AEIOU

Since the publication of Bailing Out – and actually starting a few months before – I have been writing a new novel about a self-absorbed man’s ambition to make a name for himself in the world of academia. Set principally in the Dordogne region of France, it is a story dealing with books and paintings and a plan to set up a gallery merging literature and art. My working title was An English Impressionist, which in documents I abbreviated to AEI.

Noticing the sequence of the initials I tried to come up with an inspiring title that would include, in order, all five vowels: An English Impressionist Offers Umbrella, An English Impressionist’s Only Uncle, An English Impressionist Obliges Upstairs and other such contrived nonsense.

I have been writing, typing and redrafting the novel throughout the winter and now it is being read by my special critics. As things stand, one thing I am happy with is the name: the book will have the simple three-word title, An English Impressionist.

Edward Fleet Memorial

When Dave Wiseman, an enthusiastic reader of Shillingstone Station, emailed me a few months ago to suggest that a memorial should be set in place (as a marketing exercise) in the station garden as per the novel, I originally thought it was a nice idea that would be laughed at by the trustees. How wrong I was. Everybody I spoke to thought it would be perfectly feasible and, yes, would be a great promotional tool and not just for the novel.

Yesterday I saw the results of the work, mainly of Patrick Law and Beryl Beecham and the gardeners, I believe: a perfect little memorial stone to Edward L Fleet, with engraved brass plaque facing the afternoon sun just like I described it! The surrounding rosebushes are due to be planted imminently.

I am still a little surprised (and I imagine Dave Wiseman is too) and sincerely grateful to those who helped to turn a fiction into a reality, notably Derek Lester-Jones, Alan Wiseman (no relation) and Patrick.

Photos taken on 29th October below:

Blandford Rotary Club competition

It was an honour and a pleasure to attend the Blandford Rotary Club’s Short Story Competition 2016 Prizegiving Evening recently as a guest speaker. It was the first time I have ever been invited to do anything like that, and certainly the first time I have ever been introduced on stage as “a successful local author”.

I enjoyed listening to a dozen or so finalists reading out their stories to the audience of around a hundred, then I tried to come up with some encouraging words, reminding them that, as judging of writing is so subjective, there would be winners on the night, but there would be no losers.

Congratulations to treble winner Paula Harmon (below, with hands full) and thanks are due to Adrian Ford of the Blandford Rotary Club for organising an excellent competition, an inspiring evening, and for inviting me to attend in the first place.