One Week More...

Did we make it? Are you hanging on? Are you ready for... DRUM ROLL PLEASE... September?

I was in Scotland last week where schools are back for the new school year. In England (and I think Wales, and Northern Ireland) there're a few more sleeps-in-til-lunctime to go. Either way, we're in the vicinity of a whole new start. A fresh pencil case, a clean jotter, and a refuelled tank full of pep and vim. Can't you just feel it?

I wonder, is it a throwback to our English cave-dwelling ancestors? Are we programmed to view September as a new start, because that's when our foremothers, forefathers, and forepeople gathered the harvest? Or is it just that (in my part of the world, at least) September is the start of the new school year, so sets a pattern in our childhood that we internally carry to adulthood? I've asked a lot of questions that I don't know the answers to, and I apologise. It never fails to arrive, you see. This feeling of anticipation. I'm gearing up, I'm gathering my thoughts, and I'm ready to get started. Not now, of course. Next week. When September comes. That's when I'll be raring to go and tackling stuff again. For now, I've got one week more (sung in the style of Les Miz) to fill my empty tank.

Writing News

I've done no writing. Apart from this blog, WhatsApps, emails, and Insta posts, that's the lot. I look forward to another week of not writing and of not thinking about writing. One week more. I'm going to relish it whilst I let the excitement for Leeza McAuliffe Book 4 brew. And it's a-brewing! Oh yes it is.

Culture

I've started watching

The Gilded Age. It's been around since 2022 but had never troubled my algo. Then, a friend irl told me it was good, so I gave it a go. Reader, I can confirm, it IS good. Set in the 1880s in New York society, I'm buzzing off the world that's been recreated for the small screen. I'm only three episodes in but it's riddled with social climbing, class snobbery, and the horrors of new money. I love it. Pure escapism, entertaining and gripping, without an iota of real life stress. A perfect autumn watch.

Food and Drink

In Only Murders in the Building, the character of Oliver Putnam eats only dips. I GET it. Dips are the best thing ever. On the drive up to Scotland last Monday, I stopped at Tebay services and bought three of the loveliest dips ever. Stilton and pear, trout pate, and red lentil, coconut, and sesame. Along with chunks of focaccia and crisps, it was utterly fab. I've come home with an urge to have a dip-based tea a couple of times a week.

Out and About

Well, Scotland of course! You read it at the top. I spent four days in my East Lothian happy place, with plenty of sea air and downtime. I also explored. Check out Tantallon castle! Until Tuesday, all I knew of the place was that it stars in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene in the Netflix movie, A Castle For Christmas. Now? I've been all over it! Like a proper school trip, I read the information, imagined the place in the olden days, and got proper creeped out by the dungeon. Other than that, the week gave me daily beers in the local, and nightly evening beach walks. It was fab.

One more week of August, one more week of downtime, one more week to empty my head before it fills up again. What are YOU going to do with your week? Something exciting? Something mundane? Something life changing for you and other people? No pressure, you do you. But do it. Do it and make it count.

Have a lovely week, folks.

A Sign for The Times...

Long Ramble time, hurrah!

And what's the topic this month? We'll get to that in a sec. First off, check out this headline... 

Could this comic novel be Gen Z's answer to Adrian Mole? 

If you click the link AND subscribe to The Times, you can read the whole thing. Sadly, I ditched my access to The Times after far too many front pages slagged off Angela Rayner for something that seemed innocuous at the time and has since proven to be, but I digress.

The literary love child of 
Judy Blume and Adrian Mole 

That headline describes a book by Lissa Evans called My Name is MacKenzie Bly. I don't know much more than that, but it sounds great. 'An entertaining novel for older children and adults' is what the thumbnail says. Right up my street, I reckon. 

The reason is simple. It's exactly the kind of thing I write, isn't it. I often describe my books as the literary love child of Judy Blume and Adrian Mole. It's a pithy way to make clear what a load of waffle doesn't. Waffle like 'I write about the ups and downs of pre-teen and early teen life, through the character of Leeza and her diaries, including family dynamics, puberty, friendships, school dramas, community events, and exploding hormones.' Not so pithy when I say it like that, is it?

As I close the promotional period of Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out and turn my thoughts to planning the next book, I thought I'd share some of the feedback this particular book received. Call it closure, call it the end of a chapter, or call it me blowing my own trumpet and being chuffed to bits at how the latest Leeza adventure was read. Check out some of the lovely reviews below.

