An Actress and A Nymph
The highlight of this last week was undoubtedly the Guardian article about the forthcoming staging of Beside The Sea at the South Bank Centre. The two page spread featured an artistic photo of the...
View ArticlePeirene Upstaged
Last Wednesday Beside the Sea hit the London stage. The play was put on at the South Bank Centre’s Purcell Room and opened the Women of the World Festival 2012. Over the last two months the...
View ArticleA Final 2012 Nymph Word
The Nymph has requested to take over the last blog of this year. Not without a smidgen of anxiety, I will let her take control of the key-board. ‘Three years ago I arrived on this rainy island, a...
View ArticleKitchen Workshop
A few years ago I got stuck on the question: Why do we live in houses? Of course I understand the practical side of living in buildings. But why and how did our brains ever conceive in the first place...
View ArticlePeirene Takes on ‘Life of Pi’
Best news this week: Beside the Sea is outdoing Life of Pi. And that despite the fact that Life of Pi has been turned into a major blockbuster film. Peirene’s books are widely reviewed in the national...
View ArticleBook Launch Highlights
My own second novella, Clara’s Daughter, published this month by Salt, was launched on Friday. In style. Thanks to an amazing team. The preparations started at 9am on the dot. My daughter Rosa and her...
View ArticleA Problem Child
‘My life is utter misery.’ Peirene is shuffling around the office with uncombed hair, slippers on her feet and shoulders hunched forward. ‘I don’t know if I can go on living.’ ‘Hm,’ I respond, without...
View ArticleDhaka Abduction
A few months ago I received a phone call. Would I like to come to Dhaka for a literary conclave? The invitation sounded exciting, not least because I’ve never been to Bangladesh before. I checked my...
View ArticleKnitting Therapy
‘I have a present for you.’ Peirene hands me a parcel. I open the package. Knitting needles, yarn and a book with retro knitting patterns fall into my lap. Surprised, I look at the Nymph. I haven’t...
View ArticleHangover in the Swiss Alps
‘This is the life! To be swept off to the Swiss Alps in the middle of a working week. Just like that. And everything organised– including check-in at the airport and taxis at our destination’. Peirene...
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