I’m not going to say anything further about the weather – I’m bored with the cold and disruption. But a colleague was showing me his photos of the Caribbean cruise he went on over Christmas and the New Year. It made me long for some warm sun on my skin and the feel of sand between my toes.
Talking of cruises, Heritage Magazine are currently offering a luxury Hebridian Islands cruise to the winner of their travel writing competition. They want your story of an unforgettable historic holiday you’ve enjoyed in Britain – in just 500 words. Visit the website for more details – I guarantee it will whet your appetite.
Still on the subject of competitions, don’t you find the Orange Prize for Fiction rather condescending? Why should there be a competition for women only? It’s almost as though they feel that we can’t compete on a level playing field. And you can imagine the uproar if they had a ‘men only’ prize! (Incidentally, if I’m showing my ignorance here and there is such a literary prize, please let me know.) If you’ve got talent it shouldn’t matter what gender you are – to the victor go the spoils.
Grouch over – and on to more cheerful things. This year it’s the Writers Bureau’s 21st birthday. We like to think we’re a friendly bunch and quite a few staff have been with us since we started back in 1989. So tomorrow we’re celebrating. A chilled glass of champagne and a few candles won’t come amiss in these gloomy times. So…Cheers!
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I do agree about the Orange Prize for Fiction. How patronising! It’s like having compulsory quotas for female parliamentary candidates. If we’re good enough, we should be able to compete on our own merits. Part of me, though, agonises about whether the cards are still stacked too much in favour of men in most walks of life – writing included. What do folks think about women-only networks, e.g. the Society of Women Writers and Journalists? I must admit to my views being torn about them…
I do agree about the Orange Prize for Fiction – rather patronising. It’s like having compulsory quotas for female parliamentary candidates. Part of me, though, wonders if the cards are still stacked too much in favour of men in most walks of life – writing included. What do folks think about women-only networks, e.g. Society of Women Writers & Journalists? I must admit to being torn…
“male bondage…
WHAT ARE GAY SEX TOYS:.”…