Archive for the ‘People’ Category

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Katie


2010
06.29

Posted in People, Visual Arts | 1 Comment »

Chair, wallpaper and floorboards

On Thursday I’m off to London to my daughter Katie’s convocation at the Royal Albert Hall – her graduation from a two year M.A. at the Royal College of Art. I am so proud and I have a hat to prove it!

I’m looking forward to seeing Katie’s final collection of wallpapers, chairs, printed floorboards and chests – I remain totally impressed by her originality and her immense hard work. She is my hero.

For more images and a review of Katie’s work go to Phillipa Wagner’s blog

Suspended chair

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Writers, Readers – and Bluebells


2010
05.21

Posted in My Writing, People, Reading | 2 Comments »

Today I walked in the bluebell wood near the Botanic Gardens in Durham - heavenly! Took my new camera

Writers need readers, without them we are nothing. When we write or when we  come to consider what we’ve written, it is vitally important that we ask ourselves if it will work for our readers and what their experience of our novel will be.

I recently had some interesting feedback on my current novel after a close reading by a perceptive American reader. It was invaluable to know about his experience of the novel: what he felt about about my characters -  how they might be developed further, what else he needed me as the author to tell him, where there was ambiguity, where he needed clarification or to be  ‘pointed in the right direction.’ His feedback made me see the novel from the reader’s perspective. It made me realise ways in which I could improve it and it reminded me of the duty we have as novelists not only to create fully rounded and satisfying characters but  also to guide our readers effortlessly through our narrative.

Eileen Elgey – friend, writer and reader, recently had a piece on being a reader published in The Journal (click to read)-  the first thing she does, she says, when she wakes in the morning is reach for a book….

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Eighty Nine Going on Twenty Nine..


2010
05.06

Posted in Crime, Inspiration, My Writing, People | 1 Comment »

P.D.James is eighty nine, soon to be ninety. At the Hexham Book Festival last Sunday you could be forgiven for thinking she was twenty years younger …or more! She was simply fabulous, as was her host Val Mcdermid, and their on stage meeting  sparkled with good humour and wit. Their conversation was littered with gems about writing and the writing life. Val McDermid had undoubtedly done her homework, and together they made it seem effortless and above all – fun! It was a privilege to eavesdrop.

At Hexham I also talked with crime writer Ann Cleeves, who I knew in another life, in prison. It was great to meet up with her after a long gap in which she has become a star! She is as she always was, a brilliant and dedicated writer and a lovely person to know and be around. She also said some interesting and perceptive things about writing crime fiction which chimed with P.D. James earlier in the day – in particular they both spoke about structure and plot in the crime novel, as a liberating rather than constraining force: as something that looked after itself.

Being new to the genre I’d worried a great deal about coming up with a plausible and complex plot – it had seemed like venturing into unknown and hostile territory (although of course we are hard wired into the genre, if not from our reading, then from film and television.) Then when I’d finished the first draft of my novel I wondered why it  felt so easy and relaxed to write– I think now I know. I think as Ann said, ‘the plot takes care of itself.’

AND I  love what P.D. James says in, Talking About Detective Fiction – a must-read for crime aficiandos-  ‘To say that one cannot produce  a good novel within the discipline of a formal structure is as foolish as to say that no sonnet can be great poetry…’

*** To read more about the day and about Ann Cleeves’  interview on The Writing Game - read Wendy’s great post at Lifetwicetasted.

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The Magician… meeting David Almond


2010
04.25

Posted in Inspiration, People | 1 Comment »

A week or so ago I wrote – Being with other writers is sometimes the best medicine for self doubt and for me it’s always inspirational - I hadn’t reckoned then with the world beyond inspiration – the world of MAGIC !

On Friday I had the privilege of joining Wendy in conversation with her long time colleague and writing friend, the lovely David Almond-  a conversation, part of which was recorded for Wendy’s forthcoming radio series. David (in case you didn’t know) is  a Whitbread prize winner, has a Carnegie medal and recently won the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen medal for children’s literature

I’d met David before, and had once seen him deliver a workshop to a group of women in the prison where I worked. On that day, like the magician he is, he produced a series of objects – a pastry cutter is one I remember- from a cloth bag. He spun stories around each object before encouraging the women to find their own stories. They loved him!

Talking with David on Friday, both on and off air, like the women at the workshop,  I came under his spell. He is of course world famous and yet so very modest, so much one of us. He talked about the times we all experience when the writing isn’t going so well and you feel like giving up. He talked about the other times, the good times, when stories seem to write themselves – when its magical – and hearing him talk I felt a little bit of that magic rubbing off.

He gave us his fascinating take on the writing process, his thinking on the artifical barriers we create between different forms – the novel, a play, opera- barriers which children just don’t recognise. The need to be playful and free in our writing.

Most of all he told us stories and he is a master story teller – so to hear all of this and more tune in to July’s programme of The Writing Game. I promise you, you are in for a wonderful treat and you will be inspired!

