I.  A new collection of short stories was launched this week called Words from a Glass Bubble.  I met the author, Vanessa Gebbie, at a marvelous writing retreat in Ireland called Anam Cara.  I can tell you that Vanessa is an extraordinarily talented writer, much celebrated (winner of Fish and Bridport Prizes, among others), and one of the great practitioners of the short story writing in Britain (or probably anywhere else) today.  But why listen to me?  Maggie Gee says it right there on the front cover:  “Original, compassionate and illuminated by humour, these stories by a prodigiously gifted new writer dare to mine the faultline between rage and love.”  Go ahead.  Buy it.  Read it.  You won’t be sorry.

II.  Speaking of gifted writers…I had the great privilege and pleasure of meeting Sarah Salway the other day.  (The fact that we had tea served in silver teapots surrounded by chic luxury in the way only London does best did not make me starry-eyed.  I already had stars in my 

eyes!).  Besides being the enormously fabulous writer so many of you know from Messages, Leading the Dance, Tell Me Everything,   and more,                she is also wonderfully generous and warm.  Again, I have to thank my incredibly humble publisher, Anthony Delgrado of bluechrome (of course — the ‘b’ is lowercase…) for creating this community and bringing us all together.  So, I urge you all to read her blog if you don’t already.  It has clever and challenging writing prompts.  And read her books.  She opens a whole world for you.

III.  For those of you who read my post (“You Know What They Say About Roses” March 3), you might be interested to know that I now “officially” have a title for my new novel.  As long as you allow me the privilege of changing my mind whenever I want over the next year or so as I move towards completion, then I’ll tell you what it is.  Ready? Wait for it…..

An Everywhere of Innocents 

Phew.  That feels better.  And in case you were wondering, it derives from a passage in e.e.cummings’ poetic novel Eimi about his journey into Soviet Russia.  He looks out a train window and sees:

“…an everywhere of fields, spattered with animals, pricked with beings.”

It’s writing like that that filled me with such awe for so long that I stopped doing any writing of my own.  I’m still filled with awe, but at least I’m back in the saddle.  And speaking of which…

IV.  Here is an invitation which goes out soon — you all get it first:

CurvingRoad and bluechrome publishing Present

A One-Night-Only Performance of Sue Guiney’s Acclaimed Poetry Play,

Dreams of May

“Rosalind Cressy is a wonderful actress who makes the most of all her opportunities, speaking the verse with unusual clarity and bringing her own touches of mischief to the role.”  Ham and High

Tickets: £5 which includes a copy of the text as published by bluechrome publishing.

Tickets available at the door or contact [email protected]

Hope to see some of your there (although excuses MAY be accepted from those living in Thailand — you know who you are 🙂  )