SEPTEMBER 2006

NEWSLETTER 22

WORK IN PROGRESS

My new novel now has a title: A HIDDEN LIFE. I am working on it and hope very much that I'll finish it before the deadline in January. Head will be down and nose firmly attached to grindstone throughout the autumn and winter. I've also been putting the final touches to my Quick Read, which is called LILY:A GHOST STORY. This has a most beautiful cover which I will put up on the next newsletter. Meanwhile, to satisfy some of my readers who've asked to see the original sketches for Zannah's wedding dress in MADE IN HEAVEN, here, with thanks to the artist, Kate Merrigan, it is. Kate also sketched the bridesmaids' dresses but I've had to make some changes to the text in the novel to fit in with the paperback cover so although it's still beautiful, the drawing is no longer accurate and I'm not displaying it.

click the image to see a larger version

I've been correcting proofs on my second Historical House book, CECILY'S PORTRAIT. Linda Newbery and Ann Turnbull's books are very good indeed and I hope these books will be as well liked as the first trio we did together.

LITTLE BALLET STAR, the sequel to a picture book called THE BALLET CLASS, is being taken to Frankfurt to see if any foreign publishers will like it. Shelagh McDonagh is the artist as before and she makes Tilly look really delightful. This book will be published next year.

I've had some amazing cover quotes from Egyptologists for my CLEOPATRA book which is coming from Kingfisher next year. I'll write more about this next time.

EVENTS

The summer has been quiet, which was very good for my reading of the Costa Award books. I'll be able to write more about these next time, when the shortlist will have been decided, but I enjoyed the experience of sampling so many different kinds of children's book very much. I have a drawer full of them now, which will eventually find their way to friends, libraries and in the case of proofs, the Oxfam shop. My local branch has a wonderful book shop where many itemsfrom my house end up. I've decided on my three books and am now waiting to see what my fellow judges, Geraldine Brennan and Brian Pattinson have chosen.

I did a talk in July at the annual lunch for the League of Jewish Women in the North West. It was on one of the hottest days of the year, and thanks to my neighbour Ruth Satinoff for giving me and my two heavy boxes of books a lift in her car. There were portable fans on the table and the lunch was really delicious. Every seat was taken. It was a very enjoyable occasion. Many thanks to Averil and the Committee for inviting me.

On September 4th, I went to the annual SAS (Scattered Authors Society) gathering at Charney Manor in Oxfordshire for two days. It's not a conference and it's not a meeting and it's not a collection of workshops, so it's difficult to know what to call it except a gathering of friends, all of whom are writers of children's and young adult books. The house and garden are most beautiful. and this time I had a room overlooking the back lawn. We were also lucky with the weather: golden September sunshine all the way. The company is always wonderful at Charney Manor; the food is terrific and especially imaginative for vegetarians, and the discussions are interesting and fruitful. This year I went to a meeting about historical fiction; one about pitching a novel and plenaries which included a very timely talk about posture at the computer etc and one about voice projection. After dinner on the second night, everyone took part in a pub-type quiz which Gill Vickery and I had put together and that went down very well. It's always good to chat to friends you haven't seen for ages and I'm already looking forward to next year. Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put it all together.

Before going off to Charney from Oxford, I dropped in for the very first time to visit my publisher David Fickling at his offices in Beaumont Street. What a super place it is! Full of gorgeous art on the walls and tempting books on the shelves. Tiffany Burgess and Ben Sharpe were there too...I'd never met them before and that was a treat. Also great to see my friend Linda Sargent, who'd come into the office at the same time to share the delicious sandwiches and cakes and have a natter. She is a reader for David Fickling books and advises them on manuscripts. When I left, I was given a goody bag (though Tiffany had to post it to me) full of David Fickling Books which I had fun choosing from the packed shelves. Too much choice...everything looked exciting! But I will read and report on the ones I picked in a later newsletter.

On September 20th I went to speak to the girls of St Mary's School in Colchester yesterday and my visit was enjoyable in every way. I spent the previous evening in a wonderful B&B called 'Rosemary' in East Bergholt, which has a spectacularly beautiful garden, created by Natalie, who also runs the b and b. It was a real pleasure to wake up and see it on a sunny day. Fiona Trott, who'd invited me down to the school, and with whom I'd had a delicious meal in the King's Head in the village, came to fetch me early so that we could go and look around Flatford Mill, which Constable painted in 'The Hay Wain.' No one else was there at that early hour and the whole place looked lovely.. We also went to see a 16th Century bell cage, which was fascinating...the cage had been built as a temporary measure a few hundred years ago to house the bells and it's still there.

