Happy New Year

Usually at this time we reflect on the passing year. Our achievements, our failures and what we want to achieve for the coming new year.

I've been involved in various campaigns over the years; Friern Barnet Library, Every Child Leaving Care Matters and others along the way.
I will of course continue to support libraries and care leavers - they are part of my heart. I am like everyone else throughout the UK disgusted at this governments treatment of libraries and library staff.

We musn't forget that hundreds of librarians have also lost their jobs. I am sickened at the way this government have treated the mentally incapacitated, the jobless, the homeless, the children in care; in effect the most vulnerable people in this country of ours that was once Great. Now we have to hang our heads in shame. All we can do is vote these evil people out of power this coming May and begin the road to achieving greatness once again.

I was about to say, I'm taking a break from campaigns! In 2015, I want to pursue my PhD Hiraeth - Finding a Fictional Home. I am under no illusion that somebody like me who didn't do very well at school, and moved around a lot as a child, and didn't achieve a 1st or even a 2:1 has very little chance of getting funded. But it doesn't matter, the journey so far has been so interesting, and one of my 2014 highlights was presenting the research to date at the Brathay Trust up in the Lake District. A truly inspiring setting where I met some fabulously kind people working with care leavers to improve their lives. So it doesn't matter if I don't get funded. My little pot Help Fund my PhD (thanks to friends, family and people inspired by a chance to help change outcomes for those in care) is growing little by little and I will get there eventually.

I met a very kind potential supervisor Rebecca Smith, at Southampton University. I want to record my thanks as she has supported me continuously over the last year. Whatever happens as Rebecca and Dr Josie Pearse (another supporter) said, you are already doing the PhD. I will continue. I've just discovered a brand new book which may possibly have the root cause as to why Care Leavers are stereotyped and am looking forward to my next trip to that wonderful establishment, The British Library. 

2015 for me will be about getting back to my roots, writing, painting and generally leading a more creative life. I miss me! I will be doing a lot less social media, although I will still post blogs and occasionally be a Twit-to-Tweet.

So, all that is left for me to do is wish you all a very Healthy, Happy, and 

Creative New Year.

An Interview with Alex Wheatle

I was lucky enough recently to win a proof copy of Alex Wheatle's new novel Liccle Bit. I've read other novels by Alex and enjoyed them all. This book is aimed at the YA market. I was intrigued to see how he would write for teenagers. Almost from the very first sentence, I found myself hooked. The more I read, the more I cared about what happened to Lemar called Liccle Bit because of his height. The whole time I was reading, I felt like a mother does for her child, worry, worry, worry, and hoped I wasn't headed for an unhappy ending. It wasn't all edge of the seat reading though, the young  characters have their own language and boy is it funny, the humour is relentless and had me falling off my chair. No spoilers from me, you will have to read it yourself. What I will say is that this is possibly Alex's best book yet (though I am a bit biased), and it is a masterpiece of emotion, comedy and language.

Bookblurb: What's worse than hiding a secret? Liccle Bit's about to find out...Venetia King is the hottest girl at school. Too bad Lemar is the second shortest guy in his year. Everyone calls him Liccle Bit, and his two best friends, McKay and Jonah, never tire of telling him he has no chance with girls. Things aren't much better at home. His mum is permanently hassled, his sister a frustrated single mum and his dad moved out years ago. Liccle Bit wishes he could do something - anything! - to make life better. A new phone would be a start...When Venetia starts paying Liccle Bit attention, he secretly hopes he's on a fast track to a first date. Unfortunately, as a new gang war breaks out, he finds himself on a fast track to something much more sinister. South Crongton's notorious gang leader has taken an interest in Liccle Bit. Before he knows what's happening, he finds himself running errands. But when he hears about a killing on the estate, Liccle Bit is forced to question his choices. How can he possibly put things right?

Alex kindly agreed to be interrogated by me and here is what he said:

Can you sum up the novel in one sentence?

One line to describe the novel?  Gosh!  That's difficult.
Hope, friendship, adventurous, funny, dangerous, family, friends, loyalty, thrilling and readable!

Was it difficult writing a novel for the YA market? How did you manage the switch from adult to teenager?

I think the main difference from adult fiction to Y/A teen fiction is that the plot has to keep on rattling along - something is always happening.

Do you have children? Have they read the Liccle Bit yet?

No, my children haven't read LICCLE BIT yet but I'm sure they will do when it is officially published.

South Crongton where Lemar lives, is a fabulous dingy name; is it based on a real place?

