi Niall, hopefully it will all work out, your mum only having a cold or something like that. Hopefully home delivery is working out better in the UK than here. With all the shortages from the hoarding (which may look wise now) home delivery here blew out to a fortnight’s wait for delivery. We do have govt/charity doing home delivery for pensioners now with the basics.
I found as I expected really in my cleaning work yesterday that one thing the home bound are doing is massive house cleaning, lots of extra rubbish to be removed.
Best wishes for you and all you family at this time!
Niall I wish your mum all the best and that she will get better soon. I can completly understand if you want to take it slow with the writing to theak care of her. Im an EMT so at least I know a little bit of how it is to have a close family member sick and confined to bet. Being in Carantine sucks a lot.
Best wishes for your mother’s speedy & full recovery. These are stressful times so be sure that you & your father have ways to cope.
Over here (Chicago area) the Shelter-in-Place order is likely to be extended until at least April 30 to match the updated US federal guidance. My elderly mother-in-law is visiting for the duration so we’re trying to be extra careful even with the trips we’re allowed to take. I’m working from home but my wife works in healthcare on a hospital campus and has to wear PPE.
It feels like we’re not far from a “28 days” scenario but with looters instead of zombies.
I’m very sorry to hear that your mum is ill. Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery and that it’s nothing serious.
My area in the States isn’t strictly locked down, but it’s generally only go out for food, and maintain distance at all times.
Sorry to hear that your Mother is ill. Hope she gets better soon, and it is nothing serious.
Hang in there. At least you got the book out which I truly appreciate. I’m just coming to the end of my quarantine as well. Getting this book today is a real high point at the end of this day. Hope your mom is feeling better
Don’t even think twice, take care of family first. Plenty of time for writing after this is over