Monday, July 15, 2024

In the news

England lost to Spain in the Euros. (2-1) A fair result as Spain played better I think.

There was an assassination attempt on Mr Trump. When I read that my first thought was that it was staged. Today I see 'staged' is trending on Twitter. 

And speaking of Twitter, occasionally, 'Something's gone wrong. But don't fret. It's not your fault." I never thought it was my fault. 

Did you know the writer of Good King Wenceslas came from East Grinstead**? I went there once on the train by myself without knowing where I was supposed to go when I got there or whom I was meeting. After I ghost-wrote A Cop for Christ my editor at Hodder asked me to go and meet this couple who had been Scientologists but had seen the light, so to speak, and wanted to write their story. He had suggested me to them as a possible ghost-writer.

So I went to meet them and got on the train without an address or a name. Somehow it worked out and I was taken to the couple's home. I think the woman would have been happy for me to write their book but the man kept insisting I should be thoroughly enthusiastic and convinced of the importance of their story. I tried to explain that that was something that should happen as I heard all the details and got involved over the months but I got the impression the man wanted to do it himself. 

Before that, for me, East Grinstead was just a place in an Alan Aykbourn play.

Finally, did you know there was a period in the world's geological history where nothing happened? It's known as the Boring Billion Years*. Reading that back it sounds like a joke but it was a serious man talking on a serious programme on the radio.

At least I think it was serious. There was also a man on it who had befriended a potato.

* * * * *

I wanted a photo to brighten up the post so had a quick browse and came across this from 2010. George at the grave of Beddgelert in north Wales.

* From New Scientist: From 1.7 billion years ago, for a billion boring years, Earth remained a slimy, near-static world of algae and microbes. 

** East Grinstead is home to the UK HQ of the Church of Scientology.

8 comments:

Boud said...

We seem to be in the era of non-stop excitement, oh well.

You ghost writers lead an exciting life, too.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Oh, George, how nice to see him again!

Marie Smith said...

The photo of George doesn’t come up when I load your blog. Too bad! I always loved seeing him.

Marie Smith said...

Yay! George! Thank you!

Ann said...

Nice photo of George.

Anvilcloud said...

As a person with a solely British ancestry, I was cheering for England, but they were outplayed from what I could see. However, I confess to knowing little of the sport.

Chris said...

Gosh I didn't know the writer of Good King Wenceslas came from East Grinstead! Thank you for that.

PipeTobacco said...

Wow! I do not remember you saying you had been a ghost writer!!!!! That is cool!

PipeTobacco