Keris Stainton's Blog, page 95

An apology…

My blog has been very boring lately. I know, I know. All I've managed is the Popcorn Dialogues stuff (which I imagine is more interesting/useful for me than it is for you!) and the Gallery. It's just that I'm writing a book. And I haven't got much time left. And it's the summer hols. And, you know, there's all that twittering I have to do… *whistles guiltily*

Anyhoo. Next week there will be A BIG CONTEST. And then, in September, once Harry's back at school and the book is finished (I really...

The Gallery: Playtime

This week's Gallery prompt from Tara at Sticky Fingers was Playtime. I looked through my photos and I could have picked almost any. We spend a lot of time playing. But not so much playing the piano…

These pianos have been placed around town for people to just, you know, play. Harry actually made quite a pretty sound with this one. He enjoyed it too. Was hard to tear him away.

While I was looking, I also found this one from a couple of years ago. Love it. I particularly love the purposeful...

Movie Monday: Pillow Talk*

Now this Popcorn Dialogues, er, thing is really useful to me, as a writer of romantic comedy (at least I hope I'm a writer of romantic comedy…), but sometimes it's almost too painful.

Last week's film was Pillow Talk, which I would have thought was one of my favourites – I was brought up on Doris Day films and was so in love with Rock Hudson as a teen – but it turns out it's… not good. In fact, it's very bad.

Okay. Not all of it. It started well. Doris Day is wonderful (and reminded me a LOT...

Lauren Oliver's beautiful new cover

Lauren Oliver's debut Before I Fall is one of the best books I've ever read and I can't wait to read her next book, Delirium, particularly know I've seen the phenomenal cover.

Isn't it gorgeous? The cover will have the title and Lauren's name cut out, with the full photograph visible underneath. I love it.

[via Lauren's blog]

The Gallery: Nature

This week's Gallery prompt at Sticky Fingers was Nature. For me, that means the sea.

I love being by the sea. I was born right in the centre of Canada, about as far away from the sea as you can get and then brought up at the seaside in New Brighton.

I feel so much better when I'm by the sea. One of my favourite memories of mine and David's trip around California and Oregon in 2001, was standing on the beach, taking deep gulps of the sea air and just feeling FREEEEEEEEEEEE! I haven't actually...

Movie Monday: Desk Set

N.B. I'm  watching classic romantic comedies along with the wonderful women of Popcorn Dialogues. CONTAINS MOVIE SPOILERS!

I had high hopes for Desk Set. Not only does it star Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, but it was written by Henry and Phoebe Ephron, parents of Nora (writer of my favourite romantic comedy of all time, When Harry Met Sally). And I enjoyed it, I did. Hepburn (as Bunny Watson) is wonderful, as (almost) always. Tracy (as Richard Sumner) was fabulous too and they had...

I *heart* Mo Willems

We are massive Mo Willems fans in this house. We own almost all of his books (and those we don't already have are on our wish list), we went to see the Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late live show, even taking Joe who was only a few months old at the time (he seemed to enjoy it), Harry even sleeps with a Pigeon soft toy. So I was VERY EXCITED to see (on Mo Willems' blog) that there's a Pigeon board game coming out next month.

And if you've never read any Mo Willems books, you really should.

The Gallery: A novel idea

This week's prompt from Tara at Sticky Fingers was A Novel Idea. Right up my street, right?

And the first thing I thought of was a street. Okay, a lane.

In 2001, me and David went to America and the trip begin in San Francisco, setting of my favourite series of books: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin. I was keen to check out some of the places featured in the book and our hotel was actually right by the Marina Safeway.

But my real aim was to find the street that inspired Barbary Lane. It's...

Movie Monday: Born Yesterday

Oh dear. Again, not a romantic comedy, but such a good film. Judy Holliday is just completely wonderful – I fell totally in love with her. I didn't really know anything about her before. So sad that she died so young. Will definitely check out her other films now.

With previous films I've been struck by how strong the heroines have been and in this one Holliday plays a ditsy bombshell… who gets an education, becomes empowered and changes her life. Love it.

William Holden was rather lovely too...

Want to hear what I sound like?

You can listen to an interview with me here.

I'm talking to Suzy Greaves, amazing Life Coach and author of Making The Big Leap and The Big Peace, both of which I highly recommend (and not just cos I'm in the first one, talking about how I made the leap from working in administration to being a full-time writer, which I absolutely couldn't have done without Suzy).