This was my daughter's school carol concert at the local Asda. We walked them down, in the rain, and stood bedraggled, shivering and dripping as our young ones began to sing. As we listened to them, thirty nine year olds belting out 'Little Donkey' to bemused shoppers, something interesting happened. We (parents and teachers) forgot that we were cold. We didn't notice the draught of air that shook us every time the entrance doors slid open. Strangers racing round the store, stopped, joined us, dropped a coin in the bucket held by one of the children. As a body, we let the festive music fill our moment.
However cynical and bah-humbuggish we may be about festive joy and yuletide spirit, not many of us can go uninfected by the music of Christmas. From 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' to 'Silent Night' to 'Fairytale of New York', there's a festive song for everyone.
Real life doesn't just have to provide inspiration for our characters. It can also feed into the locations we use in our writing. This is the school I attended between the ages of seven and eight years old. This photograph, and more of the interior, was kindly taken by an old school friend. I always loved this building and now it has provided the inspiration for Darkacre School in my novel. Photograph taken by Dan Howard of 500px.com York Minster (from my home town) was the inspiration for the cathedral where Rex Haven's funeral takes place in my novel. Taken from www.rightmove.co.uk The terraces of the South Bank area of York, where I lived for a time, are the streets of the old town in my novel. The details don't have to remain the same - we writers are tailors of imagination after all - but basing our story locations in reality can add a grounding element to our writing that convinces our readers. What real locations have you used in your wr...
There's nothing better than taking a little writerly touch along on an evening out - even if no one notices it apart from me. Why not buy your writerly friend a piece of writing related jewellery or cufflinks. The Literary Gift Company The Literary Gift Company DoonyAndMoony - Etsy JezebelCharms - Etsy charmphilosophy - Etsy Custom Made
I've recently finished a new murder mystery play called Thoroughly Murdered Millie . Set in the 1920s, rich young widow Millie Harper-Smythe shocks her family (and the staff) with her plans for the future. Her stepchildren will lose their home, William the butler has no choice but to emigrate and who knows what she has in mind for the gardener? Can anyone stop her? You can find this play over on the Murdering The Text website. Have a look .
My daughter's Christmas play is Friday night. I can't wait. Sorry you got wet at your daughter's concert, but I'm glad you enjoyed it anyway.
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