Despite the best of intentions I've not managed to keep up my weekly musical blog posts. I'm sorry! Life's become rather busy lately - the day job has been hectic and I've also had deadlines for editing and proofreading the novella I wrote over the summer (more news on that very soon. I had a sneaky peek at the cover art for it this week and am totally in love. It's the perfect sibling for the cover of 'Singalong'). The first draft of next summer's novel is also due with my editor at the start of December so I've been fervently tapping away on my laptop to try and get it ready to send.
However, I'd have loved to have found time to write about Grease as it's one of my very favourite films and also Chicago, which my husband and I saw on Broadway during our honeymoon in 2005. I wish I'd had chance to write about how West Side Story makes my heart hurt, and how when I watched South Pacific for the very first time during the research period I was reminded of how I'd sung along to the Captain Sensible version of 'Happy Talk' as a tot.
But although I've been incredibly lax on the blogging front, there was no way I was going to let today pass without writing a few words. Friday 28th October is a pivotal date in The Singalong Society for Singletons - the day the group venture away from Cardigan Close and head to Sheffield's Crucible Theatre to watch a low budget production of The Rocky Horror Show.
Although I'd planned to base as much of the book as possible in Mon and Issy's living room (taking inspiration from TV shows such as The Royle Family and Friends which are based predominantly in one living space) it was refreshing to write about parts of my adopted city through the eyes of Mon and the gang. It was an absolute pleasure sharing the beauty of the Winter Gardens and Tudor Square with my readers, and of course the world famous theatre, too.
Part of the attraction of Rocky Horror is the costumes and this is a week where the Singalong Society go to town in every sense. I loved imagining them all dolled up, mixing with the children dressed in Hallowe'en attire at the temporary funfair in the town centre. Liam in a corset and heels just worked and it was when I started writing this scene that I fell in love with him as a character. It gave him a depth to go with his cheeky, cocky charm, and me as a writer the opportunity to think about what he might be hiding behind his confident façade.
The Rocky Horror chapter is the one readers most want to talk to me about, and I hope I managed to successfully capture the spirit of the show...even though I've never seen it live myself!
The Singalong Society for Singletons is out now in ebook format from all major retailers and available to preorder in paperback prior to release on December 15th.
Amazon UK Kobo
However, I'd have loved to have found time to write about Grease as it's one of my very favourite films and also Chicago, which my husband and I saw on Broadway during our honeymoon in 2005. I wish I'd had chance to write about how West Side Story makes my heart hurt, and how when I watched South Pacific for the very first time during the research period I was reminded of how I'd sung along to the Captain Sensible version of 'Happy Talk' as a tot.
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| Me selling popcorn at Grease Open Air Cinema |
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| And the bride danced the Time Warp (with my sister-in-law Jill) |
Part of the attraction of Rocky Horror is the costumes and this is a week where the Singalong Society go to town in every sense. I loved imagining them all dolled up, mixing with the children dressed in Hallowe'en attire at the temporary funfair in the town centre. Liam in a corset and heels just worked and it was when I started writing this scene that I fell in love with him as a character. It gave him a depth to go with his cheeky, cocky charm, and me as a writer the opportunity to think about what he might be hiding behind his confident façade.
The Rocky Horror chapter is the one readers most want to talk to me about, and I hope I managed to successfully capture the spirit of the show...even though I've never seen it live myself!
The Singalong Society for Singletons is out now in ebook format from all major retailers and available to preorder in paperback prior to release on December 15th.
Amazon UK Kobo
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