Sarah Dunnakey's Blog

WHO-UNDUNNIT?

Which of these is an ‘opposite’ of the others

a.         INSERT COMPOSER

b.         PRIM LASS ME

c.         RIOT ARMY

d.         A REV

e.         OUR HELICOPTER

Answers at the bottom of the page

If you enjoy puzzles and murder mysteries then take a look at my new book ‘The Twelve Murders of Christmas’, published by Avon on 7th November

12 murderous mysteries to read.

20 perplexing puzzles to solve.

1 mystifying murder to unravel…

Can you solve the puzzles and unmask the murderer before they strike again?

Agatha Christie meets Murdle with these puzzling whodunnits that will test even the most seasoned of sleuths this Christmas.

WHO-UNDUNNIT? answers

check back here on 26th October for the answers

At the end of June 2019 I flew back from an incredible three week cycling trip around the Westfjords of Iceland, had a shower and jumped on a train to Newcastle. I was determined not to miss the Northern Writers’ Awards ceremony. It was lovely to catchup with new Writing North people and fellow writers, and to celebrate the winners of the 2019 awards. I was so pleased to accept the Arvon Award, for which I had entered my then work-in-progress, a historical crime novel called ‘Where Angels Fear’. My prize was an Arvon Foundation retreat of my choice.

It’s been a busy old year and it wasn’t until just before Christmas that I was able to plan the how, when, where and what of my chosen retreat. Now it’s all booked and in the diary and I can’t wait!  I am going to be spending six days at The Clockhouse at the Hurst, in Shropshire, on an untutored writing retreat. I will be staying in a studio apartment with views of the Shropshire Hills. With all meals provided I will have lots of time to write and edit and write (and gaze out of the window!)

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I will be reporting back here on the experience. Meanwhile there are still three weeks to go until the deadline for this year’s Northern Writers’ Awards and I would encourage anyone who is eligible to apply. Full details on all of the different awards, including the Arvon Award, can be found here.

I have enjoyed every one of my Read Regional events, but I was particularly looking forward to this one in Middlesbrough. I grew up in nearby Guisborough and Redcar, and the Dunnakey family have long standing connections with Middlesbrough itself. I remember visiting my Great Grandparents – Nana and Grandad Pop – there when I was little and my Grandad Arthur worked at Smiths Dock on Teesside for most of his working life.  So this was my homecoming gig!

I’ve always had a thing about bridges (my holiday this year is constructed around a crossing of the Oresund Bridge) and it may be this beauty’s fault.

The Tees Transporter Bridge, one of only nine working transporter bridges in the world. It was great to spot other local landmarks on my drive over to Teesside, including my favourite Sunday day out when I was a kid, Roseberry Topping.

My event at Acklam Library was part of the Crossing the Tees book festival and I followed my author talk with a literary quiz specially devised for the event.  In addition to having my mum  (who I picked up en route) in the audience, I was really pleased to see an old friend Anne, who I first met many years ago when she worked at Gibson Mill, the place that inspired The Companion.

The whole thing was live tweeted by wonderful blogger Alice-May Purkiss, who also wrote up  the event for the Crossing the Tees blog.

The quiz was great fun and the winning team shared a gorgeous parcel of books and chocolate.

 

A combination of a train strike and a signal failure meant that I almost didn’t make it to my Read Regional event in Doncaster on time. Which would have been sad, and ironic as the city has a strong connection with the railways.  Sir Nigel Gresley designed some of his most famous locomotives there, including the ‘Mallard’, which was built at the Doncaster Works, as was the ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’.

My author talk was in the City Library in Sir Nigel Gresley Square.  When I arrived there was already a crowd of people gathered around the excellent spread of hot drinks and biscuits.

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I really enjoyed my talk and the questions afterwards, even the one that almost stumped me – ‘With you interest and experience in historical research, how come you don’t write non-fiction.’  I could see the questioner’s point, but it’s never occurred to me to write non-fiction. I suppose partly because I have never felt enough of an expert in any particular area. Also, other than for work (and maybe because of it) I very rarely read non-fiction (I can count the biographies I’ve read, for pleasure, on one hand).

