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Showing posts from December, 2013

starting a book group, in 10 easy steps

A book group is a good excuse for a regular meetup with friends.  It can be all about the book if you like, but it can also be an opportunity for wine and nibbles, and a bit of a giggle.  Oh, and the book too. Some of the lovely ladies from my previous book group in rainy town.  With wine :-) Poor loves, I made them read Game of Thrones! Of course, book groups are not for everybody.  If you're looking for a regular meetup with friends, to share an interest, you could set up a crafting group (although wine and nibbles don't work so well at that).  I've also got friends who go to the cinema on a regular basis. Personally, I like a read, and I love to go to the cinema, so my idea would be a book/film club - maybe a book a month and a film night from time to time too. So how to start a book group? First of all ask your friends if there is already a book group that anyone's in.  Or head down to your local library and see if there is a book group already running

Crimson and White

I've just, last night, finished reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.  I'm hoping this means I'll be able to sleep more as it was hard to put down in places! It was recommended to me by a beautiful and interesting woman I met in a park in Leeds. While our respective children played happily we chatted about the joys of photography and writing. I told her about a character in a story I'm writing who seems inclined to be a murderous whore, and she told me to read this book. I'm glad she did, because it's a good story, which leaves you wanting more and sympathising with all the flawed characters. The writing is also lovely, especially in the beginning of the book, which is nothing short of fantastic (although Patrick Rothfuss keeps the prize for best first line ever). Apparently this was adapted for TV. Did you see it? Have you read it?  If you have read it, could you please answer a question for me? Why did Sugar choose to enter the hous

sharing ten of my favourite books (which happen to be by women)

Blatantly stealing an idea from my friend Steve, over at Shores of Night  (who stole the idea from Juliet McKenna ), this post is talking about some of my favourite books, but not just any books, some of my favourites, which happen to be written by women.  Why books by women?  Why not?  I think that the really big hits are more often written by men, so why not share the word about women authors? Having decided to do something about having lost my sparkle a bit lately, I've been busy setting up a book group today, and it's all coming together nicely.  I'm excited, and I'm thinking about books, and about how I'm adding a whole lot more books to my list of things to read by starting a new book group.  I'll have to start going to bed earlier! My Dad has a LOT of books, but I've always tried to be ruthless, and minimal.  So I've only got a couple of bookshelves, a Kindle, and a library habit.  Oops. So here are ten of my favourites (in no particular ord