Top 10 Books

So it’s been a year since I started this blog and it has gone so quickly. I can’t quite believe I finish Uni in April. I need to start thinking about my plans for the future! 
 

So far this semester I’ve had Creative Voice 3 which is designed to help us prepare for the big bad world. There are four strands with four different teachers. Strand 1 focuses on publishing. Strand 2 looks at alternative jobs that use transferable skills. Strand 3 is all about electronic publishing and Strand 4 encourages us to consider who we are as a writer and what texts have contributed to our writing ‘journey’ (which by the way we aren’t allowed to say as we're not on the Xfactor!).

As part of Strand 4 we have to compile a list of the Top 10 Texts that have influenced us chronologically. Well of course that reminded me of my promise to you. By some miracle I have completed my challenge of reading 100 books in a year. So here is my list of the Top 10 books I read in 2012. 

10. Death on the Nile – Agatha Christie

Although I’ve watched Hercule Poirot on TV and enjoyed it, I’ve never actually read any Agatha Christie. This year I decided it was a must. I chose Death on the Nile because I have seen a couple of adaptations and wanted to see how similar they were. I found it to be extremely well written and in fact much better than the TV adaptations. I would definitely like to read some more Christie in the future.

09. Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend – Jenny Colgan

Since being at Uni i've spent less time reading my preferred genre which is Chick – Lit. I've tried to make myself a more varied reader but do from time to time I allow myself a treat. Diamonds was a real treat. It’s a riches to rags tale about Sophie who has to recreate herself after a family tragedy. A heart warming tale that really makes you think!

08. Where’d you Go Bernadette – Maria Semple

I enjoyed this book because it was made up of a variety of formats including emails and police reports. This helped me to consider different writing styles within my own work. Also Bernadette is so different to any character I have read about before which is quite an accomplishment considering how many have been released into the world! I did recommend this book to a couple of people who thought it was a bit farfetched but personally I liked how different it was. 

07. Gone Tomorrow – Lee Child

I tried to read books by different authors this year and made it a rule only to read one by each. I have to admit that Lee Child makes me break rules! I read four of his in one year! Gone Tomorrow was the first. Jack Reacher is my favourite character. Not because he's a good man. In fact he has no conscience. But I learnt a lot because he is so logical and approaches life in a different way to most people. Child has written him so well that I find myself referring to him as though he is a real person. I’m not impressed that Tom Cruise has been cast as Reacher in the film – Reacher is supposed to be 6ft 5!

06. Summer Sisters – Judy Bloom

I was a big fan of Judy Bloom when I was a pre-teen and was recently surprised to find out she actually wrote adult books too. Summer Sisters courses the ups and downs of friendships and observes that you are always bound to the person you grew up with no matter what happens. Set mainly in Martha’s Vineyard it appealed to me as one of my ambitions is to visit New England and I found myself being jealous of the setting.

05. Saturday Night & Sunday Morning – Alan Sillitoe

This is a very bleak book so not one to read if you’re prone to dark moments. It’s known as one of the first kitchen sink dramas. Set in Nottingham in the late 1950s it follows the life of Arthur Seaton a disillusioned teenager who is only interested in drinking and womanising.  This book appealed to me because it seems so ahead of its time. I first heard about it when I was in college about 10 years ago but never got around to reading it and again in the first year of uni. I’m really glad I finally read it.

04. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini

This book was recommended to me by my good friend Holly from imaginingsofacreativewriter fame. Set in Kabul from the 1960s – 2000’s It’s about two women who shouldn’t be friends but overcome their differences to survive in a world that would beat the strongest of people. It’s a real page turner and beautifully written.

03. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café – Fannie Flag                      

This is one book that is as good as the film (or vice versa). Idgie Threadgood is the inspirational tomboy whose life story is told by her aging sister-in-law Ninny. Idgie’s story begins in Alabama in the 1920s when her beloved older brother Buddy dies and she distances herself from her family and friends. It’s only when Buddy’s girlfriend returns years later that Idgie begins to embrace life again. In the 1980’s Ninny tells menopausal Evelyn Couch Idgie’s story and it encourages Evelyn to change her life for the better. This is such a heart warming book – I urge you to read it.

02. A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book. It does look daunting as the text is quite small and is bulky. However, Mr Ball bought it for me as a present and assured me that Mistry’s writing would appeal to me. He was right (he usually is). A further review can be found under A Very 90s Wednesday (2^nd May 2012).

