Sharon Kendrick's Blog, page 8
March 17, 2013
BRILLIANT ACTOR/BRILLIANT FILM
Can't resist including this clip from the excellent film of Tom Bradby's novel, SHADOW DANCER. It's one of those films which inspire, simply because it is so well-acted and so tense and atmospheric.
It stars (and is stolen by) the charismatic actor, David Wilmot, whose brooding face you can see below....
It stars (and is stolen by) the charismatic actor, David Wilmot, whose brooding face you can see below....
March 11, 2013
CURRYING FAVOUR
I love looking at pictures of food almost as I love eating it. So here is a little taste of food-porn - namely the giant Tandoori prawns I had for lunch yesterday. I was eating at the Shapla Indian Restaurant in Alresford, which The Independent voted one of the top 50 curry houses in all of England. And so it is. The food is interesting, delicious and different.
Yum.
Alresford is a cute little market town near Winchester, full of posh shops and people wearing wellies and pale-mauve crocuses flowering along the grassy banks. There is a crystal river on which sit luscious houses.
It's the kind of place where you could imagine Agatha Christie having tea, the kind of place which might be hiding lots of secret murders....
Yum. Alresford is a cute little market town near Winchester, full of posh shops and people wearing wellies and pale-mauve crocuses flowering along the grassy banks. There is a crystal river on which sit luscious houses.
It's the kind of place where you could imagine Agatha Christie having tea, the kind of place which might be hiding lots of secret murders....
March 10, 2013
ROSES AND BELLY-LAUGHS
Today is Mother's Day in the UK - where all over the land countless breakfasts will have been prepared by inexperienced little fingers, while Mum lies in bed, preparing her face in an expression of delighted surprise as she tries to ignore the crashing sounds coming from the kitchen and wondering what kind of mess will be waiting for her downstairs.
Bit of a bummer that the day during which all mums are traditionally spoilt falls on the same day as the Six Nations rugby tournament*, when England will later be playing Italy and men will be watching from their position on the edge of the sofa, cold beer in hand as they yell their support.
My own two sweet little angels bought me the perfect presents:
Pink flowers in a hat-box from my daughter (just what every romantic novelist needs).
And a boxed- set of Mrs Brown's Boys from my son. If you're seeking the biggest belly-laugh in the world - then this is what you need to watch.
Happy Mother's Day.
*Ireland were robbed yesterday!
Bit of a bummer that the day during which all mums are traditionally spoilt falls on the same day as the Six Nations rugby tournament*, when England will later be playing Italy and men will be watching from their position on the edge of the sofa, cold beer in hand as they yell their support.
My own two sweet little angels bought me the perfect presents:
Pink flowers in a hat-box from my daughter (just what every romantic novelist needs).
And a boxed- set of Mrs Brown's Boys from my son. If you're seeking the biggest belly-laugh in the world - then this is what you need to watch.
Happy Mother's Day.
*Ireland were robbed yesterday!
March 8, 2013
THE STORY OF PUPPY
UK readers will know all about the famous brand of toilet paper (Andrex!) which ran (and continues to run) a series of highly successful commercials. These feature a puppy wreaking havoc in a neat suburban home - his little teeth clamped into some never ending loo-roll - while his perfect ad-land family look on with benign indulgence.
Here, in the first ever Andrex commercial from 1972, a super-cute little labrador demonstrates a canine version of Mummy Wrap.
Andrex decided to market a soft-toy version of the little dog. The usual rules applied. Collect vouchers and send off modest sum and a cuddly puppy could be yours. This I did and duly presented to my young son, who was absolutely thrilled with his new toy (what do you mean, *cheapskate*?!).
Rather touchingly, he called his new toy Puppy.
Puppy became a valued member of the Kendrick toy family. He was always present for bed-time stories. He would often try to finish food which fussy eaters had spurned (they soon changed their mind when they saw that greedy little dog about to attack their plates!). Puppy could often be relied upon to settle arguments or (sometimes) to hold views which coincided uncannily with those of my son's mother.
And then, one day my son was sick all over Puppy. Puppy stank! I put Puppy in a plastic bag outside the door, intending to give him a lovely bath - when the dustmen took him by mistake!
My son was heartbroken. I told him that "Puppy has gone on holiday" and meanwhile I wrote a frantic letter to the makers of Andrex, explaining my dilemma. The soft toy had long since gone out of production, but they managed to dig one up from somewhere (oh, dear - that makes him sound like Zombie Puppy, but I can assure you he wasn't).