Then we went on to the school, where I spoke to years 7, 8 and 9. The building used to be a private house and is now a delightful school set in very pleasant grounds. The staff and girls were friendly and welcoming and I enjoyed my time there. Lots of people bought books, provided by the Red Lion Bookshop in Colchester, to whom many thanks.

Many thanks also to Val and the rest of the staff and especially to Fiona who looked after me so well. I had a great time.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

I'm speaking at a literary dinner (September 27th) and a literary lunch (September 28th) for the Red Rose Counties Literary Society at the Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton. Joan Laprell organizes these occasions and I did an event for her with Eileen Ramsay in 2003 when FACING THE LIGHT was published. It'll be good to see her again and I'm very good at dinner and lunch! Ned Sherrin is the other speaker and it will be a treat to meet him.

On October 16th-18th, I shall be in Belgium again. I'm going to take part in the British School Brussels Annual Book Week and that is sure to be fun. I'll be staying again with Di and Iannis Drymoussis and I had such a good time with them in March that I'm really looking forward to this visit.

On Saturday October 28th, I'm on a panel with Patricia Duncker and Bella Pollen as part of the Guildford Book Festival. This discussion takes place in Waterstone's in Guildford at 3.30 pm and I'm excited at the prospect. Full details on the Guildford Book Festival website.

On Monday October 30th, I'm appearing with other Manchester writers for teenagers (Livi Michael, Paul Magrs and Melvin Burgess) at the Portico Library. It's the Portico's 150th anniversary and Livi is their Writer in residence. She's arranged this event with Manchester Grammar School, and the audience will be boys from Year 7 at the school.

On November 1st, I'm speaking with Erica James and will put up the venue when I know it.

On November 8th, I'm giving a Creative Writing Masterclass at Roedean, my old school down in Brighton. Thanks to Tricia Nicholson for arranging this. I always love going back there.

On November 28th, I'll be at Bay Tree Books in Glossop...more details of time etc on this one later.

BOOKS

I can't write about the 35 or so books I've been reading for the Costa Award but apart from those, there are a few gems to bring to your attention.

First of all, the discovery of the summer: CJSansom. The first book I read was DISSOLUTION and the second, DARK FIRE. The third in the series has just arrived in the post and is called SOVEREIGN. They are thrillers set in the England of Henry VIII and are quite outstanding. The 'detective' is a hunchbacked lawyer called Matthew Shardlake. The history is accurate, the writing is brilliant, and the actual crimes he's solving are gripping and scary and involving. I can't recommend him too highly if you're someone who loves both historical novels and detective stories. Marvellous stuff.

Also very good indeed ( will it be on the Booker shortlist?) is THE EMPEROR'S CHILDREN by Claire Messud. This is a story about people in Manhattan and the fact that the time is just before the horrific crime of September 11th, 2001 colours your reading of the text. The novel is cleverly written, and Messud absorbs us completely in the lives and ambitions of three friends. We care about them, and all through the book I was wondering: how will it be for them in particular on the dreadful day? How will they cope? The answers are fascinating and not quite what you expect. Terrific stuff.

Another favourite of mine, Arnaldur Indridason, has two more thrillers out featuring his Icelandic cop, Erlendur. The first, which comes before the prize-winning SILENCE OF THE GRAVE, is called TAINTED BLOOD and the latest is VOICES which is still in hardback. I love the way he writes: you don't notice that the book is 'written' at all, but almost seem to be absorbing the story through the pores of your skin. Do try this writer.

Jane Hill's GRIEVOUS ANGEL is a sparkling, funny and scary thriller. I met Jane at the Bury Readers' Day in July and it's good to report that her novel is super. I loved the narrative voice which is both witty and faintly unhinged...you'll see why when you read the book.

THE HISTORIAN is still up there on my top bookshelf, looking down at me. Its day will come!

Finally, look at my links page for links to four wonderful book blogs (Susan Hill, Jessica Ruston, Lynne Hatwell and Lisa Guidarini of Chicago) where you will get more recommendations than you'll be able to cope with. I read these blogs every day! No wonder my novel is taking a long time to write....

More next time. I'll put up the next newsletter before Christmas.

Enjoy the autumn!

Adèle Geras

Please email me at: adele @ adelegeras.com