Is it wise and useful to flaunt yourself and your (unpublished) work in places like the LBF? Sometimes it feels like swimming in treacle, all the things one should and shouldn't do to get to that aah so wonderful goal of being in print. The net is full of blogs on the subject. Some are useful. I … [Read more...]
Easter and Jamie’s Italian
A lovely family Easter. Teenage daughter and grown up son at home, winding each other up at scrabble. They cooked too, son made stock and daughter desserts. I overdid the gardening and only wanted a hot sauna and a cold beer followed by the Masters on TV.After a lunch of chicken, salad and couscous … [Read more...]
The Lost Daughter and the lost words
After the friendly and positive meeting of similar minded writers in Bath on Monday night and the excellent crit on the second chapter of the sequel to The Red King of Helsinki, I'm now stuck. Yesterday I did edits and revisions on chapter two of The Lost Daughter, according to the very useful and … [Read more...]
Sun and short skirts in Notting Hill
Is it illegal to cover your partner’s eyes when he’s driving? Even if he is showing far too much interest in young female legs in short skirts? One young thing, bouncing along the pavement at about the same pace as we were proceeding in the Saturday morning traffic, wore a wide skirt, which suddenly … [Read more...]
Håkan Nesser in London
I was very kindly invited to hear the Swedish crime writer, Håkan Nesser, speak at the Swedish Church in Marylebone last night. I've been a fan of Nesser for years, so I was acting like a little girl with a crush on a teacher when I spotted him on arrival at the church hall.I'd insisted that my … [Read more...]
All that jazz and Scandinavian food
Saw the brilliant Simon Mulligan Quartet at Club 606 on Wednesday night. www.606club.co.uk It was my first visit and it reminded me of jazz clubs of old. Which is a good thing. Not that I am an authority. I think we stopped going because of the cigarette smoke. I'm glad to see the smoking ban hasn't … [Read more...]
Female friendships
If you read any chick-lit or other type of fiction on the subject, or watch any number of more or less sickening TV programmes about a group of female friends, you are led to believe female friendships are the most wonderful to be held.I loved SATC, and as witnessed by long suffering partner, will … [Read more...]
Ski helmet
A couple of years ago I went skiing with friends to Åre in Sweden. Though not with me, my partner made me promise I'd wear a helmet. Had he not insisted, I'm sure I would have declined as the thing really didn't flatter.As you can see from Exhibit No 1. Two weeks ago in Lapland I knew I wouldn't get … [Read more...]
Supermarket flirting
After my meeting with the nice man from Business Link, I decided to do some food shopping. In these credit crunch times I try to cook the fridge empty, but partner and daughter complained last night that a thousand ways with left over meat loaf which had followed my million ways with minced meat … [Read more...]
The real work starts
While waiting for any news about my latest literary efforts, I have decided to try to earn some real money. (My partner is delighted) So I spent last week setting up the all new Halme Accountancy. I am enjoying going back to the day job so far.My intention is to leave a day or two ( and weekends) to … [Read more...]