Doncaster is going to be getting a new library soon – it will use the stunning facade of a former girls’ school as the centrepiece of a brand new building. I’m looking forward to being invited back when it’s open!

 

Next stop Bridlington Central Library on Thursday 7th June at 6pm

 

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside. Having grown up by the gorgeous sands of Redcar and now living too far away from the sea, I relish any chance to sit on a beach and watch the waves.  So I made sure that I arrived at South Shields in South Tyneside early so I could have a look a round the town and a paddle and a chippy tea on the sand.

On the way to the beach I also discovered the South Shields Museum and Art Gallery. Its current exhibition ‘King Coal’ (on until 29th September) is a fascinating  celebration of the mining heritage of South Tyneside.  I regretted not arriving even earlier as I would love to have visited the town’s Roman fort too – but that will have to wait til next time.

My author talk was part of the WRITE Festival held this year from 12 – 25 May, with lots of exciting events including, still to come, Jenn Ashworth on 22nd May, a poetry slam on the 24th and an evening with journalist Kevin Maguire on the 25th.

My event was at The Word, a stunning library and cultural venue which in addition to being a beautifully designed building filled with amazing resources is also currently top of my list of ‘best library ceilings’.

The lights even change colour at different times of the day. There is also has an open roof top area with gorgeous views of the Tyne.  Current exhibitions in the centre include a centenary anniversary celebration of South Shields poet James Kirkup, the fab ‘Monsters: the good the bad and the cuddly’ and ‘Lost Dialects’ which explores the ‘lost words of the North East Dialect’, words that are slowly disappearing from everyday conversations.

[image error]I loved reading the local words that people had tied up on the wall, and the memories and anecdotes attached to them. I added  ‘croggy’ – a hitched ride on another person’s bicycle crossbar, which has always been a debated word in our house as my husband, who’s from Merseyside calls it a ‘seater’.

It was a good and lively author event with a great audience who asked lots of questions and then afterwards got stuck into my Literary Quiz. In addition to questions on missing words, quotations and General (Book) Knowledge, I also included the following ‘Tyne and Wear Lit’ round. Answers ar at the bottom of this post.

1. Which comic magazine was founded in Newcastle in 1979 by Chris Donald who has said that part of the reason for choosing its name was because its three letters are made up of straight lines, which were easy to carve out of the cork tile he used for printing?
2.  The children’s book ‘Skellig’, first published in 1998 and winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and the Carnegie Medal, was the debut novel by which Newcastle -born writer?
3.  Which of these is NOT a title in Catherine Cookson’s Mallen Trilogy:
a) The Mallen Streak      b) The Mallen Girl
c) The Mallen Monster   d) The Mallen Litter
4.  Which Ukrainian-born author, best known for the novel that inspired the film ‘Apocalypse Now’, served onboard the Tyne collier ‘Skimmer of the Sea’ in the 1870s?
5.  Which comedian and quiz show host became the president of the Lit and Phil Library in Newcastle in 2011?
6.  Who is the author of the series of crime novels, featuring DCI Kate Daniels and set in the North East, which include ‘The Murder Wall’, ‘Gallows Drop’ and ‘Settled Blood’?
7.  ‘An Agreement of the People of England’ a manifesto for constitutional change published during the English Civil Wars, was co-written by which Sunderland-born radical and Leveller?

It was a close competition and the winners won a hardback novel by local author (and Celebrity Mastermind winner) Ann Cleeves.

One of the questions that I was asked in the Q&A part of my talk was about using real places and people in fiction. The Companion is set in a fictional location but it is very much inspired by a real place. I was asked if I was worried that local people might be upset about my portrayal of the area or cross if I’ve got facts wrong.  I admitted that it had concerned me that not only do many people have a lot more knowledge than I did  about the history of the valley in which The Companion is set, but also there are lots who have strong family links to it.  I did a lot of research to get my facts right, and I made sure that the story element, and the characters entwined in it were all fictional, even though I drew on the history of a real place for the setting. In my next novel, set in 1920s Manchester one of the characters is a real person.  In addition to my research on the period I have also read everything I can about him, to make sure I portray him accurately and fairly.  I also have, as a reminder, a picture of him watching over me as I write!