The first Writing Game goes out on May 4th 7pm on Bishop FM 105.9  and will be available after this date as a podcast from the radio’s website so no excuses for not listening.

David Almond is currently working on a play for the Durham Mysteries cycle  Noah and the Flood – Noah is a Geordie!

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Feel The Fear and Write…


2010
04.17

Posted in Inspiration, My Writing, People | 6 Comments »

Writing Down The Bones, is a book I often turn to get my writing juices flowing!

Sometimes it’s hard to believe in ourselves as writers, but it’s very important that we do. Too often we doubt ourselves, and we rely too heavily on approval from others and ultimately from the world of books and publishing.

Without self belief it’s impossible to keep writing and that’s why we need people like Natalie Goldberg to help foster our faith in ourselves and our love of writing. We need to nurture our fragile egos, learn to say  ‘what the hell’ to everything that gets in the way and know we can write!

Being with other writers is sometimes the best medicine for self doubt and for me it’s always inspirational.

This morning I listened to a fascinating conversation between Wendy Robertson, who was recording for her new radio programme, The Writing Game, and local writers Hilary Smith and Eileen Elgey. They talked about beginnings – about their writing and about writers they admired, as well as bravely and beautifully reading from their work. The programme goes out on Bishop FM in early May – (I will let you know time and date -soon) – it  will be a valuable resource and inspiration for both new and existing writers as well as readers, and will feature interviews with published authors, local writers, writing workshops and regular book reviews and recommendations.

The recording today inspired me to get writing. I’ve bought  a new notebook so I’m prepared. I have a beginning, something I’m working on but I’m still experimenting and looking for something fresh, maybe completely different. The best way to find it is of course is to just WRITE

But if you feel like I do at the moment, unsure of where to start, unsure of what you want to say then why not try starting with Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down The Bones - its bursting with ideas and inspiration and her own unique zen outlook. It’s sold millions of copies and being translated into many languages

On writing the book she says , ‘I think I was writing the book to save my creative life. To learn to trust my own mind and have a confidence in my experience.I felt I had something to say and wanted to say it. At first, though, I was afraid… I was afraid people would think it was stupid or idealistic. But I decided I had to put it down and share with the world something that I saw…’

Natalie teaches us not be afraid – possibly the best message there is for a writer!

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Tony, Alan and Julia…


2010
03.30

Posted in People, Prison, Reading | 1 Comment »

Today as the rain fell in bucket loads – like it would never stop – I sat in the warmth and comfort of the County Hotel in the very heart of Durham, sipping hot latte coffee from a long glass and talking with friends from my prison service days, Tony and Alan.

We talked about the times we remembered as being especially good – were they so good we wondered? Or does everyone look back on certain times and think they were happier, sweeter, more fun? Is it the – summer was always hotter when we were young brand of nostalgia? Maybe – who knows? I’m not sure it matters. What matters is having times like these to look back on and more importantly friends to talk it over with. Friends: Tony, who shared some of his early prison service stories with me for my P.I. Danny Beck novel (now out there somewhere – I hope giving  a good account of itself)-  and Alan, who promises to show me his Newcastle if I get the chance to write the next Danny Beck.

Talking of Newcastle led us to The Taxi Drivers Daughter by the late Julia Darling – Alan has been reading and enjoying  it – and I came away thinking of Julia and how she will never not be missed and how generous she was in her praise of my writing and in her encouragement – and not just to me but to everyone. And how she was full of inspiration and fun and ideas – and how she was a great friend to many and how I wished I’d known her better.

As I drove home on the high road, through the rain induced fog, hills running with water, I thought of Danny Beck (he makes similar journeys) and of his growing sense of belonging in the very centre of Newcastle which is expressed in the novel and how much that mirrors my own growing sense of belonging here in the North East.

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To Marrakech…


2010
03.14

Posted in Lists, People, Places | 2 Comments »

I am off to Marrakech!! I’m looking forward to doing nothing other than wander the souks and gardens of this extraordinary city. Of course I will be taking my camera but the only writing I will be doing is making lists in my notebook - lists like artists’ sketches make brilliant starting points for writing both prose and poetry. After this long winter I’m hungry for Morocco’s vibrant colour and its heat.

Yesterday at our RoomToWrite day the heat was turned up as we sat under glass in the elegant conservatory at Whitworth, looking out onto the  snowdrops and deer. It was a beautiful morning – the sun shone for us once again – there is some kind of magic at work here I feel-  and there was magic in the conversations, the intense and complex discussions and in the writing that continues to grow and develop. There was great comaraderie too and we were delighted to welcome Colleen all the way from Chicago via London, and we were sad to miss Erica and Anne – hope we will see you in November.

So much good writing – some of which will appear on our website in April, so make sure you take a look. I leave you with something I like a lot from Kate Mosse:

There’s only one difference between published and unpublished writers and it is this – the first group see their work in print on the shelves of Waterstone’s or Tesco or online at Amazon; the second group are yet to have physical evidence of the hours, weeks, years spent fashioning words into their patterns. You are already a writer.

