Nance Crawford

This is also in the nature of response to Tracey, Pookie, Sue R and Karen, who sent loving greetings after reading the most recent blog post. I haven't had time to individually respond because what I'm doing with KING'S GAMES is far more challenging than I anticipated.

The first part of the book will be the text of the play.

I am now at work putting together the second part of the book, which will have essays, including the history of the development of both the plays (yes, there are two versions), the tale of how they came to be written, my initial fear of Shakespeare, in addition to more academic materials, hopefully more entertaining than your usual academia.

My usual 2 - 5 page daily rough output has slowed to 1 page, as I try to explain "Who Did What and When" in narrative, without falling into a muddle of historical side issues. What a chore! The only reason I'm managing to slog through is because I'm already including a yearly timeline that includes only the more important dates - and it's 20 pages, in draft! Goodness knows how many pages that will turn out to be, in the book.

The whole purpose is to present an accessible account of the background of the play, so that it won't be intimidating to the reader. I'm not a historian, but I figure I'd better share what I learned in forty years of living with the endeavor and, in that regard, it may actually turn out to be a textbook, of sorts (but keep that to yourselves - textbook is a really scary word, these days).

As to getting to London in March, that's in the Lord's hands. All I can contribute, at the moment, is putting one foot in front of the other, and a word at a time on a blank page.

Tomorrow (today, GMT) is the 529th anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth Field - and, in three days, the anniversary of the paltry burial of Richard III, after being exhibited for the edification of the populace of Leicester. Perhaps, since he has at last been found and will, next March, receive the formal obsequies he deserved, it can be said that he will truly Rest in Peace.

Loyalty Binds Me