Busy, busy, busy...

Traditionally, The Playhouse Box Office opens for the sale of pantomime tickets on December 1st, although I think this will change as so many tickets are bought online these days. Panto is the only one with restricted sales.

We are deep in rehearsal for Sleeping Beauty, which has not been without its problems.

In addition to this, I have foolishly taken on the challenge of writing the third novella (45,000 words) in The Alexandrians series, set in Edwardian Nethergate, the seaside town which features in the Libby Sarjeant series. This means two books with delivery three months apart - I shall be writing them virtually at the same time. Both have been started, although not got beyond the first chapter of each, and I've had to do an awful lot of research reading for the third Alexandrian, as I'd forgotten a lot!

We've also just run a competition on social media to win a beautiful limited edition mug, created for me by Michael Gill, of the London Mug Studio. https://www.londonmugstudio.co.uk/product/murderandthepantomimecat

And the first of the new batch of Audio books has come out with a lovely interview, thanks to Isis Publishing:https://www.facebook.com/Isis.Soundings/photos/a.483472278408096/208385792503618

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So it's all been a bit busy, as you can imagine.

If I don't manage another post before Christmas, I wish you all the happiest of times.

A quick November update

As you all know by now, my main focus at present is pantomime, which is finally getting down to rehearsal. However, publisher has decided to give me a whole new range of covers, as neither of us really liked the most recent update. I don't know if you'll all be able to see this, but Accent have done an Autumnal Libby Sarjeant Video.

Also for your eyes only, the next full length Libby book, out next September 5th, will be Murder Repeated.  And Murder And The Pantomime Cat will be out on the 22nd November!

October and the serious business of pantomime

I managed to deliver the manuscript of Murder and the Pantomime Cat by September 30th, as requested by my publishers, and its release date will be November 22nd. Since then, I have been rather taken up by the next project, which, of course, is pantomime.

I shan't completely ignore Libby, Fran and the others, as I have to start thinking about the next full length book, but that isn't out until next August (I would prefer it to be earlier!) and due for delivery in the spring, so although I might have to go hell for leather from the middle of January, after months of wondering why on earth I'd taken this on, having officially retired from directorial responsibilities in 2007, I'm beginning to enjoy it, despite the many problems that have already cropped up.

In the same way that the public don't understand the life of a writer, neither do they understand theatre. Pantomime is something they go to see either in December or January and it doesn't occur to them that preparation for it probably starts at the end of the last one. To stage a pantomime - or any theatre production, really - the building itself must be fully staffed. Bar, sweets and ice creams, front of house and stewards, cleaners, box office - the list goes on. Then for the production, lighting designer, riggers and operators, sound designers and operators, set designers and builders, stage manager, assistant stage manager, stage crew. And music. Mine is being recorded specially, and luckily my MD (musical director) is a close friend, so he's going beyond the bounds of his contract to help.

Then there's the cast, which I haven't finalised yet, the chorus, the singing coach - if the MD isn't doing it - and choreographer.  And guess what? Out of all that lot, if any of it goes wrong it's down to the director/producer. Me. And I also happen to be the writer, so I'll get the blame for the script, too.

If it's good, everyone else gets praised and the director wipes the sweat off his/her brow and creeps away to collapse in a heap. In the bigger theatres there will be a few more staff to prop up the director, but we can't afford it. We own our theatre, which is a little Victorian gem with state of the art facilities, all of which have to be maintained, and that's a full time job in itself.

Which is why, in 2007, I "retired". By that time, the Libby books were taking off and I was - ahem - getting older, and couldn't cope with two full time jobs at once, as I had in previous years. So tell me why I've done so this year?

Simple answer. I LOVE it.

September - home again, home again, jiggety-jog

I have returned from my second holiday of the year in Adrasan, Turkey, where I have been going for fifteen years. Most of the usual suspects were there, and most of them were staying longer than I was, but we had a terrific time while I was there. There were two significant jewellery moments this year, one of which was The Pendant. This was a shell collected on the beach in the village by an old friend of mine, who died last year aged 95, taken home and converted into a pendant by a jeweller friend of hers. Her daughter came out on holiday in June and presented it to me on the wishes of her mother. We both cried. I put it on the black ribbon and wore it almost every day while I was out there this time.

This is Helenore and I about four or five years ago, and below is a photo of me last Tuesday, wearing the pendant.

The other jewellery moment, is thanks to my lovely friend Michael, who, incidentally, took the picture of me with the pendant. Knowing how I love the colour, and that I have necklaces and earings with turquoises, he bought me this:

Taken just now on the landing by Leo! So two memories supplied by lovely friends in my favourite place.

Horrible journey home and discovered car battery flat the next morning. Son Leo and I both in the dumps about our careers - both of us wondering why everyone else is doing better than we are - but once I get going on the the Pantomime Cat again - which has to be finished in 8 days - and get to grips with the panto, I'm sure I'll cheer up. Although on the 27th I have an event with ten other Kent authors which might depress me again...

Very grateful for my Reader Group, who cheer me up no end and make me feel I'm not wasting my time after all. So thank you, Libby's Loonies - you're great.