Lisa Jewell: Diary December 2009

Diary

December 2009

Amelie and Evie at the school disco

December 2009

Those of you who like my usual rambling, over-detailed essays about the really not very interesting minutiae of my life may find this quarter’s entry a little disappointing. Everyone else can breathe a sigh of relief. I'm rather over-burdened with work, play and family and am allowing myself only ONE DAY to put this whole thing together. And actually, truly, although it hasn't stopped me wittering on in the past, I really haven't got anything much to tell you about anyway...

In September I went to the glittering offices of my publishers, Random House, to meet Reina James so that we could interview each other for New Books Magazine. When the idea was first mooted I thought, who is this Reina James, must be some chicklitter I've never heard of? Then while I was in Ibiza a book arrived direct from a publisher with no covering letter which I assumed had been sent to me to review. It was only a fortnight later when I was reminded that the interview was coming up that I Googled Reina James and discovered that she is the daughter of the legendary Sid James and that far from being a fellow chicklit writer she was the author of a novel about the great flu epidemic of 1918. She was also the author of the book I’d been sent two weeks earlier and put away because I had no idea why I’d been sent it.

It was lovely to meet her, she looked like Charlotte Rampling (and not at all like Sid James) and was charm personified but I was mortified as I'd somehow managed in my post-Ibiza fug to miss the fact that I was supposed to be interviewing her about her new novel, the very very excellent The Old Joke, and had only just picked it up and wasn't even halfway through it! So embarrassing as she had not only bought a copy of my book herself but read it TWICE! I felt absolutely DREADFUL. I'm usually really good at reading letters and e-mails to make sure I haven't missed anything, but this was a big FAIL. Reina was lovely about it and Linda Leatherbarrow from the magazine kindly filled in all the gaps so I think I just about covered my back and actually it was a really fun experience and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if by the time the interview comes out in their January issue you don't even notice my terrible faux pas.

In October we went to Devon for the half term holiday with two other families. In a nutshell it was a week of a) astoundingly good weather and b) plague-like illness. We’d already been warned that two children had some kind of lurgy the week before we went, then Amelie came down with it the day before we went. On the motorway on the way there I felt it descend upon me and when we arrived that evening another two people had been struck down. By the end of the week everyone bar two adults had been hit with the lurgy stick, which included, oddly, a bout of viral conjunctivitis that left everyone with a pink right eye.


Evie tickling the ivories in a very white room in a very white house in the country Devon, October 2009	Evie making her way across Thurlestone golf course to the beach beyond Devon, October 2009

Amelie after discovering the sand beetles on Thurlestone Beach Devon, October 2009	Amelie in the garden of our big white house Devon, October 2009

Amelie Devon, October 2009	Evie at Berry Pomeroy Castle Devon, October 2009

But illness apart we could not have had a nicer time. The house was beautiful if not frighteningly white), perched on top of a cliff overlooking the south Devon coast. The weather, as I say, was amazing, really warm and dry, only one wet day and Jascha’s bad back was really good so we celebrated by filling our days with lovely day-trips and walks. Evie caught the lurgy on our last day, she bleated her way pathetically around our friend Ben’s farm and then slept the whole way back to London and for the next four days.


Me, Evie and Tom, Berry Pomeroy Castle Devon, October 2009	A gaggle of kids looking at a gaggle of geese, Ben’s farm Devon, October 2009

Amelie gathering eggs at Ben’s farm Devon, October 2009	Evie gathering eggs at Ben’s farm Devon, October 2009

Evie and Elsa, Ben’s lovely Lurcher Devon, October 2009	Oh no, Evie's got the lurgy! Devon, October 2009

Late October me and Jenny Colgan took the 4.45 from Waterloo to Guildford where we appeared in the annual Girls’ Night In event which is part of the Guildford Book Festival. I've done it before and it is such a fun event. You start off in a very well-appointed green room that is crammed full of treats and goodies, then once you've limbered up with a glass or two of wine, you shuffle onto a stage set that feels more like your best friend’s living room, settle into a comfy sofa and then just chat about books and stuff for forty five minutes in front of a paying audience. This year I was on with Jenny, Jill Mansell and Adele Parks. Jane Wenham Jones was the compere and kept us all under control. And oh yes, there was a bonus girl on the stage with us as well, Jenny’s six month old daughter who had been unable to organise a babysitter for herself!


