Amy Rae Durreson's Blog, page 3
August 23, 2016
A little place in the country (Osborne House and the boat to Cowes)
Recently, Mum and I gave into the lure of our sea fever and caught a train for the coast. We were heading for the Isle of Wight, via Southampton. We had deliberately kept our plans vague, but we were determined to visit Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s country retreat, even if we did nothing else. It turned out to be worth a whole day.
Our plan was to get the bus from the station to the ferry terminus at Southampton, and sail across the Solent to Cowes on the Isle of Wight (UK Meet folks may want to know that the ferry terminal is opposite the Meet hotel). Unfortunately, our journey went a big wonky at that point. There is, in theory, a connecting bus which meets the London train. Unfortunately, there’s only a minute’s change and it had gone early. So we walked down the main road, cutting across the car park of the Novotel and two Ibises, past IKEA, and then past the Grand Harbour Hotel where the Meet will be. We even spotted some zebras on the way…
These were just the ones we walked past–we spotted a lot more from the bus back to the station that evening
August 20, 2016
Rainbow Snippets is back to school
Here’s something new for this week’s Rainbow Snippets. I’m trying to get started on a new ghost story set in two very different schools. Here’s Raj, one of my protagonists, explaining how things start going wrong at one of the schools. It’s rough, because I’m still trying to find Raj’s voice and still working out the details of how Peter went from here to a very posh and very haunted country boarding school. Sadly, all of these bright ideas came from schools I know and some of them are the reasons why my colleagues now work with us instead.
We had a new headteacher, our third in five years, and this one had ideas. Some weren’t bad, like the redesign of the website and inviting local businesses to sponsor relevant departments (“Never English or Maths,” Peter grumbled on the last time he came out to Friday drinks, “because clearly we’re not sexy enough.” Then he hit me on the back as I choked on my pint). The new admin block was a nice idea, especially as it also included a new media centre, (“Why not a new library?” Jenny lamented so eloquently the next week that only I noticed Peter wasn’t there). The new uniform policy was the one the kids I worked with hated the most—some study had claimed schools that strictly enforced traditional uniforms got better results, so it was out with polo shirts and in with blazers and ties, which enraged parents enough to get us into the national media briefly as educational scandal of the week (I was sympathetic, though wise enough by then not to say so—uniforms are expensive and a lot of our parents couldn’t afford the cheap basic we’d had before, let alone this). What the outrage police didn’t know was the other half of the policy, which put any kid in the wrong uniform in lunchtime detention. With so many kids suddenly deprived of their lunchtimes, they had to be separated into multiple rooms, which meant an extra rota of staff duties suddenly landed on department heads and other senior teachers (like Peter, who had never been one to linger over his pack lunch at the best of times).
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
August 12, 2016
Five things I did on Spindrift’s release day :)
So, today my second full length ghost story, Spindrift, was released. I’ve been bust touring around chatting about the book, so I won’t say more here. I try to minimise my internet time on release days, because otherwise I spend a lot of time refreshing all my social media feeds in the hope that someone liked it, which is silly for anyone, but especially so when you live in a different timezone from many readers.
On workdays, avoiding the internet is easy. Otherwise, I get sneaky. Sometimes I go walking. Sometimes, like today, I have a writing free day at home: no words, minimal social media, no planning or admin or redrafting. So, here’s what I did today…
1. Tried to put a dent in my to-read pile
I didn’t get very far with that plan, mostly because of items 3 and 4…
2. Drank a lot of tea
Whilst reading, naturally
August 7, 2016
Rainbow Snippets has bad dreams…
For this week’s Rainbow Snippets, have the opening six sentences of Spindrift, which comes out on Friday.
Siôn dreamed he went back to the bridge again, stepping out along the pedestrian walkway with his camera banging against his chest where it hung uselessly. The fog was just as deep as it had been on that day in March, wrapping around him like a bag around his head. It muffled his steps and made even the occasional rumble of passing cars sound far, far away. The fog closed behind him, hiding the north bank and the river below. As he walked he became convinced that he would never reach the far end, that he would walk forever through this damp gray shadow of a world.
Gradually, just like the first time, his steps slowed until he simply stood where he was.
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
When lonely artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire, to recover from a suicide attempt, he doesn’t expect to encounter any ghosts, let alone the one who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. He also doesn’t expect to meet his ghost’s gorgeous, flirty great-grandson working at the local museum… and the village pub, and as a lifeboat volunteer. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only specter in Rosewick Bay, and as Siôn and Mattie investigate an ill-fated love affair from a bygone era, they begin a romance of their own, one that will hopefully escape the tragedy Mattie’s ancestor suffered.
