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Book Lovers' Booklist

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Book Lovers' Booklist

Category Archives: Viewpoint

Viewpoint: why are we all so nervous, scared and lacking in self-confidence?

16 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ 4 Comments

What is it about authors? Why are so many of us nervous about our work, lacking in self-confidence and, let’s face it, scared to put our writing out there?

I’ve not met an author yet who doesn’t at some stage whisper conspiratorially that they’re worried they’ll be ‘found out’ one day. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: the joy of work wear if you can spend £110 on a pair of pop socks.

12 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ 5 Comments

It’s always interesting to hear how other authors work: where they write; what they have on their desks (or kitchen tables); the time of day that’s best for them to be creative; and what they wear.

Now to be honest, it’s the ‘what they wear’ that interests me the most today. Sorry to be so shallow, but I know from talking to other people who work from home, we’re not the sort for a full row of pearls and stilettos while we’re sitting in front of our computers bashing out the odd 5,000 words. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: the celebrity’s guide to personal columns – and first world problems – at Waitrose!

31 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ Leave a comment

There was an interesting juxtaposition of articles in a newspaper this week and, while I first thought it was a mean trick by a grudging sub editor to put the two side by side, I realized that one was a harrowing story of bravery while the other was … well… an over-indulgent whine. In other words, a poorly considered first person column. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: publication day memories of another March 21…

21 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by Sue Featherstone in Viewpoint

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

A Forsaken Friend, Lakewater Press, Publication Day

March 21 should have been my eldest daughter’s 34th birthday.

It isn’t because – typically – she turned up eight days late at 8.20pm on March 29 after an emergency Caesarean section.

It was also the first time one of the early James Bond movies was screened on terrestrial television in the UK.

The anaesthetist made no secret about his disappointment at missing the start of the film. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: listen here – we’re on the wireless and it’s so much better than TV!

22 Thursday Feb 2018

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

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I love radio – listening to it and appearing on it. I love watching television too, but I’m not quite so keen about appearing on TV – not that I’m asked often. But radio? Yes, give me a radio appearance any day.

radio 1

I’m still feeling tense about the recent TV recording Sue and I did – more of which when the programme is screened. Until then, our lips, brightly coloured and contoured by the make-up department, are sealed.

As well as having to perform well under bright studio lights and in front of a live audience, we had to take different outfits. The idea was that the wardrobe people would pick those which would look good under studio lights. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: Seven books I won’t be reading again

15 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by Sue Featherstone in Viewpoint

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Great Expectations, Sons and Lovers, The Call of the Wild, The Crying of Lot 49, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Road, Ulysses

Let’s buck the trend: over the next few weeks reviewers all over the blogsphere and beyond will be posting Christmas and end-of-year round-ups of their favourite books of 2017.

Personally, I’m always glad to be reminded of the lovely books waiting to be read.

But what I don’t need – and I’m sure you don’t either – are those depressing listicles where m’learned friend presents a catalogue of GOOD BOOKS that everyone should read at least once in their life.

The lecture – for that’s essentially what it is – usually begins by claiming that the curated collection has stood the test of time for a reason.  Continue reading →

Viewpoint: Are you ready for a close-up? We will be – as soon as we’ve sorted our wardrobes.

16 Thursday Nov 2017

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ 7 Comments

I’ve a new respect for people who take part in televised events. Sitting on the sofa at home watching the box, it all looks so easy: participants chat happily, respond calmly to comments and answer questions.

But let me tell you – when you’re in the sights of a studio camera, complete with hot lights and an audience, it’s nerve-racking.

And the worst of it is deciding what to wear. Continue reading →

Viewpoint: If you have to ask, ‘Who spends that much on clothes?’ you’re a dummy! Apparently.

16 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ Leave a comment

Have you ever been described as ‘depressing, judgmental and ignorant’ and then been accused of being a dummy?

Well, actually, you might have. If you saw one of the glossy magazines that came with a particular Sunday newspaper yesterday, you could have looked at the so-called fashion spread where a coat costing nearly £3,000 was featured with matching £1,000 trousers (mentioned but invisible as they’d been cropped out of the photo), and asked: ‘Who spends that kind of money on clothes?’ Continue reading →

Viewpoint: What should an author do? We write the books – and now you want us to perform as well.

01 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ 12 Comments

How should authors interact when they are taking part in book events? Should they stay quietly at their tables, behind piles of their recently published novel?

Should they concentrate on a book they’re reading and avoid looking up?

Or should they leap forward whenever anyone comes near and start doing a major sales pitch?

It’s an interesting dilemma and something considered by freelance copy editor, Emma Mitchell, who wrote a blog on her website asking: ‘Do we expect too much of authors?’ Continue reading →

Viewpoint: Characters – where do they come from?

12 Friday May 2017

Posted by Susan Pape in Viewpoint

≈ Leave a comment

Ask many writers where their characters originate and they’ll shrug and say they came from within their imagination; they appear or develop over time.

For me, they’re often sparked by spotting someone in a coffee shop or on a train. I won’t take the ‘whole’ person, but rather ‘pieces’ of them – the way they walk, the way they’re dressed, or something they say – and blend them into a character.  Continue reading →

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  • NEWS: WRITING’S OK – WE LOVE DOING THAT – IT’S EVERYTHING ELSE THAT TAKES TIME
  • Viewpoint: Where’s my inspiration gone? Lockdown has taken all my ideas away.
  • Viewpoint: Just three clicks and you’re out … of social media, that is.
  • Viewpoint: Tell me your health problems if you must. But don’t ask me to edit your family history scribblings.
  • News: A Falling Friend, by Sue Featherstone and Susan Pape, is four years old today

Recent Posts

  • NEWS: WRITING’S OK – WE LOVE DOING THAT – IT’S EVERYTHING ELSE THAT TAKES TIME April 18, 2022
  • Viewpoint: Where’s my inspiration gone? Lockdown has taken all my ideas away. January 28, 2021
  • Viewpoint: Just three clicks and you’re out … of social media, that is. December 7, 2020
  • Viewpoint: Tell me your health problems if you must. But don’t ask me to edit your family history scribblings. September 30, 2020
  • News: A Falling Friend, by Sue Featherstone and Susan Pape, is four years old today April 25, 2020

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