I think Ursula Le Guin was the first author who I noticed wrote both for children and adults. Long before JK Rowling was writing children’s fantasy, and schools of magic, there was the wonderful and prolific Diana Wynne Jones. Her first book, “Wilkins’ Tooth”, was published...
Last Saturday I watched the film “Darkest Hour”, starring Gary Oldman. It covers a few days in 1940 at the beginning of Winston Churchill’s premiership, when France was about to fall, and many in the Cabinet felt Britain should enter peace negotiations with Hitler. (Spoiler:...
Something a bit different. A prayer for 2018 inspired by the story of the Magi in St Matthew chapter 2. Father God, of course we know that 1st January really has no more significance than any other, but it may be a time to stop, to...
Happy New Year, everyone! We start 2018 with a guest review of a film still in cinemas, but which many of you will have seen. My friend and co-warden Clint Redwood is an avid watcher and commentator on all things Star Wars. If you want to see...
I am strongly tempted in the madness that is December, to save energy by recycling my anti-Christmas rant on this blog about seasonal busyness https://www.penelopewallace.com/christmas-busy-ness/, my anti-Santa rant https://www.penelopewallace.com/santa-claus-is-coming-to-town/, and my Advent calendar rant https://www.penelopewallace.com/advent-calendars/. Instead, however, I will write a few words on the subject...
I really did mean to keep the blog free of book-plugging for a bit, but it's been quite a busy week. As most of you know, "The Tenth Province of Jaryar" comes out officially on Monday, and as all of you know, it's nearly Christmas. My...