S.C. Skillman's Blog, page 61

The Last Anglo-Saxon King and A Successful Invasion: Brutality, Beauty, and The Workings of Fate in Our Lives – in 1066

A Review of 1066 – What Fates Impose by  G.K. Holloway

1066 What Fates Impose by GK Holloway

I love to read a lively account of English history, and often draw principles from it that are relevant to our own lives. So when author G.K. Holloway contacted me recently to ask if I’d agree to read and review his book  1066 – What Fates Impose, I was happy to do so. The author had previously enjoyed my review of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. And having agreed to read and review the book I felt strongly enough about it to post the review on my blog.

Throughout English history, the ordinary people have never had the luxury of much to play around with by way of fate and destiny; other than the destiny they inherited to struggle day by day to live short, desperate and brutish lives. And unless you study social history, you learn only about the great “movers and shakers” rather than ordinary people.

And so it is with the events surrounding 1066, which we probably all learned about in primary school.  But read this book and you will feel close up to those dramatic and fateful events.

After a stunning opening scene, showing a remorseful William the Conqueror on his deathbed, I found the next few chapters of the book slow-going because they present a confusing array of names, with all the details of Earl Godwin and his sons, and a fickle and rather weak Edward the Confessor dishing out earldoms as it suits him, and a mix of rebellious sons, betrayal, poisonous royal advisers and ruthless conniving archbishops.

But when the stakes are high, and huge power and wealth is the prize, and the outcome will have major repercussions on history, then questions of fate and destiny become fascinating and intensely real.

The book picked up narrative pace as it moved on towards the events of 1066. In particular, the battle description at the end is brilliant, with several flashes of rich detail, engaging all the senses, together with poignant and moving touches that made me feel I was there at the thick of the battle of Hastings.

After much detailed description of carnage, brutality and sadistic violence, the end of the book came unexpectedly with a poetic beauty that I found truly moving. I was so immersed in the events that I even found myself thinking ‘I hope Harold wins’ even though I then thought ‘Of course he won’t. William wins’.

And there is one character whose sadistic murder of a mother and child whilst pillaging along the south east coast of England is so scrupulously examined I longed for him to get his come-uppance. But he doesn’t. Instead, he wins glory, royal gratitude, a large parcel of land in Devonshire and a wife and two sons. So much for ‘the way of the wicked’ perishing.

A fantastic evocation of a period of history that can seem very dry in our early school lives. But this book engages us emotionally in these events, bringing us up very close, refreshing our sense of perspective, causing us to reflect on the workings of irony in our own lives, when all our expectations are defeated and we face the reality of the least likely outcome.

Filed under: About Books I love, Authors I love, book reviews, Books, British, history, inspiration, life, literature, musings, SC Skillman, SC Skillman Author, thoughts, UK, Writing Tagged: 1066, 1066 What Fates Impose, a lively account, book review, Earl Godwin, English history, fate and destiny, GK HOlloway, Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall, in our own lives, King Harold, last Anglo-Saxon king, movers and shakers, power-hungry, successful invasion, The battle of Hastings, William the Conquerer

Philosopher Tramps, Fall-Guys and Authority Figures in BBC 2 Sitcom ‘Rev’

I’ve loved many TV sitcoms over the years and have attended sitcom writing workshops when I aspired to write sitcoms myself. I think it’s true to say that a few sitcom characters have influenced my own fiction. My current favourite is Rev (BBC 2 Monday 10pm). Our family has watched every episode of the 2 previous series and is now enjoying series 3 broadcast on BBC 1 on Mondays at 10pm.

the cast of BBC 2 sitcom Rev (photo credit bbc.co.uk)

There’s much in common between a novelist and a sitcom writer, and as a story-writer I like to ask myself why Rev is so compelling and so good on several levels.

The top ingredients seem to be authentic situations and sharp characterisation. I’ve written before about archetypal characters in fiction.

Here’s a selection of characters who particularly appeal to me as archetypes:

In Rev we have  an endearing main character (the Revd. Adam Smallbone, played by Tom Hollander) who is modest, self-effacing, well-intentioned but hapless: he’s supposed to be in a position of authority but often seems to be a bit of an underdog – the fall-guy. And yet there is an underlying message which tells a different story.

Then there’s Colin (played by ), the unemployed alcoholic, who we often see sitting on the bench outside the church with the Rev. We love Colin so much because he’s an archetypal philosopher tramp.  Words of wisdom and insight come from the most unlikely mouth, along with foul language, tales of drug-peddling and the low life.

