Devon Book Club discussion

Hi everyone. I need to begin with an apology to all those who have messaged me recently and not yet had a reply. I've a few things I want to share with you so please read to the end of this longer than usual message.

Many of you will know that I work in adult social care. I am part of Devon County Council's Covid-19 Incident Management Team. I have the privilege of working with all the providers of adult social care across Devon and, through them, with their amazing workforce. A huge shout out to all our health and care workers - we are indebted to them as a nation.

As you might imagine, along with my colleagues across the health and social care community I have not had a lot of time off in the last 3 weeks. I had a milestone birthday on Thursday and so did take a couple of days off but needed a bit of screen- free time. But, having rested up, I am now catching up again- and have several things I want to talk about today.

There has never been a more important time for supporting one another and I know that you will all join me in offering any support you can to anyone in our Devon Book Club community who may need it. If you are self-isolating we are all here to chat in whatever way works for you; if you are unwell or need anything bringing to you let us know - there will hopefully be someone nearby who can help out; and, to keep things as normal as possible, let's just keep talking books.

I also want to talk about bookshops. We love our local bookshops and want them to be there when Covid-19 is history. Books may not be top of our essentials list but we will miss our local bookshops if they go out of business while we are not looking. So, I am going to be running a quiet campaign in the coming months to support bookshops across Devon and, as a personal pledge, am going to order at least one book a month from my local bookshop. In whatever way you can support yours, I encourage you to do so. Don't just order from Amazon - your local bookshop can probably deliver too. And I'd love to hear from bookshops about what you can offer.

And let's not forget our libraries - they are an amazing resource in our community and, although they are only able to offer a limited service, I know that they will be thinking about how to continue to offer a service to us all and especially to those who are most vulnerable and/or unable to visit their local library. And, of course, they have a wonderful e-library that will meet many of your needs.

Next up - writers. I am aware that many of you have launches and other events that you have had to cancel. These are so important for you and I want to make sure that you know that you can use Devon Book Club to promote your work. I can't bombard our community so priority will be given to Devon writers (or writers from further afield who are active members of our community) who have books to launch or major updates to share. Please message me with details. The same for bloggers, vloggers and booktubers.

There is lots more I could talk about but I'll save that for now. I'll just finish by asking you to share with us what you are reading and to help me to keep this network active by posting freely about all your book news, and invite your friends and family to join us - and, above all, to wish you all well and hope that you are staying safe.

A reminder that we are also on Twitter @BookDevon and on Facebook - lots going on through those platforms too

Best Wishes

Ian

Sadly - had to cancel our workshop on 26/4 - was a sell-out too. So disappointing. Will try to rearrange when this is all over

Please don't worry. It's kind of an essential service you're doing.

Thank you so much, Ian, for ALL that you are doing. Quite a bit! So please be certain to care for yourself through this as well.

I've had the same thought about our local bookshops too.
My husband and I also plan to utilise the library's e-book service because we do not want anyone saying that is not a valuable service!

We have been trying to be present for our neighbours, but so far, the situation is strange to people (as in what to ask for help on), plus they can still get to shops in towne (we're in Tavistock), so even the elderly in our neighbourhood keep doing their best to stay active.

Keeping an eye and ear out all the same. The weather has changed to lovely, sunny, here. Hoping that bodes well for everyone's health!
j

I'm hosting a series of conversations on my facebook page, facebook.com/williamshawwriter. I'm interested in finding out any groups who are doing book stuff in a positive way because of coronavirus. If anyone hears of anything interesting, please let me know.

Went over & "liked" your page, William...(& a few of the live posts). Hopefully fb will let me know when new livestreams come up.

Oh... thanks so much.

Thanks for supporting the Library's online offer. We also have magazines through RB Digital and a specialist e-audio book service through Borrowbox. We all have to work from home at the moment but we're posting info about things we think will help people with the isolation. Keep an eye on the various Facebook pages. Ilfracombe library is particularly good at stuff for kids at the moment, thanks to the brilliant Cath Newton. Stay safe everyone.

