I’ve just read, over at the wonderful Stuck in a Book, that he’s just about to read Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. He has a treat in store. And that reminded me that Perkins Gilman also wrote about why she wrote The Yellow Wallpaper. You can read the full article here, but here’s an … Read More
Month: March 2008
Prinknash (pr Prinnidge)
I am going here where these Benedictine monks live The reason I am going is that this was my great-grandmother’s childhood home (she of the biography I was going to write, now of the novel that I am about to begin). It’s called Prinknash (pr Prinnidge) and I’m going to meet the Abbot who will … Read More
Procrastination
A friend of mine, a wonderful artist who works in all kinds of media (mediums?) told me about the Jerwood Moving image award winners. I highly recommend Johnny Kelly’s (which is called PROCRASTINATION). It’ll take you about 5 minutes to watch and it’s the perfect MAT. So perfect that I’ve just watched it twice … … Read More
Old work, new work
While staring through the window and dreaming about my new novel (and doing some planning) I find images from my first novel stealing into my mind. I ask myself if that’s because I’m afraid of stepping into the new or afraid of letting go of the old? I also find weaknesses in the first. Just … Read More
The CORNFLOWER Book Group
Yesterday, at the Cornflower Book Group, Speaking of Love came out of the hat to be read next. It’s the fifth volume to be read by Cornflower Book Group members and discussion will begin from 12 April on Cornflower’s blog. I’m looking forward to finding out what the Cornflower Book Group members feel and think … Read More
Monet and painting, MATing and writing
Today MATing translates as ‘writing this before I begin to stare through the window’. Sometimes it takes much staring before I can write. This story knows what I mean: One day Monet was sitting on the bench in his garden at Giverny staring at the waterlily pond. His neighbour walked by, poked his nose over … Read More
Cover story … and fab reports
In October I asked people to tell me the short story that Speaking of Love‘s paperback cover told them. I promised a copy of the paperback to the writer of the story that most appealed to me (see original post here) … and the one that most appealed to me was Richard Gray’s. It’s in … Read More
Congratulations to …
… Jonathan Trigell and Boy A on becoming THE Book to Talk About, 2008. (Press release here.) And thank you to everyone who voted for Speaking of Love. It has been a privilege for the book to be on the shortlist.
It’s a little bit funny …
… this feeling inside. The rest of Elton John’s song doesn’t apply, but today is a day when it’s difficult to concentrate because I’m feeling a bit funny inside and I’m not even trying to MAT: a MAT is being forced upon me because … … in 24 hours’ time the author and the publisher … Read More
Do you live near Oxford (England)?
If you do, and you aren’t already doing something tonight, you might like to come to Mostly Books in Stert Street, Abingdon at 7.30 to hear Eliza Graham and I talking about the effect that the Spread the Word, Books to Talk About shortlisting has had on our writing careers, and how our books made … Read More
Daffodils for St David’s day
… from my little garden. … aren’t they beautiful? And because it’s St David’s day why not support a Welsh Arts Centre that might lose its Arts Council funding? The St Donat’s Arts Centre runs the wonderful Beyond the Border storytelling festival (which features in Speaking of Love) among many other brilliant events. Posted by … Read More