1) Crete. When I decided to start my story in the ancient past, Crete seemed the obvious choice because not only had I been there twice, I loved it! So I wrote the story, then needed to do more research - what a great excuse for another holiday. So down we went to Budget Travel (where are you now?!!) and booked a week in Gouvés. We had a great time, going to Tylissos, Malia (which I called Malatos in the story as Malia is very pie-and-chips now, even though the palace ruins are wonderful) and up on the Lassithi plain we went into the Diktaean Cave, which the Minoan Cretans considered a sanctuary. I wrote a whole chapter about Alessia's visit there, and loved my spirit guides poking fun at the priestess. But it ended up on the cutting room floor, as does a lot of carefully done research. Maybe, when the book is a run away best-seller (they say we should be positive!) I will publish the chapter on this blog for my millions of fans....
2) Calendar Girls. One of my other interests is amateur drama, and I occasionally get small parts in plays. From 16th -20th of this month I will be in a (fully-dressed) cameo role in Calendar Girls in the Mermaid Theatre in Bray, Co.Wicklow. It looks like being a great fun night out. Tickets from the theatre at 01-2724030
3)Chamomilla. This is the number one remedy for teething pain, and is said to have converted more men to homoeopathy than any other substance!
Showing posts with label amateur drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amateur drama. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Saturday, 16 June 2012
I Have Been Here Before
"If the waitress comes back, tell her I'll have the chocolate mousse," I said to George, and set off to find the toilets. We were having lunch in the "Auberge de Gascogne", a cheap and cheerful roadside 'Relais Routiers' in the south west of France. It was a normal day of our holiday, not the sort of day or place I expected anything out of the ordinary to happen.
The sign 'toilettes' pointed along a dim corridor, which sloped down.About twelve yards away I could see light streaming in from the left. As I walked down the slight incline, a strange feeling came over me. I found myself straightening up, taking a deeper breath, throwing my shoulders back a little. A feeling of anticipation stole over me. I recognised it from my small experience of amateur acting - I was getting ready to walk on stage. It was a lovely sensation: I knew I was ready, that I could do my act without any difficulty. Maybe I even felt a bit famous, as though people waiting out there were glad it was me that was coming.
But in no time I was at the end of the passage, turning to my left. And there in front of me was the toilet cubicle, sunlight shining in through frosted glass. My heart fell. As I sat there, I asked myself, why was I disappointed? What had I been expecting? The answer came very quickly from some deep knowing place within me - there should have been sand, and a roaring crowd. I should have been stepping out into an arena. Not the Coliseum, but a smaller version. I had experienced what I later learnt is called a 'bleed-through', a small snippet of a past-life memory. These can be triggered by something in the environment, in my case I think by the angle of incline of the passage, and the direction of the light, which I assume mimicked the passageways under that ancient theatre. I was some sort of performer, not a gladiator, the feelings I had did not suggest that at all. It was more as though I was the warm-up man, and I take some vague pleasure from the idea that maybe in the distant past I could work a crowd!
This is part of an chapter I contributed to "The Undiscovered Country", edited by Bill Darlison
The sign 'toilettes' pointed along a dim corridor, which sloped down.About twelve yards away I could see light streaming in from the left. As I walked down the slight incline, a strange feeling came over me. I found myself straightening up, taking a deeper breath, throwing my shoulders back a little. A feeling of anticipation stole over me. I recognised it from my small experience of amateur acting - I was getting ready to walk on stage. It was a lovely sensation: I knew I was ready, that I could do my act without any difficulty. Maybe I even felt a bit famous, as though people waiting out there were glad it was me that was coming.
But in no time I was at the end of the passage, turning to my left. And there in front of me was the toilet cubicle, sunlight shining in through frosted glass. My heart fell. As I sat there, I asked myself, why was I disappointed? What had I been expecting? The answer came very quickly from some deep knowing place within me - there should have been sand, and a roaring crowd. I should have been stepping out into an arena. Not the Coliseum, but a smaller version. I had experienced what I later learnt is called a 'bleed-through', a small snippet of a past-life memory. These can be triggered by something in the environment, in my case I think by the angle of incline of the passage, and the direction of the light, which I assume mimicked the passageways under that ancient theatre. I was some sort of performer, not a gladiator, the feelings I had did not suggest that at all. It was more as though I was the warm-up man, and I take some vague pleasure from the idea that maybe in the distant past I could work a crowd!
This is part of an chapter I contributed to "The Undiscovered Country", edited by Bill Darlison
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Dress Rehearsal
Saturday, 12 May 2012
I gave my friend A my second novel to read a little while ago, and she dropped it back this evening. It is called 'Revisited Sins' and will get onto Amazon (and other places) once Despite the Angels is launched. She was very positive about the book, found herself turning the pages, and had one or two useful and constructive criticisms to make. Thanks to all friends who are prepared to help! A bit of re-writing can only make the book better.
On a drama note - I had no idea how difficult it is to make a rosette! (for my revolutionary costume)
On a drama note - I had no idea how difficult it is to make a rosette! (for my revolutionary costume)
Sunday, 6 May 2012
My photo at last!
As I said, I am only learning all this digital stuff, and am climbing a vertical learning curve with my (rather good) fingernails... But at last I have worked out a)how to scan in this nice photo, and b) how to get it onto here/twitter/facebook. So I am feeling that little bit more confident in my eventual ability to get my books up there too! As well as having bronchitis this week, and making a 'Phrygian cap' for my part in 'Idols', I have been re-writing the prologue for 'Despite the Angels'. It is now much clearer for those readers who will not have prior understanding of the concepts of re-incarnation. Next I must work my way through the whole book and do the same. There are sections about Lucy and David's past lives in Crete, the Médoc, and Dundee, all of which I visited to get it as realistic as I can. A great excuse for travel - now, where will I set my next one......
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Coming of Digital Age
As part of the whole publishing exercise our course recommends not only this blog, but to be on Twitter. So last night I had twitter 101 from my wonderful daughter, and am trying my hand at it, so far so good. I am amazed at the information out there. Dasida, my Ancient Cretan scribe in "Despite the Angels", would be utterly astonished. Alessia, a past life version of my heroine Lucy, tells Dasida her spirit must be trapped in the clay when she makes her marks in it. I wonder are our spirits anywhere on The Web? !!
I am writing a new prologue for 'Angels', to help readers who are not 'into' reincarnation get a foothold in the story. I am so used to the whole concept, I tend to forget that for some people it is just fantastic rubbish. It is quite a 'melange de genres', publishing a book about such an esoteric subject in such a high tech (esoteric?) medium.
As well as writing, I am keeping my other hobbies alive. I go to a rehearsal this evening, for my little part in 'Idols', a one-act play set in the French Revolution. I am the nasty revolutionary, and get to wear a red hat. The play is with Taney Drama Society, and will be on at the end of May.
I am writing a new prologue for 'Angels', to help readers who are not 'into' reincarnation get a foothold in the story. I am so used to the whole concept, I tend to forget that for some people it is just fantastic rubbish. It is quite a 'melange de genres', publishing a book about such an esoteric subject in such a high tech (esoteric?) medium.
As well as writing, I am keeping my other hobbies alive. I go to a rehearsal this evening, for my little part in 'Idols', a one-act play set in the French Revolution. I am the nasty revolutionary, and get to wear a red hat. The play is with Taney Drama Society, and will be on at the end of May.
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