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
Author: Angela
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
Spread the Word / World Book Day – last chance to vote
As I write this there are less than three hours to go before voting closes on the shortlist for THE Book to Talk About 2008 award. If you’d like to vote for Speaking of Love, go here. Or click on the link on the paperback cover over there on the right. Thank you … and … Read More
Booking Through Thursday
Who is your favorite female lead character? And why? (And yes, of course, you can name more than one . . . I always have trouble narrowing down these things to one name, why should I force you to?) There is only one: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bennet. She is feisty, funny, serious, sympathetic, won’t-be-downtrodden, thinks intelligently … Read More
Jallaludin Rumi, 13th-century poet
The Guest House This being human is a guest houseEvery morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meannessSome momentary awareness comesAs an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them allEven if they’re a crowd of sorrowsWho violently sweep your houseEmpty of its furniture. Still treat each guest honourably:He may be clearing you outFor some … Read More
Books and Myths
Ali Smith has written a wonderful book for the Canongate Myths series (a wonderful series, too) called Girl meets boy. The book sets ‘Ovid’s most joyful metamorphosis’, the story of the man-woman Tiresias, in the twenty-first century. I’ve just read this passage (from pages 29-30): The second-hand bookshop used to be a church. Now it … Read More
Booking through Thursday
All other things (like price and storage space) being equal, given a choice in a perfect world, would you rather have paperbacks in your library? Or hardcovers? And why? My father used to throw paperbacks away … and I rescued them. I couldn’t bear the idea of books being thrown away, but he came from … Read More
A love letter from Dr Iannis on Valentine’s day
When Dr Iannis’s beloved daughter, Pelagia, returns from a meeting with Captain Corelli, she tries to pretend to her father that she hasn’t met Corelli. But she knows that her father knows that she has. Dr Iannis doesn’t talk about his daughter’s love for Corelli directly; he simply says this: Love is a temporary madness, … Read More
Book reviews … to blog or not to blog …
… is a very interesting question. And there’s a very interesting post about it all over on Vulpes Libris which I’ve only just discovered – from dovegreyreader – all about whether blogging book reviewers are the saviours of small publishers, have caused the end of decent criticism or are unpaid cheerleaders. My vote goes to … Read More
Spread the Word some more …
On 4 February Richard Lea listed, on the Guardian Unlimited’s Arts Blog, the ten books on the Spread the Word shortlist under the heading: ‘What Goes into a “Book to Talk About”?’ Then he wonders why ‘the Kennedys, Enrights, Adichies et al were never in with a sniff’. He goes on, ‘It looks like a … Read More
Spread the Word
Speaking of Love has been shortlisted for World Book Day’s The Book to Talk About award. It’s very exciting … . You can see the ten books on the shortlist here; you can comment on and vote for the ten books on the shortlist here or you can go straight to Speaking of Love’s very … Read More
Birthdays, and getting older
It’s my birthday next month and I’ve just rediscovered this 17th-century nun’s prayer: Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to … Read More
Need cheering up?
I have just been to The Big Green Blookshop blog – which I found on Fidra’s blog. I’ve been MATing all morning and I really MUST get down to some writing, but if you need cheering up (I don’t this morning, but it happened anyway, if you see what I mean) read this post by … Read More