A busy Saturday
When I have a deadline, I can work very fast. In between a morning with the Ripon Activity Project and an evening at a Thai restaurant, I managed to fit in lunch with three fellow volunteers and write 1250 words for Ripon Writers’ Group’s Theatre in the Round competition. I’ll post my article after the adjudication in April.
Posted 10/03/07 - Permalink to this story
How to enjoy a wet Sunday in Bath
I splashed into town to catch up with fellow Swanwicker, Colin Kirwan, over lunch. The afternoon was spent at a matinée performance of The Queen at the Little Theatre and then it was back to the Guildhall for the Orange Prize winners’ discussion. Naomi Alderman and Clare Allan read from and talked about their novels, Disobedience and Poppy Shakespeare. The first is set against the background of the Orthodox Jewish community in Hendon and the second offers an insider view of our mental health system. Clare apologised for her narrator’s language, appropriate for the character, but uncomfortable to read aloud. No one in the audience looked remotely offended and there were long queues afterwards to buy signed copies of both books.
Posted 04/03/07 - Permalink to this story
Bath Literature Festival
The theme this year is Difference and Desire. Richard and I attended the first event, a BBC Radio 4 recording of five short stories to be broadcast next week. Some of the writers were present, but all the stories were read by actors. I particularly enjoyed Stephanie Cole’s readings of two very different stories; Latvian Angel by Helen Dunmore and Evening Class by Sarah LeFanu, the Festival’s artistic director. An audience member corrected Stephanie’s pronunciation of rhynes, a local word for drainage ditches. I’d never heard it before, but I now know that it should rhyme with beans, not wines. You live and learn!
Posted 03/03/07 - Permalink to this story
Bath Abbey
Visiting Richard is always a good opportunity to roam around with my notebook. In Bath Abbey, my attention was caught by the 18th century wall plaques. I was especially taken by the memorial to one Fletcher Partis Esq. His widow, determined to follow his wishes, promised to provide an asylum for 30 decayed gentlewomen ! I was the only visitor to go down to the Heritage Vaults at that time and quite unnerved by the sepulchral voice that greeted me. Fortunately, it came from a volunteer guide lurking in the shadows, not from the robed monk at work on his writing. The skeleton of an unknown female, on display in a glass case, also made me catch my breath. There has to be a story in that!
Posted 02/03/07 - Permalink to this story
Great Writing
The Great Writing website has just brought out its first anthology, a selection of short stories, scripts and poetry. These have been chosen from writing submitted since the site opened 18 months ago, and I’m delighted to say that a poem of mine has been included. Please do take a look. It’s a good read and £1 from each copy sold goes to keeping the GW website going.
Posted 27/02/07 - Permalink to this story