Summer Jollies 2008

Back from a wonderful holiday in Portugal where I devoured the following books and heartily recommend them all.

Bare Faced Lies and Boogie Woogie Boasts by Jools Holland
A great autobiography of one of the nicest men in the music biz. There wasn't enough scandal or gossip, though. 8/10.

Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin
If you were in Portugal and saw a lady of a certain age in tears as she turned the last page of this book, that was me. A fantastic read. 10/10

The Importance of Music to Girls by Lavinia Greenlaw
An autobiography of an ordinary girl written through the music soundtrack to her life. Interesting but not great with a cover that promised more than the book delivered. 7/10

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn
A fantastic first novel and well deserved winner of the Costa award. Highly recommended even if it did take two days and a nightmare to get over it. 9/10

45 by Bill Drummond
What's not to enjoy in the autobiography of the lead singer of the KLF and the guy who burned a million quid? A wonderful read with more gossip than Jools Holland dished out in his book. 9/10

Spook Country by William Gibson
The godfather of cyberpunk does it again. His female heroines are the best. A cracking story, loved it to bits. "A masterpiece" said the Guardian review. I agree. 9.5/10

Worldwide Adventures in Love by Louise Wener
The author was the lead singer with Sleeper and she's now a cracking novellist. Her finest to date, it had me in bits at the end. 9/10

The Paradise Trail by Duncan Campbell
The author is a Guardian journalist and this is his first novel. I started reading this story about hippies, journalists and murder on the plane journey home and so far, so very good indeed. Looks set to be at least 8.5/10.

On me jollies

I've gone where the sun shines brightly
I've gone where the sea is blue
I've seen pictures of it on flickr
Now let's see if it's true

Coronation Street Weekly Update

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here.

This week the update comes with William G Stewart from 15 to 1.

Pink beer?

Regular readers (hello mum) will know I like a drop of proper beer. So as you can imagine, I'm horrified and saddened and not to say more a little patronised, to read in today's Sunday paper that the American Coors Brewery are trying to entice more British women to drink its ale by launching a pink beer. Ooh, let's all rush out in our pink high heels and buy some. Not.

For a beer blog written by a woman, have a look here. It doesn't get much better.

Matthew Bourne's Dorian Gray

To the ballet this week to see Matthew Bourne's Dorian Gray. It was good stuff indeed but it didn't blow me away in that way Matthew Bourne's ballets have done in the past.

Eating ice-cream in the interval we spotted Oz Clarke from the telly sharing a bag of crisps with a woman. There was also a poster inviting punters to sign up to become a Friend of Matthew which I suspect is a little like being a Friend of Dorothy but with much nicer shoes.

Things you find in other people's books

On a weekend visit to Harrogate last month I bought a couple of novels in a charity shop. Opening one of the novels I found this tucked inside the pages. It's an unused ticket to a Burnley v Bradford football game from March 8, 2003. I think I've found someone's disappointment of a missed game - or could it have been hidden there deliberately? Is it yours? Want it back?

Coronation Street novel

Regular readers might recall that I had a bit of a blogging break over the summer when I was engaged on a writing project. I'm happy to say that I can now report my work has just gone into print.

You can read all about it right here.

Corontion Street Weekly Update

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here.

This week the update comes with a packet of Gypsy Creams to put a song in your heart.