But the ghosts aren’t the only ones with secrets, and the things Siôn and Mattie are keeping from each other threaten to tear them apart. And all the while, the dead are biding their time, because the curse of Rosewick Bay has never been broken. If the ghosts are seen on the streets, local tradition foretells a man will drown before the summer’s end.
Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press
August 2, 2016
Two (challenging) walks in Essex
I last wrote about our long walk along the British coast in February, when I wrote about a very urban walk along the south bank of the tidal Thames. Now the longer days have returned, we’ve resumed the summer section of the walk. We ended last summer at the Gravesend to Tilbury ferry, the first link between Kent and Essex over the mouth of the Thames. Our winter walks for the next few years will continue through Kent, following the river to the heart of London, simply because long walks across the Essex marshes in winter are potentially tricky.
Tricky in winter, did I say? Well…
We tackled our first section of the Essex coast on a grey day in April. We started from Gravesend, crossing the river to restart the walk from the ferry landing at Tilbury on the north bank, and were heading for the village of Mucking.
The ferry at Gravesend, looking towards Tilbury power station, which we would have to pass later in the walk.
When we reached Tilbury, this vast cruise ship was in dock. She was gone by the time we returned to Gravesend that evening, though we missed the exact moment she passed us. Tilbury is still a major deep water port, and has been since Roman times. It has also long been an unhealthy place, with the marshy, mosquito-ridden surroundings giving rise to all manner of illnesses. These days, malaria is no longer a risk, but it’s one of those places with a long, not always happy, history.
A few minutes later, we passed the World’s End pub, tucked into the shadow of the sea wall. The building was previously the ferry house and is supposedly haunted.
Near the pub is the huge complex of Tilbury Fort. This was one of the most significant forts defending London in the Napoleonic Wars. The fort is now owned by English Heritage. It was closed on the day we were there, but this is the main gate. The stone memorial in the foreground is to over 200 Scottish survivors of the Battle of Culloden, who were transported here in 1746. Many died here, horribly far from home.
Tilbury’s history goes back much further. As we picked our way along the stinking path between the power station and the river, I spotted these familiar words under the graffiti. This is the most famous part of the speech Queen Elizabeth I gave to the soldiers gathered at Tilbury in readiness for the arrival of the Spanish Armada:
I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.
A few miles further on, we found a remnant of a more recent war. This radar station dates from 1941, when it overlooked a field of mines laid across the river.
This is Coalhouse Fort, the last fort built along the Thames. It dates from the 1860s, and within a few years of its completion, its array of mounted guns were obsolete. It is now managed by a group of volunteer groups, who run regular open days. When we got there, all that was open was the cafe, but we had a much-needed cup of tea, and were impressed by the block of clean, modern unisex loos (it’s not hard to get right, people).
This bit of graffiti on another corner of the fort was somewhat more creepy.
Continuing along the sea wall, we discovered a succession of duck ramps allowing access to the marshes beyond
July 31, 2016
Rainbow Snippets feels reflective
For this week, six more sentences from Spindrift. Here Siôn reflects on happiness and its dangers.
It was strange, he thought as he walked down between the houses, breathing in the glistening quiet of the morning after the storm. He had been unhappy for so long, gray and empty and lonely. Those feelings had reached breaking point on the bridge and then faded once he was safe, first muffled by drugs and finally cleaned out of his spirit like pus from a well-treated wound. He hadn’t realized that there was still something missing, that comfort, self-knowledge, and calm were merely the middle ground. Now, to his bewilderment, all these positive, sharp-edged feelings were growing in him—joy, tenderness, delight.
And fear, of course, not just of ghosts, but of the damage even happiness could do if he wasn’t strong enough to carry it without the patched cloth of his spirit tearing under its weight.
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
When lonely artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire, to recover from a suicide attempt, he doesn’t expect to encounter any ghosts, let alone the one who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. He also doesn’t expect to meet his ghost’s gorgeous, flirty great-grandson working at the local museum… and the village pub, and as a lifeboat volunteer. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only specter in Rosewick Bay, and as Siôn and Mattie investigate an ill-fated love affair from a bygone era, they begin a romance of their own, one that will hopefully escape the tragedy Mattie’s ancestor suffered.
