The First Cuckoo

by | Jan 14, 2014 | book reviews, reading groups, writing a novel

I heard the first cuckoo on Sunday. Was I hallucinating? It was while sitting revising Chapter 14 and looking through double glazing at the Minster and the light playing over the stone carving on the West facade. Not possible. Then we went for a walk. It was sunny...

An Unforgettable Person

by | Jan 10, 2014 | book reviews, reading groups, writing a novel

I don’t think I shall ever return to New York. The person who gave us our ‘home from home’ has just died. I still don’t, can’t think it is true. But it is. Once you stepped inside the five-storey brownstone and saw the interior loved by four generations and crammed...

A Chapter of Incidents

by | Jan 3, 2014 | book reviews, reading groups, writing a novel

We were all set for London. Every present wrapped and labelled, clothes packed. In fact, we prided ourselves on being unusually well organised, much better than in previous years. We’d be in good time to queue for the Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Paul’s Cathedral in...

Walking past Pemberley

by | Dec 29, 2013 | book reviews, reading groups, writing a novel

Clearing the Cobwebs I thought our favourite walk would be too far to go in midwinter with sunset at 4 p.m. It must be at least an hour and a half’s drive to Castle Howard. I was proved wrong. Admittedly, not many cars are on the road on Boxing Day, but it was sunny...