I guess South Crongton was inspired by many places I have visited in my work as a writer including Portsmouth, Manchester, Birminham, Leicester and of course Brixton.

At the heart of the novel is the real life problem of gangs, knife and gun culture. What made you choose this subject?

Yes, the story is about the issues living on an inner-city estate but the spine of the narrative is about the dynamics within a family under strain, first love and friendship - and for me those themes are universal.

The language used by Lemar and his friends is very, very funny in places. Did you eavesdrop on real teenagers?

I did eavesdrop on teenagers a bit but also I invented some terms and new phrases.

Did you have an alternative ending?

I think most writers have alternative endings and I can reveal I had a number of discussions about the ending with my brilliant editor.

What advice do you have for would-be-novelists?

Advice?  Never be satisfied with a first draft - always look to improve a chapter, a paragraph and a sentence.  If you have thought of a good metaphor, try and think of a better one.  Be bold, be creative, be daring.  Try not to write like your favourite writer or another writer who you admire.  Develop your own style.  If you can, try and get someone professional to look over your manuscript before submitting it to a literary agent or publisher.  Write the book you would like to buy.  Make those first 10 pages compelling.  Never say in your synopsis, 'the action really gets going in the middle of the story.'

As part of the Finchley Literary Festival, Alex Wheatle talks about his acclaimed new YA novel Liccle Bit. He is joined by local authors Savita Kalhan and Ellie Daines. Turn up to meet the authors and hear some extracts from their books.

Waterstones hosts the 'Meet the Young Adult writers'
Waterstones, 782 High Road, Finchley N12 8JY
Saturday 23rd May at 12.30 - 1.30pm

Liccle Bit is due for release 5th March 2015. You can pre-order here
You can follow Alex on Twitter @BrixtonBard

Ning Nang Nong

Yesterday, the Greenacre Writers held a walk with a difference - The Walking Writer Workshop. Organised by myself on a donation basis to fund my PhD.

Writers at Finchley Golf Club for refreshments

A walk from West Finchley along Dollis Brook and up to Swan Lane Open Open Space. Along the way we stopped for readings and writing, advice and reflection. We turned off mobile phones and had periods of silence where we listened to the breeze in the trees and concentrated on the senses. Luckily there was no sound of rain. (I packed two umbrella's just in case) Mike, our walking guide and local knowledge guru organised a short break at the splendid Nether Court House, home of Finchley Golf Club, for refreshments and writing.


After our break we continued along the brook. There is a new cycle path that has been laid running alongside the Finchley Lawn Tennis Club (although the lawn disappeared years ago), and some of us continued the walk along here. Unfortunately the path isn't quite finished yet. The bridge to the other side has not been built yet so we crossed the brook via stepping stones across the water. 
We continued (a little late after our detour) stopping opposite where Spike Milligan used to live. Zaahiri, delightful daughter of Murni, one of the Greenacre Writers, read one of Spike's poems.

On the Ning Nang Nong

Where the Cows go Bong! 
and the monkeys all say BOO! 
There's a Nong Nang Ning 
Where the trees go Ping! 
And the tea pots jibber jabber joo. 
On the Nong Ning Nang 
All the mice go Clang 
And you just can't catch 'em when they do! 
So its Ning Nang Nong 
Cows go Bong! 
Nong Nang Ning 
Trees go ping 
Nong Ning Nang 
The mice go Clang 
What a noisy place to belong
is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!

Lunch was at the lovely Redwood Cafe in the Swan Lane Open Space where delights such as venison stew or beetroot and goat's cheese toasted sandwiches were followed by delicious courgette and lime cake or healthy portions of carrot cake.

Mark, Irving, Zaahiri, Mike, Zaki, Murni & Charlotte

After lunch we had another treat when Zaki, Murni's son, read what he had written earlier at the golf club:

"I flew to the peak of the evergreen tree, the tree that waved to me every day. Whilst the tree waved the wind would whistle the tube larks liked to sing. The reflections in the water would dance like the humans did: soft, smooth and steady.

The mellow sound of the wilderness and the crunching of gravel by other forest animals made music in my ears. Rhythmic tapping of my woodpecker friends and vibrant colours of humming birds seemed to create a harmony amongst the animals."

What an amazing piece of writing at such a young age. 

Mike organises walks for the Finchley Society. If you fancy joining us, you can find the details  of the latest walk here. We're hoping that some writers will come along and produce some poems or prose on the walk and read the results at Oakhill Park, the final destination where we finish for tea and cake.