But the ghosts aren’t the only ones with secrets, and the things Siôn and Mattie are keeping from each other threaten to tear them apart. And all the while, the dead are biding their time, because the curse of Rosewick Bay has never been broken. If the ghosts are seen on the streets, local tradition foretells a man will drown before the summer’s end.
Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press
July 23, 2016
Rainbow Snippets duck the question
For this week’s Rainbow Snippets, a little more Spindrift. Here Mattie is wondering why two ghosts have attached themselves to Siôn. Eight sentences, I’m afraid, because it didn’t make sense without the lead in *hangs head in shame*
TW: passing mention of suicide attempt
“Have you any idea why they’re so attracted to you?” He licked toast crumbs off his fingers with a smirk. “Beyond the obvious, that is.”
“I—” Siôn bit back the words. He thought it might have something to do with how close he’d come to dying, to drowning, a few months ago. Explaining that would mean telling Mattie about the bridge and jumping, admitting to that mistake. Siôn was enjoying the way Mattie looked at him as if he were wonderful and, though he knew it couldn’t last, he didn’t want to ruin it this soon.
Mattie was staring at him, so Siôn said, “Ah, yes, I’ve always found the restless dead find my knack for advanced mathematics just irresistible.”
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
When lonely artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire, to recover from a suicide attempt, he doesn’t expect to encounter any ghosts, let alone the one who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. He also doesn’t expect to meet his ghost’s gorgeous, flirty great-grandson working at the local museum… and the village pub, and as a lifeboat volunteer. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only specter in Rosewick Bay, and as Siôn and Mattie investigate an ill-fated love affair from a bygone era, they begin a romance of their own, one that will hopefully escape the tragedy Mattie’s ancestor suffered.
But the ghosts aren’t the only ones with secrets, and the things Siôn and Mattie are keeping from each other threaten to tear them apart. And all the while, the dead are biding their time, because the curse of Rosewick Bay has never been broken. If the ghosts are seen on the streets, local tradition foretells a man will drown before the summer’s end.
Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press
July 17, 2016
Rainbow Snippets gets haunted
Posting very late this week (sorry), but here are six more sentences from Spindrift, which is out on August 12th. Matthew Jopling is one of the ghosts haunting the village.
Matthew Jopling was staring at him from the shadows, his expression grim and his eyes hard. Except he wasn’t quite looking at Siôn. He was looking past him.
Behind Siôn, low down where the quay’s edge dropped toward the harbor, someone sighed, a slow exhalation.
Siôn spun round, looking down.
There was no one there—nothing but the water washing quietly against the harbor wall. And when Siôn turned again, Matthew Jopling was gone too, and he was alone.
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
When lonely artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire, to recover from a suicide attempt, he doesn’t expect to encounter any ghosts, let alone the one who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. He also doesn’t expect to meet his ghost’s gorgeous, flirty great-grandson working at the local museum… and the village pub, and as a lifeboat volunteer. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only specter in Rosewick Bay, and as Siôn and Mattie investigate an ill-fated love affair from a bygone era, they begin a romance of their own, one that will hopefully escape the tragedy Mattie’s ancestor suffered.
But the ghosts aren’t the only ones with secrets, and the things Siôn and Mattie are keeping from each other threaten to tear them apart. And all the while, the dead are biding their time, because the curse of Rosewick Bay has never been broken. If the ghosts are seen on the streets, local tradition foretells a man will drown before the summer’s end.
Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press
July 10, 2016
Rainbow Snippets navigates an age gap
Getting back into the swing of things now the summer holidays have started, here’s a snippet from my upcoming ghost story, Spindrift, which is coming out on August 12th (that snuck up fast!). Here Siôn and Mattie talk romantic history (Mattie is twenty one and a flirt).
Siôn said, pushing his mouth into the shape of a smile. “I’m a sad old man, Mattie.”
Mattie rolled his eyes. “You’re not old.”
“I’m thirty, and I haven’t been in a relationship since I was twenty-two.”
“Well,” Mattie said, with a faint note of irritation, “firstly, you’re still a good ten years younger than the oldest guy I’ve ever slept with, and secondly, and more importantly, that’s bloody tragic, Siôn. What’s wrong with all the men in London?”
Rainbow Snippets is a wonderful little Facebook group in which writers gather every weekend to post a six-sentence peek at one of their works. All genres are included but the snippets must be from books with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist.
