EPISODE NINETEEN: FAIR PLAY
Lots of reading, not much writing…
What I’ve been reading in November
Maisie vs Antarctica by Jack Jackman is an exciting middle-grade adventure about the titular girl accompanying her father on a research trip to Antarctica that goes badly wrong. When their plane crash lands, Maisie discovers her father has survival skills that seem super-naturally good. Maisie’s voice is great, adding comedic sarcasm to the twists and turns of the plot. Very enjoyable.
Rune by Carlos Sanchez is a graphic novel about best friends Chiri and Dai as they discover a gateway to another world while escaping from bullies. The other world is full of strange people, creatures and a horrible villain. Chiri, who is deaf, discovers her sign language skills make her a powerful wizard in this world, helping her and her friends defeat the villain (for now at least). Wonderful pastel artwork to accompany the start of this fab series.
Escape Room Game Zero by Christopher Edge is a follow-up to Escape Room. In this latest story Eden is desperate to try her own luck at the fabled game and gets sucked into a strange version of the world where she meets a fellow player Ted who thinks she is a non-player character. Is she inside a game, a construct of programming or something else. And can she survive to the end of the game to find out?
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson is the first of her novels to feature Jackson Brodie, ex police inspector turned private investigator. Set in the sweltering summer of Cambridge, Jackson is hired to look into three seemingly unrelated cold cases: two missing girls and a murdered daughter, while helping Mrs Rain find her missing cat. Jackson soon becomes a target for assassination and seduction in this wonderfully entangled web of stories featuring marvellous character, all told in the author’s distinctive style.
My Own Scribblings
I have nearly finished the main text of the fifth pantomime script that I have worked on with my wife Fiona. Just a few rhyming couplets to be done before we step back and see if this first draft is working well. We still don’t have an official title and we still haven’t decided on some of the musical numbers but it’s in pretty good shape, I think. Here’s a hint at its topic: romance is definitely in the air in the village of Soggy Bottom. And I’m starting to get involved in our local panto production – Cinderella – as I’m running sound and projections this year. Tickets available here.
Fiona and I did a few book fairs this month. Two out of three were busy which helped us shift quiet a few books. It’s always nice to meet people actually buying your books face-to-face. And I even had a couple of children coming up to me and saying how much they had enjoyed the London Falling series so far and were desperate to read the final part. Pax & The Secret Swarm is out now and available in all the usual places. Buy links here.
Sport Billy
I’ve had a nasty cough and cold for almost the whole month, so sporting activity has been a bit limited. There have been no official tennis matches, a couple of cancelled practice sessions and I’ve been taking it easy with my runs. Padel is still fun, though the cold and wet courts make conditions are lot more tricky. One curtailed round of golf during a flying visit to Devon did at least provide me with this lovely early morning shot.
Boardgames
No new sessions but I was very excited to see Osprey Games – one of my favourite publishers – are having an online winter sale with titles listed at anything between 30% and 70% off the full price! Some complete bargains that I have taken advantage of, but I have to wait until Xmas before I’m allowed to try them out… And next month, our Christmas gathering with Fiona’s half of the family usually involves a gaming session with my brother-in-law, which should be good.