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The next stop on The Companion‘s Read Regional tour is Doncaster on Thursday 24th May. I will be meeting and talking to readers at the Central Library as part of the town’s ‘Turn the Page’ Festival.

 

 

Quiz Answers: 1. VIZ   2. David Almond  3. The Mallen Monster   4. Joseph Conrad          5.  Alexander Armstrong  6. Mari Hannah  7. John Lilburne

 

My Read Regional visit to Gateshead included the opportunity to sit at the feet of an angel.

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I’ve seen the Angel of the North many times from the A1 (as have 33 million people every year) but when I realised it was just up the road from my event at Birtley Library, I knew I would have to pay it an up-close visit. The scale is incredible and I love the fact that (minus the wings) it’s based on a cast of the artist Antony Gormley’s body. It’s well worth taking a detour. Gormley said that he wanted to make “an object that would be a focus of hope in a time of transition” and while there was some controversy about it while it was being built it has become a positive symbol of the North East (more than one person has told me how it ‘welcomes them home’). Not far from the angel’s feet there is a small scrubby area where people have hung mementos and objects of remembrance for loved ones who have died – the angel providing another form of hope or comfort.

Birtley Library was very welcoming with coffee and an array of tasty biscuits. It was lovely to meet the librarians Helen and Tara who not only took photographs but live tweeted the event!

 

I had some interesting conversations with readers afterwards while I was signing books. One woman who, like me, had family members who worked in the shipyards in the past, told me about the interchange of specialty workers between the docks in Belfast , Glasgow and the North East, which I hadn’t known about before. Useful knowledge as I have a 1930s Teeside shipyard novel planned and needing to be written!

I returned home via Durham. On the recommendation of a friend I went to the Oriental Museum.  It’s a fascinating collection (with very friendly, helpful staff) and well worth a long browse. I loved the Egyptology section and the art and objects from the Himalayas. I was also particularly struck by the number and variety of faces on display.

This was probably my favourite object though. A very abashed looking creature, which according to the information card is an ancient sculpture of a rhinoceros made by someone who had probably never seen one.

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I made a quick stop in Waterstones on my way back to the train and was thrilled to discover that The Companion was the shop’s Book Club choice this month. I did an impromptu signing of all the copies in stock.

Next stop on my Read Regional tour is at the WRITE Festival at The Word in South Shields on Tuesday 15th May, from 6.30pm. I will be doing an author talk followed by a quiz! Tickets available here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hexham Book Festival kicked off on Thursday and my Creative Writing workshop was the first event in the programme. Twelve keen writers had signed up for the session in the lovely Queen’s Hall, which is also home to Hexham library.

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In the workshop we explored ways of creating and developing characters, drawing on  a selection of found objects and my collection of pictures of people, including the postcards that I bought in Hull earlier in the week.

We then tested the mettle of these newly created characters by putting them into situations inspired (as I was for The Companion) by adverts from the personal columns of The Times newspaper in the 1920s and ’30s. They included these beauties:

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Some fantastic characterisations and beginnings of stories ensued!

Before my author talk in the evening I spent some time exploring Hexham. It is a very pretty town with some beautiful historic buildings including the Moot Hall, the Old Gaol and the stunning Abbey, which in addition to its Early English Gothic architecture, stained glass and carvings also has a very nice cafe that serves a cracking lemon, polenta and almond cake.

It’s a bustling town with lots going on but there are also parts, particularly around the Abbey that have that ‘time stood still feeling’. Moments, such as the one that was another inspiration for The Companion, when you can imagine you might hear the voices, or catch a glimpse, of people whose lives have passed through there before.

My author talk was in the newly refurbished library in the Queen’s Hall, which has my so-far favourite library balcony and ceiling.