01. Me Before You – Jo Jo Moyes

This is my number one because it kept me thinking long after I finished it. I even bought two copies for friend’s birthdays. Me Before You is an unconventional love story. It’s certainly original and thought provoking. It goes one step further than traditional chick-lit! For further details see my original review under St Ives (27^th June 2012).

 

Harry Potter Tour

As my university peers would confirm I am extremely anti fantasy/ sci-fi. There is one pretty major exception for me and that is Harry Potter. I was 12 years old when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first went on sale. I bought it for my Mum and only read it because she said it was so good. We were both impressed by the quality of JK Rowling’s writing and to this day my Mum will sometimes say ‘Diagon Alley – I mean that’s genius.’

I knew the magical elements weren’t real and brushed dangerously close to the fantasy genre I spent years avoiding but there was something that made me excited. I think it was a combination of the characters and their stories. If you take out the magic you have people you could actually imagine being friends with. They are witty, decent, well-rounded individuals who are there for each other (if you disregard the death eaters of course). 

Naturally, I enjoyed all of the films and marvelled at how well Rowling’s world came to life on screen. Of course if you compare the quality of the first film with the last two it is clear they are worlds apart (The Quidditch players in The Philosophers Stone are obviously computer generated) but that only serves to show how far we have come on this particular journey.

I was surprised by how little marketing was used for the opening of the Harry Potter Tour. But they didn’t need it if you go by the original waiting lists. We requested our tickets over 6 months ago and I have to be honest and say it crept up on me. I suppose this is because I told myself it couldn’t be that good especially in comparison to the reports coming back from the Disneyworld version. I was wrong.

The shop was the first stop on our journey as we arrived early. It was packed with people all with overflowing arms of merchandise. The most popular item appeared to be a wand – mainly those of the ‘good’ characters. I really wanted Hermione’s wand but at £25 I couldn’t really justify the expense. In fact I’d say the average price of items in the shop is £25. But they were still flying off the shelves and the staff were struggling to keep up with the replenishment as the 200 + people were replaced with another 200 fresh from the end of their tour. I settled on a chocolate frog and 2 Dobby postcards – it’s a shame they don’t  have more Dobby merchandise as I think this would be really popular.

After seeing the shop I have to admit I became unbearably excited. I was practically jumping up and down and repeating I’m soooo excited over and over. I suspect I was rather embarrassing. Shortly we had made it through the queue and into the experience. I am not going to give away what happened because there were a number of fantastic surprises but I will say that I am not easily impressed on days out. In fact I would say I can be quite critical but I found every bit amazing. My Dad commented he could spend 7 hours looking around there. We spent about 3 hours but we were rushing a bit as we were so excited to see what would happen next. 

My favourite parts were Diagon Alley, The Dursley’s House, The Great Hall and drinking Butter Beer – which I would def recommend (£2.95 for a cup). There are 3 areas to look at and you can stay in each one for as long as you like but once you leave an area you can’t go back so make sure you have seen everything before you move on. 

I had such a brilliant time and I am sure we will go back again. In fact I would go back tomorrow if I could.

Update – Run Fat Bitch Run Etc

Back in February I decided to try to lose weight (again). This is something that I have always found particularly difficult because I suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – to help the side effects you are meant to lose weight but being unable to lose weight is one of the side effects. So it’s a vicious circle. For every 3 pounds a person without PCOS loses a person with PCOS loses 1 pound and the fact that losing weight can be such a slow process can mean the only thing I lose is interest.

February was a turning point for me. I had spent some months after the wedding eating exactly what I wanted because I had tried to maintain my weight before the wedding to make sure the dress fit on the day. So afterwards I had a massive blow out (including a lot of yummy left over wedding fruit cake). Anyway, after an unfortunate comment from Mr Ball in January (he insists I took it the wrong way – so we must let him off). I decided enough was enough and I was going to lose weight -  for good!

