THE WRITING PROCESS and shoes….
Hi Folks,
Most of the clothes I am currently wearing were bought at charity shops…I have naturally enough bought my own underwear and the somewhat clumpy sandals are comfy and can be worn with thick striped socks. I have bought things in charity shops I wouldn’t have bought elsewhere…for example an unusually patterned pair of runners….they are decorated with dabs of pink, peach and light brown. They were designed by Roberto Cavalli and cost €7. An Oxfam bargain. They were probably pretty expensive on first purchase. I can easily imagine someone wearing them at a yachting marina in some distant and sunny place with palm trees….walking on a wooden jetty towards a waiting boat…tanned…younger than me…with blonde hair and silver bracelets. As I type this I can even hear the sound of the sea lapping against the boats and smell the salty breeze. Gulls hover in the air nearby. The distant aroma of a barbecue adds to the sense of summer. It is a luxurious atmosphere. No-one in the vicinity has needed to bargain hunt. But Oxfam introduced me to these shoes.
Funny how just one pair of unlikely shoes can evoke these images. A small detail is sometimes hugely significant in creative writing. Truth to tell I wonder if these shoes look odd when I wear them with, say, a largish blue jacket. It’s a bit like wearing an abstract painting. But I like that they exist. That I found them. They are very comfortable.
Later on I want to tell you about someone called Chuck.
But before that here is some info. about a workshop:
THE WRITING PROCESS’
SIX WORKSHOPS AT
THE IRISH WRITERS’ CENTRE
Course on Wednesdays from 10.30 – 12.30
September 23 to October 28, 2009
Facilitator Grace Wynne-Jones author of four critically acclaimed novels
These are playful and fun workshops that will empower your Inner Author and help you to identify what helps your own writing process. The workshops include practical tips on handling your inner critic, experimenting with story ‘nudges’, plot and character development and how not to be intimidated by technique. Stories are also written during the sessions and shared in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere. You will also receive input on marketing your work. Writing is an adventure! If you enjoy a good story you can write one! Facilitator Grace Wynne-Jones, author of four critically acclaimed novels. www.gracewynnejones.com
‘It was wonderful and got me writing again. ‘ Patricia O’Callaghan
The cost of this six week course is €165 If you want to book a place contact The Irish Writers’ Centre,
19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 T: 01 872 1302 E: info@writerscentre.ie W: www.writerscentre.ie
Some reviews:
Ordinary Miracles has that rare combination of depth, honesty and wit…and all of this backed by a deliciously soft, gentle and loving humour…If you try one new author, try Grace Wynne-Jones. OK MAGAZINE
‘Grace Wynne-Jones has a wicked sense of humour which enlivens every page…Alice and her friends, and her hilarious magazine assignments, at times leave the reader rocking with laughter.’ THE IRISH TIMES re. ”Wise Follies’
‘…this is one of the best Irish novels this year…The trip to Greece is steeped in olives and jasmine, cicadas and sunshine…readers will love the local gigolo, Dimitri. Grace writes with great humour…On a more serious note, her portrayal of friendship, commitment and the complexity of relationships is very real and most enjoyable.’ EVENING HERALD re. ‘Ready Or Not?’
‘…..Grace Wynne-Jones has written an entertaining, intelligent and genuinely funny story….this is a great read, especially for commuters…guaranteed to shorten any journey.’ THE IRISH TIMES re. ‘The Truth Club’
Amazon Review R. Griffiths: Chick Lit With Depth ‘I have now read all of GWJ’s books and have been utterly impressed by every single one. I had never heard of her before I spotted one in my local market town shop and bought it on impulse. As with all chick lit (and all genres, let’s face it) there is always a formula somewhere but she writes with such feeling and insight that these are way over and above others of the same type. Certain elements crop up in all her books (windsurfing, budgies, biscuits and hands being just a few) but they flow beautifully, the settings are eloquent and the characters richly realised. Relationships are explored with genuine depth and humour and even if you’re not a fan of love winning out in the end you really wish you were. Most chick lit I can skim read, laugh out loud sometimes, know the ending and pass it on to someone else. Not these. These will remain on my book shelf and I will send them to others as newly purchased presents. Beautiful and more please.’
Okay, now back to more bloggy stuff:
Found myself fondly recalling a boy called Chuck. His surname was unusual and mildly flamboyant…won’t reveal it because not sure how accurate these recollections are. For example did I really look out the window that dutiful day and see him? I was sitting in a classroom. I was a teenager and at boarding school. Chuck, I seem to remember, was wearing tartan trousers…maybe even with golfing equipment somewhere near his person. He was American. Tall and lanky. He should have been in class…a more senior one. And wearing a navy uniform. But he was having a somewhat lively discussion with the headmaster instead. Had he actually driven his own car to the school grounds? A car was nearby. Waiting to whisk him off. Chuck had his own lifestyle going. He had preferences. He was a citizen of the world.
He swiftly departed and I don’t remember seeing him again. Thank you Chuck. You intrigued me. You had vavavoom.
