June 2008

Hartwin, Cathy, Terry, Maya and new member Harriet met up yesterday evening to discuss Nick's new Children's book and a short story I wanted to try out.

Nick's chapter worked well. It's got pace and follows on with characters we got to know in Mortimer's Marvellous Machines (considering a name change to something darker, as titles like Tunnels and Skullduggery Pleasance are proving popular with the target age). The group didn't have much structurally to say, but though it was headed as chapter three it would make an intriguing and exciting first chapter. And there was a concern that wolf hunters would batter down a shed door (even an inventor's) in less than 10 minutes. Wolf hunters? Inventors sheds? It's a world I'm sure children will enjoy.

My story, Revolver, I knew was overlong and I thought I had sent it in too soon. However I got some good ideas and last night mulling over what the group had said, I came up with what I think will be a better ending. It's set in a boys' school where one disaffected, delusional and desperate youth plots revenge on the more successful pupils by sabotaging the school production of Hamlet. I will post the revised version of the story on this site.

Yesterday we shared the National Theatre foyer with a singer on piano and a Christian meeting on the next table. We've had to share venues with sports car enthusiasts, free divers, gamblers, knitters, the BBC radiophonics workshop, a quiz, snoggers, language classes, karoake nights and other writing groups.