Then we have the cunning Mick |(played by ), an oddball drug addict and street loafer,  cunning and opportunistic, always calling at the vicarage door and making contradictory claims and asking for – but never receiving – money. Until, that is, he hits on inspiration - by bringing back the child Rev left in the grocery store, insisting on exchanging the child for money, and threatening to tell “the nasty Mrs Vicar” what Adam has done.

We have the Archdeacon (played by ), sardonic, high-handed, revelling in his status higher up the church hierarchy than Adam, and sometimes rivalling the Spanish Inquisition in his interrogations and threats to Adam that his church might be closed down; he’s the authority figure who’s always on Adam’s case, ditches him unexpectedly out of taxis, and accepts offers of tea then ends up throwing it away. And yet again there’s another message; the moments when the Archdeacon relents, the revelation and the twist in the relationship when Adam unexpectedly meets him with his gay friend out of working hours…

Then there’s Roland Wise, the media vicar, (played by ). He answers his mobile during his “Transforming Church” course and tells Adam, “Oh it’s Michael Burke pestering me to do The Moral Maze again.” and accuses Adam of having “conflicting personality blocks” on his Myers Briggs personality type indicator test; to which Adam replies, “That’s because I filled it out as Jesus.”

And finally I might mention Nigel, Adam’s Lay Reader (played by Miles Jupp), whose main problem is that he’s a bit ‘anal’ and pedantic. He takes himself too seriously, he always tries to play by the rule-book, and would really like to be in Adam’s position. Occasionally his frustration causes him to break out, but usually when he does he ends up being reprimanded or overruled in some way.

One of the most effective elements of Rev is the voiceovers. We hear the thoughts in Adam’s head as he talks to God. “People like rules. If Christianity had as many rules as Islam, perhaps my church would be full too,” and “Why does the church want me to be a businessman rather than a vicar?” and “I bend over backwards to try and please everyone and I end up pleasing no-one… maybe that’s what You want, me in a lot of trouble. Jesus liked trouble.”

And the truth is that Adam is good-hearted, caring, unpretentious and real.

I hope you too enjoy this brilliant sitcom. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: SC Skillman, TV programmes, Writing Tagged: archetypal, characterisation, Christians, church, God, irony, Jesus, Rev, TV sitcom

Rocky Hillsides, Dark Valleys and the One Voice You Can Trust

In our lives we can often find that there seems to be one poem or a prayer which has been most helpful, most meaningful to us. For me this has been the 23rd Psalm: The Lord Is My Shepherd.

In times of strong negative emotion, the words though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil are the only ones which have the strength to meet the greatest spiritual and psychological challenges.

Last Monday I went to a Quiet Day led by Rev. Anne Hibbert of  the Well Christian Healing Centre.

The Rev Anne Hibbert, whose vision led to the creation of The Well Christian Healing Centre

Hampton Manor, Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire

It was held in the gracious surroundings of Hampton Manor in Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire. The theme was Following the Good Shepherd in 2014.

Anne is one of the most inspirational speakers I have ever listened to.  During the course of the day she opened up for us the reality of life as a shepherd in Israel, which the psalmist based his poem upon: nothing at all like our concept of sheep and shepherd in the enclosed fields of green fertile England.

The shepherd in Israel, I learned, is responsible for his sheep all the time, in a harsh, challenging environment, on brown, rocky, barren hillsides; he will build stones around caves to act as a sheep-fold; he will drive the sheep to fresh new pasture, going ahead to club the snakes and scatter salt to provide extra nutrients for the sheep. The voice of the shepherd is the one voice the sheep will respond to; ringing out over a great distance, to call in the sheep even from the furthest point to which they have wandered.

Additionally, the oil which the psalm uses as a metaphor, would be a concoction of olive oil, sulphur and spices, which would be daubed on the heads of the sheep to banish flies, gnats and parasites. Sheep, too, I learned, have a “butting order”; this disappears when the shepherd is present.  The hills of the Judaean terrain might be bright and sunny and scorching; the valleys fearful and cold; as you go under the overhang, the darkness can be overwhelming.

Several of these details of the shepherding life in Israel were previously unknown to me. Anne used each element as a metaphor for different stages of our life journeys. Now I know what inspired the psalmist to use the images he did, the meaning of the psalm is enriched enormously – as well as its application for my life.

