After missing November's sessions, I was pleased to be
reunited with Rob, Linda and Izzie on 9th December for a pre-Christmas SVA
meeting. Sadly, Chris and Annie couldn't
make it due to work and illness respectively.
As a result, Linda ventriloquised Chris's submission - the second half of
Chapter 13 of Karl Marx and Careful
Driving. We were short on news,
though Rob told us his book (and e-book) No
Mean Affair had sold well at, of all places, the Labour Party Christmas
Fair. His latest novel Out of Such
Darkness is 'in press' in readiness for a national launch (London on 27th February)
and a local launch (Bewdley on 13th March). (Contact Rob via his website for details.) Linda is approaching agents with her book while Izzie's blog has
featured on Post40bloggers.
So, to Chris's submission-in-absentia ... The consensus was:
·
we liked the personal observations which humanise
the philosophical ideas
·
we liked the unassuming sense of humour
·
the 'gear changes' between the inner and outer points
of view are very smooth
·
it will work as a travel book as well as a philosophy
book.
There wasn't much in the way of suggestions for improvements
other than perhaps there were some missed opportunities for dialogue, particularly
with the character of Vladimir.
 |
| 'Mind if I photograph your pudding, Madam?' |
A week later, we convened at a local Italian restaurant for
a jovial (though somehow not particularly festive) Yuletide/end-of-year
celebration. Chris was in attendance and
Annie too, although the latter seemed still slightly delirious after her
illness, resulting in the threshold for hilarity being seriously compromised. As Izzie doesn't like having her picture
taken, I suggested taking a photo of her pudding ... which was, it appeared, the
funniest thing I have said all year.
Let's hope we all continue to have as much fun in 2015.
Forthcoming meetings:
13 January: Linda
submitting, meeting at Rob's
27 January: Tony submitting,
meeting at Annie's
