Newsletter: November Sploshes In

Fun fact: November is my least favourite month

Samhain

I had fun, as usual. Quite a few children visited, all dressed up in amazing costumes. I made them read me a scrunched-up joke from a bowl first. “Only true monsters will see words on the paper,” I told them. Then they got to take some raisins and a “baby pumpkin” from the tray shown in the photo above.

The next day I made a candle and ate a dumb supper by its light. I always keep old bits of wax from previous candles until I have enough to make a new one.

In terms of reading material: the “spooky book” deal from last time is still available.

Did you get many visitors on October 31st?

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Afua Blog Tour!

The image above is advance notice of the blog tour that will be starting soon. I’ll find out what reviewers think of Afua, a book I loved working on.

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A view of the river caul during low water, when the subsurface is visible. Normally it is a swooshing waterfall.

Personal

I’ve been busy, as ever. Writing, editing, working with authors. I’m considering a voluntary role where I would work with other religious communities to foster cooperation and shared understanding.

I’ve been doing work in the garden, such as breaking up long wrist-thick sticks with the sledgehammer. Quicker than sawing them. They will be wood for the fire on cold days. I also took up chippings and plastic underlay and planted a line of hedges and flowers in its place. It will be fun to see what it looks like a year from now.

I did a long shift at the cinema/museum, which was creepy when I was locking up, and led to the story I began on Friday. Or rather, the cinema wasn’t creepy, but my imagination generated plenty of frights in the way it interprets creaks and other noises.

I’ve spoken and read poetry at a number of events recently, including an anti-racism demonstration where I made a short speech. I basically said it doesn’t matter if you’re peely-wally (like me!) or dark. It doesn’t matter what your hair colour or age is, where you were born, if you have a disability (visible or not), what language you speak, or whether you like chips or prefer houmous. What matters is what is in your heart. Always.

I collected a new poster with some quotes from Jewish Voice for Peace (one of the organisations I support). When I went to the printers my poster wasn’t quite ready, which gave me a chance to fuss the lovely dog that was keeping the owner company.

“Is he about ten?” I asked her.

“Yes, he’s ten!”

“He told me,” I said. “And does he have a bad leg, or leg issues?”

“Yes!” she said. “He had an operation, and it affected his legs for a while.”

He told me that, too.

Weird what you learn when you listen.

The dog was called Monty, though I learnt that fact from his carer, not from Monty himself. :-) I’m not a 100% dog-whisperer.

The same day, I bumped into a friend who had bought one of my books (It Will Be Quick). I never ask for feedback from people I know, but he told me he’d read the first story and it was really powerful. “You can definitely write. It’s a shame you aren’t more well known,” he told me.

My thoughts exactly. But it’s good to receive acknowledgement!

And tonight I have a community council meeting (I am one of the councillors, representing my community).

Oh, today is Dolly’s fifteenth birthday! She may have diabetes, but she is going strong, with the heart of a lion! I will pass on any wishes I receive. Dolly likes to be worshipped.

Dolly, by the clematis

May your days be bright and shining,

Karl