My son was delighted when Puppy returned from his holiday, looking very rested (and therefore much younger!) and normal service was resumed. Over the years Puppy (naturally, sniff, sniff) became less important in the life of my son. He was shifted from his kennel (oh, alright - he didn't really have a kennel) and bundled behind books and football trophies. Eventually, he made his home on top of a dusty wardrobe but I have to say that he never complained.
UNTIL.....
Last week, my grown-up son was clearing out his room prior to moving to Milan and he and I took bags and bags of rubbish down to the council dump. As he handed me one of the lighter bags, I saw a dearly-loved and familiar face sticking out from among the paraphernalia of broken sports equipment and odd socks. You've guessed, haven't you?
It was Puppy.
I think my son was taken aback by the level of shock and vitriol which was levelled at him - and at that point I thought I heard Puppy giving a plaintive little whine from his horrible home in the black plastic bag.
You're wondering what happened next, aren't you (though in your hearts, I think you know)?
Reader, fear not.
Puppy has come home!
Here, in the first ever Andrex commercial from 1972, a super-cute little labrador demonstrates a canine version of Mummy Wrap.
Andrex decided to market a soft-toy version of the little dog. The usual rules applied. Collect vouchers and send off modest sum and a cuddly puppy could be yours. This I did and duly presented to my young son, who was absolutely thrilled with his new toy (what do you mean, *cheapskate*?!).
Rather touchingly, he called his new toy Puppy.
Puppy became a valued member of the Kendrick toy family. He was always present for bed-time stories. He would often try to finish food which fussy eaters had spurned (they soon changed their mind when they saw that greedy little dog about to attack their plates!). Puppy could often be relied upon to settle arguments or (sometimes) to hold views which coincided uncannily with those of my son's mother.
And then, one day my son was sick all over Puppy. Puppy stank! I put Puppy in a plastic bag outside the door, intending to give him a lovely bath - when the dustmen took him by mistake!
My son was heartbroken. I told him that "Puppy has gone on holiday" and meanwhile I wrote a frantic letter to the makers of Andrex, explaining my dilemma. The soft toy had long since gone out of production, but they managed to dig one up from somewhere (oh, dear - that makes him sound like Zombie Puppy, but I can assure you he wasn't).
My son was delighted when Puppy returned from his holiday, looking very rested (and therefore much younger!) and normal service was resumed. Over the years Puppy (naturally, sniff, sniff) became less important in the life of my son. He was shifted from his kennel (oh, alright - he didn't really have a kennel) and bundled behind books and football trophies. Eventually, he made his home on top of a dusty wardrobe but I have to say that he never complained.
UNTIL.....
Last week, my grown-up son was clearing out his room prior to moving to Milan and he and I took bags and bags of rubbish down to the council dump. As he handed me one of the lighter bags, I saw a dearly-loved and familiar face sticking out from among the paraphernalia of broken sports equipment and odd socks. You've guessed, haven't you?
It was Puppy.
I think my son was taken aback by the level of shock and vitriol which was levelled at him - and at that point I thought I heard Puppy giving a plaintive little whine from his horrible home in the black plastic bag.
You're wondering what happened next, aren't you (though in your hearts, I think you know)?
Reader, fear not.
Puppy has come home!
March 7, 2013
THREE AND SQUEE
Three lovely things have happened to me today (so far!).
First up, I discovered that A SCANDAL, A SECRET, A BABY is at #116 on this week's USA TODAY Bestseller List
Squee! Woo-woo! (And other similar noises of wild excitement). I can't tell you what a thrill it was to discover that this Tuscan romance is currently one of America's most popular books. Mainly because it means that readers are enjoying Dante and Justina's emotionally explosive love-story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It handles some big themes and fairly contentious issues - and I'd love to know your views on how the characters handled these.
The second lovely thing to happen was pressing the *send* button on my latest manuscript (provisionally titled PROMISED TO THE SULTAN). Delivering a book to my editor always makes me feel elated - through a little bit empty, too. Suleiman and Sara have been occupying so much of my time and thoughts recently that it seems strange to have to let them go. It's just fortunate that there's someone waiting to take their place, since one of the characters in their story is itching to have a story of his own. So, you hunky and completely irresistible Mr Gabe Steele - COME ON DOWN!
