Vanessa Gebbie's news

Call for Submissions- Tattoo Highway

2008-10-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

From the eds:

Greetings, past contributors. TH/17 is online, and the reading period
for TH/18 ("Diners, Dives & Michelin Stars" - the food issue) is open.
Deadline, 15 January '09. We hope you have poems, prose fiction or
creative-non, "new media" and/or interesting graphics for us to look at.

And don't forget our "Picture Worth 500 Words" contest!
TATTOO HIGHWAY GUIDELINES HERE

What makes an indie bookshop stock your book....

2008-10-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

Is it based on the quality of the writing?

Nope.

is it based on its sellability?

Nope.

Is it based on how many prizes the writer has won?

Nope.

The quality of the product, attractiveness of the cover?

Nope.

Is it based on the writer living locally, in part?

Nope.

Er so what is it based on?

Whether they like the writer as a person.

Out of the horses mouth, from an awardwinning local indie bookshop, at the meeting of the Society of Sussex Authors last night.

And why didnt they like me?

because dear friends, after they declined to stock my little book, saying we dont stock books like this, which I took to mean they didnt stock short story collections" I browsed the shelves and bought Ann Enrights 'Taking Pictures' from them. And the conversation went like this:

Them: "I havent read this one. But I hear its far better than her last novel."

Me: It's not a novel, its a collection of short fiction."

Them: "Is it?"

and they didnt like that. Tis a shame. It is a great little bookshop.

BERLIN IMAGES

2008-10-06T14:17:00.001-07:00

BERLIN IMAGES (SACHSENHAUSEN and JEWISH MUSEUM)

2008-10-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

BERLIN IMAGES

2008-10-06T14:04:00.001-07:00

BERLIN IMAGES

2008-10-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

Poems on Eclectica

2008-10-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

Delighted to have a couple of poems published on Eclectica. Two from a growing series inspired by memories of Merthyr Tydfil, the town in south Wales where my grandparents lived, and where I spent great chunks of growing up years.

Merthyr Poems HERE and while you are there, visit the flashes written in August at Bootcamp, especially one by writing friend Chelsey Flood, called So Small and So Far Away HERE

Family resemblance

2008-10-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Please forgive the indulgence. But when you've waited 56 years to find out who you looked like when younger and sweeter, it is an incredible thing to see faces that you know you looked like. Once.

Top two, me at 30. And my mother's sister.

Berlin calling, money matters,

2008-10-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Off to Berlin. With Chris, who is now officially retired, and relaxed, and not opening letters from the pensions people. Talk about retiring as the financial world collapses! Oh well. Berlin with a couple of friends for the best part of a week will inspire and all sorts. Hopefully!

Before we go, I whizz up to London and spend a very good hour or so with my agent. To bring him up to speed with progress on the novel and all the other things I'm working on. Brilliant natter... exactly right.

Helpful advice on this and that. Mostly that.

Including the good advice that I must say 'no' more often. Concentrate my time on my own writing, and those projects that are really good for my own development as a writer. Editing this fab new writing book is fine and great stuff (of which more as it is firmed up with the publisher.)

So - no more offering to read through new writers' work, or mentoring. Unless it is a proper job. Easy innit. Mentoring is important for new writers, and I hope I've paid back the help I had myself early on, back into the system. But now, someone else can do it far better I'm sure - than me.

I require money from now on peeps! A propos - the three day residency at the school has come through, for late November. Greatly looking forward to that. Year 9s, 20 of them... I hope to have all the right sparks flying!

Berlin calling. I am going to amble about unter den linden.

Calls for submissions: Linchpin and Rose Metal Press

2008-09-29T00:28:00.000-07:00

LINCHPIN:
Linchpin Literature is a publishing house that, monthly, produces an impressive tabloid sized anthology of short stories. The anthology is named 'LINCHPIN'. It is free-of-charge, hopefully making it a lot more popular in this current economic climate, and thus aiding the distribution of great writing.
The publication is distributed within Underground Stations, bookshops, high-streets, newspapers, hospitals, cafés, hotels, B&Bs, offices and parks.
You should expect to see Issue No.1 on Monday 8th September.
Prepare to be astonished by short writing: Issue No.1 features short work by Dylan Thomas, Clare Wigfall, Ivan Bunin, Roald Dahl, New Writing South’s associated writers and some of the best short writing from the British Library. (and moi)
I have to say, this one sounds great. LINCHPIN WEBSITE HERE (and submissions data)
And

