Speaking of wishy-washy personal angst, I contracted a breakthrough COVID-19 infection despite having been double-vaccinated since May. So that’s something. If I don’t get my sense of smell back soon, it is going to be very hard for me to maintain my figure.

Monday, 23 August

Despite being probably infectious at this time, I had no idea, which meant I spent about 2 (masked) hours on a train taking my son from Norfolk to London, followed by half an hour (masked) in a doctor’s office so that he could have his asthma review. [Spoiler: my son appears to remain uninfected with COVID.]

Thanks to fatigue and a kind of gentle coldiness that has been lingering since Saturday, I take a lateral flow test. It is negative.

Tuesday, 24 August

My husband is at work and my children need school uniform. I feel a bit rubbish, and I developed a bit of a cough last night. I take another lateral flow test just to be sure. It is negative. So I take them to the school uniform shop. It takes two (masked) hours.

I am supposed to go out in the evening, but I cancel my evening plans because, with my cough, I don’t want people to think I’m infecting them with COVID, which obviously I’m not, ha ha, because I’ve had two negative LFTs. But as I’m putting myself to bed at 9pm, which I’ve been doing since Saturday and which is largely unheard of, I realize I feel feverish. So I take my temperature, and I do have a fever. And a third lateral flow test shows positive immediately, without any hesitation.

Wednesday, 25 August

My husband and children flee my presence first thing in the morning, to isolate and test elsewhere. I am left alone with my dog, my cat, and my phlegm. My only comfort is a day-long Succession rewatch marathon.

Thursday, 26 August

Who is it what day is this

Friday, 27 August

Today I worked a bit on my website, improving the overall structure and adding a page that allows me to sell hardback copies of my books directly to UK customers at a discount. I can’t really offer this service outside of the UK because, thanks to postage costs–and yes, even with the discount–customers will be able to order the hardback and the paperback more cheaply from any bookstore in their own country.

I’ve also finalized our agreement and can finally announce that Deixis Press’s newest author is Marc Joan. Marc has crafted a complex and epic literary horror novel, Hangdog Souls. I’m so pleased to welcome Marc to the Deixis fold; I think he will be wonderfully collaborative, and Hangdog Souls is really out of this world.

The distribution bits are still hanging over me, but I have to go lie down and finish the first season of Succession now.

Yours,

Angel