 So as detailed in February I read Run FatBitch Run and started running, well ish. Now the Grit Doctor probably wouldn’t be impressed but I also decided to join Slimming World as a sort of two pronged approach. This was because no matter how well intentioned I am, sometimes I am just not in the mood to get out of bed and go for a run no matter how much my brain calls me a fat bitch. So I decided my own interpretation of both plans was required. I now ensure I walk for at least an hour a day and whilst I watch TV I hula hoop stopping for a rest in the ad breaks.  I told myself when I started Slimming World to remember that it was going to be slow progress and that I had to ignore other faster losers. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised with the results. When I started the plan In Feb I was a 12-14 top and 14-16 bottom - I have lost 1st 5 pounds and am now a 10-12 top 12-14 bottom. I did lose motivation for a while and realised that was because I was feeling deprived when I needn’t be. On Slimming World you are entitled to 5-15 syns a day which can be used on treats (chocolate, cake, crisps, whatever takes your fancy). Now Mr Ball will come home and surprise me with a treat usually chocolate - meaning I’m less likely to snack throughout the day. 

I would like to say I feel better in some way but I have been feeling bad with PCOS symptoms. I am going to have a reflexology treatment  and see if that will help so watch this space. I don’t particularly feel much slimmer but I have received some compliments so it must be working. I still have a stone to go until I reach my target but I am sure I can do it. Unmarried Mrs Ball couldn’t but married Mrs Ball definitely can lose the weight!

Londoners

It is fair to say that my ECP (Extended Creative Project) is currently causing a smidgen of stress.  My project is a Flash Fiction piece based on the current economic situation. Flash Fiction is a type of short story which is essentially very short snapshots of life. It is to the point and often leaves the reader with a feeling of poignancy.  The story can be a few words or a few hundred but is much shorter than your average short story.

I have been reading through a list of authors my ECP mentor suggested could be helpful with my research. Unfortunately I didn’t relate to any of these so far (I’ve got a few to go) – perhaps because many of them were written in the 1960’s and 1970s and I found them a bit unrealistic and psychedelic. Personally I want to focus on realistic everyday people. I also dislike the writing style of short story writers such as Virginia Woolf and Gertrude Stein who use repetition far too much for my liking.  So I was beginning to think there weren’t any relatable short story writers out there (apart from Ernest Hemingway who I have already mentioned I like). When my Mum presented Mr Ball and I with a guide to The Literary Festival at Royal Festival Hall, I was excited to see Craig Taylor  - a writer who I was familiar with as he was on my Uni compulsory reading list.  He was going to be talking about his book Londoners. Craig Taylor had written it after interviewing everyday people and writing their stories. To me it sounded right up my street and to me it sounded like Flash Fiction! Finally someone else was already doing something similar to what I want to do! So Mr Ball and I headed to London to hear all about it.

Craig Taylor spoke about how he struggled to adapt to living in London and eventually found himself evolving and learning the secrets of the city. He used this experience to understand that anyone can be a ‘Londoner’ (in their own opinion) regardless of how long they have actually lived in the city and he developed his book around this. I enjoyed listening to what inspired Craig and how he compiled his research. This has triggered a few ideas for the coming weeks and I even felt inspired enough to write a few pages on the way home!

Other News

After the official university work had been done Mr Ball and I headed to the BritishFilm Institute to treat ourselves to a cocktail – I had my usual Cosmo and Mr Ball had a Southbank both were very scrummy. We enjoyed them in a comfy coffee shop style lounge area surrounded by writers and readers and I felt very much at home! Then we headed on to Canteen - a British themed restaurant where I had steak (a little bit fatty) and Mr Ball had chicken and chips (apparently good). Then we were both naughty and had a slice of carrot cake – well why not it’s not every day you get to be a Londoner –or is it?

Jamaica Inn

In 1935 Daphne du Maurier wrote Jamaica Inn set in 1820’s Cornwall.  It is a book I have always wanted to read but never actually got round to. I am a massive fan of du Maurier having read Rebecca after a recommendation from my Mum.  So after discovering that Jamaica Inn is an actual place we decided a visit was in order. 

As with all holidays I made sure I had a big stack of books with me and I started reading Jamaica Inn just before the end. It is the story of Mary Yellan a girl of ‘three-and-twenty years’ who goes to live with her Aunt and Uncle after the death of her Mother. Her new home is the Jamaica Inn a bleak and soul destroying pub avoided by law abiding citizens. Mary soon finds herself embroiled in her Uncle’s misdeeds in a vain attempt to protect her fragile aunt. As with Rebecca, Jamaica Inn is set against a gothic backdrop reminiscent of great literary works such as Jane Eeyre and Dracula.

