News

It's been wonderful to see the signs of spring in the past few days, hasn't it? I've been out on the river and in the garden, trying to make the most of the warmth and light - before we have another cold spell later in the week, I hear.

The longer, brighter days fill me with energy and enthusiasm and I've been doing a lot of tidying and sorting (though possibly to avoid tackling my always daunting 'to do' list).

Lighter evenings also mean that I am more inclined to get out and about and there are plenty of things going on again. So much so, in fact, that for some dates I'm spoilt for choice. How fortunate we are to have so much available to us so close to home.

Sometimes though, in keeping my options open, I miss out. I think we've all got used to deciding what to do at the last minute. But many events I've been looking at recently have been selling out, and I've left it too late!

Films and NTL screenings at The Riverside have been particularly popular in the last few weeks.

Wednesday's talk at Suffolk Book League by Noreen Massud and her memoir 'A Flat Place' is sold out, I think. Though keep in touch with SBL here.

I've seen that Norwich Theatre Royal is promoting the literary inspiration for plays in its current programme called From Page to Stage. 'Austentatious', the improvisation show based on the books of Jane Austen is sold out. 

In the next few days we'll see The Riverside open a new restaurant with award-winning chef Oliver Marlowe. I've spoken to him for an article which will appear in Suffolk magazine shortly, and it's exciting to learn of his plans. The soft launch is booked up though, I understand, so no tables available for a couple of weeks!

A little while ago I spoke to playwright Tallulah Brown about her work on the witch trials in Bury St Edmunds. I wrote this article after our conversation so am eager to see the play in performance. There aren't many tickets left though so I need to get a date in the diary. Take a look here.

The Aldeburgh Literature Festival this weekend sold out weeks ago. I was fortunate to have tickets for two talks and am so pleased I didn't miss out on these.

Though I've interviewed both Christina Lamb and Craig Brown for magazine articles, it was great to be reminded of their books and to see them again, in person and on stage, with a couple of my favourite interviewers!!

So my point in telling you about all the things you probably won't be able to see(!) is to highlight the support and interest there is in these author events.

It's great that so many of us are eager to meet and hear from creative people, and to be together as a community being encouraged and inspired.

There are some events coming up which haven't yet filled their seats, of course. Read on for details of David Wright, Alison Weir and Kate Rolfe - they're listed below and I'll also be at the Jubilee Hall Aldeburgh in a few weeks talking to Matt Gaw about his book 'In All Weathers', so I hope you'll think about joining me there too. Details here.

But do please book early for any event you are interested in attending - and I'll do the same! We'll be sure to avoid disappointment and have something positive and inspiring to look forward to in our diaries. And we'll also be encouraging both speakers and organisers as they make arrangements on our behalf.

Thank you for reading.

On Thursday, schoolchildren and their teachers will once again be invited to dress as their favourite storybook characters as the nation celebrates World Book Day.

It's become a key date in the calendar for encouraging reading in young people, and schools and libraries are vital in making books and storytelling available, often to children who might not normally be able to access them.

So it's particularly disappointing to learn that this month the council in Suffolk is voting to discontinue its contract with the current library service provider and return management in house.

For the past 14 years we've enjoyed an incredible, invaluable library and community service through a charitable enterprise called Suffolk Libraries. It has earned national acclaim and only a few months ago the council was basking in praise for the efficiency of the service and its incredible satisfaction ratings. 

We will never be privy to the details of the contract, of course, but there has been speculation that this decision has been taken because of a lack of adequate funding for the service once again, and also the prospect of devolution in two years' time.

As I understand it, the council is unlikely to better the achievements of Suffolk Libraries' service which its trustees claim now costs £3m less than it did in 2011, with all 45 libraries across the county remaining open. What's more, research has shown that the charity has generated £41m worth of social value, saving NHS services in the county some £542,000 every year.

The decision will be approved at a council meeting on 18 March so there is little time for opposition, but a petition has been set up and I urge you, if you feel inclined, to sign it. 

In these times when we feel powerless in all that is happening around us, just adding your name could make all the difference in making decisionmakers aware of the level of support. You can sign the petition here. And you might also like to write to your MP or councillor.

On a lighter note, if you are in the Woodbridge area on the evening of Saturday 15 March, why not support the library by taking part in their Library Quiz evening. Details are here. 

Thank you for reading.

Reading the newspapers at the weekend has always been a bit of a treat, taken leisurely with a cup of tea and a slice of toast! But this week I've found that I haven't been tempted even to turn over the front page. There haven't been many good or hopeful stories to be found during the week, so it felt better to take a break! 

Instead, I turned to catching up with some other reading, picking novels from my terrifying large pile(s) and selecting two titles that I haven't needed to read for work, but chose because they took my fancy. And I've had a lovely time (and have some great titles to recommend to you in the coming weeks!).

