Flaming Nora

If you're a fan of my Coronation Street weekly updates - which have been going strong since 1995 - then you'll be happy to hear that all of my 2014 Corrie weekly updates are now available for Kindle. 2014 Corrie weekly updates for Kindle. Buy it here .  Or if you're in the UK, here . Unofficial Coronation Street weekly updates from 1995 to 201 4 20 years in 20 lovely, fan written, e-books All the wit and warmth of Weatherfield, none of the waffle Written by Coronation Street Blog editor, Flaming Nora   . ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Erica! (the exclamation mark is compulsory) arrived. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Billy the vicar arrived. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie has been a joy. No murders, no tram crashes, no court scenes. Just a posh American stranger and a tasteless red sofa.  ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, if Gavin isn't Gavin, who is? ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've collected sea-glass for years and collecting it is one of my favourite things to do on the beach, apart from playing frisbee, eating ice-creams and plodging. Searching for sea-glass resulted in finding a post-Medieval rosary bead . But anyway, I digress. I collected so much of the glass that I kept it in a big bowl in the living room.  And then I thought I'd have a go at making some Christmas decorations with it.  My lovely sister-in-law drove me to a craft shop in her fab car for a day out. We went to Dainty Supplies .  It's something of a mecca for those who like crafts. I didn't know where to start or what to look at and took sis-in-law's advice on what might work with glass to make it look festive.  Here's what I bought for approx. £30 total. A glass bowl, some white LED lights, glass glue, red plastic beads, clear plastic baubles, clear plastic star shapes, clear plastic heart shapes. I started by sorting my sea glass into different ...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Julie wore a lovely frock and Carla put Alya straight in the pants department. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Cilla returned - in all her glory.  ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

To the flicks yesterday to see the much-anticipated and long-awaited Northern Soul film.  It's a film that's gone straight to DVD and you can buy it in the shops now. But a few independent cinemas have chosen to show it on the big screen and I do hope it gets an even wider audience than that. It certainly deserves it. It's a coming-of-age film, set in 1974 when the world both inside and outside home was dark and bleak with little to do.  Yes, there's a great soundtrack and fab dancing. But the film is much more. It's about growing up in the '70s, friendship and falling out, falling in love and finding yourself.  The film is much edgier and darker than I expected - and is the better for it. The evocation of mid-1970s is spot on.  The attention to detail is incredible - from the fashion and flares to the factories and the fellas' haircuts. At the end of the film, the audience at the cinema applauded and cheered.  Many clapped along to the final song as...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Liz wore her slippers to the shops. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

The older I get, the less I like Christmas.  And this time of year is the time I hate most, as far as Christmas goes. Because this time of the year forces me to start thinking about Christmas. What to buy, what to wear, what to eat, what to say, what to do, what to spend, what, what, what, what, what, what, what.. ...what I'd really love to do is keep all the money I'll no doubt spend on presents for people who don't really want - and certainly don't need - the things I might buy them.  ... what I'd really love to do is keep the money and spend it on them all instead in January on a big lovely night out or a weekend away or make a donation to their favourite charity. Christmas is too commercial, too crass and too crap. This year just might be the first year I run away from it all.  ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Deirdre had hundreds and thousands of reasons to be a trifle upset. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, David made jus, Dev fancies Julie and Dirty Widows got cleaned up. I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, they saved the flaming dog! I 'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, there was a cricket match. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

This weekend is the Heritage Open Days weekend . It's the first time I've been in the country when it's  been on as I'm usually away on hols.  And so, to a vintage bus ride around the City of Sunderland. We set off bright and early on Saturday morning. Our chariot for the day a lovingly restored and very cute "1961 Bristol" which used to ferry paying passengers between Leeds and Newcastle via Middlesbrough and Sunderland. The bus set off from Monkwearmouth Station Museum which is currently showing an exhibtion of 1914 WW1 recruitment posters. First stop on the vintage bus tour was Hylton Castle where we were given a very interesting guided tour and plenty of time to wander about taking photographs. Back on the bus to our next destination - the Washington F Pit museum . One of the oldest coal mines in the area where the winding room has been restored for visitors to look around. It's only open a few times a year so we were lucky to get in ...

