Alright, faithful readers? Sorry I failed to keep up a series for even two consequtive months. That is not brilliant at all. In my defence I have been hella busy. But I wanted to keep going, because this is my favourite type of post to read from other people. I can’t resist an other-person’s-diary. So here we go –
In Reading
Pantomime by Laura Lam
Paul got me this little gem of a book for Christmas. I loved it a lot! It’s YA urban fantasy about a trans/intersex teenager who finds out their parents’ plans for them and runs away to join the circus. It is all the fun of any circus adventure book, and also a thoughtful and beautiful exploration of gender and other types of social unfairness. Gene, the protagonist, is an instant favourite. I’m reading the sequel right now.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Only two books this month, and I didn’t even read this one – I listened to the audiobook, while falling asleep. Um. I mean, it’s a Harry Potter book. It’s very good. This is a very exciting one, though not as good as The Prisoner of Azkaban. Stephen Fry reads it very nicely even though I generally find him a bit annoying.
In Writing
My big big news in writing is that I found an agent to represent my book. I’m really really happy with the work we’ve been doing on it, but I don’t want to tell you what’s going on in too much detail and jinx myself. But, exciting times. Also, very demanding-on-my-time-times, hence the lack of blogging/reading/anything that is not scowling at my laptop.
This month in poetry I got up incredibly early to do a valentines poem for Radio Oxford, which you can see here. I also performed at Waterstones, talking about fairytales, which was ace, and I competed in a slam. Look –
I did not win.
In Politics
February was a little moment of (relative) calm in politics, both in the UK and the USA. The Brexit clouds are looming large, but haven’t started actually pissing on us yet, and America is not in absolute and open revolt. This is pretty much the best things will be this year I expect, and it is still terrible.
In Life
Two VERY exciting things happened this month. One of my favourite people had a baby! A lovely little newborn who I like just as much as her mother already. Babies are GREAT. It wasn’t so long ago that I was properly afraid of holding very small children, but a few years ago something shifted and now I want to steal them. Is this what we used to call a biological clock, or do I just trust myself more not to drop things these days. Who can say? I actually learnt of the safe arrival of the baby just seconds after I’d been offered representation for my novel and I was so overwhelmed with joy I had a little cry in my office chair.
Also, my lovely husband got a new job at the Ashmolean. This is GREAT news because he is obsessed with museums (and facts in general). He also bought a big telescope.
Lovely husband and I have been married for a full year now!! Doesn’t time fly etc etc. We went to London for a little mini break and to have dinner at always-excellent Hawksmoor and a spur of the moment trip to Dishoom. Their 24 hour black dhal is ASTONISHING.
And that’s about it. I was mainly working. What have you been upto?
