I received a lovely email via my website this morning, and have tried to reply three times, only to have the horrible FAILURE message come whizzing back on elastic. Part of the address was sue@pepper, and she says she read the blog, so if she does - please get in touch again!
Otherwise, not much to report. Still struggling with book 6, but spent a whole afternoon doing hard copy editing yesterday and feel a little happier with it. One Twitter-friend says she's aiming to do 6000 words a day this week for a deadline. Deadline? I'd be dead! I aim for 2000 a day, but the amount of thinking I do uses up so much time that I flag at about the 1500 mark. I wish I could think it all through first and then just type the words, like copytyping. Doesn't work like that, though, does it?
Philly moves up to London at the weekend (between gigs) and starts at The Royal Academy on Tuesday. Gor blimey. I would like to thank all my friends who have so generously helped her. I am truly gob-smacked. You all deserve - well, I don't know what you deserve. Sainthood, possibly.
Now to plod on with book 6. See you soon -ish.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Bad Babes, Music Hall, Lou's and Leo's birthdays
Lots of catching up to do.
On Sunday 19th July Catherine Aird and I had our very badly attended book signing in Oxfam in Canterbury. I think (God Bless Simon Hall for thinking of it) it was a mistake. Oxfam bookshops are pushing indie bookshops out of the market place, when they're already under threat from the big chains. Also, of course, second hand book sales are NOT good for authors. If customers only buy second hand books, we don't get any money! And please don't compare us to washing machines or clothes, which are also sold second hand. A book is due solely to the industry of its author, and our ancillary editors, publishers and printers, of course!
Number one child Lou's birthday was fun, held in her garden which she and Jarrod had decked out very prettily. Both children slept through it. Music Hall - very hard on the feet - was sold out every night and received high praise from everyone, including Those In The Know from the British Music Hall Society, but from one couple, whom I thought of as friends, total disparagement. However, as their daughter is on the West End stage, perhaps their critical faculties are set rather high!
Talking of West End Stage, those who follow us will know that Phillipa, number three child, has obtained a place at The Royal Academy of Music starting in September. Her course has been informed that they are to form the choir at Elton John's Albert Hall concert with Teddy Thompson, introduced by Stephen Fry on September 22nd. Oh, WOW!!! Of course the tickets have been sold out long before they were told they were doing it, so fond parents will not be admitted.
Number four child, Leo, came home from Manchester for a week, during which he celebrated his 25th birthday (notice I didn't say which one Louise celebrated) with a party on the day and a trip to The Globe with the aged p to see As You Like It. We were both enchanted. If the arthritis could stand the underground I'd go every week.
Number two child Miles has organised, bless him, for a downstairs loo to be put into my house - if I can get my office cleared out in time for the visiting New Zealand plumber. Otherwise, Miles just goes on being a good son who lives over the road and is performing locally tonight. I shall be there cheering.
Last night, Linda Regan, Kaye C Hill, Mary Andrea Clarke and I held the first "Bad Babes" event at Waterstones, Bromley. We, or rather Linda, had devised a crime quiz, which she and I ran. I didn't know the answers, sadly. The winners received tickets for performances of "The Spider's Web" by Agatha Christie at The Churchill Theatre in November. We then talked about our writing, helped greatly by Linda's husband, Brian Murphy, who kept us going with very intelligent questions. I want to have Brian when Linda's finished with him. A successful evening, organised by the lovely lady whose last event it was, as she is moving from bookselling to librarianship. Everyone even got more than one glass of wine!
That's it for now. All comments gratefully received - let me know there are people out there reading it!
On Sunday 19th July Catherine Aird and I had our very badly attended book signing in Oxfam in Canterbury. I think (God Bless Simon Hall for thinking of it) it was a mistake. Oxfam bookshops are pushing indie bookshops out of the market place, when they're already under threat from the big chains. Also, of course, second hand book sales are NOT good for authors. If customers only buy second hand books, we don't get any money! And please don't compare us to washing machines or clothes, which are also sold second hand. A book is due solely to the industry of its author, and our ancillary editors, publishers and printers, of course!
Number one child Lou's birthday was fun, held in her garden which she and Jarrod had decked out very prettily. Both children slept through it. Music Hall - very hard on the feet - was sold out every night and received high praise from everyone, including Those In The Know from the British Music Hall Society, but from one couple, whom I thought of as friends, total disparagement. However, as their daughter is on the West End stage, perhaps their critical faculties are set rather high!
Talking of West End Stage, those who follow us will know that Phillipa, number three child, has obtained a place at The Royal Academy of Music starting in September. Her course has been informed that they are to form the choir at Elton John's Albert Hall concert with Teddy Thompson, introduced by Stephen Fry on September 22nd. Oh, WOW!!! Of course the tickets have been sold out long before they were told they were doing it, so fond parents will not be admitted.
Number four child, Leo, came home from Manchester for a week, during which he celebrated his 25th birthday (notice I didn't say which one Louise celebrated) with a party on the day and a trip to The Globe with the aged p to see As You Like It. We were both enchanted. If the arthritis could stand the underground I'd go every week.
Number two child Miles has organised, bless him, for a downstairs loo to be put into my house - if I can get my office cleared out in time for the visiting New Zealand plumber. Otherwise, Miles just goes on being a good son who lives over the road and is performing locally tonight. I shall be there cheering.
Last night, Linda Regan, Kaye C Hill, Mary Andrea Clarke and I held the first "Bad Babes" event at Waterstones, Bromley. We, or rather Linda, had devised a crime quiz, which she and I ran. I didn't know the answers, sadly. The winners received tickets for performances of "The Spider's Web" by Agatha Christie at The Churchill Theatre in November. We then talked about our writing, helped greatly by Linda's husband, Brian Murphy, who kept us going with very intelligent questions. I want to have Brian when Linda's finished with him. A successful evening, organised by the lovely lady whose last event it was, as she is moving from bookselling to librarianship. Everyone even got more than one glass of wine!
That's it for now. All comments gratefully received - let me know there are people out there reading it!
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