From Summer Exhibitions to Christmas

Well, it’s countdown to Saturday’s BeaconLit where I’ll be doing a live interview with the Editor of Buckinghamshire Life, Janice Raycroft, and providing a Writers Surgery where I hope to answer your questions – and if I can’t, I’ll find a man who can.

I’ve fitted in a couple of Press Days this month – Kate Malone’s exhibition at Waddesdon Manor and the Ashmolean’s Storms, War and Shipwrecks. I’ll let you know when they appear in print. Huge thanks by the way to Waddesdon Manor and Ashmolean for delicious lunches and looking after us all so well. Such events are a great opportunity to meet fellow writers.

Meanwhile my 19^th Century Art review is in the The Lady and Just Four are this month’s artist profile in Hampshire Life. For Vale Life the fabulously talented Graham Jefford is my latest Creative Vale subject. Indeed, I popped in to see him on Friday at Bucks Open Studios. “Ooh, here’s the lady who’s top of my Christmas card list,” he smiled whilst greeting me. “I couldn’t have wished for anything better.” I did, of course, inform my Editor of this praise. Graham was exhibiting with textile artist Barbara Shaw, one of my previous Creative Vale subjects.

Now what else? Oh yes, the July edition of Buckinghamshire Life includes my features about Ellesborough Silver Band and The Beautiful Chilterns, and my three Neighbourhood News columns continue in the Bucks Herald. Finally, it may be summer (hmm, questionable isn’t it?) but crime author Dave Sivers has asked me to do a live interview in December down at Wendover Library. I’ll let you have more details nearer the time but I reckon his books will make great Christmas presents.