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Adventures in the Thingness of Pen and Paper Again
There is magic in the thingness of pen and paper. When was the last time you received a letter with that wonderful and familiar handwriting, that carried with it the something of the voice and spirit...
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Writers’ portraits
Recently I had to have some fancy photos taken for promotional purposes and it made me start to think – does how a writer look really matter? In ye olden days, none of this would have mattered so...
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Augury
Do you believe in augury? The ancient Roman art of understanding the ‘Gods’ through watching the behaviour of birds. I am not sure about augury in itself, but I do think it a privilege to take note of...
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Thoughts on Toby Chien – Colette’s muse, her beloved dog
For a long time I have been a little enamoured of the little beast with a face like a ‘squashed toad’, Colette’s little French Bulldog Toby Chien. I am not exactly sure what it is about him – his...
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History Listening and Talking to Itself – Hilary Mantel on writing Wolf Hall
Recently I finished reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, after much prodding and poking by some very astute readers, as well as hearing some wonderful podcasts with Mantel herself ( with her very...
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The Revisit : Thoughts on old children’s books
Recently I have been riding a wave of synchronicity while trying to track down an old child hood favourite book and it goes something like this: For several years this beauty taken by photographer...
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Thoughts on The Invisible Woman
No, this post isn’t about the HG Wells’ creation or his imaginary feminine equivalent, but the Invisible Woman conjured in the pages of Claire Tomlain’s The Invisible Woman – The story of Nelly Ternan...
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In the Garden – a conversation under the boughs with Damon Young
“I’m not at home to anyone, except for this triangular forget-me-knot, for this rose in the shape of a wishing well, for the silence in which the sound made by the mind when searching for the word has...
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A conversation with Essie Fox
Saved from the Thames one foggy London night, Pearl grows up at the House of Mermaids – a brothel that becomes the closest thing to home. But despite being cosseted and spoiled by the Madame,...
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A conversation with Esther Woolfson : Queen of the Corvids
It was 2008 when I read Esther Woolfson’s first book Corvus: A Life with Birds and was enchanted by her observations of birds, both ‘tame’ and wild. Her writing is crisp and observant, never...
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A conversation with Joel Stewart
From a very early age, I developed a taste for children’s books that has carried on into adulthood. To my they are magical little treasure boxes to be enjoyed by all ages. So it was with great pleasure...
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A Conversation with Edward Carey
Edward Carey is a novelist, visual artist and playwright. He has written and produced several plays. His debut novel OBSERVATORY MANSIONS (with author’s illustrations) is sold in 14 countries and was...
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Tell a Secret, Keep a Secret – A Conversation with Jill Dawson.
Jill Dawson is a author of eight novels including Fred and Edie, The Great Lover, Lucky Bunny. Tell-Tale Heart published 2014. The first time Jill Dawson showed up on my reading radar was with her...
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A Conversation with Jean Bedford and the ghost of Kate Kelly
I’ve always been equal parts curious and enchanted by the mythology around Australia’s bushrangers. As a child, I was particularly enthralled with the story of Ned Kelly and his family and on a...
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