'While I'm technically much closer to Leeza's mum's age these days, there was something so lovely about reconnecting with my younger self through her. Leeza is the kind if character who reminds you what it felt like to be young, hopeful, slightly awkward and excited about the world.

This is such a lighthearted, charming YA read, especially when the worked is in never ending chaos. I can absolutely see myself recommending Leeza to my own daughter when she's older. I hope she finds the same joy in there story - and in Leeza - that I did.'      

Jessie Farley on Amazon

'My daughter and I love read about Leeza. We read the first books and adored them, especially with the details we get about her life and the things she has to work through both at home and at school. It is a fun series and I e that helps young people look at life and how they are going to navigate issues.'  

Pause_theframe on Instagram

“I was just trying to make my outsides match how my insides feel.” 🥹 This line hit me so hard! The author captures the mindset and voice of a 13-year-old so accurately that I kept forgetting this was written by an adult. It reads almost like literary fiction with how deeply it explores the coming-of-age thinking process, adolescent identity, and changing family dynamics. Leeza is such a relatable, real protagonist, and watching her take control of her life while figuring out who she is was so satisfying! A wonderfully fun, thoughtful, and engaging read!                                      

ekaurbook on Instagram

Ok, Ok, I'll stop there. It's really quite unseemly, isn't it, all this praise sharing. Such anathema to my self-deprecating, piss-takey self. I can only apologise and normal service will resume next week. The trouble is, if I don't signpost people to these marvellous reviews, how on earth will The Times ever find out that there's another Gen Z answer to Adrian Mole?

Actually, screw Gen Z, they're old news now. It's Gen Alpha that I'm writing about. Get with the times, The Times. Leeza McAuliffe is where it's at. You should defo give her a read. 

Have a lovely week, folks.

Comfortably Helping the Economy...

For one day last week, the world made sense.

It rained. More that that, it was chilly. Can you believe? I needed a cardy. Sadly this cold snap only lasted a morning. By the time the afternoon came around, the cardy was gone, the doors were open, and the clammy heat was back. Sigh. For one morning only, I remembered what it was like to feel comfy within myself. What a thing I take for granted during the colder months. 

The importance of feeling comfy within ourselves shouldn't need explaining. If our minds and bodies are troubled by - for example - the sweaty heat, persistent pain, or - and I'm spitballing here - being born in the wrong body, then it's detrimental to us all. Not only for the people feeling the discomfort, but for the world in which they're unable to live their best lives and thus not be able to contribute as effectively to society. Check out this quote...

'In more equal countries, human beings are generally happier and healthier, there is less crime, more creativity, and higher educational attainment.'  

(If you click that link to the LSE player, showing the chat between Danny Dorling and Neil Lee, you'll read that 'the most economically unequal counties in the rich world are now the USA, Israel, and the UK.' So that's fun for us, isn't it.)

All I know is that if my heat-loathing self felt sharper, more productive, and happier after a morning of rain, the very least I can do - the ABSOLUTE least - is recognise that women feel comfortable in all sorts of ways. And we should all be enabled to feel comfort as we crack on with our days. For example, trans women, or cis women with short hair, those who've had double mastectomies, or people who prefer a more masculine look in their clothing choices (like me!) should be able to nip to the ladies when the urge arises with no one questioning it. There's room for us all, despite the garbled guidance that the EHRC published last week. 

Writing News

The book tour is underway! I've been overwhelmed with comments, posts, and even a whole blog article, reviewing Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out. Because the publication of this book was fraught (putting it mildly) I'd accepted that it wasn't going to make much of a splash. That it was even out in the world seemed impossible six months ago. Now? I'm feeling the glow. For decades, I wrote stuff for myself that I'd keep in a drawer. Now I write to be read. I'm so happy that some people have done that. Thanks to Love Books Tours and all the crew that have taken the time so far. Onwards to the second week!

Culture

I'm rewatching The Diplomat. Oooh, it's good. Political intrigue in London's US embassy. I've also started a non-fiction book. Moonlight Express by Monisha Rajesh is fabulous. It's essentially a travelogue as she hops on and off European night trains. I started it on Wednesday as I got the 2103 train from Liverpool. I was home half an hour later, so it wasn't the same experience in any way, but it's a great read regardless.