In the green room, Electric Theatre, Guildford October 2009	On stage with all the girls, Electric Theatre, Guildford October 2009

Met some lovely people afterwards including Denis and Janet who always make the effort to come and see me when I venture out into the public arena. It's always nice to see friendly faces at these things, even if I do call you by your friend’s name by mistake (sorry Denis!).

The girls are as enthralling and challenging as ever. They have finally found a common interest which seems to consist solely of rolling around on top of each other screaming usually until one or other starts crying. I thought only boys did this kind of thing. It is very loud and I tell them that if they don't stop doing it I'm getting a full-time nanny. Amelie has discovered drawing and our house is full of these incredibly detailed little line drawings of people doing interesting things. I know all parents are biased but I really do think she has a wonderful way with a pen and a real eye for peoples’ movements and expressions. They are charming. We went to see her in her nativity last week. She was a narrator (“I don’t want to be a narrator! Narrators are BORING!”) and yes, I blubbed again when the reception angels came on and did their gorgeous little dance to Greatest Day by Take That. It was extra poignant this year as it was Amelie’s last nativity. Yes, next year she will be too old for nativity! Oh my God, stop it, I can't bear it!


Bonfire night, Crescent Garden, London W9 November 2009	Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, W1 December 2009

In the House of Fun, Winter Wonderland Hyde Park, W1 December 2009	Dancing up a storm at the School Christmas Disco Holy Trinity Church hall, NW3 December 2009

With her cousin Archie and aunt Mabel Home November 2009	Outside the Pilchard Inn, Burgh Island Devon, October 2009

Evie is an outrage. She has given up totally being polite to people she meets now and even blew a raspberry at my GP the other day when he asked her very nicely not to play with a sample jar. I was mortified. I feel so bad for all the nice people who were used to getting a wave and smile and a hello from her, when she just turns her head away from them, or goes; ‘hmph,’ and closes her eyes as if they really are of no interest to her WHATSOEVER. But she is who she is and she’s had more than her fair share of fuss for one so young. She is *so* over Night Garden and Waybuloo and asks me to put Hannah Montana and i-Carly on the telly for her instead. She is TWO AND A HALF. But oh so clever and funny and I swear if I put her in reception now, no one would notice the difference. Apart possibly from the fact that she is still in nappies. Potty-training over Christmas – wish me luck!


In rabbit face paint at the school Christmas Disco Holy Trinity Church hall, NW3 December 2009	With Daddy, Home November 2009

Evie is like a cat. If she spots a lap or a warm body she’s on it without so much as a by your leave. Here she is taking advantage of a slumbering uncle Seb Home November 2009	With big cousin Mia, Sacha’s house November 2009

Evie modelling a fine piece of peach polyester Home October 2009	Doing her best Suri Cruise impersonation Home December 2009

And talking of Christmas, once again we are hosting it here, same as last year, except my other sister and her family are coming too, so we will be 16 and a baby! Thank God Lee has said he’ll cook again so that I can concentrate on clearing away wrapping paper and topping up glasses. Then at New Year we’re off to Norfolk with our friends Patch and Nic and their three children, our first New Year’s Eve not spent at home eating home delivery lobster since Amelie was born. Should be fantastic.

Then it will be January and I will think; oh holy CRAP I have only SIX MONTHS to finish my book, my head will spin for a while, I will feel a bit sick and then I will just have to really get stuck in. Oh, and the paperback of Melody Browne will be out on January 7th so please do tell anyone you can think of that they absolutely MUST BUY IT because it is SO TOTALLY BRILLIANT

Have a fabulous time over Christmas everyone, I hope your day will be full of love and cheer and family and good food. See you back here in March when I will be gearing up for the publication of After the Party, my Ralph’s Party sequel. I am absolutely TERRIFIED :O Thank god it's got such a beautiful cover:

After the Party

Tons and tons of love,

Lisa xxxx

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