Confessions of a Romantasy Writer.

Midlife is a curious place. I’m far from exactly where I thought I’d be - but I am - perhaps - exactly where I need to be.

Crime novel archivist, chef and guerrilla gardener to a Candy Crush addicted, ageing Agatha Christie sleuth masquerading as my Mother.  

I returned to the Yorkshire wilds of my childhood in the Spring - departing a lifetime of London with the hyperactive haste that has come to define my midlife ADHD diagnosis.

The ghosts of addictions past have haunted a tumultuous time and as my Mother is fond of telling folk, ‘He just couldn’t live by himself - and he does make a very nice cheese toastie’. There is truth in this. 

I have learned to be kinder to myself.

I count myself lucky to have an official ADHD diagnosis and access to the medical support that accompanies it - but I can not get onboard with the medication. I have tried every pharmaceutical concoction and dose variant with the support of a Doctor and each cycle I am left feeling blunted, exhausted and my weight slips away quietly to dream of eclairs.

Since returning to Yorkshire I have learned to accept my flightiness and my fractures. To see them not as facets of self to be treated, but rather as aspects of self to nurture and develop. 

Despite long held dreams and attics of notebooks - writing a novel evades me - but short stories for dopamine kick minds (officially 1 in 5 of the population, unofficially 4 in 5 of my friends) feels achievable and resonant given our stressed attention spans.  

Confessions of a Romantasy Writer will charter my travails as a writer of romantic fantasy. A place to share new writing, artwork and process.

I hope you will stay for the journey.

Adam M. Martin