Author diaries

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20 January 2004 Entry: "Meetings and trains"

Just back from London tonight after a work trip there. Two days, so overnight, which meant lots of time to fill. Worked on my latest short story (wrote a short story over the weekend, inspired by an object featured in the latest issue of The Crack) plus read Clare Morrell's Astonishing Splashes of Colour, which was compelling reading. I started it on the train to London, finished it on the way back. It was one of my Christmas presents. My parents gave me the shortlisted novels for the Man Booker Prize, but I had this awful virus for two weeks and couldn't read such small print. Instead, I listened to the radio. My Christmas present to myself was a digital radio, actually bought with my Boots card points. Maybe there is something in those canny Scots sayings after all!
Recently I've enjoyed Alan Bennet's The Last of the Sun monologue read by Thora Hird and tonight listened to the second part of the James Taylor story on Radio 2. I took my tiny radio with me to London in case I was still on the train. as he has been my favourite singer/songwriter since I was at school. There's always at least one JT CD in my car, usually more. I get withdrawal symptoms otherwise.
I am hoping that the kind and anonymous person who sent me the gift at Christmas might read this diary so I can pass on my thanks. The only clue I have is that the postmark is Hemel Hempstead, but that may not indicate where they're from. I was really touched by the gift and haven't quite decided how to spend it yet - but having lots of fun thinking of possibilities.
Got my copy of Mslexia last week with my poem Filling The Kettle published in it. As the little blurb about me doesn't disclose what stops me writing (see my last diary entry) I'll let you know - it's sitting down to watch a tv programme then not switching off and watching rubbish. Apparently, some of the other writers said housework stopped them from writing, but if you could see the state of the carpet round my feet, you would know that housework is rarely a barrier for my work. A few years ago I was given a plaque which says "dull women have immaculate homes" - enough said!