MARCH 2005

NEWSLETTER 19

WORK IN PROGRESS

LILY, the Quick Read I mentioned in the last newsletter, has been approved and I have also finished the first draft of the Cleopatra book. Next up is my Historical House book, CECILY'S PORTRAIT, which I'm very much looking forward to writing. Adult Novel 4 waits for me after that and I can't say anything about it at this stage...only that it's no more than a tiny thought at the moment. That's always a pleasant stage in the process, as everything is still to come, but it's also a bit nervous-making.

Meanwhile, I promised to put up the cover of MADE IN HEAVEN. Here it is.

IN MEMORIAM

In the last newsletter, I mentioned meeting Jan Mark at a school in Woodstock in November. She died very suddenly in January and her death was not only a terrible shock and a loss to her family and her many friends but also meant that there were going to be no more of the marvellous, free-wheeling, intelligent, funny, wise and altogether individual novels and stories that we'd grown used to over many years. Anyone who hasn't read her books, start now and you have a feast before you. My own favourites, out of so many terrific things, were THEY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THERE, THE STRATFORD BOYS, RIDING TYCHO and all the short stories. Noone did 'spooky' like Jan and she also had a perfect ear for the rhythms of teenspeak. Her work abides and so will the memories I have of her. I hope very much that someone will now reprint her one novel on the adult lists (though not her one adult novel!) which is called ZENO WAS HERE.

Miriam Hodgson, a kind and wonderful woman, who was for many years an editor at Methuen and Egmont, has also died far too young. I remember her with great affection and will miss the hours we spent on the phone nattering about the latest books.

Finally, I was at a memorial service in Oxford just the other day for my Spanish tutor at Oxford, Robert Pring-Mill. Being taught by him was a real pleasure and his life was full of achievements and the many students and colleagues and friends at the service bore witness to that.

EVENTS

I went back to Sheffield on January 20th to speak to children at the Laughton Junior and Infant School and also at Laughton All Saints. This visit was arranged by Christine Shepherd, who took me to see a beautiful new library. This was a great treat. At a time when libraries are being threatened on all sides, it's good to see one that's thriving. We had a super lunch at Laughton All Saints and particular thanks to Emma and Andrew who welcomed me so delightfully to their school.

I visited Windsor to discuss the Cleopatra book with my editor, Alison Stanley, and what a pleasure that turned out to be. She lives within the precincts of the Castle, as her husband is in charge of the music at St George's Chapel. We walked up from the station and past the guards at the Castle entrance, and discussed the book in detail after a really delicious lunch. Then Alison took me on a tour of the Chapel which was fascinating. We went up into the Organ loft, where we were shown the workings of the instrument and had a good view into all parts of the Chapel. I relived the Royal Wedding a bit (weddings are still at the forefront of my mind and I watched every minute of Charles and Camilla's ceremony for, of course, 'research' purposes!) and enjoyed hearing about the special room Queen Victoria had built in order to look down on her daughter's wedding. She couldn't attend the service because she was in mourning, but had no intention of missing out entirely. I met several people on my way round the Chapel who were all very hospitable and interesting and showed me many things I wouldn't have noticed, like the Garter Knight's pennant belonging to John Major which has a pattern of cricket stumps and balls on it. Altogether this was an editorial meeting like no other I've ever attended and many thanks go to Alison and everyone I met at Windsor Castle.

Next day, I went to speak to the girls at the North London Collegiate School. After a talk to the Junior girls, I had lunch with the staff and then spoke to several classes together in the library (see pictures). A class from Sacred Heart School came to the talk as well, so it was a bit crowded but everyone fitted in and we had a most enjoyable session. I spoke to one more class during their English lesson, because I was waiting to be filmed by a firm (Meet the Author) which makes short videos of writers talking about their books. The school very kindly provided a room for us to do the filming in. I'm grateful to Mrs. Levenson and Mrs. Bagworth-Mann (who took the photos here) for all their kindness and hospitality. I had a great day and went home with a super bunch of flowers. I even had a chance to look at my emails on the computer in the splendid library.