Just back from a lovely bit of Spain and while I was there I got through four novels and one band biography as follows: Monique Roffey - White Woman on a Green Bicycle Another wonderful book from someone who is fast becoming one of my favourite authors - check out her website .  Set in Trinidad, it's a love story to the island and between an English couple who live there. Monique's style always leaves me feeling I want to know more - about the background to her stories, about Monique herself.  I lost myself in this book, it was magic, and  cried a little bit too.  10/10. Douglas Kennedy - The Job His publishers should be given a stern talking to about the covers of his books because they make his work look like chick-lit when they're anything but.  Also this book had nothing to do with a woman and a suitcase.  It did have a lot to do with the American dream going sour. It's a rollercoaster of a read, you jump in the carriage on page one and don't ...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Liz and Jim were reunited in jail. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Today I'm celebrating a big birthday. A very big birthday indeed. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Today, August 18th is the birthday of this blog. Set up on August 18th 2006, it celebrates its 8th birthday today. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, just don't mention couscous. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I'm in the news. Here on the BBC news website , talking about the demoliiton of of the Coronation Street set ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Browsing for books in a proper bookshop this week has been a treat. I was browsing and buying books to read on two upcoming holidays when, if it's a quiet day by the pool, I can easily read a book in a day. Words are absorbed as easily and quickly as sun tan lotion when I'm on holiday, relaxed and reading. After checking out books by authors I knew, I then started looking and reading spines of books by authors I'd never heard of before. If I liked the title of the book, I'd pull it off the shelf and have a look at the front cover. If it passed that test, by which I mean it didn't have a picture of a stiletto shoe or a champagne glass on it, then I turned the book over and read the blurb on the back.  If that seemed ok, by which I mean no sci-fi, history, war or cowboys, then I'd flick open the book at a random page to see if I liked the writing style.  And if a book passed all four tests - spine, front cover, back blurb and inside text, I'd buy it. But...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Gail says she wasn't simpering. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Raindrops on our washing line this morning.  I know, I should get out more. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie,Gaila dmits she's always been partial to a bit of tutti-frutti. .______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, it's Peter's turn to wear the tabard of shame. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Every year there's an international airshow in Sunderland. And as it takes place right outside our front door, it seems churlish not to go and see it. Actually, it's fantastic and this year's airshow has been brilliant. Here's my pictures of The Red Arrows with a seagull photobombing it.  Speaking of seagulls, I haven't had a full night's sleep in a couple of months.  Such is life living by the sea. Noisy blighters. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

To Washington Wetland Centre for the day, and what a great day it was.  I first went there when it was first opened back in 1975, on a school trip. And I'm ashamed to say I've never been since. Until this week - and I can't recommend the place highly enough. But back to that school trip in 1975. We had a supply teacher from Australia who dragged us bunch of kids along to the Washington Wetland Centre so we could see one of his native black swans.  Happily, the black swans are still there. Go and see them, they're great. You will have an amazing day out. Washington Wetlands Centre ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Rob came out in a cold sweat when he spotted Tracy's charm bracelet.     ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I don't want to repeat a blog post I wrote about the London bombings of July 7 2005, but I do urge you to read it. It's here. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

Today I had the day the likes of which I haven't had in a very long time.  It's a day that I wouldn't want too many of as I spent it alone, on my own, making a start on writing Book Number 2.   It's the only way I can work and write properly and productively. I need silence, I need solace. I need the telly off and people away.  And today I had it, and it's been great.  ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Gail paused her exercise DVD 'Bounce Your Way to Happiness' just long enough to visit another unsuitable man.  ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here This week on Corrie, Eccles got a storyline all of her own. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora