Sunday 21st August

Glorious sunshine for most of today; however no sooner did I come inside to top up my suncream and fetch a book to read than the clouds darkened and the sun disappeared behind them, ah well it was nice whilst it lasted, and the rain last night came in time to water all the plants that I'd put in yesterday.

On Thursday the 11th I was invited to Radio Humberside for Carl Wheatley's Summer Show. We chatted for almost an hour; he asked me about my life as a child in the West Riding of Yorkshire and had obviously done his research very well for he picked up on the time we spent at my granny's house and as she didn't have electricity but only gas, I took a candle up the stairs to bed. Carl said it sounded just like a scene from one of my books which made me think, not only of how ancient I sounded, but wondered how we ever came to grow up to be fit and safe and healthy without the rules of Health and Safety to follow and adhere to!

Last week I had a meeting with Andy Barber of the KC Smile Foundation and Linda Monday, a volunteer with the Hull Memory Clinic. There will be more to report on this meeting in due course.

I'm to appear at the Beverley Literature Festival on October 15th and share a spot with Mike Pannett. I haven't met Mike before but I understand from those who have heard him speak that he is very entertaining. I shall be speaking of my upcoming novel, The Harbour Girl due out in November and read a taster from it. In the festival brochure I am described -- for the first time ever, as Beverley's own Catherine Cookson, which I find very strange as Catherine Cookson was quite unique. The title has probably come about because I won the Catherine Cookson Award way back in 1993. The other thing is that I am billed as Val Woods. Catherine Cookson I am not. Val (or Valerie) Wood I am.

On Friday an informal meeting with East Yorkshire authors, Linda Acaster, Penny Grubb and Sylvia Broady. We enjoyed a shared lunch in my garden and a glass or two of Pimms; the day kept fine and we caught up with news. I took photographs which as soon as I remember how to do it I will post up on the Blog.

In the meantime, the novel in progress continues on. The characters are well formed and are taking on their own lives with a little help from me.
 

Sunday 31st July

The first day of August tomorrow. Once more the weeks have flown by. July; the most predictable thing about this month is that weather -wise it is always unpredictable. Here in the East Riding of Yorkshire we have had a month of  thunderstorms, sunny spells, a deluge of rain and glorious sunshine.

July is the month for garden parties. I have been to two, both in aid of local charities, Dove House Hospice and a Scanner Appeal. One which I have mentioned previously, organized by Probus in the garden of Jim and Gill Stansfield was a water world spectacular: the Morris dancers and the local dance school were both jolly and delightful and with a 'show must go on' enthusiasm in spite of the pouring rain. They gained great applause from the welly booted, mackintosh clad audience. Amazing how the Brits seem to thrive on adverse weather conditions! I'm sure money was made for the charities and a great deal of effort was put into the day to ensure its success.
The following Sunday was different again. In a delightful private garden in Hotham, we enjoyed brilliant sunshine and I for one wondered if I was wearing enough suncream. We were entertained with live music and ate a mouth watering picnic courtesy of Tina Cerrutti and many lucky people went away with some excellent raffle prizes. No, not I, but never mind, I enjoyed the day.

Last week, I was recorded on video for You Tube which is now up and running. It's very odd that I have no difficulty in speaking to an audience, either for recording or live, but speaking into a camera is quite different and I am very critical of myself. Voices too sound different; I can hear the northern-ness in my voice, but whether it is West or East Yorkshire I can't decide, probably a little bit of both although having lived most of my life in East Yorkshire I suspect that is where my accent hails from -- sorry Castleford!

Speaking of which, I have received an invitation from my old Castleford school now re named the Henry Moore Smawthorne Lane School, to visit them sometime in the autumn term. It will be lovely to go back  again and to meet up with people from the town of my birth. The last time I was there was to attend the centenary of the library. The town has changed enormously since I lived there as a child; the pit head has gone and in its place the Xscape, the dairy across the road from my granny's house has housing in its place. But the people remain the same, warm and friendly.

My copy edited manuscript of THE HARBOUR GIRL came back for checking last week so I have spent each day at my kitchen table re reading it before it goes off for printing. I haven't seen it since I sent it off to my editor back in February and as I have been in the process of creating another novel with new characters,  during the re reading of it I find I can read it in a more detached way than I could whilst writing it. Although I must admit to spilling a few tears. How emotional we authors become over our characters.

Friday 8th July

A good meeting with James Hoggarth at Radio Humberside on Tuesday. I won't tell what topics we discussed as the broadcast hasn't been aired yet. From there I went on to the Talking Magazine studio for my voluntary work; this week my colleagues and I had our editors' hats on as we prepared material for the Thursday recording.
I've had quite a good week of writing and the first draft of the present book is progressing, slowly but reasonably well as I come to know my characters and what they are getting up to. I have a rough idea of where I am going with it, but sometimes I'm surprised by the events which unfold, as in one thing can often lead to another which I hadn't planned. I've also had time to meet friends for coffee which is so important and such a nice thing to do.
On Saturday 16th July a Garden Party given by the Holderness Probus Society is to be held by kind permission of  Mr & Mrs Jim Stansfield at 15 Windsor Close Cottingham, and is in aid of Dove House Hospice and the Yorkshire Scanner Appeal. There will be a barbecue and stalls, putting and games, and a raffle. I shall be there signing my books supplied by Barkers of Cottingham. The garden is open from 11am to 5pm and all are welcome.

