Susie Wild's Blog: Wildlife, page 45

MSLEXIA BLOG | BEST LAID PLANS

May29
Best Laid PlansPosted by Susie Wild in creativity,writing process




      
"The trouble with best laid plans is that life doesn’t really like plans. Life likes to happen, to get in the way, to throw spanners in the works…Spanners like broken machines and broken limbs and financial and medical scares. I am healthy (ish) and without crutches, however I have been at the mercy of some spanners, some loosened nuts and bolts. In between fighting technology and unpaid invoices I have found myself taking on more and more and more work — some handsomely paid, some not, and some favours — all of which has meant that I’ve found myself moving further and further away from the things that I want to do, neglecting my writing, neglecting my dreams.A few weeks ago I found myself sat, having a meeting about a potential last minute PhD opportunity — it was paid, academia has always been an eventual part of my bills-paying  ’career plan’ — that the very wise, talented and respected writer sat opposite me told me a couple of home truths that I needed to hear and then reminded me that :1. I was still young(ish) – at least in wunderkind writer terms, and general modern academic terms.2. There was no rush. He knew and I knew that whilst I was more than capable of doing that particular PhD, my heart wasn’t in it.Instead he asked me two very important questions —"
Read the blog in full over on the Mslexia site. Also read all the other blogs, they are fab:
http://www.mslexia.co.uk/blog/2012/05/best-laid-plans/#more-2518

THE STAGE | REVIEW | AS YOU LIKE IT

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Sundays are meant for this: sunshine, a country walk, and then reading in a beer garden before watching Shakespeare in the sun, overlooking mountains with my handsome man...

Here is my The Stage review of alfresco As You Like It:
As You Like ItPublished Monday 28 May 2012 at 13:11 by Susie Wild“All The World’s a Stage!” proclaims the small, versatile cast of As You Like It, performing in their pop-up outdoor theatre against a stunning sun-drenched backdrop of Monmouthshire mountains. One of 66 dates in pretty locations, Rain or Shine’s adaptation of this classic scores decently on topicality. The first half centring on The People’s Games and including asking a random punter to deliver a flaming torch to the stage. The ensuing entertaining wrestling match also contains amusing, effective slowmo action and comical costumes.Pippa Meekings shines, playing a feisty and fun gender-swapping Rosalind against Tyler Coombes’ lily-livered lovestruck Orlando. Hilary Derrett brings humour as the flirtatious Madame Labeau - La not Le, for she is ‘Tout Labeau,’ all woman - and gets all the best lines as the melancholic moraliser Jacques. James Reynard is spot on as the hippy Duke Senior bumbling about his forest with his merry men waiting for something to happen. All the cast fair well, yet there are some weak spots involving light-hearted, silly Panto scenes with the minor characters - many of the shepherd scenes feel superfluous, and those involving the pursuit of Audrey and Phoebe often fall flat.Still, in the interval the audience are invited to reflect upon and discuss how jolly life is, and by the end of this mostly likeable family show, the sun-soaked picnicking crowd agree it is very jolly indeed. Had it rained, it may well have been a different story.

Like a Proud Parent...

Rhian's poem is the Saturday poem in today's Guardian. I am going to frame it like a proud mum. You can read it here: http://m.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/25/parents-evening-rhian-edwards-saturday-poem?cat=books&type=article

Now go and buy her book!

Meeting James Sallis

Waterstones Cardiff wrote:

WATERSTONE'S CARDIFF THE HAYES
Thursday, 24 May 2012, 7:00PM
Come and meet the brilliant James Sallis. He is joining us for a Question and Answer session about his new book 'Driven'. Hope to see you there.
Further details: 02920 665606


Yes he wrote Drive too, the book that became THAT Ryan Gosling film. I went along to talk words and help drink the wine. Sallis is a lovely, kindly guy who encourages writers to enjoy themselves and remember that they are the lucky ones who get to make stuff up for a living. His new book examining a woman in peril years after the event sounds interesting too. Here is a picture of Sallis with Cult Books Waterstones Hero Bert:


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Also, tomorrow it Towel Day - go forth and celebrate the work of Douglas Adams.

CLUELESS DOGS OFFICIAL LAUNCH

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It happened. The official launch of Rhian Edwards' debut full poetry collection Clueless Dogs at Gwdihw on Sunday 20 May. Only Rhian would have 15 people support her at her booklaunch gig - 14 ukulele players and myself. I sold out of my book too, and have more orders. It was fun. Well done Rhian! Pictures are from the night.

Bardic babes below (L-R): Carole Burns, Me, Rhian Edwards, Ivy Alvarez


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CARDIFF LITERARY SALON | WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE

Our first session of the all new Cardiff Literary Salon will meet at Sherman Cymru on Monday 21st May 2012. 


Facebook event page:  https://www.facebook.com/events/273891899356312/ 


I will be in conversation with special literary guests about writing for performance from 8pm. 




My guests include:


Comic, poet and playwrong Mab Jones


Double John Tripp Award winner Rhian Edwards


Up and Coming Cardiff Poet Frank Thomas


Poetry Editor at Seren Amy Wack




Unfortunately The Gwyneth Lewis conversation has had to be postponed but we shall be welcoming her later in the season, and congratulate her on the Wales Book of the Year shortlist.