As for the third lovely thing to complete the hat-trick - well, it has something to do with the first on this list, namely Tuscany. Lots of you know that I take a writing course there every May. Some of you have already been published! Those of you who have attended (and returned, again and again!) will know that it's one of the most beautiful places on earth and you can hone your writing skills to a backdrop of mountains, surrounded by roses and listening to the soothing sound of the nearby river. Last year we visited the Cinque Terre for the first time - a place about which no superlative could ever do justice. And here it is. (The photo was taken on my cell-phone - imagine!)
The May course has sold out and because there was a waiting list, Bill and Lois asked if I would run another one. You can imagine the arm-twisting which followed - particularly when they suggested the glorious month of June. There are four places left - so if you're interested, please contact the Watermill and come and join me.
Oh, and if you come back tomorrow, I'll tell you the STORY OF PUPPY.
First up, I discovered that A SCANDAL, A SECRET, A BABY is at #116 on this week's USA TODAY Bestseller List
Squee! Woo-woo! (And other similar noises of wild excitement). I can't tell you what a thrill it was to discover that this Tuscan romance is currently one of America's most popular books. Mainly because it means that readers are enjoying Dante and Justina's emotionally explosive love-story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It handles some big themes and fairly contentious issues - and I'd love to know your views on how the characters handled these.The second lovely thing to happen was pressing the *send* button on my latest manuscript (provisionally titled PROMISED TO THE SULTAN). Delivering a book to my editor always makes me feel elated - through a little bit empty, too. Suleiman and Sara have been occupying so much of my time and thoughts recently that it seems strange to have to let them go. It's just fortunate that there's someone waiting to take their place, since one of the characters in their story is itching to have a story of his own. So, you hunky and completely irresistible Mr Gabe Steele - COME ON DOWN!
As for the third lovely thing to complete the hat-trick - well, it has something to do with the first on this list, namely Tuscany. Lots of you know that I take a writing course there every May. Some of you have already been published! Those of you who have attended (and returned, again and again!) will know that it's one of the most beautiful places on earth and you can hone your writing skills to a backdrop of mountains, surrounded by roses and listening to the soothing sound of the nearby river. Last year we visited the Cinque Terre for the first time - a place about which no superlative could ever do justice. And here it is. (The photo was taken on my cell-phone - imagine!)
The May course has sold out and because there was a waiting list, Bill and Lois asked if I would run another one. You can imagine the arm-twisting which followed - particularly when they suggested the glorious month of June. There are four places left - so if you're interested, please contact the Watermill and come and join me.
Oh, and if you come back tomorrow, I'll tell you the STORY OF PUPPY.
February 20, 2013
MAGIC AND MAKE-BELIEVE
I always wanted to be a stylist. In an earlier career as a photographer (whatever happened to Whiterose Studio of Wembley, Middlesex, with its attached advertising agency DeHavilland-Fane upstairs?) I liked nothing better than to help set up a studio shot. I'd be given money to go out and buy whichever props we needed to transform the rather utilitarian studio into something which set the imagination on fire. It required the occasional bit of ingenuity and to be honest, it was much more fun dossing my way round the shops, than standing in the dark-room processing yet another dreary film to the sound of Radio 1.
So when I was asked to provide a blog post for my latest book - it suddenly occurred to me that I was letting my latent styling talents go to waste. Which is why after breakfast this morning, I set about remedying my shockingly long absence from the world of styling.
The story has a heroine who was once a major celebrity and her uber-rich and amazingly gorgeous Italian fiancé - and it's about their relationship, which has hit the skids. So I needed the resulting photo to convey both glamour and extreme wealth. Hmm. Bit tricky in my untidy Winchester kitchen, but I am nothing if not intrepid.
As a backdrop, I decided to use the scarlet silk lining of a coat I bought two decades ago. At the time, the coat cost £750 (hugely expensive), which was reduced to £250 in the sales and which the kindly shop owner allowed me to purchase by instalment, at the rate of £50 a month. It is a gorgeous coat but it has seen better days. I have worn it on trains and planes, in weather for which it was not designed and it is now looking more than a little bedraggled. Still.....
What next? Well, I know it's cheesy, but a bottle of champers and two glasses is still a good visual prompt for a glamour shot. No problem there. Next, I introduced a shoe - a shoe which I have never actually worn on account of it being a) Too high and b) Too high. There was a short break while I painstakingly scraped off the label which said FINAL REDUCTION - £21.99! Unfortunately the cheap shoe made the photo look extremely well, cheap and so it was scrapped.
Instead, I carelessly draped a costly Falke stocking over the bottle. Tacky doesn't begin to cover it - until I had a brilliant idea. What if I put my the stocking on my foot and wiggled my toes against the champagne bottle? The only problem was positioning my foot so that the bunion was carefully hidden. Oh, and not falling flat on my face while I took the photo.
And here's the result.
Terrible, isn't it?
You can see which photo I eventually used if you visit iheartspresents
And if you're interested in the book I'm talking about - it's called A SCANDAL, A SECRET, A BABY and it's out in the UK and US right now.
I know I'm biased, but it's a sizzler.....
So when I was asked to provide a blog post for my latest book - it suddenly occurred to me that I was letting my latent styling talents go to waste. Which is why after breakfast this morning, I set about remedying my shockingly long absence from the world of styling.
The story has a heroine who was once a major celebrity and her uber-rich and amazingly gorgeous Italian fiancé - and it's about their relationship, which has hit the skids. So I needed the resulting photo to convey both glamour and extreme wealth. Hmm. Bit tricky in my untidy Winchester kitchen, but I am nothing if not intrepid.
As a backdrop, I decided to use the scarlet silk lining of a coat I bought two decades ago. At the time, the coat cost £750 (hugely expensive), which was reduced to £250 in the sales and which the kindly shop owner allowed me to purchase by instalment, at the rate of £50 a month. It is a gorgeous coat but it has seen better days. I have worn it on trains and planes, in weather for which it was not designed and it is now looking more than a little bedraggled. Still.....
What next? Well, I know it's cheesy, but a bottle of champers and two glasses is still a good visual prompt for a glamour shot. No problem there. Next, I introduced a shoe - a shoe which I have never actually worn on account of it being a) Too high and b) Too high. There was a short break while I painstakingly scraped off the label which said FINAL REDUCTION - £21.99! Unfortunately the cheap shoe made the photo look extremely well, cheap and so it was scrapped.
Instead, I carelessly draped a costly Falke stocking over the bottle. Tacky doesn't begin to cover it - until I had a brilliant idea. What if I put my the stocking on my foot and wiggled my toes against the champagne bottle? The only problem was positioning my foot so that the bunion was carefully hidden. Oh, and not falling flat on my face while I took the photo.
And here's the result.
Terrible, isn't it?You can see which photo I eventually used if you visit iheartspresents
And if you're interested in the book I'm talking about - it's called A SCANDAL, A SECRET, A BABY and it's out in the UK and US right now.
I know I'm biased, but it's a sizzler.....
January 25, 2013
I WILL ARISE AND GO NOW.....
When I was a little girl, my mother used to recite her favourite poem to me. Lots of you know it but maybe some of you don't. It's about the Lake Isle of Innisfree and it's dreamy and haunting, written by that master of language W. B. Yeats (who was SERIOUSLY HUNKY!).
I was in the west of Ireland recently, travelling through the green and grey countryside with the inestimable and talented Megan Crane . We hit Shannon running and met a bossy taxi-driver who was "feckin' this" and 'feckin' that". Actually, that's not quite true. He used the word in its most profane sense and then dished out some handy advice about where to visit next. So we marvelled at Galway. Ate lunch in Sligo and then....drove down to a silent and deserted Innisfree.
It was just as I had pictured it in my head for so many years.
Lonesome and beautiful.
And unforgettable (just like the poem).
I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, I hear it in the deep heart's core.
Perfect.
I was in the west of Ireland recently, travelling through the green and grey countryside with the inestimable and talented Megan Crane . We hit Shannon running and met a bossy taxi-driver who was "feckin' this" and 'feckin' that". Actually, that's not quite true. He used the word in its most profane sense and then dished out some handy advice about where to visit next. So we marvelled at Galway. Ate lunch in Sligo and then....drove down to a silent and deserted Innisfree.
It was just as I had pictured it in my head for so many years.
Lonesome and beautiful.
And unforgettable (just like the poem).
I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, I hear it in the deep heart's core.
Perfect.
January 1, 2013
THE BELLS, THE BELLS!