Try having another look at the psalm here and forget about green velvety meadows, a romantic-looking figure with long flowing golden brown hair, and white fluffy sheep. Think instead of rocky hillsides, dark overhangs and snakes, and you’ll be getting closer to what the writer had in mind when he wrote those words.

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Signed Paperback Copies of 1st edition of Mystical Circles on Special Offer

A migraine prevented me from appearing at the International Women’s Day Event at the Sydni Centre, Leamington Spa, on Saturday 8 March 2014. I would have sold copies of my novel Mystical Circles at a special low price.

SC Skillman Author at the book launch for Mystical Circles

So instead here I am, back in good health again, offering you the chance to buy the paperback (1st edition purple cover) for £4.49 (a saving of 50% on my retail price of £8.99).

I have just six copies of the first edition left, to sell at this special price. If you live local to Warwick/Kenilworth/Leamington Spa I can deliver or you can collect.  If you live further afield (UK only) please add £2.75 p & p.

I look forward to hearing from you if you’d like a copy. First come first served. Please use CONTACT ME to send me your details.

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Find Me at International Women’s Day 2014 Event in Leamington Spa

Watch out for me at the International Women’s Day event at the Sydni Centre, Leamington Spa on Saturday 8 March 2014 from 1-6pm.  This is a FREE women-only event.

International Womens Day 2014

I’ll be showcasing my best blog posts, selling copies of Mystical Circles at the special reduced price of £5, & showing the official trailer.

There will be lots of arts and crafts for you to look at, and buy if you wish. Or you can simply browse, admire the creativity and imagination that you see around you, and chat to the creators.

Lovely meals will be served for lunch and there are also several excellent workshops, involving a mixture of creative activities, and the opportunity to join in discussion groups centred upon issues relevant to women.

In addition there will be several singing highlights: the opportunity to learn a song live from Rwanda via Skype, a performance from the “Low Wimmin”, and a singing workshop from the former co-leader of Leamington Spa’s fabulous community choir Songlines, Rebecca Knight.

I hope to see you there at the International Women’s Day, 8 March, at the SYDNI Centre, Leamington Spa, CV31 1PT

Filed under: Books, British psychological suspense writer, creative writing, empowerment, life, Mystical Circles, news, SC Skillman, SC Skillman Author Tagged: community choir, creative, highlights, International Womens Day 2014, Leamington Spa, mystical circles, SC Skillman author, singing, women

The RADA Student Who Felt Like Packing Her Bags and Going Back North

The BBC Radio 4 Today programme is often a source of inspiration to me.

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London

And today at 8.20am I heard an item about the party for former RADA students that the Queen will be holding in Buckingham Palace this evening (Monday 17 February 2014)

I’m very interested in the life of an actor, partly because the acting world does come into my new novel A Passionate Spirit (in its final revision stages).

But also the life of an actor has strong comparisons with that of a writer.

And one interviewee on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme put it perfectly. She said she entered RADA on her first day and saw actress , “so attractive and so talented”, and she thought of how great that actress was, and then she started making comparisons…

“I thought that 2 weeks later I’d be asked to pack my bags and get back up north,” she said.

This sums up what we writers may think a thousand times… when we go into Waterstones and see the huge volume of novels on the shelves, with brilliant, stunning covers, and hugely successful names. And this is how we feel when we see another famous novelist win the Man Booker, or see them interviewed on the TV show we can only dream of being on.

What are we doing? Comparing ourselves with “the great and the good.”

If we do that, we will always fall short.

We will always be tempted to pack our bags and go back north.

This particular actress fought that negative temptation, and stuck it out at RADA. She said she had to be thick-skinned, and “take it on the chin”; it was pretty tough, but by the time her course ended, and she came out, she could handle rejection. “Rejection: that was nothing. After 3 years of RADA I was ready for it.”

She had experienced it so many times, it held no fears for her. Nothing could hold her back.

We know her as , now a celebrated actor.

If you are a struggling author, take heart from this.

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Loyalty, Hope and Keeping Faith, in the Greatest Film I’ve Ever Seen: The Shawshank Redemption

We love listing “The 50 Top … Films, Books, Magic Tricks, Comedians”, etc. etc.

Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Ellis (Red) Redding in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

And a list of the top films will always change from year to year. But to my mind, The Shawshank Redemption makes the top of the list. And I saw it again very recently on TV.

I watched it for the first time several months ago when I borrowed it from LoveFilm. Having visited Aberystwyth University Film Studies Department with my daughter during an Open Day in 2012, I heard the Film Studies lecturer list those films which are considered  “the best ever made” or absolute must-see films for those who are serious about film.

