Sunday, May 04, 2014

The Year in Books - May

Joining with Laura at A Circle of Pines for this month's The Year in Books

Well, of course as the saying goes 'the best laid plans of mice and men' does apply to my reading this month.  The books I highlighted as waiting to be read in my April post are still unread because a book I had been waiting for  arrived at the library so I've been reading Balancing Act by Joanna Trollope.


Balancing Act is set here, in the Potteries and is the story of a family business going through the motions of change, it is about a woman's place in the home, in the family and in the workplace. It is also about mens' places in the life of the family too. Susie Moran started the Susie Sullivan Pottery when she was in her twenties and built up her empire despite all the pressures on her.  Now the business needs to change to survive in today's exacting market place and her three daughters Cara, Ashley and Grace are wanting more power within the company.  Grace is a designer in the factory in Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent and the other two daughters are based in London at the firm's main offices.  Jasper Moran, Susie's husband is a jazz musician who was happy to stay at home to look after the girls as Susie built up her company.  Now he wants to return to the music he loves.  Susie's father, Morris who left her as a small child  to be brought up by her grandparents returns from Africa.  How will Susie cope with all these changes?  Will business or family take over.  Can she really have both?

I loved reading this book not least because it is mostly set locally to me but also for the way it is written, for the sympathetic depiction of family life and the sincerity of her characters.


I've also been reading the two books on Mow Cop by Philip R Leese.  The photo on the top one inspired me to write a story which I sent to a friend who does creative writing to read.  He has written another story set about 40 years later using my original characters and creating some more and now I'm going to 'move it on' again into the 1960s. Another family saga is emerging!  It is a great way to get the creative juices flowing again as it is about 5 years since I last did any fiction writing.

So for May I still have the books I mentioned in my April post to read if I get around to them.  Yesterday I started to read a book I bought from a second hand book shop on holiday.  


So far I'm enjoying this crime novel set in Edinburgh a city I've visited only once - I'd love to return one day.



20 comments:

  1. They all sound like very interesting books! Happy reading in May. xx

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    1. Thanks, Amy - I shall certainly enjoy my reading I hope:)

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  2. The first book sounds really great and nice that you can identify with it being based in Stoke-on-Trent. I didn't know you wrote stories Rosie? Any chance of putting a few lines on here one day? x

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    1. I've done a few Creative Writing courses over the years and have alos done an OU creative writing course but hadn't written anything for ages:)

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  3. I enjoy Joanna Trollope and have read just about all her books so this one will go on the list. I don't seem to have got around reading much this last month - too busy elsewhere - but I hate not to have a book on the go.

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    1. It is as good and absorbing as many of her earlier books. I always have a book on the go and take one if I go out and about. I always used to take a book when travelling to pass the time - nothing worse than being stranded on a station with ages to wait for a train and no book to read:)

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  4. I enjoyed the Joanna Trollope, one author who doesn't seem to have 'gone off the boil' as many do, after so long writing. Busy with creative writing as well... working on the rewrite of my novel, hard going at times, but I am determined to get it ready for publishing later in the year.

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    1. That sounds like hard work, Edwina but I hope you get to the point of publishing soon. Then I expect the hard work of promoting starts. I've only ever written poetry and short stories at various creative writing classes I've attended plus the OU course too:)

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  5. Sounds like you've been reading some very interesting books. I didn't know you wrote your own stories!

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    1. I've written a couple of local history/guide books for the museum I worked for in Lincolnshire but only ever dabbled with short stories and poetry at the various creative writing courses I've been too since about 2000. I think I prefer writing short stories to poetry:)

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  6. That is so interesting that you write fiction, Rosie and it's great that you're about to start something new. I've never read any Joanna Trollope, but it is good to hear that you enjoyed this book.

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    1. I just dabble really, Wendy I've never had anything published other than a couple of local history books which I wrote for the Museum I worked in - many years ago now. I enjoy writing short stories and hadn't written anything since I last attended a creative writing class:)

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  7. I enjoy Joanna Trollope also and have read most of her novels. I shall look out for that one. She came to the literary festival in Stoke I believe? Maybe she took her inspiration from Emma B ? or Susie C ?

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    1. I'm sure you will enjoy this one, Valerie. I think Joanna Trollope is coming to the literary festival in June along with Dr David Starkey. It is being held at the Emma Bridgewater factory in Hanley and I think she visted there once or twice when researching her book. In her acknowledgements she thanks the Eastwood pottery factory too:)

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  8. I've not read any Joanna Trollope books before but your book sounds good so I'll look out for it. This monthly read is good for me as I have never read so much as I have done this last few months, well novels that is. It's good to see what others are reading too.
    Patricia x

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    1. Most of Joanna Trollope's books are very well written and I always get immersed in her characters. It is a few years since I read one but I really enjoyed it:)

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  9. I've not read any Joanna Trollope, thank you so much for the review, I will look out for it. I am a Crime reading junkie LoL, and read Natural Causes and LOVED, LOVE it. Hope you enjoy it.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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    1. I too love crime fiction especially Elly Griffiths and Stepehn Booth. I'm really enjoying Natural Causes and have got two thirds of the way through already:)

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    2. Hello Rosie, Check out Luke Delaney - he is a brilliant crime author, not heard of Stephen Booth but will check him out. Many thanks.
      luv
      irene
      xxxx

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    3. Stephen Booth sets his books in the Peak District in Derbyshire and I always say to people start with his first one and work through them as the main characters of Cooper and Fry change so much over the years. I will look out for Luke Delaney - thanks for the tip:)

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