When lonely artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire, to recover from a suicide attempt, he doesn’t expect to encounter any ghosts, let alone the one who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. He also doesn’t expect to meet his ghost’s gorgeous, flirty great-grandson working at the local museum… and the village pub, and as a lifeboat volunteer. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only specter in Rosewick Bay, and as Siôn and Mattie investigate an ill-fated love affair from a bygone era, they begin a romance of their own, one that will hopefully escape the tragedy Mattie’s ancestor suffered.
But the ghosts aren’t the only ones with secrets, and the things Siôn and Mattie are keeping from each other threaten to tear them apart. And all the while, the dead are biding their time, because the curse of Rosewick Bay has never been broken. If the ghosts are seen on the streets, local tradition foretells a man will drown before the summer’s end.
Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press
June 24, 2016
Brexit (according to Year Nine)
“Miss, who’s that guy who looks like a paedo?” goes Barney.
“He’s a very respected BBC journalist and he is most certainly not a–“
“Well, he works for the BBC and he looks well weird, so he probably is.”
“He looks awful because he’s been up all night reporting on this and he’s probably very tired. Did you know you could have woken up at any time last night and switched the news on and seen the latest results?”
That idea fascinated them all for a few minutes. Then Iain Duncan Smith appeared on screen and made the mistake of talking.
“Miss,” said Theo, usually one of the calmer and more reflective students in the room, “look how old he is. He probably doesn’t care that we’re not going to get jobs, because he’ll be retired by the time we finish school.”
“Or dead,” goes a hopeful voice from the corner (not mine, I hasten to add). “Unless he’s a vampire.”
“Or a zombie,” goes Bloodthirsty Jack from the corner, suddenly engaging in the lesson. “He looks like he could be a zombie.”
“And when he’s retired,” Theo continued, loftily ignoring the interruptions, “he’ll be all excited about going to Spain on his holidays, and then he’ll get there and everything will be massively more expensive and he’ll suddenly think, oh, no, this is my fault. I shouldn’t have voted against Spain.”
“Hah, serves him right,” puts in Ryan, my resident Artful Dodger. “It’s all bloody old people. I’m well pissed off with my nan–“
“Language and respect, Ryan!”
“Sorry, Miss, I’m well annoyed with my nan cause she said she was voting leave for me but she never bloody asked me if I wanted to leave, did she?”
The whole class let out a sigh of heartfelt sympathy, got bored with IDS, and scribbled on their worksheets (and each other) for a while. Barney, who is normally Mr Too Cool to School, attached himself to my desk and started grilling me on how referendums work and when we could have another one (mass outrage when I explained there wouldn’t be one about getting back into the EU for them to vote in), and why couldn’t sixteen year olds vote when it was their future, and how come Nigel Farage was showing off when it was almost a tie, and what would happen if everyone who voted Remain just went on strike and refused to work until the government changed their minds. I tried to answer all of those, whilst keeping an eye on the rest of them as they began to lose interest in everything and start to wind each other up by stabbing each other with felt tips (Friday afternoons with Year Nine are always fun).
Then I realised that Ryan was staring at the screen, his eyes wide and an expression of incredulity stamped across his face.
“Miss,” he eventually breathed. “Who’s that posh twat?”
“Language, Ryan. That’s Boris Johnson.”
“Fucking hell. He needs a smack in the gob, doesn’t he? And a bloody haircut. Who does he think he is?”
Up pipes Theo. “He wants to be Prime Minster.”
“Well, that obviously ain’t going to happen, is it?”
Ryan stopped to draw breath and I seized the opportunity to do my speech on the next general election and why voting matters especially if you were going to turn eighteen before May 2020. Ryan listened to me with an increasingly sceptical expression. He waited patiently until I was done and then said, very kindly, “All due respect, Miss, but that voting thing probably won’t work. I’d rather smack him in the head.”
And from the back of the room, Bloodthirsty Jack lifted his head from the desk where he had been napping, opened his eyes, and said blearily, “With a referendum!”
Sadly the bell went then, so I had no chance to correct their misconceptions about democracy (next week).
Boris Johnson, ladies and gents: smack him in the head with a referendum.
Although Year Nine were the most vocal, all of the students I’ve seen today have been upset and frightened about their future. The school’s own mock referendum came in at 75% Remain, absolutely in line with young voters in the UK. Even the weakest and most confused SEN student I teach came rushing up to explain to me in broken sentences that Nigel Farage had lied about the NHS. The kids are okay. They just got outvoted.