Do you have enough flash work for a possible collection??
Rose Metal Press (WEBSITE HERE) are holding another flash fiction collection competition:

Our Third Annual Short Short Chapbook Contest submission period begins October 15 and ends December 1, 2008. Our 2008 judge will be Sherrie Flick. During the submission period, please email your 25¬–40 page double-spaced manuscript of short short stories under 1,000 words each to us at rosemetalpress@gmail.com either as Word docs or rtf files. Individual stories may have appeared in journals or anthologies, but we ask that collections as a whole be previously unpublished. Please accompany your entry with the $10 reading fee, either via the payment button on our website or by check. We prefer the former, but the latter can be sent to us at PO Box 1956, Brookline, MA 02446.

Writers of both fiction and nonfiction are encouraged to enter, and we are open to short shorts on all subjects and in all styles. We hope you'll check out the books of our previous contest winners, including The Sky Is a Well and Other Shorts by Claudia Smith (winner of the first contest, judged by Ron Carlson), In the Land of the Free by Geoffrey Forsyth (winner of the second contest, judged by Robert Shapard), as well as A Peculiar Feeling of Restlessness by Amy L. Clark, Elizabeth Ellen, Kathy Fish, and Claudia Smith, which features the chapbooks by four of the finalists of the first contest.

Erotica workshop, Isle of Wight

2008-09-28T13:33:00.001-07:00

Somehow the words erotic and Isle of Wight seem stange bedfellows. (!!)

However: I have just been notified of this course, on the Isle of Wight, in November. It looks very good value for £££... £75 for three days and all you need to do is find a B and B. Dead cheap out of season...

Happy days - and I'd love to know how it went: I know of some pretty dreadful erotica courses, in which I am told, the tutor was only interested in talking about his/her own sex experiences to a captive audience, not teaching the writing!

Email follows:

Literotica: Erotic Writing with Mitzi Szereto

Join trendsetting author and anthologist Mitzi Szereto for a weekend erotic writing workshop on the Isle of Wight in southern England. American-born Mitzi is the pioneer of the erotic writing workshop in the UK and Europe and appears frequently in the media. The course will be conducted at The Old Grange in the heart of Shanklin’s old village, only a short walk from the beach.

Friday 21 Nov—Sunday 23 Nov 2008
Cost: GBP ₤75 (Cost includes course only; accommodation is extra.)

Literotica is designed for those interested in erotic writing for personal or professional exploration as well as for writers looking to integrate the erotic into another body of work. The course will consist of lectures, group discussions, writing exercises, and workshopping of material. An overview of the marketplace for those considering publication will be provided. Open to all levels of writers.

Contact:
The Grange
9 Eastcliff Road
Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA
Tel: (44) (0)1983 867644
Email: info@thegrangebythesea.com
www.thegrangebythesea.com
(The Grange is an offshoot of Skyros)

Dubbed "The Queen of Facebook" and hailed by the Guardian for her clever use of the social network as a marketing tool, be sure to visit Mitzi's new blog, which is already listed as one of the fastest growing. Mitzi Szereto's Weblog is located at: http://mitziszereto.wordpress.com

In publishing news, the entire catalog of Mitzi's bestselling erotic novels penned as M. S. Valentine has been published on Amazon's Kindle platform, along with several of her short stories, which are being offered for the first time for individual sale. Her latest print title The New Black Lace Book of Women's Sexual Fantasies is now available from Virgin Books/Random House.

