April 2013

The blossom is almost out here in East Yorkshire and we get occasional bursts of sunshine, but it's still very cold and I can't yet divest myself of warm joggers, sweatshirts and thick socks as I sit at my desk.

I have had mixed fortunes since I wrote my last blog. I told you of the paperback launch of The Innkeeper's Daughter on February 14th and was then delighted to hear that it climbed into the Top 50 official charts and up to last week was still there at number 39. It does make me wonder what it is that makes one book a best seller whilst others never reach the charts. Readers of course have their favourites; perhaps within a novel there's a reminder of some loss or joy or remembrance of their own which gives a book a special appeal. I have been re-reading Barbara Kingsolver's
Prodigal Summer, a delightful book and wholly suitable for bedtime reading which is the only time I read fiction. I know that in a couple of years I will fish it out again and read it once more.


February and the first two weeks of March I had a hectic signing schedule but managed to finish and send off my new novel His Brother's Wife to my editor. I thought then that there would be time to dig out my office and dust my desk before beginning the next one. But life has a way of travelling its own course and sweeping us along with it. John Lennon famously said, 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.' It is true. Life and death stops us in our tracks and makes us aware that we are not in complete control after all, although many of us might think that we are until we discover otherwise.
I have spoken publicly on Dying Matters, was asked to speak on the subject as it was known I had lost my much loved husband to Dementia - but there, I have fallen into my own well sprung trap. I haven't lost him, he is still close to my heart. He died. Death is a difficult subject to discuss, but here I am writing about it again as I grieve over yet another sister, who died quite suddenly in March after heart surgery. I find I can speak of her or write of her if I imagine I am speaking as someone else, the third person, as we would in a novel. Wanting to telephone her to tell her something or entering through her front door when she is no longer there, is something else entirely and only time will change that.
The secret is keeping so busy that you don't have time to feel sad; that is until a piece of music or someone being nice to you can open the floodgates. To keep my equalibrium I have given two talks - speaking in the third person again, attended a literary lunch as a guest, had meetings with fellow authors and attended live concerts to hear beautiful music and shed a silent tear. I do believe that when a sibling dies, comes our awareness that life is short, and there's nothing more certain that I personally will avoid the tragedy of dying young, and that none of us will live forever in this life though your views on the life hereafter may bring up another story.

This year is the twentieth anniversary since my first novel The Hungry Tide was published and plans are afoot to celebrate. I know that they will be tempered by loss, but also am aware that those who are missing from my life would want me to continue living life to the full on their behalf.

February 2013

So what did you do on St Valentine's Day? Did you receive chocolates and flowers and protestations of enduring love and devotion. Well good for you!
I was curious to know the origins of St Valentine, but after some sli.ght research he remains an enigma. Several sources describe him as a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith, others as a temple priest during the time of Claudius. He did exist however, as archeologists discovered a tomb and ancient church dedicated to him. It seems though that there were several Valentine's -- which means valour - and when relics were found in Rome in 1836, they were attributed to St Valentine and dedicated to young people especially those in love! So there you are.
What I did on Valentine's Day was dress in my heart shaped patterned dress and drive to Harrogate, at least my daughter Catherine did, we went through snow and then thick fog but eventually arrived safely at the Cairn Hotel where I had been invited to speak at the Yorkshire Post Literary Lunch. Two other authors also speaking were Lesley Pearse and Clive Aslett. It was a very pleasant afternoon and the sun came out briefly.It was a special day for me as the paperback edition of The Innkeeper's Daughter was launched that day and I am still travelling on the signing tour. And I have received flowers -- and cake -- from some of my lovely lovely readers which made me feel quite emotional.

I know I haven't mentioned January, and I didn't reallyt intend to as this month for me is the clearing up month, a time for finishing the very last edit of the work in progress or WIP as authors call it, and trying my hardest to keep warm without turning up the central heating and breaking the bank. Is it me, is my blood thinning, or has it really been very very cold and a very long winter?