Jamaica Inn is located on the Bodmin Moor. It is known as Cornwall’s most famous Smuggling Inn. As well as being a Hotel, Bar, and Eatery, Jamaica Inn also houses the Daphne du Maurier Smugglers Museum. In fact the museum is mainly about smugglers and the various methods of smuggling goods (in radios, fruit and even corsets). I would say that it is a dated exhibition – it is as though an enthusiastic landlord has compiled it, perhaps in the 1970’s. Having said that it is worth a look even if it is just to say you’ve been (and they have an extensive gift shop).

St Ives

Sea at St Ives

Cornwall is a holiday destination I have never previously considered. I suppose this was due to other people’s preferences rather than my own. My family always holidayed in Wales or very rainy Scotland. Although they both have their plus points, my body can’t bear the freezing chill. Cornwall however appears to have its own rules when it comes to the weather. In November Mr Ball and I decided on St Ives for a very short honeymoon (weekend) immediately after the wedding. In fact during the wedding itself we told some of the guests where we were going and they regaled us with anecdotes of their happy holidays.

It being November, we didn’t really have any expectations weather wise and ended up pleasantly surprised when we were able to take our coats off as we watched the surfers traversing the waves.

This June (whilst most of the UK were enduring torrents of rain and flooding). The Balls (six of us) headed to Cornwall and beaming hot sunshine.

St Ives was my favourite part of the holiday because for me, it ticks all the boxes.

Shopping

Everyone needs a holiday treat and for me it’s usually a new dress or some shoes. St Ives is teaming with boutiques offering a wide variety of reasonably priced garments. I enjoy going home with something that no one else I know is likely to have.

Food

I am rather fond of Cornish Pasties! Always have been and probably always will be. As these aren’t particularly good for me, I now limit myself to only having them on holiday in Cornwall. As this is where they originate. Although numerous varieties are available, I tend to stick to the traditional flavour.

I have previously commented that I am in awe of Italian Ice Cream. I think I may have found a contender! Willy Waller’s Ice Cream in St Ives is an innovative shop that tempts you with its naughty variety of flavours. Personally I enjoyed Orange and Mascarpone, Rhubarb and Custard but my all time favourite had to be Lemon Meringue which actually tasted as though it was a slice of pie squeezed through and ice cream machine! 

Culture

View from shop window in St Ives

The Tate Gallery with a gorgeous view of the sea (as with many shops) is a definite must for art lovers. Mr Ball and I had been looking forward to this part of our holiday immensely. I was hoping to find some inspirational postcards to add to the walls of my writing room. Mr Ball was also hoping to find something with a splash of colour. The Tate Gallery in Cornwall is slightly different to the one in London in that it doesn’t have a permanent collection. Instead it hosts exhibitions for visiting artists and we were privileged to view the Alex Katz collection. A stunning series of brightly coloured paintings from the 1930’s onwards. As well as his own paintings, Katz had selected some from the Tate’s archives and these also went on show.  As a person, I need a lot of colour in my life (in fact my nails are bright purple at the moment as I type this!) and I’m hoping to find some Katz posters to display in our house. Unfortunately we were disappointed when we went to the gift shop because they had sold out of the Katz postcards but when we went back the next day they had some more which was lucky!

Bargains/Hidden shops

St Ives is a great place to get a Bargain and I recommend spending some time exploring the side streets and finding the hidden shops. We particularly enjoyed the vintage furniture shops (remarkable prices – if only we had a van to take it home in) and those selling antiques and second hand trinkets. St Ives also has good charity shops which is a must for the thrifty shopper!

It is a shame that it has taken me 26 years to find this place, but I am sure that it is going to be instrumental in my life for many years to come.

View from holiday home in Porthtowan

Me Before You – Jo Jo Moyes

Me Before You is the inspirational story of Lou who is thrown in at the deep end when she loses her safety net cafe job and is the only one able to support her family. She accepts a job as a carer even though she has no experience and immediately realises it isn’t for her when dealing with the irascible Will Traynor and his overbearing mother. The book explores what happens when you are trying to encourage someone to live their life to the full and it emerges you aren’t following your own advice. Me Before You is a tearjerker so beware.

Weekend Away

Mr Ball and I were the lucky recipients of a weekend away curtsey of our Ushers. So exactly six months after the wedding we headed to the outskirts of Bath. 

