My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
There are some things which are improved by time.We don't have to sideline everything old in favour of something new. When they are left to develop, whether it is an idea, a favourite jumper or a bottle of brandy, some things just keep on improving. The same can be said of a book. Holding a …
I'm on a quest to read popular novels that aren't the type of thing I'd usually read. Novels which might make one of my most respected literary friends wrinkle her nose and push it aside if I offered to lend it to her. The sort of writing I'm not steeped in. I'm doing this because, as a writer, …
Continue reading Review: ‘The Shock of the Fall’ and ‘Thursdays in the Park’
So the world is imploding. All sorts of worms are crawling out of the opened can.The negative feelings of the disenfranchised are manifesting themselves as widespread disagreement and arguments and dissatisfaction and we're seeing Facebook memes of Pooh Bear and Piglet healing rifts between polarised friends. Everyone has a strong opinion - thank goodness for Free Speech, …
Continue reading Words to stem the storm or at least hold the tide back for a moment.
... some moments are nice, some are nicer, some are even worth writing about. - Charles Bukowski I didn't intend to blog about politics so frequently, but the changes in the political climate in Britain at the moment are monumental and too elusive not to savour on a blog post. We're in a unique time where change is happening …
The days have gone when the Labour Party were the party of the working people. I think this is the case now, given the huge numbers who voted for Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage's Leave campaign and who contributed towards their majority. I've read a variety of slogans and opinions on Facebook and …
Continue reading On Stronger In, the Brexit victory and what happens next…
I was excited to be travelling to the Winchester Writers' Festival with two talented writer friends. It was the first time I'd been to this festival and I was really looking forward to the workshops, the talks and meeting the agents. Given the horror stories I'd heard beforehand of writers rushing out of their sessions …
Continue reading Winchester Writers’ Weekend: more than just words.
I went to the Crediton Food Festival this weekend because one of my stories had been shortlisted in the Crediton Writers' competition. It was pouring with rain, I'd eaten nothing for breakfast and I had to get up at five o'clock to make it on time. But it was certainly worth it- what a great way …
Continue reading Crediton Food Fair: a festival with great taste.
Introducing Pushkin. Alexandra Pushkin or Alexandra Pushkin-Boots. Or sometimes Pyuuuuuuuuuushkin or Little Pushkin or Ditta Puuuushkin or Puskh. Or Puuuussshhhy. Or Ditta. As T. S. Eliot says in 'The Naming of Cats': 'a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES...' Eliot says that a cat's ... mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation Of the thought, …
When I was doing my previous job, the one I loved doing before I gave it all up to become a full time writer and have the very best time of my life, I was still the happy soul I am today. I used to sing while I was working. I'd smile, joke, hug people …
Continue reading Positive Mental Attitude is a winner every time
Uzodinma Iweala's novel Beasts of no Nation is a brutal story about a boy who is forced to become a soldier. I read it in an hour and it has real impact. It's written in the present continuous tense, which gives it a sense of immediacy and the voice of the character is omnipresent, youthful and naive,. His language …
Continue reading Beasts of no Nation: a novel about a boy and a gun
That quintessence of dust 