For interview requests, contact Mitzi directly at: liketowrite@googlemail.com

{Author and anthologist Mitzi Szereto has the following books to her credit: Getting Even: Revenge Stories; The New Black Lace Book of Women’s Sexual Fantasies; the critically acclaimed Erotic Fairy Tales: A Romp Through the Classics; The World’s Best Sex Writing 2005 (non-fiction/criticism); the multi-genre Dying For It: Tales of Sex & Death; Wicked: Sexy Tales of Legendary Lovers; and the popular Erotic Travel Tales anthology series. She’s also penned several best-selling erotic novels under the name M. S. Valentine. Her work has been translated into several languages. Mitzi is the pioneer of the erotic writing workshop in the UK and Europe , teaching them from the prestigious Cheltenham Festival of Literature to the Greek islands. She’s been featured in publications ranging from the Sunday Telegraph, Independent, Times, Observer, Company Magazine, Dare Magazine, First Magazine, Family Circle, Writing Magazine, Toronto Star, Scarlet Magazine, and Forum to Bravo UK Television, Telecinco TV 5 (Madrid), BBC Radio, Newstalk Ireland, and OneWord Radio. She’s been a contributor to Penthouse Magazine, Dazed and Confused, and the Erotic Review. Her work as an anthology editor has earned her the American Society of Authors and Writers’ Meritorious Achievement Award. Her anthology Erotic Travel Tales 2 is the first anthology of erotica to feature a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Originally from the USA , she now lives in England .}

Writing isn't only writing...

2008-09-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

But I wish there was more time..

things I'm doing as well as writing:

1) Liaising with the publisher about contractual issues, marketing issues, design issues on behalf of the One World Anthology team. (easy... writing emails, carrying messages back and forth)

2) Revving up for the next round of reading for Cadenza short story competition, closing on 31st Sept. I have 'first-read' a lot, and sent my 'results' to Zoe King. Will read the remainder this week... looks like a lot, though as they are still coming in.

3) Visiting my agent on Wednesday in London, for a sweep up/catch up, general MOT.

4) I have been asked (very exciting this) to be contributing editor/project manager sort of person for a fab new book, which will be a godsend for short story writers all. Watch this space. I am drawing up ideas. As Baldric said, 'I have a cunning plan...'

5) I've been asked if I will consider a three day residency at a school, this term. A specific brief. Sounds lovely, and would be a godsend to pay for over half the first year of the MPhil.

6) Starting to re-panic about MPhil. But I am also really looking forward to working with the other writers and tutors. We meet up for the first time over the second weekend in October.

7) Planning the flash workshop I'm running in late October.

8) I'm going to BERLIN next weekend! Cant wait. Nothing to do directly with writing, apart from everything I do being related now.

9) Writing a poem

10) Hoping to complete John/Thaddeus section of 'thing like a novel' by mid week, first draft.

Paul Newman

2008-09-27T12:44:00.001-07:00

I think it was the mouth...or the eyes? or both.

FRANK O'CONNOR FESTIVAL

2008-09-26T03:41:00.000-07:00

There is so much going on in my life, that I haven't had time to write up the wonderful festival of last weekend.

So I will keep this post as one I add to, as and when I download photos, and as an when my brain returns to Planet Earth.

Meanwhile, Jen at Salt has posted a wonderful account of the event on the SALT PUBLISHING FRANK O'CONNOR BLOG HERE

(and the photo is hers, nicked from the Salt blog!)

And Tania Hershman has an account of her visit from Jerusalem including the festival, HERE

BEING RECOGNISED

2008-09-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

The other day, a man walked into a busy restaurant. He was greeted at the door, and said he was just staying for a few minutes, was meeting someone. No need for a table.

He walked through the restaurant, his gaze flicking over the faces of the diners. he caught my gaze, and came straight over.

There was no question, he said. It was so definite, he said. Hello, he said.

That was my step-brother.

It is impossible to describe what that feels like. To have someone know who you are in a crowd because of your resemblance to a family.

-----------

From a writer's perspective, it is marvellous. A remiinder that every time we see people, or things, events, we should be looking with fresh eyes. See things as new, even when they are recogniseable.

BT Nightmare Customer Services...again!!!

2008-09-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have now heard from 'Vicky' at Customer Services.

Is it an agreement to supply my Dad with a replacement phone whilst the defective one they supplied is mended? Nope
Is it an offer of a new phone, as they shouldnt supply defective goods in the first place, and an apology? Nope.

Vicky wants to know when I bought the phone, as she has no proof I have bought it.
Sadly for Vicky, I sent all that info on 13th Sept. To Andy. Who authorised the return of the phone already.

is this surreal, incompetence, or a dastardly attempt to spin this out so that it's out of warranty anyway?

Who cares.

I've bought another phone. They made another sale!! Wheee. Vicky probably gets a bonus of 50p. The shareholders must be delighted.

