Returned home from the annual Winchester Writers Conference yesterday to find a copy of the Hampshire View July edition in the post for me. Low and behold, a story I submitted well over a year ago has been published! ‘The Key‘ is the first short story I ever wrote and dates back a while so my writing has changed a hell of a lot since then but still great to see it in print! Thank you Hampshire View!
Hurray for a sunny day! After all this cloud, rain and wind it’s wonderful to look out of the office and see sun and blue skies. Just a shame I’m on the wrong side of the glass! What this does mean is that with the prospect of a sunny week end, Saturday will be a day out and not a day in doing cleaning and DIY. My hot suggie is a train to Weymouth with a walk on the coastal path to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. Lunch at aforementioned DD and then a walk back along the cliffs.
Life just now is very domesticated. Ian has finished decorating the front spare bedroom and now cleared the landing of all DIY accroutrements. So now it’s time for the interesting part – choosing curtains and carpet and furniture. The plan is also to lay a wooden floor in the hallway as polishing the existing boards will not be possibe due to warping and damage so we’ll buy a nice oak flooring to lay. We’re thinking a dark red carpet to go up the stairs and across the landing with the addition of brass stair rods if funds permit…
So what of the writing? Well, in effect I’ve had a three month break having been back at work for three months but now feel ready to start the editing process of the book. The break in writing has been refreshing after 12 months slog where I got to a point where my creative brain would just seize up and I felt exhausted. But 12 weeks of using the other half of my brain has left me hungry to get started again so that I have a fully edited novel ready to take to the Winchester conference in July ( thanks to Kerry and Kay for nagging me on this! )
But there is no room for culture tonight – for this evening we have a curry and karaoke night at the Jewel in the Crown - the very best Indian restuarant on the South Coast. Yes! Thirty people from Company X will be descending on the Jewel for a night of spice and song. So, watch out Shirley – here we come!
Well, I have been back at work at Company X for three weeks now and I have to say it’s amazing how quickly you settle back into the work routine. Sometimes it feels like I have never been away and others it feels like an entirely new experience. Either way I feel energised and excited at the year that lies ahead.
As for most of the UK, the snow came to Shirley but Southampton seemed to have missed the brunt of it which caused me much disappointment. I know that is a childish approach to the ‘evil white stuff’ but I have to say I love it. Everywhere looks so different – even downtown Shirley took on an alpine feel with snow gently coating the roof of Pound Land, ice crystals shimmering on the shattered glass of the bus stop and the fag smoke from the chavs hanging around outside the One Stop floating up through the chill late afternoon air. It could almost have been Aspen.
So what has the new year brought?
I have to confess that Iv’e not done any writing – in fact I’m enjoying a month off. Editing on the first draft of the book will probably start in February as I’m keen to be able to present my first three finished chapters to agents at this year’s Winchester Writers’ Conference. That way I can always answer the question ‘ Have you finished the book yet? with a confident ‘yes.’
Baby Hughes continues to progress nicely. I’ve just seen the latest pictures and he is certainly a beaut! Mrs Q is hosting a family soiree on Sunday so we look forward to seeing said babe then. He is certainly a healthy baby and is putting on weight continuously.
Ian has also taken up a new hobby which I shan’t reveal here apart from saying that he keeps pricking his finger on that embroidery needle.
Ive not embarked on any new interests but as always continue to be gripped by my dear friends, My Books. In fact I have just finished Sarah Waters’ ‘The Little Stranger.’ This was one of the short-listed Booker Prize entries from 2009 and tells the tale of a Doctor called out to an old, rather decrepid Georgian mansion to examine one of the servant girls who is sick. The story proceeds to open the house up to the reader as we learn of spooky goings on, a touch of romance and an interesting comment on life just after the War when rationing reigned and the country was gripped by austerity. Personally I needed more spookiness asnd less description as the book slowed in the middle to a rather pedestrian pace. However, I couldn’t fault the writing which was a joy to read: evocative, atmospheric and at times melancholic without being gloomy. Overall a pleasure to read if suffering from a rather inconclusive ending.
