I could not possibly disagree with either Linda or Melanie.

Well, yes I could. On one little little point. Linda’s title for her post “Thieving Magpies” was no doubt intended to be provocative. I am duly provoked :)

‘Theft’ implies property. The thing that is stolen belongs to someone else. But to whom does a work like Jane Eyre belong? Or The Turn of the Screw or The Silver Chair? Of course the law may allow heirs and corporations to own rights over past works. But that seems a bit like allowing the descendant of some Victorian collector to own treasures that his ancestor looted from the tombs of the Pharoahs.

The big, old, much-loved stories belong to everyone. They get retold and retold, in many forms. Not a year goes by without another Jane Austen TV serialisation or film re-make. Now, it would be a brave writer who actually tried to re-write Pride and Predjudice, but shift it to another century, put it in different clothes, call it Bridget Jones’ Diary and it works. Who’s the poorer? Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, I have Archie moments.  I have so many that when I look back they all blur into a miasma of misunderstanding and confusion.  Only the really grisly ones stand out clearly, complete in themselves.  You know - the ones that make you scream when you remember them.  (And then of course everyone in the room turns round and looks at you: another Archie moment.  They breed, you see.)   

It was my first ever publisher’s party.  My debut novel was due out the following month.  I went up and down the crowded room, proudly wearing my badge John Dickinson – Author and introducing myself to everyone: ‘How do you do? I’m John Dickinson‘ just in case they couldn’t read. Everyone was very nice. They are, at publisher’s parties.

‘How do you do?’ I said to the next person. I squinted at their badge. This too said Author. ‘What do you write?’

The author laughed dismissively. Not much really, was the answer. Bits and pieces. Non-fiction, mostly.

Read the rest of this entry »