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The Q&A part of my talk included interesting discussions about the writing process (I’m very firmly in the ‘just get the messy first draft down and worry about editing later’ and ‘write (that first draft) as if nobody will ever read it’ camp) and about research and accuracy in historical novels.

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Afterwards I met the lovely people from Cogito Books, who have a splendid bookshop in the town. They are selling books in the Queen’s Hall during the festival including signed copies of The Companion.

 

The line-up for the festival is fantastic, so do check out he programmeif you are going to be in the area.

 

Next week The Companion and I are heading to Birtley in Gateshead, where as well as meeting some more Tyneside readers, I’m also hoping to get a close-up glimpse of the Angel of the North.

 

This week The Companion‘s Read Regional visits started in Hull.  I arrived early as it’s years since I’ve been to the city and I wanted to have an explore.

My wander around the streets took in the stunning architecture of buildings such as the Guildhall, Town Hall and Minster and lots of seafaring imagery including the fish above (I particularly love the smiley, welcoming one on the left. Bit scared of the cod).

I also visited the Ferens Gallery and the Maritime Museum – and wished I had a couple more hours to spare in them.  In the Ferens after exploring the galleries I had a lovely cup of tea and a piece of cake and picked up some postcards, which came in handy for another Read Regional event later in the week.

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The Maritime Museum was fascinating. The current exhibition ‘Enduring Eye’ comprises photographs taken by the Australian photographer Frank Hurley of Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-1917 Trans-Antarctic Expedition. I’ve always been fascinated by polar adventures and his photos give a real insight into the everyday existence and endurance undertaken by the men on the expedition.  I also spent a long time looking at the scrimshaw collection and was particularly taken by the whalebone staybusks that sailors inscribed with messages and images of love for their sweethearts to wear close to their hearts while they were away at sea. There is definitely a story to be written there!  Possibly my favourite item in the museum was the figurehead of the paddle steamer ‘Sirius’ – a proud Newfoundland dog, who originally held the dog star in its paws. Go doggo!

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My event that evening in the library was a special one for World Book Night and I followed my Author Talk with a Bookish Quiz. The wonderful librarians who organised the event also laid on a feast of tea and cake and a book swap – in which I exchanged my copy of Jonas Jonasson’s Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All for The Summer We All Ran Away by Cassandra Parkin.  The quiz was great fun and the winners were awarded goody bags containing books, notebooks and chocolate!  I signed lots of copies of The Companion and had very interesting chats about writing and publishing.  The whole event was made very special by the presence and help of Hull City of Culture volunteers who are continuing their roles at events throughout the city until the City of Culture title is handed over to Coventry in 2021. I wished I’d worn my new running jacket as its colours exactly match theirs!

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It was a busy old week as after a couple of days at home I was off again – this time further north to Hexham in Northumberland.

Another sunny Read Regional day. I was greeted by birdsong as I stepped off the train at Kirkby in Knowsley and by these glorious Storytelling Thrones when I reached the library.

As well as the above Golden Eagle and American Eagle there is also a lovely white Osprey. A sign next to one of the thrones read  – “If you stand still in Kirkby someone will come over and tell you a story” – which turned out to be wonderfully true!  There was also a large pink throne in the library itself and I was very tempted to conduct my talk from up there but feared I might be lost in its huge embrace.

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It was lovely to meet the Kirkby readers, who as well as telling me some stories of their own also asked interesting questions about my writing process. One of the unexpected but welcome things about doing Read Regional is how it has helped me to reflect on my writing and to see it through new eyes. As well as discussing the complexities of writing a dual time novel (which thankfully the questioner said she thought was done very well in The Companion) I was also asked about the process of turning an idea into a novel.

As I started to answered I realised that when writing my second novel I have gone through a very similar process to when I wrote the Companion

In both cases I began with a character – Billy Shaw in The Companion and a young policewoman called Lilly Hathersage in my new one.  Billy’s voice came to me quite easily and  I knew a lot about him before I started writing – where he’d grown up, what he was passionate about, what his dreams and ambitions were.  But just having him growing up happily at the Pleasure Palace wouldn’t have been much of a story. The 1930s personal advert I found asking for a ‘Child Companion’ for a young boy sparked the change and conflict for my story – Billy would be thrown out of the world he’d always known into a challenging new one.