Here are today's emails. I am trying to stay polite in my replies... it is getting hard.

--------------------------

In a message dated 25/09/2008 17:29:33 GMT Standard Time, IS5944_18981@is.instantservice.com writes:
Dear Vanessa,

Unfortunately we've not been able to trace your order with the details you've supplied. We need one of the following pieces of information: a delivery note number, an invoice number, or an account number.

Please send us the requested information and an estimated date of purchase.

Regards,
Vicky
Customer Services
BT Shop

Dear Vicky

The information you requested was supplied on 13th September to Andy, in your office.

here it is again taken from my account:

16/12/2007: 9652238 Order Complete £45.99

You have already authorised a return of the faulty phone. I believe this is incorrect practice, and that having sold me a defective item, BT ought to be replacing it.

This exchange is, like all the rest, being put on my blog, and the whole sorry story is causing much mirth, and not a little anger. http://vanessagebbiesnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/bt-customer-services.html it is also going to the local papers when it is resolved, positively or negatively. Do check me out. I am a writer and a journalist. BT picked the wrong customer to play silly games with.

I have had to buy a new phone for my father, as to send your defective one back would leave him without a lifeline. As already explained. Several times.

If you spin this out long enough, the phone will be out of warranty. Mind you, that might be the whole idea. Can I suggest you pass this to your supervisor?

cheers.

Vanessa Gebbie

RIDE THE WORD III

2008-09-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Last night saw Ride The Word III at Borders, Oxford Street, London.

Readings from five Salt writers, poets and short storytellers, naturally! I read a while back with Jay Merrill and I was looking forward to hearing her. She is a great performer, reading her stuff with a laconic grin in her voice.

Charles Lambert - short story
Isobel Dixon - poet
Simon Barraclough - poet (on Forward shortlist...)
Jay Merrill - short story
Vincent de Souza - poet

It was particularly lovely to meet Charles Lambert, whose life and times I follow on his blog, linked here. His book The Scent of Cinnamon is a terrific collection of stories. I took his novel (Little Monsters, pub Picador) for him to sign, and now have an inscription half in Italian half English. Super.

Jay was great... despite the threat of a sore throat... she made us laugh with her dry delivery and whizzy characters.

Vincent read his motorbike poems. I want to READ them. Or to hear them again. There seemed to be so much hidden in each line.

Isabel read poems about her father, among others. They were so engaging, and emotionally straight as a die. Lovely to hear, but again, I want to linger over them.

Simon B's work is shortlisted for the Forward prize. I am tempted to buy this collection too...oh dear. I need to make more money....

Charles Lambert read the final story from The Scent of Cinnamon, a fairy tale-like story, which had the audience spellbound. he too is a good reader.

We repaired to a nearby pub and spent a jolly hour or so chewing the cud or something.

I plucked up courage to ask if there was a chance of joining in any reading slots in this series of events... and yes, there was. I am joining them in December. Moral of the tale, dont be shy!

It was also lovely to see fellow Salt author Elizabeth Baines, and I was only sad that she couldn't stay longer... she had to rush for the train.

-------------------------

Prior to the event, I had supper with Tania Hershman (another Salty!) and Sarah Hilary, crime writer.

I'm afraid supper was slightly overshadowed by a short and wonderful meeting with a lovely guy called Jon.

Well, it's not every day you meet your step-brother for the first time. Or such a handsome one!

Glimmertrain deadline approacheth

2008-09-23T10:06:00.001-07:00

FICTION OPEN

Deadline: September 30, 2008
Prizes:

* 1st place wins $2,000, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies.
* 2nd-place: $1,000 and possible publication.
* 3rd-place: $600 and possible publication.

Reading fee: $20 per story.

To submit, go to www.glimmertrain.org, and click on the yellow submissions tab.

Results post on November 30, 2008. Winning story will be published in Issue 73.

Other considerations:

* Open to all writers, all themes.
* Word count range: 2,000 – 20,000.

We look forward to reading your work!

Editors of Glimmer Train Stories and Writers Ask

I sold a poem...

2008-09-22T23:44:00.000-07:00

Please notice the word 'sold'...egad. I am on the path to great riches.