Living in a Cathedral city like Winchester, it's easy to take the accompanying beauty for granted. So that's something I'm not going to do any more - and as a new year resolution, this seems a pretty good one to stick to.Here we go then. Me living in the "present" - an exercise in Mindfulness, which the Daily Telegraph says is all the rage and which apparently helps you enjoy chocolate even more! (Which is exactly what you need right after Christmas....!
Today the sky was as blue as a bird's egg (only without the speckles) and the bell ringers were hard at it, producing the kind of sounds you often hear in BBC costume dramas. Apparently, the bells had been ringing since eleven and on my way to lunch seveveral hours later, they were still going.
I ate a delicous Thai green curry at the Wessex Hotel with talented potter Louise Hummerstone and her chums and afterwards walked back through the Cathedral Square (which you can get a round view of in the video above), while people skated on the temporary ice-rink and ate popcorn (though not at the same time, obviously).
It's nearly the end of the holidays. Time to take down my Christmas tree (waaaaah!) and continue with my new story.
It features a woman from the west coast of Ireland named Bridget Browne and an Irish friend has given me a big thumbs-down for her name.
Not sure now.....
Today the sky was as blue as a bird's egg (only without the speckles) and the bell ringers were hard at it, producing the kind of sounds you often hear in BBC costume dramas. Apparently, the bells had been ringing since eleven and on my way to lunch seveveral hours later, they were still going.
I ate a delicous Thai green curry at the Wessex Hotel with talented potter Louise Hummerstone and her chums and afterwards walked back through the Cathedral Square (which you can get a round view of in the video above), while people skated on the temporary ice-rink and ate popcorn (though not at the same time, obviously).
It's nearly the end of the holidays. Time to take down my Christmas tree (waaaaah!) and continue with my new story.
It features a woman from the west coast of Ireland named Bridget Browne and an Irish friend has given me a big thumbs-down for her name.
Not sure now.....
December 14, 2012
DELICIOUS DUBLIN
While visiting the vivacious author and film person Abby Green in Dublin recently - we went to the most amazing restaurant, though I can't actually remember what it was called. It was achingly trendy and apparently frequented by film-stars (though there weren't any on the day we were there). *assumes sad face, a la Sally Bercow on being sued for being a twit on Twitter*
And who needs film stars when the food was so damned good?
Here is my massive duck egg starter:
And even though this would have been a perfectly adequate meal if I'd been eating lunch at home, I quickly followed it up with this massive chunk of hake sitting on slithers of courgette - so it looked like one of those pasta *substitutes* you find in weight loss articles (as if there could ever be any real substitute for pasta!)
And even though by now I was feeling stuffed - how could I possibly have resisted a pudding which looked like this?
Those protuberances which resemble pale yellow toadstools, were actually made of soft, chocolatey meringue which contrasted with the sharp tang of the cherry sorbet and the juicy slurp of the berries, and the whole combination tasted completely ambrosial. In fact, this pudding really deserves a name, if only I could think of one....
And who needs film stars when the food was so damned good?
Here is my massive duck egg starter:
And even though this would have been a perfectly adequate meal if I'd been eating lunch at home, I quickly followed it up with this massive chunk of hake sitting on slithers of courgette - so it looked like one of those pasta *substitutes* you find in weight loss articles (as if there could ever be any real substitute for pasta!)
And even though by now I was feeling stuffed - how could I possibly have resisted a pudding which looked like this?
Those protuberances which resemble pale yellow toadstools, were actually made of soft, chocolatey meringue which contrasted with the sharp tang of the cherry sorbet and the juicy slurp of the berries, and the whole combination tasted completely ambrosial. In fact, this pudding really deserves a name, if only I could think of one....
November 30, 2012
WHITE WITCHES AND MISTS
Just back from an amazingly inspirational trip to Northern Ireland and the Republic.
And here I am, petting one of the stone lions outside the house of fabulous author, Lynne Graham.
She lives in a most beautiful and mysterious part of the world - where mists clear to reveal sacred hills and goats chew happily on the lushest grass you can imagine.
The lions made me think of Aslan and of the White Witch, who turned everything to stone. The Narnian Chronicles are my favourite children's' stories of all time.
How about yours?
And here I am, petting one of the stone lions outside the house of fabulous author, Lynne Graham.
She lives in a most beautiful and mysterious part of the world - where mists clear to reveal sacred hills and goats chew happily on the lushest grass you can imagine.
The lions made me think of Aslan and of the White Witch, who turned everything to stone. The Narnian Chronicles are my favourite children's' stories of all time.
How about yours?
