libraries

I must be getting old - but when did libraries stop being libraries and become childcare centres? I know I was brought up a bit strictly, but when I was a child you were told to be quiet in libraries by both parents and librarians on pain of strict punishment. If you had to talk it was in a whisper. None of that in Cambridge Central library this Saturday where I went for a quiet (ha ha) read as I had an hour spare before meeting friends. It was absolute bedlam, with kids screaming and shouting and even the adults weren't talking quietly. To be fair, I didn't go upstairs to the 'quiet reading area', but to my mind all of a library should be quiet, that's kind of the point.

Quiet places seem to be disappearing. I've nothing against children, and I realise that "children should be seen and not heard" is no longer appropriate, but no one ever seems to tell their children to be quiet anywhere - not in restaurants, or museums, or shops. I'm prepared to put up with that, but libraries? Is nothing sacred any more?!

Am I the only person left who thinks that it might actually be good for children for them to be silent sometimes, or at least to have a bit of quiet time in the otherwise hectic modern world?

try again

Did anybody else's parents say to them 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again'? Am feeling a bit down in the dumps with an annoying sprained ankle and not getting a literary thing I was hoping for. But, on the bright side - ankle is only sprained not broken, I still could win the Bridgport competition (hope springs eternal), and I have an idea for the next novel. So, I'll just feel sorry for myself a tiny bit longer (maybe another half hour) and then back in the saddle!

My summer of cycling

sounds like quite a good title for a book, but I'm not sure it would be that exciting. In my current health drive I have cycled to numerous Cambridgeshire villages I didn't even know existed, got lost - twice, got covered in flies - pretty much every time, and nearly cried from exhaustion - once, but I have lost nearly a stone, and my bmi is back in the 'normal' range. I've now also cycled in Suffolk and Norfolk. If I were famous, I could no doubt do a TV series with accompanying book on cycling round the UK or something!

But what does this have to do with writing I hear you cry? Well, not an awful lot, except that on my hols I managed to do quite a lot on the new novel and the end is in sight. Also, cycling is quite good for the writing process, as it provides time to think things through, and I've come up with a few ideas while in the saddle, so I highly recommend it to writers and non-writers alike!

new review

Check out the new review for If It Falls on www.amazon.co.uk

I've just finished reading Val McDermid's Fever in the Bone and I so want to spill the beans!

caring not writing

I currently feel like I'm not getting much writing done between seeing my mum who's just out of hospital and doing errands for my partner who's not very well. Not to mention doing almost daily exercise and shopping for and cooking healthy food to get my blood pressure down! Still, that's life, we're not writing machines immune to what's going on around us and despite all that, I do seem to have done quite a lot on the new novel this week.

Also, I'm madly reading the proof of the new Val McDermid in preparation for my interview with her next week for Velvet. Make sure you go to our wicked new website and subscribe so you don't miss out.

4 weddings and ...

Not so much 4 weddings and a funeral as 1 funeral, 2 weddings, and a birth! Nothing happens for about 20 years and then it all happens at once! Just back from the first of the weddings - of my second cousin, who I met for the first time at my uncle's funeral. It was in Shropshire, where I've never been before, but it was very nice. A good time was had by all and the fireworks were particularly excellent. Next wedding at the end of June.

blood, sweat and more blood

Being a magazine editor seems to have become a dangerous occupation - picked up the proof of Velvet from the printers last night, and gashed my finger twice on its razor sharp edges! And to add insult to injury, now I can't fix the bleed on the back page. Sometimes you really just need a graphic designer!

Meanwhile, the new Velvet website is improving by leaps and bounds, check it out from the link here. You still need to go to the existing site to subscribe, but we should have the new Paypal up and running in the next couple of weeks.