So the answer to the question of how I turn an idea into a story or novel is that I place a character that I have developed into a challenging situation and then let him or her show me how they going to deal with it and how they are going to overcome difficulties to still try to achieve their desires.

Kirkby library is in the Kirkby Centre, which is also home to an art gallery which at the moment has a stunning exhibition called ‘Approaching Thunder’ featuring 1940s British prints and drawings on loan from The Hepworth, Wakefield. It includes some incredibly moving pieces from the war including one of Henry Moore’s air raid shelter drawings ‘Four Grey Sleepers’.

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I also particularly liked the piece that gives the exhibition its name – Michael Ayrton’s ‘Approaching Thunder’

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And these watercolours by Paul S. Sharp

The exhibition is at the Kirkby Centre until 28th April and then it is on a national tour – well worth trying to catch it if you can.

My train home was cancelled and there was an hour’s wait until the next one. It being such a gloriously sunny day I decided to use my time wisely and sat in a beer garden with a glass of cider and my current read, David Lagercrantz’s ‘The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye’. A perfect end to a lovely day.

Today I’m off to Hull City Library for more Read Regional activities – an Author Talk followed by my Bookish Quiz specially devised for World Book Night.

And then on Thursday I’m in Hexham for an Author Talk and Creative Writing Workshop as part of Hexham Book Festival. The workshop is fully booked but there are still tickets available for the talk in the evening

I was North East bound again this week for my Read Regional author talk at Wideopen, Library in North Tyneside. Train to Newcastle (on which I started reading ‘The Bricks that Built the Houses’ by Kate Tempest, which I need to finish in time for Book Group the following evening) and then a short bus journey up the Great North Road.

I got off a couple of stops early to visit Sacred Heart Church in North Gosforth to have a look at their Pre-Raphaelite stained glass. They are really worth a visit. The East window is a gorgeous three-panel design by Edward Burne-Jones.

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It was a beautiful sunny day and the colours shone like jewels (something that my phone camera has failed to replicate!)  I particularly love the sinuous shape of the groups of angels on either side of the main panel.  There are several other Pre-Raphaelite windows in the church, including this one by William Morris depicting Boaz and Ruth.

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In the Christian Old Testament the meeting and marriage of Boaz and Ruth marriage is briefly described. Hebrew texts give more detail including the fact that when Boaz was awoken from his sleep by Ruth, he was convinced she was the devil. He was reassured when he touched her hair, because devils are bald. They were married, but he died the day after their wedding.

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A pleasant walk then up the road to the village of Wideopen, apparently named because of the wide open fields that once lay there.  Wideopen colliery opened in the 1820s and   was sketched by the coal fields artist Thomas Hair in 1844.

 

I was a bit early for my event and the library was closed for lunch – which gave me chance to sit in the sunshine and read some more Kate Tempest!   The library is full of light and has a gorgeous children’s area. The librarians were lovely and welcoming and we had time for tea and biscuits before people arrived.

Read Regional has been such a fantastic opportunity to engage with readers and Wideopen was no exception. A lovely friendly audience who made me feel very welcome.

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After my book chat and readings they asked lots of questions including what made me decide to have Anna Sallis, one of the main characters in The Companion, come from Tyneside, where before she had worked in a social history museum. I think my own roots in the northeast must have played a part and also perhaps my memories of Beamish Museum in neighbouring County Durham – but ultimately that was just where Anna ‘told me’ she was from!

Homeward bound I stopped off in Waterstones in the centre of Newcastle and was delight to find The Companion along with this bookseller recommendation (and a miss-shelved Stella Duffy!)

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On Friday morning I’m heading westwards for a change –  I’ll be at Kirkby Library in Knowsley, Merseyside at 11am

(And yes I did manage to finish the Kate Tempest book in time – a cracking read that I would definitely recommend)