Monthly Archives: January 2014

Review: ‘The Gondola Maker’ by Laura Morelli

31st March 2013
IBPA

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Set I Venice in the late 16th century, this historical novel tells the story of Luca Vianello, accidental and reluctant heir to the best gondola maker in the city. His life is mapped out in detail; who he’ll marry, where he’ll live, what he’ll spend his days doing are all decided for him by his distant, aggressive father.

When Luca’s mother dies from the complications of childbirth everything changes. Luca is finally free to make his own destiny.

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Review: ‘Back to Creative Writing School’ by Bridget Whelan

2013

Bridget Whelan is an author and creative writing lecturer. In this book she sets out to provide ’30 practical and witty exercises’ to help readers start writing. She covers a lot of ground – poetry, prose, humour, horror, cliches and description.

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Review: ‘Double Happiness’ by Tony Brasunas

Double Happiness Book Cover

At 22 Tony Brasunas had never left the US, but fascinated by China he embarked on a post-University year teaching English in a Chinese high school. The school year over he the travelled to Beijing to see the hand over of Hong Kong before venturing west to through China to Tibet and then south east back go Hong Kong and finally home to America.

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30 Days of Creative Writing: Day 30

Good morning. Well done, you’ve put up with my pseudo-creative ramblings for 30 days. This is the last in the series. I’ve chosen an exercise that appears in ‘term three’ of ‘Back to Creative Writing School’ by Bridget Whelan.

The subject under discussion is the literary genre of magical reality. Or, magic for grown-ups as the author herself described the genre in her section title. The exercise is to choose a character from from a given list and then give them unexpected wings. How do they react? What are the wings like?

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30 Days of Creative Writing: Day 29

For today’s exercise I’ve chosen another photo prompt. This one is called ‘The Journey’ and shows the view out of a car window. In addition there is the question what’s ahead and how does it relate to the morning news.

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I’m going to London on Friday!

To go to the Donmar Warehouse theatre. I’m going to be meeting up with some of the Gatiss Guild I met last year.

Here’s a photo of some of them. They really aren’t as cracked as they look.

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I’m extremely excited. I will of course review the play we’re seeing and anywhere we visit if I think people will be interested.

30 Days of Creative Writing: Day 27

Victory! Victory! My battle with uncooperative electronic items is over, and my tablet is now fully charged and functional (there’s no rule that says I can’t be over dramatic if I want to). So let’s have a look at another of the exercises in ‘Back to Creative Writing School’ by Bridget Whelan.

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