News

this autumn, and the challenge facing authors to get their titles to stand out from the crowd.

The tall man from BBC's 'Pointless', Richard Osman has been working hard throughout the past few months in letting everyone know about his debut novel 'The Thursday Murder Club' and his efforts have achieved dividends.

Each Thursday he sent out an email with an upbeat message, a promotion for his book and a lighthearted but nevertheless challenging quiz dictated by a letter of the alphabet.

It proved a welcome addition to my inbox each week, but I would still have been curious to read his book, and, after reading it, I would still have recommended it widely.

It is a fabulously funny and feel-good read and I'm not surprised it's proved such a hit. It's the fastest selling debut crime novel since records began! There are two more to follow, and a film deal signed.

This week we also saw a very popular winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction in 'Hamnet' by Maggie O'Farrell which triumphed in a very strong list. Maggie visited us in Woodbridge when she released her memoir 'I Am, I Am, I Am' and you can read about the event here.

Of course my programme of author events for this year was halted by the lockdown but I hope that you might have looked up the novel 'The Ninth Child' by Sally Magnusson which is shortly out in paperback. Although Sally was unable to visit in person, I interviewed her on the phone for an article in 'Suffolk' magazine which is published this month. There's a hint of what's in store here but you'll need to buy a copy of the magazine to find out more!

Over the past few months we’ve all been forced to adopt a new vocabulary - ‘lockdown’, ‘superspreaders’, ‘shielding’. These seemingly straightforward words and phrases have become loaded with meaning as we’ve sought to come to terms with our ‘new normal’.

Language, though, can give us something to hold on to in strange times, according to the nation’s favourite lexicographer, Susie Dent.

"So although everything feels unique and acutely different from our old normal, the words describing our situation have been around for some time and I find that vaguely reassuring. I’ve always gained such solace from the dictionary.”

Known for presiding over Dictionary Corner on television’s longest running quiz show, Channel 4’s ‘Countdown’, and its comedy spin-off ‘8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown’, Susie has used her lockdown period to delve into some of the unusual and often forgotten words which have delighted her over the years. Her new book 'Word Perfect' is published this autumn.

While Susie was hoping to visit Woodbridge to launch this book (her 16th!), the current situation has meant that this is no longer possible.

So I'm thrilled that we will be able to talk to Susie online, via Zoom, instead. I hope you'll join me. Scroll down for all the details.

As the nights draw in, I know that I'll be turning to online talks and workshops as an alternative to 'real life' social activities. While nothing can match being in the audience, sharing in the experience, I'm aware that many talks would not be available to me if I had to travel hundreds of miles to attend them in person.

This week sees the start of the new academic year. That means the end of summer, children back at school and, this year, a call for the grown-ups to get back to the office.

The people who have made that leap in the publishing world have been proving the point by posting pictures of their desks on Twitter. In the way of social media, this has meant that all the images have recorded enviable scenes of spectacular views from huge windows, high ceilings and spacious rooms, tidy bookshelves and remarkably resilient plants which have flourished despite having no human care over the past six months.

I do enjoy seeing people's workstations, whether in their home or at the office. But Anthony Horowitz, in his latest novel 'Moonfllower Murders' (which, incidentally, is set in Woodbridge and is very much addictive reading), has his central character telling us that we shouldn't be interested in writer's lives. We should "learn about authors from the work they produce rather than the other way round". I can see his point, but it doesn't stop me being intrigued by the creative process. Hence my new series of Zoom interviews 'at the writer's desk', which you can see here.

This week I am 'at the writer's desk' of Saskia Sarginson ahead of the launch of her latest novel 'The Bench' on Thursday. Saskia has many interesting things to say about the writing process, not least how she finds that whatever she might be reading while she has a work in progress, there wlll always be something that proves relevant to the subject she is exploring. You can see the interview here.

Thank you for reading.

As we step into this last week of summer, there seems to be a sense of urgency and activity abounding.

Certainly we've noticed ever-increasing numbers of visitors in Suffolk and Norfolk lately. The eat out dining scheme is drawing to an end. And, if the news reports from the airports are to be believed, many people are desperate to get away (or get back) in that last attempt at a holiday while borders are open and restrictions are eased.

Perhaps after six months of being restrained through lockdown, we're all anxious to cram in as much 'living' as we can while the weather remains fine and there's still some light left in the evenings.

It means diaries feel fuller than they have done in a while.

Though the appointments still aren't exactly what we'd choose, it's good to acknowledge the creativity and ingenuity shown by event and facility organisers who, instead of cancelling their activities, have found ways to 'pivot' their offer so that it might take place through safe distancing or by being online.

And in this era of Zoom have you relished seeing the homes, bookshelves and interior decor choices of interviewees on the news, chat shows or festivals?

If so, please join me in meeting children's writer Sophie Green in her writing room in Suffolk. Click here to take a look.

Thank you for reading.

There's not been much in terms of good news this week.

But - just as the rain finally begins to fall in Suffolk - haven't we been fortunate with the weather this year?!

Parks and gardens in the sunshine have been a consolation for cancelled holidays, and the efforts of events organisers forced to stage performances outdoors haven't been wasted by any sudden downpours.

While I haven't yet been able to attend anything in person myself, I've been strangely elated to see pictures of well-run, socially distanced events.

There are picnickers in the garden at Glyndebourne in nicely defined family groups, 'bubbles' of audience members at Comedy in the Garden events in London, drive-in theatre and cinema, and a rock concert in Newcastle where 2,500 fans gathering on 500 separate elevated platforms placed 2m apart on a racing track field. Despite the circumstances for these measures, it looked fun!

Of course from this weekend, as rain, thunder and flash floods seem to be the norm, it's timely that indoor events have once again been given the go ahead, and it's been lovely to see the programme of music concerts at Snape Maltings.

You'll have noticed that due to the lack of 'in real life' author events taking place this year, my newsletter has changed focus. I've had some very kind comments over the past few months.

Thank you for reading.