Keris Stainton's Blog, page 58

An author crush

Day 38 of the 40 Day Book Challenge is 'an author crush.'

When I saw today's topic I knew straight away who I had to write about. William Fiennes.

Years ago, when I worked at Waterstone's, we all tootled along to a launch event for Picador. I think it was at The Lowry Hotel (and I think it was there because David came to pick me up and actually went to The Lowry Theatre… since I'd just told him "The Lowry") (and, yes, I was married – this is a platonic crush) (sort of).

Jackie Kay was there. And Justine Picardie. And William Fiennes. He read from his book The Snow Geese and he was funny and charming. After the readings there was mingling. I tried to mingle with Jackie Kay, but I couldn't think of anything non-stupid to say and she looked at me like I was a complete idiot (which was fair enough, under the circumstances).

And then I got talking to William Fiennes. And he was lovely. I can't remember what we talked about (there was free wine…), but I do remember that when I stumbled back to our table, my colleagues all wolf-whistled and said "Keris and William kissing in a tree…"

(Please note that there was no kissing, in a tree or otherwise. My colleagues were even drunker than I was.) (Although if this was the event at The Lowry, David had to pull over for me to be sick on the way home, so that may not actually be true.)

A book that I still think about years after having read it… except not

Day 37 of the 40 day book challenge is 'a book that I still think about years after having read it'.

How could there just be one? There are so many. Too many to mention.So instead I'm going to share something I @noveldoctor tweeted yesterday.

Sometimes I get the ache that says "I miss you" only to realize I'm thinking about a character from a novel.

Yes. That.

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A favourite book recommended by another book blogger

Day 35 of the 40 day book challenge is 'a favourite book recommended by another book blogger'.

Ah, I'm glad about this one, since I've been feeling guilty for not writing about Water for Elephants, which I was sent as part of my friend Cara's online reading group, Love A Book.

I'd been meaning to read Water for Elephants for years, since I interviewed the author, Sara Gruen, for Trashionista (her guest blog on avoiding writing is good too). Plus Gruen wrote the book for NaNoWriMo and I love NaNo authors. I'd put it off for a while because I had my own circus book brewing in my head (it's still brewing), but when Cara offered to send me a copy I couldn't resist.

I don't want to say too much about it because part of the enjoyment for me was really not knowing much of the story. I knew there was a love affair (and if I hadn't known that, the posters for the film would have made it quite clear) and that there was an elephant (who I got retweeted by on Twitter yesterday – weird world).

I found the book completely engrossing. I loved pretty much everything about it. I was thinking about it yesterday when Harry and I went to the circus for the first time (no animals anymore, thank goodness) and so much of it has stayed with me. You really should read it. But should I watch the film? I can't decide.

Thanks so much to Cara for sending it to me. Sorry it's taken me so long to write about it!

StickMiddy

I'm sure you'll have all seen Draw a Stickman by now (one night on Twitter, every other tweet linked to it).

I finally remembered to show it to Harry and straight away he drew… me.

Then he did David, Joe and himself. Here's Joe.

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Boy quotes (part 10)

All by/about Harry this time. That Joe's got to up his game…  

Harry's report is lovely. Says they enjoy his "amusing anecdotes." Oh dear.

Harry though his friend who goes for speech therapy was actually going to give a speech. "I think he goes on a stage with a microphone…"

Just told Harry I'm thinking of getting an iPad and he said "I'm going to fly with happiness!"

Harry watching Enchanted: "Who maked this film? This is ridiculous. I've never seen a mouse cleaning plates before."

Harry just shouted that he'd found a "massive spot" on his leg. He came in to show me. It was a slice of cheese. #kidsareweird

We're in a multi-storey car park. Harry's just said "This is just like Disneyland but without the Mickeys!"

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Blackpool, baby!

One of my best childhood memories is of Mum and Dad springing a surprise trip to Blackpool to see the illuminations. I remember getting in the car and being surprised that my pillow was in there. I remember spotting "Blackpool" on a sign on the motorway and realising just where we were headed, but pretending that I had no idea when we actually arrived.

I don't know how old I was, but I also remember asking Dad to carry me as we walked along the prom, so I must've been pretty young. (My sister doesn't remember how old we were either, but she thinks Dad offered to pay us 2p a mile to walk, so we must've been young… or thick.)

I haven't been back to the illuminations since. For some reason, I thought they'd gone down the pan over the years and that the traffic would be shocking, but Harry and Joe wanted to go and so, last weekend, we took them.

It took us a while to get there, but the prom itself was relatively empty. And the illuminations were fantastic. First there were a few scenes set out along the side of the road – much MUCH fancier than anything I remember. Harry and Joe were both transfixed.

The lights strung across the road were gorgeous too – I was particularly taken with the Doctor Who displays and quickly snapped some photos for my Whovian friends.

When we reached the end of the prom, it was still quiet so we turned around a drove back again. Harry declared it all "magical". Joe struggled a bit to see the lights across the road and Harry worried that he was "missing all the excitement" but he seemed happy enough:

(Sorry it's so dark, but, you know, it was dark. Hopefully you can see his happy little face!)

We were sorry to leave and Joe kept looking out for more illuminations on the way home (until he fell asleep, that is). We'll definitely be going back next year and we might even hop on one of the illuminated trams for a more authentic experience.

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Happy Birthday, Husband!

I'll do the brewin' up today, 'kay?

 

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Meanwhile, up in space…

I've been following The Kid Should See This on Tumblr for a little while now and it's wonderful. I don't always get round to sharing stuff with my kids, but I had to show Harry this amazing video.

A father and 7-year-old son in Brooklyn launched a camera attached to a weather balloon and… well, just watch it:

Embarrassing parents

[image error]Just showed Harry this gorgeous photo and he said, "That baby looks like it's saying to itself… 'What is my mumma doing?'"

I think that's called projection…

{Photo of newborn dolphin Doerrte swimming with its mother Delphi at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Found via Shakesville}

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This. Is. Awesome.

{via @DianeShipley}

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