O.R. Melling's Blog, page 7

Angelina Jolie's By the Sea

I took two nights to watch this, not because I found it difficult or boring but because I wanted to savour it. Very like reading a novel. It's slow and subtle, elegant and beautifully shot. Hemingway would have liked it, I think, the spare dialogue and the intensity of the characters. More European than American, it's the kind of film Charlotte Rampling usually stars in. The American critics have savaged it en masse. They like to run in packs, like ravening wolves, but are rarely right when it comes to something beyond conventional fashion, something different. Something extraordinary. I predict By the Sea will be reassessed in years to come

My Christmas Books and Films

Everyone has their favourites and these are mine: The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (finished two days ago, yes I cried over Tiny Tim as I do annually), Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti (seriously bizarre story but Finn and I read it together every year) and A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (oh such beautiful writing, but my little blue paper edition has disappeared, who fecked it?!). Meanwhile have watched my favourite Christmas television episode, "All Ye Faithful" of JAG, very clever writing which includes references to various Christmas films, books and songs. I've also managed to watch two favourite Christmas films Love Actually and It's a Wonderful Life (cried here, too). Don't know where I found the time to watch anything as it has been seriously hectic these past few weeks! But the cards are off, the presents wrapped, the plans made. I'm ... dare I say it? ... ready. May I wish you a very Merry Christmas and healthy and happy new year.

SUPPORT WIKIPEDIA!

I just made my annual contribution to Wikipedia. It's a brilliant service which I use regularly to check on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. It's a fabulous resource tool to send you in the direction you need to go to find what you need to find if it doesn't already have what you want. Great for sending you off on tangents and unnecessary but fascinating searches also :). The founder could make a fortune if he chose to inflicts ads on us like Skype, FB etc but he doesn't. All he asks is any small amount you can provide. Do give this a thought. You know you use it. We all do.

Voice of America Teen Radio

I was interviewed last week by two charming American teens Zahra and Brigitte for Voice of America Teen Radio programme "Express Yourself." The founder of the programme is Cynthia Brian, writer of Be the Star You Are. She contacted me before I went on the Camino and asked if I would talk about The Summer King under the theme of "The Gift of Healing." I was quite happy to as the book deals with the healing of loss and grief. Those who have read the book know that the story opens a year after the main character, Laurel, has lost her twin sister. The pre-recorded interview will be aired on Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 noon Pacific Time. That's 8:00 pm in Ireland but if you are from somewhere else you'll have to check online for the corresponding time in your country. To listen in online go to: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2014.... Hope you enjoy it. I did!

Writing Days

The long grey of the Irish winter has begun. There's nothing better for writing than a rainy day outside and a warm fire in the hearth inside. So I'm working on the revisions of my screenplay for The Hunter's Moon (announcement coming soon, stay tuned) and I'm also transcribing my Camino notes from tattered copybooks to beautiful bound journal. Will post pics of same soon. Meanwhile, here's me at the end of all things, i.e. beyond my boots lie the rocks and waters of Finisterre on the western coast of Spain, Land's End to the Romans. The most wonderful thing about going through my notes is the full recall of the experience. I'm back there again ... on the sacred way.

A Rebel's Tale

I mentioned in my personal blog that I'm doing a full-time art course at the moment (writer turns visual artiste). Here's a little video made by the talented 2nd Years and directed by TP MacCurtain who's risking his life to teach me metalwork. Next year I get to do digital photography and filmmaking with himself. Will have some news soon about my own script and the film of The Hunter's Moon. Stay tuned!  

More Camino

Have I started work on my Camino book? No. First I need to buy a beautiful bound journal and transfer my three crushed and scribbled notebooks into it. That will bring back the entire experience - un viaje profond y mythico - and give me the boost to start writing. These two pics are another of the alpha and omega variety. The 790 marker is outside Roncesvalles, Spain which I reached after crossing the French Pyrenees (took two days, one sunny, one fog-bound). The 100 marker is somewhere in a Galician woods pointing the way to the sacred goal, the holy city of Santiago de Compostela.

Proud Mother

My marine scientist daughter has decided to pursue her other passion - delicious, healthy but not boring, gluten free food (she's coeliac). She has written a fabulous cookbook, with her own photographs, and within six minutes of sending it to a top European literary agent she was taken on! Her book is now being considered by no less than five publishers. Am I proud? You bet I am. Another writer in the family! (She didn't lick it off the floor.) Here's her website if you'd like to have a look: http://www.finsfitfood.com/

Alpha & Omega

First photo is the intrepid explorer in front of the church in St Jean Pied de Port - candle lit for safe journey! - before crossing the Pyrenees for Spain. I left June 18th. Second photo is triumphant arrival, 800 km later, at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, July 31st. In the coming days I'll post a few photos of the adventures, companeros, delights and sights that went in between. Truly it was one of the most life affirming things I have ever done in my life - second only to giving birth to my daughter - and I would highly recommend it. Buen camino!

Pilgrimage to Heresy

Here at the end of my Camino, I'm chilling out in the wonderful retreat house of British-Canadian writer Tracy Saunders. It's a beautiful stone house opposite the church in a little Spanish village not far from Muxia. I've just finished reading Tracy's novel Pilgrimage to Heresy which contains two stories in one: a modern-day tale of romance and walking on the Camino Frances crossed with a mediaeval story of the Gnostic bishop Priscillian of Avila whom the author suggests is the true owner of the bones in the cathedral of Santiago. Controversial, fascinating and well-researched, it's an all round good read. For more information about the retreat house and the book see: www.littlefoxhouse.com.