So what does the week end bring? Hopefully a log fire, packet of choclate hobnobs and the start of my new book: A S Byatt’s ‘The Children’s Story.’ Can’t wait!
Hurray! One shiny new passport received today using the same day premium service. I have to say, I could not fault the service one iota. Called the Passport and Immigration Office Wednesday to organise an appointment in London. Given a choice of times on my chosen day and my personal details pinged through to the Victoria office. I turned up and after being security screened, checked in and was given an ID ticket, a little like a Tesco Deli slip. Waited my turn until my number was called – little less than 10 minutes – and then proceeded to one of the many counters where I handed over my documentation. Provided with a receipt and then paid at a cashier desk with instructions to return in 4 hours where I would receive my old passport back and my new biometric one. And it worked!!!
So what of the four hours in between – well – a trip to Wagamamas was essential to fuel up before visiting the British Museum to admire the antiquities pillaged by our glorious empire…and I have to say, much as I can only admire the sheer volume and quality of the exhibits from around the globe, they look ‘other worldly’ and out of place in a museum. They just don’t fit somehow as there is no context in terms of ‘real-time’ location. I appreciate that they need to be stored and accommodated appropriately but for me the humble visitor, they just appeared sterile in the overly lit, vast expanses of the museum galleries.
But today I noted that they were doing a ‘hands on session’ where visitors could touch a selection of the smaller antiquities – coo over a pocket watch – sigh at the texture of a hand-thrown Namibian pot - nearly have an accident over the beauty of a Roman chastity belt. I noticed a woman in a red beret and beige mac pawing a piece of what the curator was saying ( or trying to persuade her ) was a piece of ancient Mesopotamian tile. It looked more like one of a set of coasters I bought ages ago in The Pier but that’s by the by. As we were in the oldest of the rooms which was filled wall-to-wall with beautiful old books and atlases I enquired politely if there was any chance of looking at one of the books. Madam was told regrettably that this was not possible as it would damage their 18th century paper. Maybe I’d like to fondle a piece of old crockery similar to Mrs. Beret’s? No I would not. I declined politley feeling somewhat aggrieved that beige mac had an antiquity to hold but I didn’t. Made a mental note that if I saw her on the gallery stairs I’d walk in front of her at an irritatingly slow pace. Hell hath no fury…
So – time to leave and make my way to my favourite shop: Persephone Books for a browse. I love this place and the business as a whole which brings to life much forgotten and out of print authors. Just walking around, listening to the classical music and admiring row upon row of the now infamous silver grey covers fills me with a mixture of high excitement and well-being! Please people – never let E-Books become a threat to the printed page. Call me old fashioned but books are best.
Next I trolleyed along to Piccadilly to my favourite purveyor of fine foods and groceries – Fortnum and Mason. Needed to pick up a birthday gift of the edible variety and decided to get good and buy Ian some of his favourite fruit pates from the confectionary counter ( you can’t call it sweet counter – it’s a work of salivating art ).
Trip home was packed but, combined with the writing I did on the train going up, I realised that the combined 2.30 hours travelling had produced 3000 out of me!
Returning home I presented Ian with his gift. He was thrilled! His all-time favourite ! How thoughful of the good lady! What a lovely wife! How precious and wondrous she is!
Bum to all that. At 3am I’m blogging. And why might that be ? Because my laryngitis has migrated south and I am now coughing like a good ‘un. All I wanted was a cup of tea but I made the error of fidgetting in bed and puffing away.
‘You’re killing me Ju – I’m sick of this.’
‘I dont feel well.’
‘It’s your own fault you should have gone to the doctor.’
‘But it was better to-day – now I feel awful.’
‘Well turn the other way – I dont want you coughing over me.’
‘Would you make me a hot drink?’
‘Bugger off – make it yourself. It’s half past two in the morning. You’ve only got yourself to blame.’
Hacking cough sounds…gurgle…gurgle…
‘Ju – that’s disgusting – I’m going next door.’
