Early evening is a time when I sit with a glass of wine to make contact with my husband. It is a very important hour which we put aside for ourselves. Sometimes I might read through what I have written in the morning. Then we eat – I am an enthusiastic cook so it is a pleasure to fit this into my day.
I have other interests to be slotted into my days. Recently I have signed on for a course on Writing for the Stage, something that intrigues me. I have found it both helpful and enjoyable to develop skills in this different but complementary aspect of writing. Yoga is part of my relaxation as well as singing with a local choral society. Water-colour painting is a skill I am also trying to improve on, although I seem to have less and less time for anything other than writing…
TOP TEN BOOKS
Apart from Jane Austen…
Ariana Franklin: Mistress of the Art of Death
Ariana Franklin: The Death Maze. I have just discovered Ariana Franklin’s medieval crime novels, although I enjoyed her historicals as Diana Norman. I love the humour, the authentic detail, the fine characterisation and the understated romance of them.
Dorothy Dunnett: The Game of Kings and the other five Lymond novels. I remember discovering The Game of Kings and being frustrated in having to wait until the rest were written to discover the final ending.
Elizabeth Chadwick: The Wild Hunt. Her first novel, that encouraged me to continue to read and enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick.
Georgette Heyer: These Old Shades. I read it in my youth when I first discovered Georgette Heyer and enjoyed the romance of it. I have read it again since and find it just as appealing. I recall wishing that I could write with such atmosphere and accuracy of detail and period.
Margaret Mitchell: Gone With The Wind. I was impressed by the scope of this novel and her ability to create a heroine who is not entirely likeable but wholly satisfying.
Daphne du Maurier: Rebecca. A novel of wonderful atmosphere and tension.
Philippa Gregory: The Virgin’s Lover. I have read all Philippa Gregory’s novels and I think I enjoyed this one the most for the manner in which Elizabeth, Dudley and his tragic wife were brought to life in vivid three-dimensionalism. The pace of it is excellent.
Lindsay Davis: The Silver Pigs. I was hooked on the Falco series when I read this even though I would not count the Roman period as a favourite. I had to keep reading.
Joanne Harris: Lollipop Shoes. Another author I particularly look forward to reading. I enjoyed Chocolat and thought this was a worthy sequel.
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
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Published in Great Britain 2009.
MIRA Books, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
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©Anne O’Brien 2010
ISBN 978-1-4089-2795-3
Anne O'Brien Page 44
