Pancakes, protest, photos

Approximately-weekly news, #78

Hooray! It is The Best Festival. Happy Shrove Tuesday (aka Pancake Day) to all those who celebrate.

I made these Ottolenghi pancakes, but didn’t leave the batter to rest for long enough, so they are not pleasingly round or especially fluffy, like the originals. Bloody delicious though.

I found a pack of frozen blueberries lurking in the freezer, chucked them in a pan with a squeeze of lemon juice and a slug of caster sugar, and let them bubble while I cooked the pancakes. And that’s the last* of the Greek yoghurt. Breakfast** of the blessed.

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And some news that actually made me shout YES! in a London street, as though I was a quirky romcom character who just heard that she got the lead in the play after all: the ban on the direct action group Palestine Action has been deemed unlawful in a judicial review. It has yet to be lifted, but this is a huge win for the right to protest, and a vindication of all those who have been arrested for holding signs over the last year. (This is the campaign I’ve written about before. Here’s the Defend Our Juries website and here’s the BBC reporting.)

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I would like to take on a writing mentee to begin work in March, and I would like to book in one more manuscript assessment or developmental/line edit for March and one for April. You can find details of what I do here.

I’d love to have a no-obligation call with you to talk about your writing and how I might help you to grow as a writer.

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I am just back from a most excellent trip to London. I didn’t take many photos, so I think I might just show you them all. Buckle up.

1: Rice pudding with poached plums*** and pistachios, a delicious end to a lovely celebratory lunch with my agent and editor, two of the best, kindest and most supportive people I know. (But who I never remember to photograph.)

2. Pilgrimage to a stationery shop. (This one.)

   

   It is so full of beautiful things that I got a bit overwhelmed and didn’t buy anything, though I suspect I picked literally everything up and put it up again. I’m sorry, Choosing-Keeping-people. I have a date with your website.

3. Some great news from America, who has taken Loveday and the Lost For Words family to their hearts. Number 1 Bestseller in British Contemporary Fiction! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

   

4. And a little piercing to celebrate. Molly, the piercer****, at one point said ‘well done,’ and I said, jokingly-not-jokingly, ‘say that again’. I actually got a sticker and a lollipop. (I go here.)

   

5. The sky in Farnham on Saturday was perfection, and so was my day of yarn-squishing, book-talking and catching up with my dear friend Rebecca.

   

6. Gerbera***** and daffodils bought for me by my daughter.

   

7. London Sunday sky.

   

8. London Monday bun and coffee and words before the train.

(I know it’s quite unlikely that you’re reading this from east London, but if you are, I commend Forno to you.)

Not pictured: book haul from Tate Modern, a variety of excellent dogs in coats, rain in different levels of torrential, shoes I tried on at Dr Martens and am mulling over (these ones, please don’t buy all the size 7s!).

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Thank you to everyone who is reading A BOOKSHOP SUMMER and telling me about it. This makes me so very happy. I know writers say this all the time, and it’s annoying, but it really makes a difference: if you can, please post a review.****** It helps with visibility and it reduces the amount of time a writer needs to spend glaring at her long-suffering dog.******* Paperback is in May; ebook here (UK) and here (US).

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In Unprecedented Shenanigans, I am off to Glasgow tomorrow with BMB, for a play and some museuming and a gig with an old school friend.

I’d love to know what you’re reading and loving.

As ever, my friends, I’m holding you in the light. Thank you for being here.

Stephanie xxx

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*half of the last of the Greek yoghurt, technically. BMB is also a big yoghurt fan.

**brunch, really, by the time I’d remembered it was Pancake Day and got it all sorted.

***despite appearances, not beetroot.

****is this the right word? Not sure. And if it is, what’s the collective noun? A needle of piercers?

*****Lou’s favourite flower

******even a meh one. +brave face+

*******obviously, Harris is not suffering AT ALL.