So I make my own tea – slowly and carefully as I am clearly well under the proverbial.
So dear readers, I want those jellies back. NOW. In fact I have taken spite and hidden them. He can have the fun of finding them tomorrow in a little hide and seek game.
Oh – and the last picture – that’s for you Mrs Q – I’m sure they could fit you in for shoeing or to give your hooves a quick buff.
It always helps to bear in mind the very basics of planning a trip in advance of departure. In some ways I feel happy that I have done this. A decision has been made that we will do a 3 week road trip of the US. I have checked out motels and lodges, perused local restaurant menus, checked out the latest Vegas thrill rides and decided which books to take with me. What I did fail to do however was check that my passport was still valid. It’s not. It expires tomorrow. And we leave in circa 2 weeks. When I opened the back page to take a peep I did a comedy double take – surely that should be November 2010 expiry – not November 2009? A printing error? Trick of the light? Someone had changed the date without telling me? But no – the full horror was there to see. So, now I have an appointment at the Passport Office in London at 12.45 to ‘walk through’ a same day passport renewal application. Not good news. Especially not in terms of cost. But there’s worse to come – the rules for passport photos have changed to become much more stringent resulting in the shocking image I produced in the photo booth in Millbrook Tesco’s this morning:
In the meantime, I’ve been scribbling away with the feeling that there is light at the end of the tunnel – almost finished the first draft! I have got it into my head that it needs to be 100 000 words which, with editing next year, will be trimmed down to circa 80 000. I’ve adopted a new approach in that I am writing a few extra chapters in isolation which fit with the book but need to be linked in properly – a job for 2010. In reality I have just 3 weeks left as we will be away for 3 weeks on our trip and the last week of December is taken up with Christmas. I have to get that pen burning!!! And I have to say the pressure of a tough deadline really helps. I HAVE to finish it by 31st December 2009!
And thinking back on this year Ive discovered that it has been the voluntary work which has left the most lasting impact and really touched my heart. I am determined to carry on with visiting once I am back at work – it’s just not the sort of thing you can turn your back on. I’ve met and got to know some wonderful people who, maybe without realising it, have taught me a lot. They have really enriched my life. A big thank you to them all.
Our class was tasked with writing two pieces of 500 word dialogue without the use of any narrative. Each piece had to tell a story and clearly show place, time and characters. My first piece is called Girl Talk. The second, which was to be called ‘The End’ and had to be based around the break up of a relationship – I chose father and son – follows. The latter does not contain the characters’ names.
Girl Talk
Chanel: ‘That social worker thinks she knows my kids better than I do.’
Liberty: ‘They’re all up their own arses’
Chanel: ‘It was only an hour outside ‘Hair Slut’. Mum did the same with me when I was a kid and it never did me no harm. They should’ve had room for her buggy in there. No-one never thinks about us do they Lib?’
Liberty: ‘No.’
Chanel: ‘I said: “Be a good Princess Paige while Mummy has her hair weave, then we’ll get your ears pierced.”
Liberty: ‘She’s gorgeous. Don’t look like you though.’
Chanel: ‘Takes after her Dad.’
Liberty: ‘Big for her age.’
Chanel: ‘She’s not fat Lib.’
Liberty: ‘I know.’
Chanel: ‘Other two are dark like me.
Liberty: ‘Ever see her Dad?’
Chanel: ‘Wouldn’t know him if he bought me a drink. It was dark behind the Kentucky.’
Chanel: ‘Fancy another Breezer? It’s two for one.’
Liberty: ‘No. I’m gasping for a ciggie though.
Chanel: ‘Here – me stepdad brought me 200 back from Spain for my birthday.
Liberty: ‘Cheers.’
Chanel: ‘I likes it out here. You can have a fag and a drink in peace.’
Liberty: ‘Did I tell you about our Rocky? Teacher came round to ask why I’d kept him off. I said to her: “Would you send your kid to school with a cold?” I told her – Rocky’s got rights.’
Chanel: ‘Is he still off now?’
Liberty: ‘Yeah.’
Chanel: ‘How long’s that been?
