If you follow my ramblings, you’ll know I recently sent the first 3 chapters of my book, Art and Soul, to an editor. His feedback lead to me deciding to cut chapters 1 and 2 and do a whole other bunch of edits (more about all this here).
I retreated to the writing cave and the edits are done! I sent the “new” first three chapters to the literary agent who had asked to see them (*biting nails until I hear back*). I also sent the whole manuscript to the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writer’s Scheme (*biting stubs of nails until I hear back*).
Hopefully the agent will want to see the rest of the MS and I’ll get positive feedback from my RNA reader.
In the meantime, after stepping out from the writing cave and blinking in the sunlight… We went to visit Coombe Abbey and Coombe Country Park, which are near Coventry and a short drive from us.
The first abbey buildings on the site date back to the twelfth century. The buildings today are a mis-mash of various additions and renovations from the last four centuries. I particularly like the Gothic additions of the mid-nineteenth century… from certain angles the house made me think of Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre.
The “abbey” buildings are now a rather nice hotel. Their website has more information on the history of the building (as well as drool-inducing pictures of their gorgeous suites with 4-poster beds and the like *sigh*).
Thankfully, for those of us who don’t have the money to be staying in such luxurious accommodation, the 500 acres around the abbey – much of which were designed by “Capability” Brown – are owned and maintained by Coventry City Council and are open to the public.
It’s free to wander around, but you have to pay for the car park. Things to do include feeding the many ducks, geese and swans. The organised bring their own bread, but you can also buy feed in the Visitors’ Centre shop.
The Country Park Visitors’ Centre also has a nice cafรฉ and a large children’s play area next to it. Unfortunately, my son fell asleep in the buggy on our way round the park so missed this part of the experience!
As you can see in the above picture, the snowdrops were coming out in the woodland. The three trails around the park are clearly marked so you can’t get lost! All the trails are easy to get round on foot with a buggy. Dogs are welcome and there were lots of people walking their pets when we were there.
There is also a bird hide so you can appreciate the heronry (who knew that was even a thing?!) and conservation area without disturbing the wildlife. Here’s a view from the hide (bird watchers’ paradise!):
More information on how to get to Coombe Abbey, car park prices and what else there is to see and do can be found on the Coombe Country Park website.
And now it’s back to the writing cave… More news when I have it!
beautiful pics x hope i get to review your novel ๐
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Thank you! We were so lucky with the weather. Freezing, but sunny ๐
You will definitely get to review my novel… when it eventually gets published (one way or another!).
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Gorgeous pics! Good luck in the writing cave ๐ keep us posted!
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Thank you!
Fortunately the sun meant the pics look great and you can’t see that it was freezing!
Fingers crossed I have some good news on the writing front to report soon ๐
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Hi Claire, the photos are wonderful. I spent a few weeks in England years ago and it is such a wonderful place so full of history. Good luck with your manuscript and I have fingers crossed you’ll get a positive reply. :o0
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Thank you! We were so lucky to get a sunny day for our visit.
Thank you for the luck ๐ I hope I have some good news to report here soon!
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Oh, what a gorgeous place to visit! Love the pictures!
Also, congratulations on the novel! Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!
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Thank you! It’s a lovely place. Now I just have to see about getting to stay in that hotel… I do have a lottery ticket for tonight so who knows? haha! ๐
I really hope I will have good news on the novel front soon and then I’ll be able to let everyone read it!
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Yay, can’t wait!!!
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How stunning! Fingers crossed for good luck with the novel!
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It’s a beautiful place. The gardens in particular are stunning. I can’t imagine how lovely the inside of the buildings must be.
I’m keeping everything crossed I have good news on the book front soon ๐
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Awesome- good luck with the agent- this is very exciting stuff! Coombe looks beautiful- I see what you mean about it resembling Thornfield- I should definitely head up that way sometime!
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It’s a lovely place. One day I hope to stay at the hotel as a treat ๐
Thank you! It is exciting but also slightly strange because now I’m in a weird limbo where I’m not sure what to do with myself! Normally I’d be sending out another raft of submissions to agents (6 or 7 at a time), but now the whole book is with the RNA Reader, I’m waiting to hear what they say first… and the other agent of course. Fingers crossed I don’t have to wait too long to hear something back.
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ooh that’d be lovely!
gosh- I can imagine! Yes *fingers crossed*- good luck!!
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Gorgeous photos!
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Thank you! I was lucky with the light (sunny but flipping freezing! ).
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Haha. You suffer for your art haha
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What a beautiful place…and great photos! Hope you hear good news very soon ๐
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Thank you very much!
I’m keeping everything crossed I have good news to report soon ๐
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Beautiful pictures! ๐ What a gorgeous place! And congrats on being a few steps closer to your writing dreams coming true! Yay! ๐
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Thank you! It was a lovely sunny day… although absolutely freezing ๐
Fingers crossed I have good news to report here soon!
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This place is beautiful. Thanks for the photos!
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It’s lovely. Hopefully one day I’ll get to stay in the house! ๐
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Good luck with your manuscript, Claire!!
These photos are so lovely! Makes me very much wish I was in England right now taking a turn about the grounds of a grand house like this instead of in a chain coffee shop in suburbia U.S.A. ๐
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Thank you! ๐ I’d rather be in the warm coffee shop!
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