So I dutifully added those films to my LoveFilm list.

And that’s how I came upon The Shawshank Redemption.

And this is why I consider it justly deserving of the title ‘best movie ever made.’

Bob Gunton as Warden Samuel Norton in The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Its themes are of profound relevance to our lives:

The importance of:

keeping faith; having patience; strategic long term planning; a long term plan of action; perseverance; loyalty; hope; persistence; calm forbearance under ill treatment and suffering.

I believe we can find in The Shawshank Redemption a metaphor for all that’s truly important in this life.

I suggest, too, that it’s no accident that I, as a writer, should relate closely to these themes in my own life. For the film is based upon Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption; and Stephen King, besides all his other books, is the author of the best book for writers I have ever read: On Writing. I’ve heard many other writers give this the highest praise too. I imagine that something of his own understanding of life as a writer may have been uppermost in Stephen King’s mind when he created the story upon which The Shawshank Redemption is based.

Sometimes, struggling through many years without recognition or success, can be like serving 10,20,30 years in Shawshank State Prison. Although the act of creating fiction is in a sense its own reward, and always will be, the fact remains that rewriting drafts and revising a novel line by line over the course of years without any immediate material reward in view, is like chipping away, digging that hole in the wall, the hole which opens the tunnel to freedom, hidden behind a deceptive cover, over years, of slow, patient work.

Keeping faith is the phrase that returns to me again and again, along with patience, perseverance, forbearance, strategic long term planning, and a long term course of action.

And I’m sure you, in whatever circumstances life has thrown at you, can also find parallels here to some aspect of your own experience.

The epiphany at the end of the film has a luminous, spiritual quality to it. To me it is more truly ‘religious’ than anything the Warden Samuel Nortons of this world might delude themselves with.

Watch the film if you haven’t seen it. But if you have – share your feelings about the message of this film.

Filed under: About Books I love, Authors I love, Books, creative writing, dreams and dreaming, empowerment, faith, films, inspiration, interpersonal relationships, life, literature, love, media, movies, musings, people of inspiration, positive thinking, psychology, religion, SC Skillman, SC Skillman Author, spirituality, thoughts, Writing Tagged: absolute must-see, creating fiction, films, forbearance, freedom, greatest film, highest praise, hope, I believe, in this life, keeping faith, loyalty, message, metaphor, patient work, persistence, religious, revising a novel, rewriting drafts, Shawshank Redemption, spiritual, Stephen King On Writing, suffering, Top 50, TV, writers

A Vision of Healing Through The Power of Prayer in Leamington Spa

Over the last few weeks I’ve been taking a few hours of  time out from revising my novel, to do voluntary work for our local Christian Healing Centre, The Well.

The logo of The Well Christian Healing Centre in Leamington Spa

I help to update the website, assist the Director of The Well, Rev. Anne Hibbert, with her blog, proofread publicity material and prepare leaflets advertising forthcoming events.

What a truly inspiring organisation this is. All those at The Well celebrate 10 years of existence this year. It began with a vision which Anne Hibbert had in a garden in Leamington Spa.

The Rev Anne Hibbert, whose vision led to the creation of The Well Christian Healing Centre

I myself have also experienced healing through prayer at The Well. Truly God has ‘unstopped the ancient wells of healing here in Leamington Spa’ for many people testify not only to physical healing through prayer, but new peace, joy and a changed attitude which transforms situations.

Many people come in through the doors of the Royal Pump Rooms on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week, to the prayer teams who are waiting to pray with and for them; these may be people who are Christian, or who have no faith at all; they may be adults or children.

The power of prayer in every life-situation has been testified to many times. If you are experiencing a problem which you believe is intractable, I recommend that you too consider asking for prayer.

What a privilege it is for me to play a small part in helping Anne take this vision forward into the future.

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Peter Pan, Lost Childhood and Role Reversals in Traditional Children’s Tales

At the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday night ( 24th January 2014) we saw a reversal of roles for Peter Pan and Wendy.

I always like to give myself time to read the programme notes before a performance (if at all possible!) And the most intriguing notes on this production of  Wendy and Peter Pan 

Wendy and Peter Pan at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford-upon-Avon

were written by the playwright, Ella Hickson .She had, she explained, set out to break away from the stereotypes that surround the story. So she would subvert the tropes so familiar to us from The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Snow White – in endless tales of girls just waiting for salvation to arrive in the shape of a prince.