Ley wrote: "Thanks for supporting the Library's online offer. We also have magazines through RB Digital and a specialist e-audio book service through Borrowbox. We all have to work from home at the moment but ..."

Hey Ley... Thanks for that. I'm doing a series of Facebook Live broadcasts and have been talking to indie bookshops and writers, but also plan to speak to some librarians ... because I don't think enough people know about Borrowbox and other digital offers. I'm looking for librarians to come on and just chat in a fairly informal way... I've got someone from Cambridgeshire libraries coming on (they get to talk to Ann Cleeves, who's also agreed to be a guest). Would Devon Libraries also be interested in chatting at some point?

There's an online book festival: Stay At Home Book Festival here stayathomefest.wordpress.com/

They're streaming Devon writer Jane Corry today - Friday - at 7pm here - talking about how to write bestselling thrillers: https://tinyurl.com/qqpshu6

Hi, William, I'm sure someone would love to come on and chat. most of the Devon libraries have their own Facebook pages I know that Braunton and Lynton are doing book chat on there. I'll email my supervisor and get her, or one of them , to contact you.

Hi everyone. Taking a breather and catching up. What a week that has been again. Addressing this situation is daunting but inspiring. I am privileged to work alongside amazing people who are 100% focused on doing all we can to support the people of Devon. But, as importantly, what an immense effort by all those who are working to keep the wheels of country turning and to support friends, family and neighbours. I know what you are saying about that Janet but we are just at the beginning of this. We have 3-6 months ahead of us in my view before we get to something approaching normal again and, in the meantime, many who can cope well now will need help.

It is an incredible experience and our world will never be the same again - in many ways for the better I hope.

On the book front, I have found a lot of relief in some tremendous books, which I have posted about on our other threads.

Fantastic also to read of your work in the library service Ley and your fantastic project William. I had read about the online festival but confess that I haven't got to it yet.

So, we plough on as a community and I will get back to these pages whenever I can. In the meantime please keep posting and help me to grow the level of activity on here so that we are reaching out to as many people as possible.

Stay well everyone :)

... and tomorrow - Tuesday - on my Facebook, I'm hopefully interviewing Ann Cleeves at 4pm, technology allowing; her new series is based in North Devon.

She is lovely - as well as being a wonderful writer!
Ann came to Kingsbridge Library (although the whole event was arranged and organised by the indefatigable Jane of 'Harbour Bookshop' in Kingsbridge - order your books online!) and enthralled an audience of over 70 people for far more than the 'official' time. Ann was entertaining, informative and unbelievably giving: not only with her time, but also her experience and advice for would-be writers … as well as signing scores of books! It was a superb event for both the bookshop and the Library, all made possible by the author's expertise and generosity. The event also highlighted just how much we need our bookshops, libraries and authors. I will set my alarm and listen! Thanks William.

A wonderful result of all things is the uplift in community communication. BIgbury TV has sprung into sudden life. If you would like to follow this link, I hope you enjoy the content - me narrating my WIP The Upperthong Thunderbolt... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUCNU...

DrMama wrote: "She is lovely - as well as being a wonderful writer!
Ann came to Kingsbridge Library (although the whole event was arranged and organised by the indefatigable Jane of 'Harbour Bookshop' in Kingsbr..."

I've got a book reserved on BorrowBox by Ann Cleeves. Looking forward to it. I don't do Fb so missed the interview. Which new series did she discuss?

Karen wrote: "DrMama wrote: "She is lovely - as well as being a wonderful writer!
Ann came to Kingsbridge Library (although the whole event was arranged and organised by the indefatigable Jane of 'Harbour Books..."
The specific book is called 'The Long Call' and it is the first in a new series called 'The Two Rivers' series, which is set on the North Devon coast near to Barnstaple. It's the area where the estuaries of the rivers Taw and Torridge meet and flow into the sea. It features detective Simon Venn: I found the whole book gripping and I'm not a great crime fiction reader. There were many stalwart Ann Cleeve's fans at the Kingsbridge Library event, and those who know her work well said that this new book was up there with the best of Vera and Jimmy Perez.