This week I have several more local signings to do, then a trip to Scarborough Waterstone's on Saturday. The good news out of Scarborough is that last year's  library lending list is just out and my book THE HARBOUR GIRL was the top loaned book in the Scarborough district. I think that  coupled with Radio 4's Open Book and the East Riding libraries where I was named as one of the UK's top loaned authors I can give myself a small cheer!

I hadn't finished!

The most important thing that I wanted to say, was that I hope that all of my friends and readers have a very happy Christmas and that I send my good wishes to you all for a healthy and happy New Year.

With love from


Valerie aka Val

      xx

Three Sleep Nights to go

As the children of friends might say.

People weighed down with the responsibilty of shopping and preparing for Christmas often say it's for children, which it is, but it's for adults too; it's a time for catching up with old friends and for reflection on the year which has almost gone, and too quickly for most of us. It's also a special time for thinking of those who are no longer with us, except in spirit and deep within our hearts.
For me it has been a satisfactory and busy year, with the paperback publication of my last book The Harbour Girl and the creation of The Harbour Girl Trail which has been so well received, particularly in the libraries, and the November publication of The Innkeeper's Daughter.
My lovely loyal readers have once again shown such support and at each signing have asked will there be another book next year? Yes, I say, should I live so long!

This year of course has been so very exciting with the Queen's Jubilee Celebration and not forgetting the wonderful Olympics. I must confess that I had been rather cynical over the original hype but was won over by the sheer joy and exhilaration of it all, especially when so many Yorkshire athletes brought back their golden accolades. Call it jingoism if you like but it brought a tear to my eye and filled me with delight.

Since I wrote my last blog I have 'cut a ribbon' at the opening of a new office for the charity Beverley Lift, supported the firework display in aid of the Hull Memory Clinic, given several talks on the aforementioned Trail, launched The Innkeeper's Daughter at Hull's Waterstone's where they built a wonderful Christmas tree of books in their window, and where the book sales exceeded those of last year; wrote a short story for My Weekly which is out now and had a mention on Radio 4's Open Book. Oh, yes, and wrote a few more words for the next book, and a quick trip over to Stockholm as a prelude to Christmas where we knew for sure there would be snow!

You might well ask where have I been

The last time I wrote here was back in August and I'm not going to mention the weather.

As I look back in my diary I see that at the end of that month I had a quick visit to London and the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. Brilliant as always. Then home in time for a lunch that same week at the Burstwick Golf Club in Holderness which was held in aid of the Hull Memory Clinic. Also a telephone interview on the same day with one of my favourite personalities of BBC Radio Humberside, Carl Wheatley. We had a good chat, a few laughs and a talk about my upcoming new book The Innkeeper's Daughter.
Later that month, a visit to the dentist, and the hairdresser,  I'm sure you want to know this and then a week of cat sitting, or at least cat visiting whilst my daughter and partner were on holiday. Twice a day a cat cuddle which was so satisfying for both of us.
Wednesday the 5th September an evening at the Hull History Centre for the start of a festival which I was going to miss as I was off on holiday the following day. However, I didn't want to miss the launch of this special festival and I managed to catch up with various people who over many years have been important to my work; in no special order, David Alexander Smith who spent many years at Hull Central Library and the Hull History Centre, Dr Robb Robinson and Dr Alec Gill, both well known historians as well as many others. It was such an interesting evening and I'm so glad that I made the effort to be there, in spite of not having finished my holiday packing.
Then the following day off to Sicily, land of glorious sunshine and ancient monuments. A wonderfully interesting if exhausting holiday.

Whilst I was away, just in case I'd given any thought of slacking, plans were afoot by the delightful people who look after my marketing and publicity, to prepare for two pre launch readings from the new book, and an invite to the launch of the Beverley Literature Festival.
A gave a lecture at Holderness Grange, and attended a meeting of RNA northern authors in Beckwithshaw where we heard a fascinating talk on the life of author Alan Wilkinson. I've known Alan for twenty eight years when we first met at a writers' workshop when we were pre published and embryo writers; he has led an amazing and varied life.
What else? An interview by a Hull Daily Mail journalist for the said new book and oh yes, several thousand more words for next year's novel. Next week the preparation for the readings begin and the following week is -- launch week!

