Yesterday I received the editing notes for Changeling: Dark Moon, and I went through the usual raft of emotions that every author goes through once they realise that their submitted novel is not quite as perfect as they had thought it was. Now don't get me wrong, I know my books aren't perfect when they arrive on my editor's desk, I think that almost all authors know that (what the hell would be the point of having an editor otherwise?). But it still...

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'But,' said the Medical Man, staring hard at a coal in the fire, 'if Time is really only a fourth dimension of Space, why is it and why has it always been, regarded as something different?'

This is from H G Wells's The Time Machine, and a writing acquaintance on WriteWords questioned whether 'staring hard at the coal in the fire' was really necessary, or just padding. I was intrigued, because this sentence is a shape into which much of my dialogue falls (too much, unless I'm concentrating), so it really appealed to me, and I couldn't see what his problem was with it. Since 'it's scene-setting' is never an adequate reason for padding things out with a bit of description, any more than, 'it's characterisation' is, I started thinking about what would be happening when I actually wrote that scene. Of course I've no idea if Wells was, but in my case, biro poised, my mind and pen would be going something like this:

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Sue unplugged the portable radio, forcing the bent telescopic aerial to retract with a little more emphasis than was strictly necessary. The black and white bankers’ box had slowly filled with stuff throughout the morning as she went about the business of decanting her desk. I watched her as she balanced up the probability of being able to squeeze this last item in, decided against it, jammed the lid on the box and plonked the radio down hard on top.


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I mentioned a few weeks ago here that I'd started writing again and that I wrote a flash story for Liars' League's theme of Art and Science. Liars League is a monthly evening in London where actors read out the winning stories on that month's theme. Art and Science... that's so me, I had to go for it. And, as I said then, if I didn't get anywhere, well, I'd have a new flash story.

I got in!

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I spent most of the last year and a bit writing a novel. To stop myself contracting that well-known condition 'writer's arse', I made myself go swimming twice a week, a quick(ish) twenty lengths at Wednesday lunchtime, and thirty lengths (going up to forty lengths more recently) on Saturday morning. That's not a lot of exercise, I know, but more than I have done for a long time. And I am not a strong swimmer, nor a technically proficient one. My breaststroke is ragged and my front crawl raggeder.

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Peter Hall's Diaries 1972-80 edited by John Goodwin. A fascinating read, about the period when the ex-RSC supremo took over the newly-built National Theare. He dictated half an hour every morning and the results were edited down to one sixth of the total .


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The Corporals War: The Story of November Six Zero

2nd Excerpt from Chapter 15: Mike Echoes:

The Night Time Freak Show (Mobile Patrols):
As we drove along I would look out of the Bullet proof windows of the APV oblivious to the noise outside as the top cover was pelted with all and sundry, I stare at the stolen vehicles ditched either on the waste ground or at the side of a street set on fire burning and exploding projecting giant shadows on the walls of the houses. Through the flames I see crowds of people standing on the pavements some dancing around the burning vehicle cheering and laughing as if it was some kind of cultural signature that defined this part of Ireland a world gone mad with death and violence on every street corner.

It was almost a lawless activity at night despite the heavy presence of security forces and the only way we could deal with it was to just keep going and not even acknowledge it and try not to get bogged down in unnecessary minor agro situations that would detract us from our patrol plan. West Belfast at night was an evil place if you were a British soldier or a constable in the RUC It’s hard to believe how people can live like this, but as you will here me say many times it’s a way of life for them, built up over fifty years of troubles and sectarian hatred.

Night time always felt like we were playing out a part of some crazy fucked scene from the film Escape from New York, welcome to our night-time freak show I can’t wait for the daylight.

MP.

I had the most wonderful time yesterday during my visit back to my old school, South Hampstead High School. (On the left is the poster they put up about my upcoming talk).

I wrote to them when I saw they on the school's website that they had a Creative Writing club, something that hadn't been there in my time (a phrase I came to overuse considerably during my visit!). We arranged that I would come during lunch break and talk to a group of 14- and 15-year-old girls (it's an all-girls school) about... well, I decided I would ask them what they wanted to talk about!


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I watched The Culture Show last night (and, of course, it had nothing to do with its presenter). U2 were on and Bono (love him or hate him, it's not particularly important) said something which struck a chord. He said, 'Very good is the enemy of Great.' And I think he's right. Artists don't tend to build careers on the strength of being very good, and there's quite a leap between being consistantly very good and great - BUT being very good can feel like a pretty decent place to be. I know (and I'm sure you do too) how important hard work is in any creative industry, I just thought that little quote gave it a terrific perspective.

So that's what I think about that. Just thought I'd share.

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The new Yucketypoo book, I have been told, is due to be published 'very soon' similtaneously in the UK and the USA; furthermore, the first book is about to be re-branded so its appearance looks more in line with the second book and, eventually, with the third and final book. The third and final book needs updating and I am arranging a meeting with a representative of a company that deals with envirornment friendly fuels to help it on its way. Once the entire series is complete, maybe those large chain retailers that expressed an interest in stocking it as one unit will pick up the option and give it their best shot.


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