Food and Drink

There's an Ella Risbridger recipe of leek latkes from the Kitchen Book that I made on Saturday night. The latkes themselves are fairly simple. Grated potato, thinly sliced leek, flour, and egg, shaped into thin patties to bake. The boujie bit comes when you dollop sour cream, crab, and cavier on top of each one. I ate them up and drank ice cold vodka and chilled champagne; because it was Saturday night, I had champagne from when my book came out, and because WHY NOT? 

Give me that exact same meal at a swanky party where I have to wear a dress and stand in heels, and I'd tell you where to go. Give me that exact same meal when I'm slobbing on the couch, licking my fingers, and wiping my hands on my PJ trousers, and I'm all in. We must all do what makes us comfy.

Out and About

I had a dentist appointment at the other side of town last week, so took the opportunity to visit the new Everton stadium. It's pretty stunning. What's lovely is that there are loads of bricks that have been engraved with dedications to people. The whole of one side of the space is taken up with them. I knew someone whose brick was somewhere in the mix, so I spent a relaxing hour strolling row by row until I found it. Other families were doing the same. A very chilled out way to spend time by the river.

Let's all metaphorically chill by the river. Let's be comfy and make sure everyone else is comfy too, in the toilet queue or anywhere. Live and let live! It's a decent philosophy when everyone sticks to it.

Have a lovely week, folks.

No Escape Needed But Still...

Well who knew Anglesey was so nice? Everyone except me, right?

I'm just back from a few days away and it blew my mind. Aren't the beaches lovely? It's a stone's throw from my Merseyside home but I'd never visited. Madness. 

The reason I was there was because of a significant birthday in my partner's family; that was why I lost my Anglesey virginity. But now? I've got the route, I know the best beach carpark, and I can visit whenever I have a free day. Win!

Writing News

The Leeza McAuliffe is Branching Out digital book tour starts today! Wooohoooo! For the next ten days, I'm going to be permanently online, scrolling and refreshing, to see what people think of my baby. Obviously it's not that high stakes. If my book were an actual baby, I'd ignore what anyone else thought and be proud and contented at the marvel I'd willed into being. That's parenting, right? Yeah, I thought so.

Maybe I should take that view with my book. It's fine if no one likes it. As long as I'm happy, that's all that matters, yeah? Sigh. I'm not sure it's that simple. I write books to be read and I care what people think. That means I'll be scrolling and refreshing for the next ten days, crossing my fingers that Leeza McAuliffe finds new readers. Oh, the anxiety of it all? Parents, you have it so much easier. (Lolz. Sarcasm. Natch.) 

Culture

Five days in Anglesey meant five days with no television, very little Internet, and not much music (apart from my phone blaring The Wasia Project whilst I did my hair each morning.) The good news in this cultural dearth was that I had a book. The Fathers by John Niven was perfect. A page turner from the start, full of humour and implicit social commentary. Two very different men become fathers on the same day, and a connection is made that twists and turns. All the swears, lots of Glaswegian dialect, and an emotional gut punch that truly winds. I filled a happy beach day lost in its pages.

Food and Drink

The gastro-pub I ate in, was properly nice; the menu filled with the classics done well. Take a look at my cheese pie. I did worry it'd look like I'd ordered from the children's menu when I substituted the peas for beans, but what could I do? Peas are gross. The whole thing was utterly fit. Cheese pie, beans, chips, and gravy. Like I was carbing up for a marathon. Mmmmmmm.

Out and About

Because I was with my partner's family, I didn't have much control over the places we visited. I didn't want to pitch and putt, nor play beach games en masse with Very Competitive People but I was part of the visit regardless. Luckily I had my book. As well as reading on the beach, I spent a happy couple of hours in the coffee shop near the golf place, whilst I earwigged on the patrons nearby. Leeza McAuliffe Book 4 will have some great dialogue stolen from there.

So now I'm home. It was nice to have a break from the routine for a short burst but I'm desperate to be back amongst it. One of the things I've learnt is how much I don't need holidays from my life anymore. I still want to visit new places, of course. I like nothing more than planning a break and researching where to go. The difference is, I have nothing to escape from. When I was teaching, knee-deep in assessments, marking and stress, it was all I could think about. How lucky am I? Yes, very. Very is the correct answer. Well done to everyone that shouted it at me just then. I hear you.

Have a lovely week, folks.