She wanted to give Wendy a chance to have as much fun and show as much fight as the boys without losing what it is that makes girls different.

So we saw an empowered Wendy, and a Neverland which was Wendy’s as much as it was Peter Pan’s or the lost boys’.

It wasn’t, Ella Jackson wrote, about pushing political correctness on the young but it is about making sure we aren’t camouflaging unhealthy narratives with the soft glow of traditionalism.

This production of Wendy and Peter Pan focused on the theme of bereavement, presenting us with a third brother for Wendy, Tom, who died in childhood. And so it focused on Wendy’s search for the lost boy who would never grow up – grief for a brother who died young.

We saw a Wendy who rescued herself – she didn’t wait for Peter Pan to rescue her. He was off being irresponsible and having fun. The roles between Wendy and Peter were reversed. We heard Captain Hook bemoaning to Mr Smee about people who are prepared to lay down their lives for those they love: “Why doesn’t anyone care about me like that?”

And we saw a Tiger Lily and a Tinkerbell who were both radically different from the Disney versions!

Tiger Lily in the Royal Shakespeare company’s production of Wendy & Peter Pan

Tinkerbell in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Wendy & Peter Pan

JM Barrie’s own early trauma fuelled his creation of this story. His own brother David died age 13 when JM Barrie was six. He was haunted by the loss as he could never replace his brother in the eyes of his grieving mother.I was struck by how psychological trauma, grief and loss can be so fertile if we choose to create from it.

JK Rowling has said, the whole story of Harry Potter would never have happened if not for this one thing; that she loved her mother, and her mother died.

Of course it’s now very popular to subvert the tropes of different fairy tales and we have seen it done brilliantly by, for example,  Roald Dahl and by the creators of the Shrek films.

But what do you think about our traditional fairy tales? Are the original version necessarily “unhealthy narratives”? Should Cinderella no more be rescued by the prince, but headhunted instead, to be the CEO of a major multinational corporation? I’d love to know what you think, especially if you have young children who are approaching these traditional stories for the first time.

Filed under: Books, British, dreams and dreaming, empowerment, life, literature, love, musings, SC Skillman, stage drama, thoughts, UK, Writing Tagged: Cinderella, empowered, fairy tales, great story, Harry Potter, JK Rowling, JM Barrie, lost childhood, Peter Pan, political correctness, Roald Dahl, role reversals, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford-upon-Avon, Shrek, stereotypes, subvert the tropes, The Little Mermaid, Tiger Lily, traditional children's tales, Wendy and Peter Pan

Totally Devoted to Jane Austen

One of my favourite Christmas gifts was one I bought for myself for 10p in the late stock-clearance at my son’s school Christmas Fair – an audio book of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice book cover (The Folio Society Definitive Collector’s Edition)

I’ve been listening to it in the car over and over again. And despite Death Comes to Pemberley  on TV after Christmas, I still cannot get enough of Elizabeth, Darcy, Mrs Bennett, Lydia, Wickham and all the rest of them.

In addition, as another Christmas gift I received the DVD set of the classic BBC TV series starring Colin Firth as Darcy and Elizabeth Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett.

You’d think that knowing all the story-points and the outcome would dim your enthusiasm for engaging with one novel again and again.

Yet in Pride and Prejudice my appetite is never sated.

On every hearing, there are new glittering gems of psychological insight, discernment and irony to be found.

Was there ever such a bitchy young woman as Miss Bingley? Or such a cringing sycophant as Mr Collins? Can we ever quite fathom the sardonic detachment of Mr Bennett? And was Lady Catherine really pleased with Mr Collins’s obsequiousness? And can we ever truly understand Charlotte’s decision to marry Mr Collins, or determine exactly what Mr Wickham imagined would happen to Lydia and her family once he’d  finished with her in London and gone off abroad to seek better chances there – as was his avowed plan when Darcy finally hunted him down? And has any author ever written a  better account of a changing heart than Jane Austen’s, in her depiction of Elizabeth reading Mr Darcy’s letter and coming to a new opinion of the respective characters of Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy?

We keen novel readers have many ideas of the best novel ever written. Some may say Cervantes’ Don Quixote, or James Joyce’s Ulysses, or Tolstoy’s War and Peace, or  Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. But I say Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice is the most perfect novel ever written because I can never get my fill of her wisdom and  insight into human relationships and behaviour and motivation. And there seems no end to the power of this story and these characters and this author’s observations, to set off answering bells in my own life-experience.

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