After a weekend away on the coast of Wales and several days spent marking student assignments, I am back to writing the novel.

But I've run into a problem. It's now the Easter holidays. There are people around in the house who (inconsiderately) want to do things like watch TV, walk around or even speak to each other. How am I supposed to concentrate in these conditions?

When I do manage to get to my computer, there is an ongoing temptation to read the news. (One or two things are happening in the world of politics and I'm something of an addict.)

This morning, I decided enough was enough. I took myself out of the house and drove up into the beautiful countryside of Charnwood Forest. There I could sit, computer on lap, writing in the peace and quiet. There would be no Internet, Nor would anyone ask be asking for my attention.

That was the plan.

When I'm blocked in my writing, I find it helpful to set a specific amount of time and just write for that period, not worrying about the quality of the work. An hour is usually good. Then, when the alarm sounds, I stop, mid-sentence if necessary, and do something completely different. Something away from the computer. The important thing is that for the set time, I write without stopping.

Having parked up in one of my usual spots, I checked the clock and began to type.

But ten minutes later, I heard a cawing sound, loud and close. Glancing up, I saw a carrion crow sitting on a branch immediately outside the windscreen. It was looking at me.

There was no...

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