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Easington Book Launch- Only Week Away !


2010
02.27

Posted in People, Workshops | 4 Comments »

It is now only ONE WEEK to the launch of Shrugging Off the Wind, a fabulous collection of writing from the Easington Writers Group – pictured left- from top left, Mavis, Terry, Agnes, David, Anne, Mary, Susan, Joan and Chris.

The Launch (free entry) will take place in the Easington Social Welfare Centre                           Seaside Lane, Easington Colliery SR8  3PL  – Sat 6th March,at 2pm.

Judging by rehersals yesterday it will definitely be an afternoon to remember! It will be an opportunity to hear each of the writers read from their work, to share their celebrations and, most important of all, to buy your copy of the book.

ISBN 978-0-9564823-0-3

I’m very excited about Saturday as it’s the culmination of over a year’s work in Easington but there is a bitter sweetness about it for me too as it will mark the end of the project. There is no doubt that Wendy and I have enjoyed working in Easington enormously – we have made some very special friends here and have great affection for our talented group and for the community. We will undoubtedly miss our trips east but I trust the friendships and connections will remain – after all we have a beautiful book – HPM Printers have done  a fantastic job – to bind us together, as well as our love of writing.

Thank you Mavis, Anne, David, Mary, Agnes, Chris, Susan, Joan,Terry for all your hard work and all the good times – good luck for Saturday – can’t wait! (Just hope I can Shrug Off the cold.)

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In Search of Characters – The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Exhibition


2010
02.02

Posted in Inspiration, People | 1 Comment »

'Bag' Hendrik Kerstens - won second prize last year in the Taylor Wessing -an image that goes all the way back to Vermeer - luminous and stunning!

As writers we are always searching for characters. Yesterday  in the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Lane, London at The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 exhibition I was spoilt for choice!

And now, one day later, a small but significant number of portraits are firmly fixed in my mind  – these are people who will endure for me and I’m sure will begin to people my writing – in particular a veteran from the war in Afghanistan, a boy collecting rubbish to sell, Stas, and a tall woman in a red coat in the snow – each of these portraits is a story in waiting and alreadyI’ve been inspired to start scribbling!

To see the prize winners go to

http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/photoprize/site09/exhibition2_winners.php To see portraits from this and earlier years also use google images

And the BEST NEWS – If you want to be similarly inspired – the exhibition will tour to the Shipley Art Gallery in Newcastle from 27 March to 6 June 2010

Stas -Third Prize this year

This portrait is part of a larger series called Locked and depicts Stas, a 15-year-old inmate of a maximum security prison in Russia. Chelbin, the photographer, spent several days in the prison but only noticed Stas on the last day. ‘He was extremely quiet and distant… I could feel there was an enormous burden on his shoulders. I spent several hours with Stas in different locations in order to build up his trust. When we finished I learned that he had been sentenced for murder.’

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Magic, Inspiration and Sparklers


2009
11.09

Posted in Inspiration, People, Places, Workshops | 4 Comments »

deer

There was something magical about driving up to Whitworth Hall on a sunlit autumn morning –  deer chewing on the damp grass, spilling their breath into the cold air,  a wet crust of coppery leaves on the gravel paths, lipstick red berries, melting frosts, a promising blue sky. If we had orchestrated the weather for the first RoomToWrite weekend we could not have done better and the morning was a gift that made our exercise in Close Observation, Wendy’s brilliant idea that subsequently yielded such beautiful writing, all the more inspiring. The world outside our round- tabled conference room sparkled.

In the evening, we were joined by our illustrious guest writers; Elizabeth Gill, Pat Barker, Sharon Griffiths and Fadia Fakir. We enjoyed wonderful food and great conversation, and drew our first day to a close with the dimming of lights and the lighting of sparklers -an inspired touch by Gillian.

sparklers

But perhaps what sparkled more than anything over the course of the weekend were the writers themselves and their writing. So many thanks to; Jackie, Judith, Michael, Anne, Erica, Mary, Eileen, Norma, Alison, Hilary, Linda, Lisette, Kathryn and Geri –a great list! – for making it such a brilliant weekend for us and to John from HPM. Thanks for all your hard work and for your great sense of fun, enlivened of course by the odd G&T.

Whilst we hope we enabled and inspired we were truly inspired by you. We felt the magic and I certainly came away believing that in the coming months I will make my writing an absolute priority – finish my current novel and start a new one (that’s exciting) – there is so much still for me to do in the world of writing – so much for all of us – and I look forward to hearing how everyone’s work and plans progress – I look forward to seeing some published novels too– the world’s our oyster now we have HPM to help us publish – so Good Luck and Keep Sparkling!

Do take a look at the feedback and lovely photos courtesy of Geri now at   RoomToWrite

whitworth

Whitworth Hall

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