I get a quid for a poem to be sent out by Every Day Poets. And I have to say - what helpful bunch. My poem went back and forth a few times with useful comments from the editorial panel (here) before it was accepted.

So I had a very generous lesson as well as everything else.

Poem is called 'A Stone for your Shoe'. Link to be posted when it goes live.

Story Commission, photo-journalism and fiction

2008-09-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

I can't wait until the October issue of foto8, a superb twice-yearly photojournalism magazine. I have a commissioned story therein.

And, a double whammy - several Workhousers wrote flashes to a brilliant and very moving photo, before I left. foto8 are to feature the pieces together with the photo in question on their website. (Douglas Bruton and Ethan Anderson among others)

Take a look at the current issue of the magazine HERE, in this cool flippin preview of foto8!

BT Customer Services...

2008-09-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

Unless you REALLY need it....
Sometimes, things happen that make you realise just how totally out of touch are the great British companies.

Here's a lovely attempt by BT to take away my father's confidence for a while. Which at ninety three is a blow and a half.

I bought him a special phone from the BT Shop. He has poor eyesight and is hard of hearing - and BT supply a phone with large clear buttons and a special loudspeaker option.

Dad lives alone. His independence is very important to him, for as long as he can manage, and we are helping him as much as we can to stay independent.

Lovely phone. Arrived quickly. And developed a fault quickly within less than a year. It flashes to let him know there is a message, when there is none. A rather cruel fault; he answers the phone thinking there's one of us on the other end, and it is blank.

Just an imperious 'You have no messages'.

The loudspeaker doesnt work properly. Intermittently. So he doesn't know if it's his hearing aid at fault, or the phone. Another cruel fault.

I contacted BT to ask them if they can mend it. It is still under warranty.

'Yes, package it up and send it to us, and we will send it to the manufacturer, and they will mend it, and send it back to us, and we will send it back to your father."

"Oh. And how long will that take?"

"Oh about six to eight weeks."

"OK. Thanks. I will package it up... meanwhile, he is 93, hard of hearing...(etc etc) please may he borrow a spare while his is mended?"

"No"

"Sorry?"

(I rang customer services - was passed from pillar to post while they pretended to know what to do, or not - making money out of me holding the line for yonks.)

"No. Buy another one." (the gist of the final reply)

I have just had it in writing from the customer services people.

Makes you proud to be British, doesnt it??

Here's a suggested sales line for them: "Are you one of our customers? Are you elderly, need a specialised phone? ....Bugger off!"

.

here are the emails: the first one just received:

Dear Vanessa,

I regret we do not provide temporary replacements, sorry for the inconvenience this causes you and your father.

Regards,

Anna

Customer Services
BT Shop

British Telecommunications plc (BT), Registered in England: 1800000. Registered Office: 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ. Contact the BT Shop at assistance@shop.bt.com.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vrgebbie@aol.com
Sent: 17-Sep-2008 12:28:58
Subject: Re: Query (#8744-111231171-7099)

In a message dated 17/09/2008 12:24:14 GMT Standard Time,
IS5944_18981@is.instantservice.com writes:

Dear Vanessa,

Your product return details i.e. your RMA 'returns number' will follow
shortly. If you've not received your RMA by the end of today, please let us know.
Please note the RMA is valid for 14 days only.

Note: If you purchased a bundle, then all items of this bundle would need
returning. (example of this would be if we advertised a router coming with a
network card).

Thank you and regards,
Andy

Dear Andy...

this will leave my elderly father (93) with no phone.. He lives alone.. do
you supply temporary replacements?

IRELAND and the Frank O'Connor Festival

2008-09-17T09:35:00.001-07:00

Here beginneth the first of two trips to Ireland this autumn.

I leave today for Cork where I am participating in the Frank o'Connor Festival, and will be staying until Monday.

Three days stay, flights etc were a gift from the Festival. I have extended it by a day as I wanted to hear Clare Wigfall read this evening. (Her story The Numbers won The National Short Story Prize recently)

So much to look forward to: I hope to hear Adam Marek, Tania Hershman and the Southword writers at their session, I hope to meet Nuala Ni Chonchuir at last. Jen my publisher will be there, talking on the short story. Salt Publishing have a platform - Carys Davies and I read on Saturday. I will meet up again with US writer Julia Van Middlesworth who won the Fish prize this year. (I wonder.... she's shortlisted for the Sean O'Faolain... watch this space) and hopefully meet many more.