Tuesday 5th July

I'm about to visit Radio Humberside studio so thought I'd write a quick blog before I leave. I'm expecting to be talking to James Hoggarth about the Humber Mouth Lit Fest which was on last week and for the rest of this. I think it has been successful in spite of the cuts in Arts and the departure of several people who have previously been involved in it. I attended two events; one at the Hull Central Library where Oxygen Books, who produce the City-Pick books came to look at Hull through the eyes of  local writers. City-Pick books are not just travel books even though they cover cities as diverse as Amsterdam, Venice, London and Paris, and now have visited Hull and gained an impression -- hopefully a good one through the work and description of those of us who write about it. Submissions of various works were submitted by readers and writers and to be honest I didn't think mine would be chosen as I write of 19th c Hull and not as it is today. However, mine was there alongside Andrew Marvell, Philip Larkin, Winifred Holtby and those with a contemporary slant such as Linda Acaster, Penny Grubb, Sue Wilsea, John Godber, Nick Quantrill and others. It was very interesting to see how different writers see the city. It is also hard to define what it is that attracts writers and poets to the region. Is it the Humber, the wide skies, fantastic sunsets, the sense of history or the slight sense of isolation? Or is it the people? I suspect all of these things play a part in creativity. Sometimes Hull gets a 'Bad Press' and yet it is a very special place for those who live here.

Another event was at the Hull History Centre, of which I have spoken previously. How lucky the city is to have such a splendid building and amazing facility for searching through the past.
The meeting took the form of a workshop day and those who were interested were invited to write a short piece relating to either their own experience or of someone from the past or just pure fiction. My role was to explain how I use research to write my own brand of 19thc novels merging fact and fiction. More anon

Sunday 19th June

I decided that I should step back into the 21st century. Most of my time when I'm working is spent in the 19thc, which might seem rather odd -- but then one does need to be fairly odd to be an author -- but unless I think and breathe an earlier period then it's not possible to make it tangible for my readers, in much the same way, as I have said previously, I must breathe life and put flesh on the bones of my characters to make them seem real too. But I digress; I said I am stepping back into the 21st century and to this end I have joined Face Book and Twitter. I have been asked 'why' and the reason being is that very many of my fellow authors have already joined, and I didn't want to miss out on the party! Of course, when I say that I have joined Face Book and Twitter, what I actually mean is that I have been helped to be there and to have a brand new web site by professional people who actually know what they are doing.

Last Friday my two daughters and I joined Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson at the 10th anniversary of the Holderness Art Show in Burton Pidsea village, Ashley opened the show and commented on the many fine pieces of work displayed. I, with my daughters, presented a spelted beech bowl given as an annual Peter Wood Memorial Prize in commemoration of my husband's life, to first time winner Rebecca Clark.

Sunday 5th June

Well, there's another month gone by and busier than I anticipated as I really did intend getting down to some serious writing. The first few chapters of a new novel are always the hardest as the author becomes familiar with new characters. If you imagine meeting someone for the first time; you take in the initial appearance of them; their bearing, their demeanour or manner, their personality and so on, and you generally know whether or not you are going to like them, but perhaps don't immediately become friends. It's rather similar with creating new characters for a novel; then there's the business of deciding where you will place them, what kind of setting will they be living in and do they have parents, sisters or brothers and so on, and that is why it is so important not to rush the beginning. It has to feel just right before the author can continue with the tale they have to tell!

There are of course many aspects to an author's life other than sitting down and writing; you will have heard of the fateful news of intended library closures which have been threatening for quite some time and many authors have signed in protest of these. We are all agreed that libraries are an essential part of most lives; most authors have spent at least part of their childhood in them, borrowing books for pleasure or for research and many a literary career began there. Alan Bennett was particularly incensed over one library closure and created a considerable wordy furore. I was asked to contribute to this debate on Radio Humberside and questionedon whether I agreed with Mr Bennett's comments to which I replied that although I wouldn't have chosen his words -- he is more eloquent than I, I did consider it to be akin to criminal to deprive children, the elderly, the blind and partially sighted who read and listen to large print and audio books, and those who cannot afford to buy books from the High Street of this wonderful facility.

On July 2nd at the Hull History Centre and part of the Humber Mouth Festival there is to be a day devoted to 'Telling a Story in which people are invited to do just that. It can be a fictional story or a real one, perhaps something that has been passed down from one family member to the next. Rupert Creed of the Community Play fame will be planning the workshops, two 'Fishermen's Wives will be telling what kind of life they led and I will be speaking on how I research my 19thc novels. It should be very interesting and although not all the details are yet in place (we have had one session of brainstorming), if anyone would like to know more then get in touch with Rachael Drew at the Hull History Centre who is arranging the day.

So an interesting few weeks -- and more to come.

Friday May 20th

I can hardly credit that it is over a month since my last entry, so what have I been doing in that time? Well, catching up on new writing for one thing now that the paperback signings are finally over. I had one more talk to give in Dunnington Reading Room, Dunnington being near York and a delightful village which has apparently won the Village in Bloom award for the last couple of years. It was a very pleasant evening with a full house, the audience being very receptive.

Then of course came the Royal Wedding which I watched on TV all day! My daughter Catherine came over and we ate a proper cooked English Breakfast followed by coffee and cake and toasted the wedded couple in Bucks Fizz.

On the 4th May I attended Mike Ulyatt's event at the Hull Royal Station Hotel which commemorated the 70 th anniversary of the Hull Blitz which caused such devastation and misery. There is a booklet and DVD on sale to recall those terrible times, lest we forget.

And since then I really have been writing, but in between, meeting friends, attending concerts and the most marvellous production of Die Valkurie,  Live Opera at Cineworld. Outstanding!

Last night I wore my other hat, that of Editor at The Hull and District Talking Magazine for the Blind, a charity I have been involved with for over twenty five years. The occasion was the AGM in which the last of the original founders of the charity, Harold Milner, stepped down after thirty four years of sterling work. He has relinquished his role as Chairman and we have asked him to be our President.

Back to work!