A Space Between

News, books, music and a pause

A slightly dazed young blackbird last month on a nearby hedge

The blackbird’s eye ring and beak match the crabapples exactly as he chases away the robin and the bluetit, flicking his fanned tail in seeming triumph. It’s all go in the apple trees and hedges today and the sky is filling up with clouds, better to catch the peachy late afternoon light. There’s no end to the world and its on-goingness, nor the responsibility to play my part in it, (for which I am glad).

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Ready to write: my rustic pencils are sharpened. (OK, it’s logs in the Dolomites when I was there in 2008, but oh, what you could draw and write with pencils that big… and how you’d need to collaborate to wield those words.)

Endings

Last week we gave a good send-off to my late ex-sister-in-law Tania, snatched from life by a virulent cancer at only 56 years old. Hundreds gathered, as well as almost my entire family. At the bustling wake, as is so often the case at funerals, many conversations could be overheard about not wasting one’s life, about seizing the day, about making every moment count. Tania and I had quite a few things in common, for instance, a love of gardening, books and conversations, plus being known for having an abundance of lust for life. Like her, for me, ‘seizing the day’ was not a problem, more difficult has been letting go of the day from a tenacious grip.

I have been ill since returning, perhaps no longer immune to the colds easily caught on busy public transport, so I had to miss the Substack Bestsellers party on Tuesday in London as I was not well enough to head south again. Reflecting all week on what is necessary for a sane and healthy life, and with rather firm encouragement from a couple of writer friends who reached the ends of their energy and tethers after writing their latest books, I am determined to avoid burn-out by making more spaciousness in my life now.

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Making space

So, as of today, I am pausing all paid subscriptions to Uncivil Savant for two months so that I can get on with writing this book. No money will be taken from monthly subscribers. Annual subscribers will automatically have the period of time until I turn subs back on added to their subscription. You don’t have to do anything. I will be back in March at the very latest.

I was advised to line up some old posts as placeholders and to leave subscriptions on, but I really enjoy mindfully choosing one each month or so to share, with a new introduction. And these posts often generate lots of emails and comments, all of which I answer, so that would defeat the object, which is rest and undivided writing time. I am not sure how long the initial stages of the book will take, but frankly, I can’t afford to take more than two or three months off any of my paid work. Yet the need for a long moment to concentrate is overwhelming. So, dear readers, I will say farewell for a couple of months and hope to see you again in early February, when, even if I decide to take a further month away from here, I will write a post about how the book is going and let you know.

It’s been three years non-stop writing here and I have bloody loved it, so far. I think I took about three weeks off in all that time. No regrets! I have so much more to write here, and am not stopping through any lack of things I would like to delve into and share but this urge must be channelled into the book for now. Besides, there’s lots more to write in the ‘In Our Hands’ series, especially regarding movement and touch. I could not have hoped for a more engaged readership, more excellent writers to read, more welcoming a community of thought and practice. Sincere thanks to all of you who subscribe and spend your precious time reading any of my thoughts. I hope very much to deliver a book for you that you can actually own, something worth housing your favourite bookmark, or pressing into the hands of a friend.

It will have drawings and (hopefully) illuminated initial letters of each new chapter, all in monochrome - made originally by drawing with home made oak gall ink on cotton rag paper. Images are forming in my mind, but the words have to be gathered first.

For any of you who want to help me and Jonny get by while I write this thing, which my government ironically classifies as ‘not working’, you are very welcome to…

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News

Music: The second box-set of vinyl LPs from the late legendary producer Susumu Yokota will be out in 2026. There are three albums featuring my lyrics, melodies and vocals that were produced by Yokota and I can’t wait to see what Lo Records produces, as the first box set of his earlier ambient works is beautiful. I have been asked to contribute some recollections of Yokota and will make time for that next week. In the meantime, if you’d like to listen to my favourite track of the music we made, go here. I still enjoy his remix album of the record I did with Rothko ‘A Place Between’, called ‘Distant Sounds of Summer’, which is also worth a re-listen.

Click the album images to play either LP on Bandcamp

Books: This December, there’s 20% off my two natural arts materials books with Search Press. Here’s a code for a discount code for Uncivil Savant subscribers to receive 20% off books and free shipping. The code should work at both the UK and USA websites, both of which can be accessed here, just toggle country at the top right corner.

Discount code: CARO20

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Good reads

Here’s a selection of things on Substack that I’ve enjoyed lately that you could read one-a-week instead of my posts for the next two months…

Relinquishing a story of un-belonging and The Normalization of Non-Sharing by Adam Wilson.

What’s the point of words? by Sam Kriss

Farewell to the South Coast by Rosie Whinray

Receiving Colour by Joumana Medlej

An Existential Guide to: Loneliness by The Shadowed Archive

How to Love a Forest by The Dark Mountain Project and Kyle Scheurmann

When In Rome. by Owen D Pomery

A (Visual) Human Creed: How to Unmachine Your Life, the Universe, and Everything by School of the Unconformed and Peco

Frictionfulness by Hadden Turner

Temescal by Charlotte DuCann

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Doing T’ai Chi on the shore in 2023

Online T’ai Chi classes begin in January 2026

Lastly, online T’ai Chi classes start with me on Monday 5th January 2026. No experience is necessary and all are welcome to attend. Everything you need to know, including sign up, is here.

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Have a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Warmest wishes from the writing desk, looking north on a clear cold evening in Northumberland.

Caro.