About Cardiff Literary Salon:


A literary gathering in an informal setting, the Cardiff Literary Salon sees top writers read or perform their work, and discuss their practice with 'notable bohemian' Susie Wild. Questions are then opened up to the audience for discussion and good conversation. After the talk the revellers can enjoy the relaxed, informed but informal environment to meet with publishers, writers, agents and fellow book lovers to discuss writing, culture and ideas.


Looking forward to seeing you on the night :)


Cardiff Literary Salon occurs in association with Sherman Cymru, who are wonderful supporters and advocates of new writing in Wales.


The May 2012 session is kindly supported by Literature Wales.

FLASH FICTION DAY | IMAGISTIC

I am taking part in Imagistic on Flash Fiction Day (16 May 2012), writing a new flash story inspired by a painting by Keith Bayliss.

Here is the picture 'Untitled':

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Here is an extract from my piece called 'We Hang in the Balance':

Some days I imagine breaking you into pieces. I think you would be more fun. More manageable then. In small parts. I would hold your hand over breakfast. Bend your ear over lunch. At night, in the garden I'd use my diabolo skills to impress you, I'd dance with your head. You probably wouldn't enjoy it. You'd look bemused. Ask me to change the music. Ask if maybe I'd prefer to dance with a leg instead.

Imagistic: Cardiff Flash Fiction Day is on Wednesday. Come along.


Edited to add here is a picture of organisers Carole Burns and Paul Edwards on the Roy Noble show with the image Rhian wrote her excellent shoe story about. We had a lovely evening reading with Niall Griffiths, Richard Gwyn, Des Barry, Tony Bianchi and Amy Wack:


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THE STAGE REVIEW | LITTLE DOGS

Little DogsPublished Monday 14 May 2012 at 11:29 by Susie WildLittle Dogs is an energetic, contemporary take on Dylan Thomas’ short story Just Like Little Dogs, in which men with homes to go to instead choose to walk the streets of Swansea. Frantic Assembly has cleverly re-imagined the lost souls of Swansea’s night times from Thomas’ young man years to the present day, translating this feeling of lost limbo to today’s teenagers fighting their nightly hormonal wars with Thriller-style dance offs.
Darren Evans and Sian Phillips in Little Dogs at the Patti Pavilion, Swansea (previous picture shows Katie Elizabeth-Payne)Photo: FarrowsCreativeThe promenade production begins with a scrawny, agitated teenage boy (Darren Evans) sat in a chintzy family room, while a concerned and ghostly maternal figure (Sian Phillips) watches over him. He frets, twitching limbs and net curtains, before finally allowing her to comfort him. At the point of the hug the set splits open, casting the boy out into the urban playground where his peers lay in wait.The audience, like Evans, are thrown into the midst of the action and batted from scene to scene. Across the city, the sparky cast tell tales of beating hearts and amusingly relate the rules of modern mating rituals - dropped gazes and play fighting, jealousy and trickery.The action moves from car park to club toilets, where the young try to find their way in the fug of sex, booze and vomit in scenes that echo The Paper Birds’ touring hit Thirsty. Therein lies one of the major flaws of the show, much of the teenage bonking and bravado has been seen before, and at times dramatic weight is lost in the flurry of movement. The conceit of Phillips playing Swansea is also lost on the audience until the flamboyant musical finale.http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/36160/little-dogs

Clueless Dogs Tour

Last night I read at the launch of Rhian Edward's first full poetry collection Clueless Dogs. She is a super darling friend and I am most proud. Here is a picture of me reading taken by Auntie Lynne:

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Today I am mostly reading my copy of the book - it has my name in the front AND the back. You can and should get your hands on a copy here: http://www.serenbooks.com/book/clueless-dogs/9781854115737

Here is a picture of the congrats card I made Rhian, with Rhian and her beloved American beau Blake Harwell:[image error] Yep, I know, multi-talented, me.I am supporting Rhian at a joining up of my two favourite Swansea nights - The Crunch and Skye - on Sunday. Sadly STUPID LAST TRAIN TIMES mean that I can't get to these nights now I have left Swansea, some  may say this is fair punishment for leaving, but I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces there. Here is the beautiful poster for the event:[image error] After that Rhian has lots of other gigs, some of which I shall be performing at, or hosting. You can see the full list on Rhian's brand spanking new website including a Hay event with the excellent Tishani Doshi. My dates are 6 & 20 May. I shall be at most of them though, so may read elsewhere too if there is room.We will both be performing new work at the WMC for Cardiff Flash Fiction Day on 16 May and  poeting at Dinefwr festival at the end of June also. It will be the week of both of our births, and you can buy us presents if you like. Or buy our books. Either will be fine.Enjoy the long weekend x 

Go on and write.

"You can write twice as well now as you ever could. All you need to do is write truly and not care about what the fate of it is. 

Go on and write. "


On May 10th of 1934, a month after the publication of his new novel, Tender Is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote to his friend, Ernest Hemingway, and asked for his honest opinion on the book — a tale about Dick and Nicole Diver, a couple based largely on mutual acquaintances of both Fitzgerald and Hemingway: Gerald and Sara Murphy.

Hemingway certainly responded with honesty. His engrossing reply — a letter that contains plenty of advice for any writer — can be read below.


READ MORE: http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/04/forget-your-personal-tragedy.html