DrMama wrote: "Karen wrote: "DrMama wrote: "She is lovely - as well as being a wonderful writer!
Ann came to Kingsbridge Library (although the whole event was arranged and organised by the indefatigable Jane of ..."

Thanks. I'll get it from the online library. I have swum down the river Taw at Barnstaple, one of North Devon Hospice fundraising events, so that will draw me in straightaway!

Hi everyone. I feel like I have emerged, blinking, into the daylight. As you can imagine, life is pretty busy in the adult social care world at present.

I am afraid that I have rather neglected our Devon Book Club community so this post is by way of an apology but also comes with a request.

Can you tell me what has been happening in your world - how are you and your families? What have you been reading? How is your writing going? What is happening in your book shops, libraries, publishing houses and festivals?

In other words, talk books to me - bring me back to the joy of our bookworlds.

My reading has been interrupted somewhat but I have read a little The Stray Cats of Homs, Middlesex and Where the Crawdads Sing I enjoyed all 3 but Middlesex is probably the best of them in my view.

Damn! I clicked the wrong link while searching for a book reference, and lost my entire 'bookish post! I will try again, later, when I'm not mid sewing project! NB... If you can find someone to do it with … playing 'Sewing Bee' is great fun! For all you needle-workers out there! I now have a nearly finished wrap skirt and drawings for a wacky shirt-dress worthy of 'Killing Eve' - however, the 'tea dress' will NEVER happen!

DrMama wrote: "Damn! I clicked the wrong link while searching for a book reference, and lost my entire 'bookish post! I will try again, later, when I'm not mid sewing project! NB... If you can find someone to do ..."

I'm not sure I understand all that but good luck! :)

Beginning my descent into Rob Macfarlane's Underworld. Densely poetic, human and humane, travelling over geology, psychology, myth, language all through deep time. Especially poignant and pertinent during Covid-19.

Ian wrote: "DrMama wrote: "Damn! I clicked the wrong link while searching for a book reference, and lost my entire 'bookish post! I will try again, later, when I'm not mid sewing project! NB... If you can find..." Yes, sorry! I think you need to have watched 'The Sewing Bee' (and 'Killing Eve') to understand. A friend and I are watching 'Sewing Bee' ... then pausing the TV, and trying to do the sewing tasks, ourselves! CJ

Annie wrote: "Beginning my descent into Rob Macfarlane's Underworld. Densely poetic, human and humane, travelling over geology, psychology, myth, language all through deep time. Especially poignant and pertinent..."

That's one of my favourite non fiction books recently. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :-)

Rob MacFarlane's The Old Ways was a life changing book (not said lightly). I'm loving this one too, especially picking up on some of the links with the powerful Richard Powers novel Overstory.

I enjoyed that too and other MacFarlane books. In passing keep an eye out for Wanderland. It's not like Underland but there are echoes maybe - out in the summer iirc.

Thanks for that. I value recommendations:)

Annie wrote: "Thanks for that. I value recommendations:)"

Hi Annie,
I'm currently reading his Mountains of the Mind: A History of a Fascination: I think it was his first. As well as recounting exploits and aspects of his own love of climbing and mountaineering, he - more or less - provides a history of the Earth, landmasses, mountains ... and all the people who have made all the discoveries about our planet, along the way. It is fascinating, awe-inspiring and definitely a wonderful way to learn about the 'Earth's' history … especially if you are a mountain or hiking/climbing person. When I've finished I think it may be my first 5* book in a long time!

Gosh. That sounds like high (and probably very well deserved) praise. I shall put it on my reading list. I'm still engrossed in my Underland delve.

Annie wrote: "Beginning my descent into Rob Macfarlane's Underworld. Densely poetic, human and humane, travelling over geology, psychology, myth, language all through deep time. Especially poignant and pertinent..."

Thanks Annie - not read him - need to put that right