Click on a photo to see a larger version

The Carnegie/Greenaway day at Leicester was fun too. It was good to meet again librarians whom I hadn't seen for nearly 20 years. I spoke about my books and they were all choosing their nominations for the medals. I'm sure the information I have is classified, but I can tell you that as far as the Carnegie was concerned they made a good choice, in my opinion. (By the way, I have just heard that ITHAKA is on the longlist for the Carnegie Medal. You can see the whole list after March 3rd on the Carnegie Award website.)

The Orion Author Party is an occasion I've missed in the past, so I was particularly happy to be able to go to it this year. It was held at the Wallace Collection which is the grandest of venues and the Great Hall was packed with writers, agents, everyone from Orion and I daresay also movie stars, politicians, journalists and others I know nothing about. It was hard to get to see everyone you wanted to, but it was the most marvellously lavish party with champagne flowing and the most delicious canapés ever. I think I overdid the smoked salmon, but hey, it was a party. I met up with lots of friends (Laura Cecil, Linda Newbery, Erica James, Wendy Cooling, Judith Elliott, Jon Appleton, Michael Palin, Francesca Simon, Rosemary Sandberg and others) but did not get to see Lionel Shriver who was apparently there. It was a really festive and enjoyable occasion and we each took away a super goody bag containing a small bottle of champagne, a box of organic chocolates and copies of the Richard -and -Judy-picked Orion books: LABYRINTH by Kate Mosse and THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly. I haven't read the Mosse yet but see below for what I think of the Connelly.

On March 2nd, World Book Day, I was in St. Helen's for an evening event.

On March 3rd, I was in London to take part in a Reading For Pleasure day, courtesty of the Guardian. This was a very pleasant occasion and it was held in the newsroom of the Guardian which is a marvellous place, full of interesting things. There was, for instance, an exhibition of Biff drawings on which I enjoyed looking at. About 80 teachers and librarians were there, and we had all kinds of fascinating talks and discussions. The food was terrific, and my part in the proceedings can be heard by clicking on this link and following the instructions on the Culture Vulture website in order to listen to a podcast of my talk.

Finally, I haven't mentioned before the death of our beloved cat Mimi. She died last year, and we've just planted a ceanothus near her grave in the back garden. We still miss her very much, but we won't be getting another cat just at the moment.

BOOKS

THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly, (author of that other very good book, THE POET,) is that best of all possible reads, an intelligent and gripping thriller. It's a legal one, of course, but not like any other you'll have read, and I can't tell you how refreshing it is to have a character-based, fast-paced, page-turny and satisfying story which doesn't rely for its thrills on more and more baroque forms of evisceration. Terrific stuff and I've just voted for it in a Nibbies poll for the Richard and Judy book of the year. It's published by Orion in paperback. Way to go, Michael!

Other books...well, THE HISTORIAN still beckons. I am longing to read it, really, and the wonderful posters on the London Underground lately have made me even keener but whenever I go on a train, it's too heavy to go in my handbag and at home there's always something outstanding that I just have to get to and which will be quicker. Perhaps there will be news in the next newsletter.

I have sampled the Alan Bennett however, because with that you can dip in and out of the volume. It's just as wise and wonderful as you'd expect. I heard Alan Bennett speaking once and wanted very much for him to come home with me and sit at my kitchen table talking...this book is the next best thing.

Two of my friends have produced excellent books recently. Linda Newbery's novel SET IN STONE comes from David Fickling Books in May, and is just the sort of thing I adore. A big house, a lake, an artist, mysteries, secrets, love, sculpture and above all a landscape that you feel you can step right into - the whole thing is a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience, and stays in the memory.

Ann Turnbull follows her story of star-crossed lovers in the 17th century (NO SHAME NO FEAR) with a sequel (FORGED IN THE FIRE, published by Walker Books,) that sees Susannah and Will in London. They arrive there just before the Great Fire and the novel ends with the best description of this event that you could wish for. On the way, the two main characters speak in turn, as they did in the first book and we share their lives. This is historical writing of the very best kind.