And the highlight .. seeing Jhumpa Lahiri being awarded the Frank O'Connor Award on Sunday. I hope I might get the chance to say hello. We have been in touch via a mutual friend talking about a multicultural short story project.

Who knows? Some of her talent might follow her around in the air. So I shall breathe deep.

The whole programme is detailed on Women Rule Writer's Blog HERE

-------
Monday, I fly back and straight into leading a discussion on the short story for a very scary serious reading group. They have read Chekhov's The Bet and Lawrence Sargeant Hall's The Ledge.

Look forward to that immensely.

Sisters - a couple of days on

2008-09-17T02:36:00.001-07:00

Lovely surprise... flowers from my sisters just now... when I stopped crying, I had this piccie taken by a friend.

THANKYOU all of you... and sorry Charlie - no time to stick makeup on. This is me, raw and red-eyed.

---------------------

It’s now a couple of days after the excitement of Sunday, when I finally made contact with four lovely people.

It’s wonderful, but there are so many different feelings pulling me in different directions.

I have many many photographs, of everyone growing up, babies, little girls, teenagers, weddings, and my favourite- a line of bottoms and ‘family legs’ in cut off trousers.

I have many photos of my parents. My mother as a child, on a horse (She rode with Harvey Smith - well, there’s a turn up for the books!). She looks very gentle, with a mop of brown curls and beautiful eyes. My father’s face is strong, well defined.

I rang my ‘step mother’ last night to say thank you for passing on my letter. We talked for a while. It was a bit of a shock she said, but as soon as they saw my website, there was no doubt that I was who I said I was.

What now?

Well, I watched enough ghastly programmes over the last few years, in which reunions were made into entertainment. Long-lost siblings falling on each other’s necks and swearing to keep in touch. And then a ‘revisit’ clip at the end of the programme, with a few bemused people saying that nothing had happened since the programme.

Well of course it didn’t. A bit of fame and a studio hairdo glosses up the event, and then the people walked away and carried on with their lives. I think they are probably very lucky if anything grows.

I think having full sisters, as opposed to half sisters is unusual. And it is joyous.

Whatever happens, whether we all return to our lives and let this sink, I know who I am, genetically. And they know who the sibling is that they ‘knew’ about but couldn’t ask.

I am using a lesson learned from those dreadful programmes.

I am so delighted, and moved, to have talked to Susie and Phillippa, and I will visit Phillippa if, in a couple of months time, we both feel it is the right thing to do.

As I said when writing about this initially… if something grows, slowly, then great. If not, this has been the most brilliant conclusion to a long long journey.

I am proud of them all. Of us all. And wish us all much happiness. I know I feel happier and more settled than I ever have.

And now, this blog is returning to its normal transmissions.

Work for University

2008-09-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

Here I go again... I have to get my submissions for the October residential workshop in by Monday 22nd. And I'm off to Cork on Thursday, back Monday. Hmph.

What to send? The 'stories' that have not been sent out are so raw, far far too long and rambly. But I dont want to chop wordage yet, until I know something about structure, and what I'm doing with them.

If I send those, I will have twenty or so comments telling me they are too long, too wordy, too raw... aaaagh.I know! That is not worth £1,800, really.

I will have comments that tell me that this street isnt where I put it in the story. I know.

That the river has no fish in it. I know.

That the coal tips have grass on and couldn't shine like they do in the story. I know. But they did.

'I want to make a book that has words behaving like a victorian machine'. Oh of course you do, dear. Why not just do a nice romance?

I had a dreadful dream, in which the tutors at Uni said to tear it all up, then they handed round copies of OK and Hello and said they were running slots for stories... and we had to spend the next day working on a submission... but it would cost a little more....

am I panicking? Yup.

Letters are so special -

2008-09-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

There's something about letters.

I hope the internet and mobile phones and texting don't kill them off.

I got a letter today, from a lady I hope to meet some day. 'How does one write to a long-lost step-daughter?' she asked.

She has such great handwriting. Strong, open, even. I had a music teacher with similar handwriting, in North Wales.

How lovely...

(and I don't propose putting much more of this on here. It's MINE! But thank you to everyone for your messages.)