So today has been busy. For lots of reasons some of which I cannot divulge (the BIG meeting) but some I can (what will probably be just a dull blog hahaha). I have been reading like a maniac. I am very privileged to be someone who gets paid to do reviews of books, I love books anyway and so it’s not really a hardship. I do this for New Books Magazine, and free ones for Waterstones all good on the CV (fingers crossed another paid job in a very literary mag is coming soon) and like I said I like books.
The current read is Sallie Day’s ‘The Palace of Strange Girls’ which is happily finished and on the bedside table now. It is a really good read and though I can’t give you a copy of my review I will say it’s a very good read and would be a good addition to any bookshelf. Bookshelves… I so need to get some at the moment in my flat there are 4 piles of lots of books and another 6 boxes. I can’t resist. You know this. Mind you I have been very good on the book buying front of late. They are comparing The Palace of Strange Girls to Kate Atkinson’s ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ I personally didn’t like that book, though I love all the authors others, so I would say its better.
One fabulous thing about the book was that every chapter starts with one of the fabulous old ‘I Spy’ book quotes, all from a beach copy, as the little girl Beth is obsessed with them. I had forgotten these, and used to love them as a kid. You cant get them now I have put a picture of the only one I could find on eBay on this blog! It brought back that (though the book wasn’t set in the 80’s its in the 50’s) ‘punch car’, ‘the registration plate game’ and various other holiday games from my childhood. Am having a very deep and nostalgic few days at the moment. Have been thinking about Bong a lot too!
The current read is Sallie Day’s ‘The Palace of Strange Girls’ which is happily finished and on the bedside table now. It is a really good read and though I can’t give you a copy of my review I will say it’s a very good read and would be a good addition to any bookshelf. Bookshelves… I so need to get some at the moment in my flat there are 4 piles of lots of books and another 6 boxes. I can’t resist. You know this. Mind you I have been very good on the book buying front of late. They are comparing The Palace of Strange Girls to Kate Atkinson’s ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ I personally didn’t like that book, though I love all the authors others, so I would say its better.
One fabulous thing about the book was that every chapter starts with one of the fabulous old ‘I Spy’ book quotes, all from a beach copy, as the little girl Beth is obsessed with them. I had forgotten these, and used to love them as a kid. You cant get them now I have put a picture of the only one I could find on eBay on this blog! It brought back that (though the book wasn’t set in the 80’s its in the 50’s) ‘punch car’, ‘the registration plate game’ and various other holiday games from my childhood. Am having a very deep and nostalgic few days at the moment. Have been thinking about Bong a lot too!
Other than that and a big meeting I have done two things; writing and brainstorming! I have been writing ‘the book’ and so far it is going really well, I am its biggest critic and think it could be better but this is only draft one and the characters are coming along nicely. It isn’t hard work at the lap top so that’s a good sign. I have been trying to have breaks away and re-reads but at only chapter three maybe I will hold off and just write the darn thing – read later.
The other thing I have been brainstorming is ‘The Bent Book Group’. This hasn’t been given the official ‘go ahead’ green light but I am desperately trying to make my editor see why I want to do it, any good arguments are most welcomed, I need all the help I can get! I am thinking how to do something from a monthly mag. It is proving difficult, my thoughts are a forum on the Bent website and maybe a group on myspace and facebook where people and give their feedback, if any of you can think about this and how else it could work again suggestions welcomed.
I think first author would like to feature is the lovely Mr Paul Burston, and then the delightful Stella Duffy, we shall see. The idea is then to also have a running interview or piece on the author and why they write there favourite books etc, what I basically want is to be Mariella Frostrup on The Book Show, which would be my dream job. So a creative, if a little dull to read back I am sure, day!
The other thing I have been brainstorming is ‘The Bent Book Group’. This hasn’t been given the official ‘go ahead’ green light but I am desperately trying to make my editor see why I want to do it, any good arguments are most welcomed, I need all the help I can get! I am thinking how to do something from a monthly mag. It is proving difficult, my thoughts are a forum on the Bent website and maybe a group on myspace and facebook where people and give their feedback, if any of you can think about this and how else it could work again suggestions welcomed.
I think first author would like to feature is the lovely Mr Paul Burston, and then the delightful Stella Duffy, we shall see. The idea is then to also have a running interview or piece on the author and why they write there favourite books etc, what I basically want is to be Mariella Frostrup on The Book Show, which would be my dream job. So a creative, if a little dull to read back I am sure, day!
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