My discovery of the year, so far, is a book called GREY SOULS by Philippe Claudel. This is going to come out in paperback in April from Phoenix. I read it in proof. You might miss it. The cover is grey and will be easily overlooked in the midst of flashy piles of technicolour pink, yellow and green. Try to find it. It's fantastic. I say this even though a couple of friends have been a little underwhelmed by it and one of them has even (horrors!) given it up, but I do urge you to give it a go. I thought it was amazing. It's the most atmospheric book I've read for some time. It's also a thriller of sorts. An elderly policeman in Northern France looks back on a case that wasn't, in his opinion, ever solved properly. This tiny book tells you more about the First World War than many books set on the battlefields. You get to know an entire community. There is terrible tragedy which only gradually gets revealed. ..I could go on. I just loved it and can't recommend it highly enough. It's a translation from the French but you'd never know. One day, someone will make a movie of it and that would be good but do read the book first. It won't take you long and you won't forget it. Unless, like my friend, you give it up...

Most people seem to agree that BEYOND BLACK (Penguin) by Hilary Mantel is a masterpiece. It's about a medium and is the most surprising of books. Brilliantly written, very funny, very horrifying and moving too, it's a puzzle to me how it was overlooked for all the prizes. It is unputdownable.

The new Ruth Rendell, END IN TEARS (Hutchinson) is not her best Wexford book by any means, but everything she writes is worth reading. This is a clue to how much I love her: when a Rendell, or even better, a Barbara Vine comes into the house, I drop whatever else it is I'm reading and read that first....she's the best!

Joan Brady's BLEEDOUT is another thriller with a brain. It's difficult to describe but the crimes are both personal and political and it's another of those books where you feel as though you know a whole segment of a society by the time you come to the end of your reading.

Stephen Amidon is not as well-known as he ought to be. For anyone who likes Tom Wolfe, he's a must. HUMAN CAPITAL (Penguin) is terrific. Do read it and see if you agree. It's has one of the best depictions of two teenage lovers I've ever read and their parents and their friends are equally well-drawn. It's also very good about money and the problems that follow once you get in over your head.

THE GEOGRAPHER'S LIBRARY (Hamish Hamilton hbk. Penguin pbk in June) is a début novel by Jon Fasman and it's very accomplished and dazzling but I'm not one hundred percent sure I understood it completely. There's a modern-day story, which whizzes along, but there are also elements of mystery which spring from various objects from the past....it's a little Name-of-the-Roseish for my tastes but again, very well-written indeed and Fasman is someone to watch.

Margaret Forster's IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT? (Vintage pbk) is as usual, a very warm-hearted book about five women who all attend a cancer clinic in a hospital. As usual, it's written with understanding and insight into several different characters.

I've just finished ASH AND BONE by John Harvey. (Arrow pbk) Anyone who loves his Resnick books (and I do) will be happy to follow his tales of a new hero, Frank Elder. This was a corking read and I now have to go back and read the first Elder book, FLESH AND BLOOD. Coming to them in the wrong order tells me something I probably would have been better off not knowing...never mind, I'll still enjoy the first novel, I'm sure.

Finally, a work of very interesting and personally resonant non-fiction: THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET: a writer's view of Israel (Time Warner pbk.) by Linda Grant, the novelist and journalist. She spent four months living there in 2004. The book is very readable, as well as both shrewd and funny. It provides a welcome insight into the lives of people who are not very often considered in the media. As a born Jerusalemite, I have to defend that city, but Linda loves Tel-Aviv and I must admit that some of the things she says about Jerusalem are spot on. This is required reading for anyone hoping for an intelligent, funny and warm book that is unsparing, too, in its criticism of what Grant feels needs criticising as far as the Israeli government is concerned.

Finally, I have to confess a failure... I couldn't get on with Ali Smith's THE ACCIDENTAL (Hamish Hamilton) at all. I have a problem with novels that go from margin to margin with very little dialogue but this one was on the Whitbread and Booker shortlists and many people have loved it. This just goes to illustrate a whole variety of clichés: "Different strokes for different folks" just about sums them all up.

On the bookshelf still to be read, alongside THE HISTORIAN, is Alexander Masters' STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS.(4th Estate ) For those who like such connections: Alexander is the son of Joan Brady (see above.)

Also: a début thriller by Stuart MacBride called COLD GRANITE (HarperCollins pbk) set in Aberdeen.

And: ONLY HUMAN (Review pbk) by Susie Boyt which looks terrific.

 The next newsletter will be published in mid-May.

Till then, have a lovely spring.

Adèle Geras

Please email me at: adele @ adelegeras.com