Right, here we are.

It's Monday morning, 9am and I'm at HQ (my makeshift office) for a briefing. I've scheduled an appointment with myself for 2pm, for my first (of many, one presumes) BRAINSTORMING session.

I've encountered these awful things in places where I've worked down the years. We all approached them with varying degrees of trepidation - yes, I know the whole idea is meant to be that you don't judge the other participants' contributions - but in my experience, there was that much huffing and puffing and sighing in the midst, you had no doubt who's "little gems" translated as "utter crap."

Still that can't happen this time, as I'll be by myself. Or can it?

Here comes the nice part. I'm taking myself off to WH Smith to bag myself an array of goodies - my start-up kit. Pens, paper, postcards - for that all-important scene-devising; post-it-notes, highlighter pens and a gorgeous notebook in which to capture my thoughts. Actually I might try Paperchase. Are they still going? Actually, I've decided I don't want anything too gorgeous, as I won't end up writing in it at all. The worst case scenario is that I start my day with a severe case of Writers' Block.

Don't be silly, Anu. Writers' Block doesn't actually exist. It's just a flimsy excuse for getting bugger all done. Once I've made my purchases I might even stop off for a cappuccino at a lovely pavement cafe to get myself in the mood. If it's good enough for JKR . . .

See ya later!