These books have done just what I always hope for in a novel, lifting me out of my daily concerns and routine and inviting me into other lives, another world.

I was interested, then, to see a recent post by the author and bookseller Ann Patchett as she talked of her escapist reading this weekend..

She explained (via Instagram) that she has been waking in the night, anxious about all that's going on in the world beyond our control, with her mind racing, and, unable to go back to sleep has gone to her basement library(!) to find a book to distract her.

The title she has chosen has been 'Beowulf', translated by Seamus Heaney. I confess that I haven't read it, but may look it up based on Patchett's passionate exhortation for us all to do so. She claims reading it is 'so satisfying, it will make you feel warm and safe. It will make you understand what really matters in life, which is kindness and courage, bravery, good deeds... ' I think we all need to read it!

But I think all the books I've listed below have something to offer in helping distract us from the concerns of the world and give some comfort, hope and escape.

And we'll be meeting together in Woodbridge and Framlingham this week to discuss our impressions and responses to our two book group books. Please note that we have a change of venue in Woodbridge tomorrow, so do let me know if you are planning on coming along so that I can direct you to the correct location!

Thank you for reading.

It's just a few days now until our February book group meeting, and I've chosen the next month's title in good time (though I won't be revealing it until next week!). Do let me know if you're planning on coming along to the Woodbridge meeting on Monday 24 February - scroll down for the details.

I have all sorts of criteria in choosing books for our discussions, but generally when we look for something new in a shop or library, we tend to turn to the information provided for us by the publisher on the cover. 

As we've discovered in our book group discussions time and again, we can often feel misled, even cheated, by the descriptions and promises presented to us. 'Hilarious' claimed the quote from a famous author, or the synopsis on the back, yet for us it barely raised a smile.

Now it seems, from recent reports in the press, that one American publisher, at least, is coming to understand our frustration.

The problem they've identified, is one particular issue - authors commenting on each other's work and this glowing commendation being emblazoned on the front or back of the book. (I've always understood these to be called a 'praise quote' but it seems they're now referred to as the 'blurb'?)

Usually a more famous author is asked to review a less established writer's work to give potential readers confidence in trying someone less familiar.

However, the name of the bestselling, award-winning writer can sometimes appear more prominent than that of the actual author of the book!

Whereas in the past a writer singing the praises of their colleague has seemed generous and noteworthy - after all, they had been so moved by the book that they had wanted to give an endorsement, an encouragement to their fellow writer - these days, new writers are actually required to contact other authors to urge them to recommend their book.  

As a result, the pressure for writers to contribute blurbs (or quotes) for their friends can create 'an incestuous and unmeritocratic literary ecosystem that often rewards connections over talent,' according to Sean Manning, publisher of Simon & Schuster’s imprint in the US.

But, as readers, we're a discerning band and we are wise to these wily marketeers. The only challenge we should maintain is to keep trying new talent, debut writers and unfamiliar names. We are sure to find some gems, and then we'll spread the word among each other, I'm sure. In fact at book group we often share new books and authors we've discovered, don't we? 

And just to be clear, I may sometimes be asked to review books for this newsletter but I only include those titles I have actually read and genuinely enjoy - and I receive no reward, financial or otherwise, for doing so, except your kind words and the knowledge that this newsletter is useful to you.

So my thanks go to all of you for your support, and for attending the book groups and author events I organise, your generous tips through Kofi, and for buying books from my page on bookshop.org. In fact if you buy a book through bookshop.org before midnight tonight, you can enter a draw to receive flowers every month for a year...

Thank you for reading.

Each week we hear more stories of Artificial Intelligence encroaching on our lives, sometimes for good, though usually not - how it is unregulated, unchecked and increasingly threatening livelihoods.

In the past few days though I've been encouraged by people seeking to counter the negative impact of AI.

A little while ago I interviewed a Suffolk artist, Charlotte Day for a magazine called 'Pressing Matters'. Charlotte works as a freelance illustrator for books and brands and found that the use of computers for this task was now so pervasive she needed other means for her creative expression. So she took up printmaking, taking hours to create intricate etchings of botanical images.

She said of her work: 'Handmade art offers something that technology cannot replace - people want the personal connection and unique imagination of the artist...People respond differently to work that carries a sense of craftmanship and human effort. There will always be space for work that celebrates the maker's touch.' You can read my article here. 

And a brand strategy agency, Sonder & Tell, has said that in the turmoil of the world at the moment, there is 'space for different voices to emerge. While tech bros yell louder and AI churns out bland corporate soup, brands have an opportunity to show up differently. To be the voices of calm in the storm, of brutal honesty in the sea of nonsense, of genuine connection in our increasingly artificial world.' 

I've found it helpful to see how people are responding positively, rather than getting bogged down with the negativity. I hope we all see more examples of real life interactions and creativity this week!

Thank you for reading.