August. Summer's here

In spite of the awful weather during July, it turned out to be a very special month for me. I mentioned in my last blog about the round of visits to the East Riding libraries to promote The Harbour Girl Trail. The first section of the tour culminated at the Boulevard library off Hessle Road, Hull, which was a perfect setting as the Boulevard was at the heart of The Harbour Girl novel. Not perfect only for that reason, but because the library - recently re furbished and brought into the 21st c - is the most splendid library I have ever come across. Not only have wonderful 19thc features such as windows and doors been retained, but the building is bang up to date with a computer suite, plus -- ongoing at the moment, a garden is to be created for the readers' pleasure. I was delighted to have the company of Dr Robb Robinson who gave me much needed advice on the fishing and trawling industry during my research for The Harbour Girl, and Dr Alec Gill who is a a well known historian on all aspects of Hessle Road, its fishing industry and its inhabitants. I was most grateful for their contributions which added to the enjoyment of the event.
The final day of the Trail tour was last Sunday - the 5th August and in a very appropriate setting at the Carnegie Heritage Library on Hull's Anlaby Road. The audience were very welcoming -- some of them had already been to other libraries and were keen to hear more about the Trail -- and all were keen to try their computer hands at searching online for details of maps and photographs of Hull and Scarborough and asked dozens of questions. To add to the afternoon, Steve Goodhand of Lordline had brought old and historical photographs and books on Hull and Scarborough, for people to look at or buy. Again a most welcome contribution to the afternoon.

The library tour has been a resounding success and I'm delighted to know that people do still want their libraries, not only to borrow books, but for other facilities which are offered; for research, for lectures, for computer facilities which they might not have at home or which they are nervous of using, but where at the libraries, help is at hand.

In between times, I have had a short break in Portugal, checked the copy edited and final printer proofs of The Innkeeper's Daughter which I won't see again until November when it is in hardback book form, written a short story (which is under wraps at the moment) and have written a few thousand more words of the now current novel -scheduled for November 2013.
And finally, the only 'slacking' I have done has been in watching the Olympics and cheering on all of the wonderful sporting competitors.

Jubilee

Looking back at my May blog I read that we had glorious weather! Not so in June when we have had so much rain. However our spirits were not dampened and I confess that I spent much time glued to the TV watching the Jubilee events, getting up early to write and then taking the afternoon off to watch the ceremonies. I loved it all with perhaps the exception of the Pop concert. Perhaps the Queen felt the same, she too might have preferred watching from her own front room with her shoes off. What a stoic she is!
I have had a meeting with the Sewerby WI at the Nth Bridlington Library, yet another  splendid Jubilee Tea Party in my old village of Leven where I met up with friends and acquaintances and ate sandwiches, home made scones with strawberries and cream and scrumptious cakes! The following day I gave a 'Master Class' on creative writing and it's simply great that so any people are interested in putting their imagination down on paper. Also this month my daughters and I presented the Peter Wood Memorial Prize to the second winner of the Holderness Art Show which is given in memory of my husband and their father. And not forgetting the Olympic Flame which came through Hull and Beverley and attracted thousands of people. This present week is The Harbour Girl Trail week in which every day I have visited local libraries to talk of the Trail and demonstrate it on the libraray computers. Tomorrow is the last one of the week at Hornsea library, and if we get the same enthusiasm there as in the other libraries, then I can truly say it has been a fabulous success. Next week there is one more event at the Hull Boulevard library, which is in the heart of Hessle Road, one of the two settings for the book, and the final one at the Hull Carnegie library on Sunday 5th August where I hope that two local historians, Dr Robb Robinson and Dr Alec Gill, will be joining me to talk of the shipping and fishing trade of the 19thc.