The Kings Arms (Monkton-Farleigh) is a four star B&B with three guest bedrooms - ours being room 2 which should be described as a suite.  Our initial arrival caused us some confusion as we weren’t sure which door to use - common sense directed us towards the very front of the building but we found ourselves faced with a curtain. Emerging from behind the curtain we realised we had wandered into a restaurant where people were eating lunch.  After signing in, we were shown our posh (see photo) suite where we dropped our luggage and headed back out (through the correct door) to explore nearby Bristol. 

Mr Ball sometimes goes to Bristol for work so had some shops in mind to take me to. In particular Park Street, which is a great place to go for vintage accessories and clothing. Bristolian Banksy’s mural ‘Naked Man’ is situated towards the bottom of Park Street and is worth a visit and a double take. 

Thoroughly shopped out, we headed back to the B&B for dinner which was also kindly provided by the Ushers. Whilst perusing the menu, Mr Ball enjoyed some local cider whilst I had a yummy Cosmopolitan.  Shortly we were taken to the restaurant area and sampled some local herby bread which provided a welcome stop gap before our unusual appetisers. Mine was Scotch egg with chutney whilst Mr Ball had Crackling with Apple Sauce (he loves anything resembling pork scratchings and he hoped the Ushers would get an itemised bill as one of them is particularly health conscious).  The main course for me was a scrumptious burger with wedges and cute mini gherkins. Mr Ball had Rib-eye steak with fries. I have to admit I found myself defeated – almost – so I was happy that the desserts came in teeny portions. Mr Ball had Tonka Bean Parfait (a variant of the cocoa bean) with blueberries and strawberries which was very tasty and I had Chocolate and Orange bread and butter pudding with apricot sauce – unfortunately this was a little bland and could have done with some more sugar which is a common problem with bread and butter pudding. I had this with a lovely Pinot Grigio Rose (terracotta in colour according to the waitress). 

It is fair to say (and has been noted by other patrons) that the rooms in The Kings Arms are boiling hot and although the bed was comfy, the temperature (even though we turned the heating off) was not conducive to a brilliant night’s sleep. Water was provided (they put it in the room whilst we were having dinner) but nowhere near enough. The staff can come across as a bit sarcastic but I think this is just their way. They are trying to be funny rather than offensive. 

The next day we headed down to breakfast (included) and Mr Ball enjoyed a fry-up whilst I had boiled eggs and soldiers with a glass of ice cold water (a relief after the hot room).  We could also help ourselves to cereal and fruit along with a morning paper. Afterwards we said our goodbyes and headed out.  We were surprised that like moles we were sensitive to the light (after being in such a dark building) and it took us a while to adjust to the sun. 

Before going home, we visited Bath where we spent more time looking around the shops. In fact we must have walked for about four and a half hours stopping only to enjoy a cooling Italian ice cream (Oreo and Candy Floss flavour mmmmm). Content and exhausted I spent the two hour car journey home sound asleep. Poor Mr Ball didn’t have much company I’m afraid. 

 

Hard Times - Charles Dickens.

I have decided that I will only read one Dickens book per year (I love them so much I don’t want to run out and of course he isn’t going to be writing any more). This year’s book was Hard Times which although I found somewhat more easy to read in comparison to his more laborious works (for example Great Expectations which I enjoyed), I felt it was a bit forced. It became clear that he was writing to order (Dickens was often in trouble with publishers after trying to back out of contracts). So it did appear rushed without too much going on (I prefer the interweaving storylines  Dickens is so good at). Hard Times is the story of the Gradgrind family whose patriarch Thomas Gradgrind deals with Fact! Anything else in life is irrelevant (no one is allowed to partake in recreation) which is particularly difficult for his daughter Loo. Throughout the book, Dickens suggests that balance is important and illustrates the consequences if one does not have this balance (predominately mental health issues and crime). As with most of Dickens’s work he has a political/social message - I found this element of the story most difficult to understand and as a result had to press on and focus on the human side of the story. Hard Times is definitely worth a look but I still think Great Expectations (so far) is the best Dickens to start with. Also, Joanna Lumley recently said (on the ITV programme: David Walliams on the Genius of Roald Dahl) that if you are a fan of Dahl it is an easy transition to Dickens and vice versa. Personally I have never been much of a fan of Dahl but am considering having another read if he is meant to be like Dickens.