Friday 27 November 2009

Chorlton Christmas Craft Fair

Apologies, but I won't be at the Christmas Craft Fair at St. Clement's on Edge Lane, Chorlton as I'm still not feeling brilliant after a nasty cold, cough bug I've had and don't feel it would be a good idea to be there.

Wishing everyone well who goes and that a fantastic festive time is had be all. I'm going to get better if it kills me...

Happy Christmas.

Bookshops, Craft Fairs and such

With the closure of Borders, the debate goes on about the survival of books in their physical format and the outlets that sell them. And then about the range of books published and how it is shrinking. Less and less diversity.

I'm selling my book, "Meeting Coty" at a Christmas Craft Fair tomorrow at St. Clement's Church, Edge Lane, Chorlton-Cum-Hardy. Are Craft Fairs and festivals the bookshops of the future to compliment on-line selling and reading? For some, it may be, if there book isn't in the range of what publishers think the public want. As they say, it's business.

I want to say, "Support your local bookshop. Buy at independent booksellers."

It's business too, for them. What makes a shop stand out and survive is it's owner and it's owner's love for what they sell.

So, Thank you to Sue Keates of Whitby Bookshop, 88, Church Street, Whitby, Yorkshire for not only stocking my novel, when I'm not a well-known author, a best-selling author, not even local to Whitby or have a book about the area, but for putting "Meeting Coty" for all to see on a stand of new writers.
This is so important to new authors as readers may not have heard of our books and a way of reaching the public is for it to be seen by people browsing through the shelves. This is why having the cover seen is so important. I often buy a book because the cover has caught my attention. I know small bookshops have limited space and it's wonderful to have a book stocked, but it has to be presented to be sold.
So, anyone who lives near the North Yorkshire coast, head to Whitby Bookshop.

Monday 23 November 2009

My Favourite Jacket

I watched the film, "Before Sunset" again last night. Love the film. On this viewing, Nathan Hawke's jacket caught my eye and it brought back memories of a jacket I had when I was eighteen. I loved it. It was a mid to dark brown, slightly flecked fine wool jacket. It fitted perfectly. At the time, lots of jackets had shoulder pads, but this jacket's shoulders were neat. It fitted straight down, no tapering at the waist, but fitted across the hips as it did at the top. And reached an inch or two below my bum. Two pockets and a small lapel. I loved it and felt the bee's knees in it. Funny phrase. Another time!
And I often wore a little fedora type tweedy hat with it. Loved my hat too. I think the jacket was from Miss. Selfidges.

And then when I went to college I had a dark blue reefer jacket. Very masculine. I felt with my long hair it worked well. This has made me laugh, but i'm leaving it in.

Anyway, fond memories of that jacket. I no longer have it but I remember the way it made me feel. I felt I knew who I was. And I was happy with that. I'll have a think what's in my wardrobe that makes me feel like that now. And it's not the brown cardigan, though it hangs beautifully...

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Rain and birthdays and the unexpected

It's my birthday today and I have a searing throat that insists on adding that little extra pain by forcing coughing spasms. Marvellous. But, birthday wishes coming through, so at least other people can do the singing.

I meant to write about Chris Hall's talk about the spanish civil war that I went to on Monday evening. The room was full and extra chairs had to be put out. Shows that there is interest in the subject, or that Chris has a lot of friends. From the comments and questions at the end, I'm guessing the former. Have to say he answered all the well researched and knowledgable comments with dexterity. You have to know your subject when so many other people are passionate about it too.
And that was what was good. People's passion. Passion about the war on Monday and, which came across through Chris, who was an engaging speaker, the passion of the volunteers. These were men who couldn't fight, didn't know about warfare, but were chosen for their belief in the cause. You could ask if the people doing the recruiting really wanted to win if they were choosing soldiers who weren't fighters, but this didn't seem to be the point, my friends. Passion and belief and a united way of thinking. Mmmm. Wars, some wars are still being fought like that, but that's a different discussion. Or one at a tangent.

Chris made me want to know more about the war. Definitely. I was interested anyway, but it has fuelled my willingness to find out more.
It was like being at a 'Support the War Fundraiser' in some ways, only the war is over. Or so I thought. Several people commented how little many spaniards want to talk about this time. And it needs to be talked about. Why? Answers please.
My family are from Jerez. Makes me want to ask questions there. Apparently Jerez is still very divided.

And the audience. I sat next to a very interesting couple. They have moved to Didsbury from a stint in Dusseldorf. He was english, she spanish, from Madrid. They talked of having a season ticket to an opera house in Germany and their tickets being for Friday evenings, they had to go to whatever was on that night. So, they saw operas they wouldn't have chosen to and that this opened their minds and tastes and they saw it as positive.
Like this night. What I love is going to see, hear, experience something that you wouldn't normally pick. I did want to see this, so the argument doesn't quite hold, but you get my drift - I'm ignorant about the spanish civil war, so it was new to me. And I almost didn't go as this nasty cold thing was just laying its nest, but I thought I shouldn't miss the opportunity, so I went. And so glad I did! For the reasons I've said and for one other. Well, two. The red wine was nice.
Someone who I knew at university was there. They'd seen the Book Festival advertised in the Manchester Evening News, recognised my name, got in touch with a philipine prostitute called Ruth Estevez, decided that wasn't me, so thought they'd see if this one was, couldn't come to my talk, but as I'd said on my blog I was coming to this one... and I don't have to pretend, it was a surprise that was warm and enjoyable and a pleasure. I won't give names, but we somehow clicked at college, don't know what it was and I remember we talked a lot. And then he left and that was it. And then he was here. Isn't life strange? United by the spanish civil war in Chorlton? Now doesn't that make you proud?

Friday 13 November 2009

Book Festival

Thank you to all those who turned up at Chorlton Library on Monday afternoon. And thanks to David Green and the librarians who gave such hospitality with fairy cakes and drinks. The sun beamed into the room and the atmosphere was welcoming.
I enjoyed talking about writing and Francois Coty and a little about my family tree and how it linked into the novel.
I hope you enjoyed it and felt you got something out of it.
I'm going to a talk next Monday by Chris Hall about volunteers in the Spanish Civil War. I'm really looking forward to learning more about that. We are very lucky in south Manchester with all the festivals and events that occur.
I'm over 80,000 words now on Leaving Coty, even with harsh editing. Love that! Tessa has met a new man, Gaston Bistoche, who seems like her soul mate. Trying to keep it restrained, but it's difficult. Ah well, can always come back and edit.