Thank you

I love this blog. It is all about the writing. It is not about being good for my career, (anyone who knows me knows I have never been able to do careerism), it is just about the need to write.

There is no one here to tell me I am being libellous or striking the wrong tone. I can just get on with communicating, telling the simple stories with my life. I can shade my words with all the passion, humour and resistance spirit I cannot fit into my published work. This is David Southwell writing, not David Southwell as an author with the job of writing the 101 on parapolitics.

I am in control here. Unlike my books, I am totally responsible. The mistakes are all mine. If you have a problem with what is written, you can take it up directly with the boss. This in itself is one of the beautiful things about blogging, the direct feedback relationship it allows between writer and reader.

One of the pleasant elements springing from the nature of that relationship for me recently has been receiving so many messages of goodwill recently. I am very touched and very grateful. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to wish me a quick recovery. I promise I will try to get back to making regular dispatches as soon as possible.