The Walking Writer

The Walking Writer workshop is all about nature and writing. Many writers including Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, and Frank O'Hara used walking as a way of stimulating their writing. Walking is not just good for the physical body; it is good for the mind too. For William Blake and William Wordsworth, walking was a way to leave the outside world behind.

We will be retreating from the busy everyday into our own particular creative worlds with an emphasis on sight, sound, smell, touch and hearing and there will be some readings.We will be writing and walking in the wooded areas of Finchley. We will meet at West Finchley and make our way down to the beautiful Dollis Brook where we will write among the trees. You will have a chance to discuss your latest writing project, make new writing friends or meet old ones. We will stop for lunch at The Redwood Café in Swan Lane Open Space.

Where and when:

18th October, 10.30am West Finchley Station, London N3

The Walking Writer Workshop: 

 As a way to fund her PhD; Rosie Canning is offering this workshop on a donation basis. Rosie is hoping her PhD will contribute to changing the outcomes for Care Leavers by challenging stereotypes and the public consciousness.  

Click here to reserve your place:

               

Photo © Mike Gee

A Letter to my Father from a Child of the State*

Dear Father,

I realise we've not had contact for many years, thirty-eight to be precise. Though I did see you twice after I left home at sixteen, so it's more like forty years really. 

Do you remember my eighteenth birthday?

(Of course, I understand, you've dealt with thousands and thousands of 18th birthdays, yes okay, you're right, I understand. No! I'm not upset.)

You gave me a cheque for 15/- (that's 75p in new money) and a tea set.

(No, I don't know what happened to the tea set. I moved around too much)

I thought you might at least write and ask how I was doing. 
Well, I'll tell you:

I've always worked apart from the odd occasion when I was homeless. I regret to say I was on benefits for a while but to be honest, I saw this as you supporting me from a distance, even though you never signed any of the letters yourself.

There was one in particular, the one where all my benefits were stopped and that week the children really did starve. It was signed by somebody called Harry something-or-other. I've racked my brains going through all the aunts and uncles I met during my 16 years in your care but cannot remember him. Was that really you? Using a pseudonym?

(I certainly don't hold you responsible for me being homeless and pregnant at seventeen.)
I guess it was about six months after I left Blueberry Road, I'd been living in a bedsit, well that's what it was called. I got behind with my rent and was asked to leave. I stayed on a friend's sofa for a few nights but after a while, I just felt awkward.

I did phone but you were busy decorating my old bedroom for somebody new. 
I have managed, not always very well, and I do remember people commenting on how skinny I'd become. It's not as if I didn't know how to cook but I couldn't afford to buy the food, so I ate custard creams instead.

I don't want you to feel sorry for me, I'm just trying to explain how difficult life was. It's not difficult now. I'm a successful member of society. In fact, I'm notorius. I have become a campaigner for children in your care and care leavers like myself. I'm not sure if you're proud of me or not. In fact, I'm going to parliament this Thursday; to visit the home of your father, my grandfather. I imagine he won't be able to hear what I say because of course, he never invested in a hearing aid. Whatever is said, will probably fall on death, I mean deaf ears.

I imagine you read about my antics in the local newspaper. (Yes you do read the papers. I remember seeing piles of them on your desk when I visited you at the Town Hall. Remember, we sat in silence for hours. You wouldn't speak to me because you thought it would force me to talk about my feelings.) 

I'm still here. If I had moved away, I would have missed you more than I already do. Have you missed me?

We could meet for tea like we used to. In the Wimpy Bar in Muswell Hill. Remember? You never had anything to eat. It was a game we played. I always had the same thing, bender, beans and egg. (No, I never had the tomato)

I suppose you're wondering why I'm writing to you after all this time. It's not easy you know, writing this letter. But I have nobody else to ask. My real parents (yes, I found out), my real parents are dead.

Anyway I will just finish this letter very quickly by...it's such a difficult thing to do - to ask for help. I want to go back to university. I want to investigate what happens when children leave your care and how that is portrayed in fiction. I’m also going to write an autobiographical novel, like the social novels of Charlotte Brontë or Charles Dickens, possibly challenge your ‘state’ quo. I want to illuminate the voiceless, the marginalized children of society. The research has a literary purpose, a social purpose, which will comment on what happened to us in the seventies and is still happening in society now; it is an important story that needs to be told.

(You say that changes things, if I'm writing autobiographical stuff?)

Well, I just thought I'd drop you a line.

If you do want to help, even at this late stage, you can find out more about my research here.

Yours sincerely,
A child of the state


*A child of the state was first mentioned by Lemn Sissay at the event TedxHousesofParliament.