Liberty: ‘Three weeks.’
Chanel: ‘Oh.’
Liberty: ‘I likes having him at home with me.
Chanel: ‘Where is he now?’
Liberty: ‘At his Nan’s’
Chanel: ‘On his own?’
Liberty: ‘Only til she gets back from Bingo.’
Chanel: ‘Oh.’
Liberty: ‘Where’s your Paige?’
Chanel: ‘Over there in her buggy.’
Liberty: ‘Who’s that bloke looking at her? With the tattoo and the blond hair.’
Chanel: ‘Which one? They’ve all got tattoos.’
Liberty: ‘The fat one with ‘Best of British’ on his neck. He’s looking at you now.’
Chanel: ‘Wouldn’t shag him. Not unless it was dark.
Liberty: ‘Oh my God Chan he’s well staring now.’
Chanel: ‘Dunno who he is. Might have seen him around with his missus and little’lun.’
Liberty: ‘Looks a right cocky twat.’
Chanel: ‘Oi – you mate. Yeah – with the fag. Keep away from my daughter.’
Liberty: ‘Good as gold isn’t she? Not a peep out of her.’
Chanel: ‘I know – even when I shouts at her she never says nothing.’
Liberty: ‘Soaking wet too poor little sod – are you gonna put the cover down on her buggy?’
Chanel: ‘No – it’ll get wet and I’ll have to dry it on the balcony.’
Liberty: ‘He’s just flicked ash on her Chan.’
Chanel: ‘You – dickhead – that’s right you. That’ll burn a hole and trash her top. No – I don’t want a drink – ’
Liberty: ‘What’s he say Chan?’
Chanel: ‘Come over here and say that. And stop staring at my daughter or her Dad’ll break yer legs you – ’
Liberty: ‘What’s that he’s saying Chan?’
Chanel: ‘Say’s he thinks he is her Dad.’
The End
‘Why did you not trust me?’
‘It is not that I did not trust you father.’
‘Then why did you do as you did?’
‘I did not want to.’
‘Then why?’
‘It was something of the moment. Unplanned. But now much regretted.’
‘There is always a reason my son. You much search your heart for the answer for that is where it lies. You cannot hide from the truth. Your actions leave their mark upon your soul. And upon mine.’
‘I am so ashamed. I have betrayed you – my own dear father.’
‘I understand your shame – see it in your face – hear it in your voice – feel it in your breath.’
‘I did it because she –’
‘Blaming another is a sign of weakness. You must take responsibility for your own actions and desires.’
‘But father – ‘
‘Why? Why did you not trust me? All your life I have given you everything you needed. Brought you into this world, gave you shelter, food to eat, wrapped you in my love. Yet you choose to disobey me.’
‘It was a mistake. I will never err again – I give you my word.’
‘And what is your word to me now? How can I trust you? You are my son and I loved you. Yet to talk of trust…’
‘I could not help myself – I wanted – ’
‘Were you hungry?’
‘No.’
‘You are right to hang your head, like that of the lowly mule. To steal to satiate a full stomach is sinful.’
‘Can you not forgive my sin?’
‘Perhaps I expected too much of you.’
‘No father – you did not. You made me what I am to-day. But I beg of you – think again. Please do not turn away from me. I know nothing else but my life here.’
‘You have given me no choice. You stole from me. You stole food when your table was already filled to abundance. You disobeyed my rules.’
‘I did it for her – not me.’
‘I am afraid.’
‘Why father?’
‘Of what I have to do.’
‘But father – ‘
‘And afraid of what you will now become.’
‘What are you saying? Father, please, one more chance I beg of you.’
‘You must prepare to leave. Both you and her. You must find your own way in this world. I gave you so much. Bound you so tightly to my heart – the both of you. You were my children and I gave you all that I had. But you have sinned against me and by doing so, you have chosen to follow a different path from that which I had planned for you.’
‘You are angry with me – I have never seen you this way.’
‘I fear that once you have departed I will be left with nothing but anger and sadness and betrayal. You have changed everything. Take that harlot and go and every time you are tempted remember your shame. You have forsaken all at the call of a forked tongue. Now be gone from my garden Adam.’
Tonight’s entry for the on-line comp! Usual formula – log on to the site at 5.30 to get three words or phrases – then 30 minutes to write and submit a story. I chose ‘The Interview’ and called my story Conversation with a Stranger – undoubtedly inspired by Mrs Q!
Conversation with a Stranger
‘So what makes you think you can do the job?’
He doesn’t say this out loud but I can see him thinking it. His eyes are round and blue and glossy like glazed rain drops. His gaze penetrating – unwavering – as he looks at me. I try to keep calm but feel the panic welling up inside me. Silence.
‘I know I can do this because I want it so much. You can rely on me – I wont let you down. I mean I’ve never done this before but I’m hard working, patient, good with people and I’m enthusiastic.’
He doesnt look impressed – turns his eyes to look at the woman in the pale blue dress wearing pumps. She smiles at me kindly and I decide to turn my attention to her.
‘I mean you have to let people find their own way don’t you? It’ll be fine once I get started.’
‘Is there anything else we need to know Sara? Did you have any questions?’
The woman looks at me enquiringly. She’s worried. Thinks I can’t do it. She looks at Ben again – his face impassive and flat like a creamy moon.
‘Do you think she can do it Ben?’ She asks seriously; her voice calm and measured; her words wafting over me like a soft breeze.
Ben looks at me and then at her but I get in early again – need to retain my dignity.
‘You know I can do it don’t you Ben? I know you haven’t known me long but you need to trust me. And once we get started and understand each other we’ll get along just fine.’
And then he cracks – smiles the biggest smile ever and I know I’ve nailed it. He extends a hand towards me and I note his beautifully manicured nails – so perfect. He is perfect. My new baby Ben safe in the arms of the mid wife. And I know I’ve got the job – First Time Mum!
Yes – to-day has been a landmark day. In the space of just ten minutes I a) reverse parked and b) drove at over 40 mph. For those of you that know me well you will understand just how special these achievements are.
Driving out to the New Forest this morning for an early morning walk I realised that part of the road to Lyndhurst was one of those nasty dual carriage ways and therefore required a faster speed than my normal maximum of 30mph. Yes dear readers at 7.15am with the road to myself I drove at 50mph! And it was as I approached this speed that I wondered if there was a special gear I should change up to. Was there such a thing as a fifth gear ? I was sure there was but where might it be located ? After some gear stick shuffling I managed to wedge the gear into a new, and hitherto unused, slot. Fifth gear had been found. And if that wasn’t enough for one day – arriving at the car park I decided to challenge both myself and the huddle of rancid looking horses around me, by attempting a reverse park. After some odd forward – reverse – forward – reverse type stuff, I managed to avoid the horses’ critical eyes and dangerous looking hooves and park up. Admittedly the car park was completely empty but I felt that I had achieved something rather special. Unlike my string of expletives aimed at the woman in the car behind me on the way back home who felt it necessary to take both hands off the wheel and hold them in the air as I tried to find out which lane to use for a roundabout. Come on lady – ease up – and get your hands back on the wheel. Anyway – I had a lovely walk and met several dog walkers, other lone ramblers and a man using a camera with a huge lens which he said was for bird watching. I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
In terms of writing, I’m expanding and perfecting a story for the Havant Literary Festival based on the piece I wrote at Rob Richardson’s OutWrite day now entitled Coming of Age. I’ve also polished up two other stories which I’ve sent to Fiction Feast magazine and completed some commercial work. No further work on the novel which is increasingly bugging me. The more I stress about it the worse it gets so I am going to put it on the back burner for a bit.
And on the social front – had a great night out with my colleagues from Company Y last night – grand curry at The Jewel in the Crown and a good catch up gossip-wise. Tomorrow brings the Larmer Tree Festival which we bought tickets for this afternoon. Fun times ahead. And as as for Mrs Q? No sign of baby Hughes yet but we are watching and waiting…
