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Updated 5th March, 2008. In August
went to the Crime Writers weekend at St. Hilda’s, in We
all dine together and the food is very good, the company even better. A number of papers are presented, but one at
a time, so you never have to chose which you will have to miss. Some are pleasant and entertaining, some are
very thought provoking, and of course the after dinner speeches are always
hilarious. This year because of the
floods there was no punting on the river, but the usual walks in the city of The subject given was ‘Strong poison’ and the usual murder occurred, no one repeated what anyone else had said. In September I stayed at home and worked hard on finishing the next stage of Sheen on the Silk. In October I started the Christmas novella for Christmas 2008, A Christmas Grace, and finished it at the end of November. The haste was because I had three weeks away late October and early November. First
I went to Guildford, near From
I was able to do quite a lot of work as well. After
that I went to I have a very charming – and very efficient – German producer and film crew of cameraman and sound technician, staying with me at present, making a biographical film. It is a strange experience to be followed around, watched and listened to, but they are such delightful people that I tend to think of them as friends, and forget that I should possibly be a little more careful! I have to wear v-neck sweaters all the time, so the microphone can be placed at the right distance from my mouth to catch everything! Polar necks, which I would wear at this time of the year, are too high! The things one never thought of! This year, 2008, looks already to be full of events, travel and plans, but I will be more explicit about them when they are certain. Updated Thursday 5th April, 2007 Anne is now almost back to her usual fitness, still a little tired every now and then, and with a little bit of pain but nothing that is too bad. She is back to work and travelling, having just returned from Lyon. Luckily there are is not too much travelling within the next month or so as she was told not to fly for eight weeks after leaving hospital. She sends her thanks to all of you that sent well wishes while she was ill.
Updated Monday 19th March, 2007 Anne is now home from hospital, having been allowed home on Friday evening. She is still recovering and needing lots of sleep but slowly on the mend and looking forward to her next trip in a weeks time to Lyon. Thank you very much for all the get well messages that have been sent. Anne Perry is in hospital at the moment, having been taken in last Friday - 9th March - with suspected DVT. Thankfully it wasn't that, but is pneumonia. Anne was feeling unwell having returned from the States after her Palm Springs appointments. She had pains down the right side of her chest for two days after landing, the excellent local doctors saw her immediately they knew the details and the got her off to hospital as quickly as possible. She is recovering slowly, but we have just heard still not allowed home today. We will keep you upto date as much as possible and let you know when Anne is home. If you wish to send well wishes please send them through contact-anne and we will get them to her.
UPDATES ON TRIPS; (updated 5th Feb, 2007) - Sorry it's been a while since the last update on this, Anne has been rather busy and not had chance to write it until now. The Edinburgh Festival in August was the best I have been to so far, both for the interest in the few other events I was able to attend, and for the exceptional curtesy with which I was received myself. The interviewer was not only charming, but extremely well-informed, which made the experience most enjoyable. In September I flew to New Jersey and spent a few days with a long term friend, then went via Charlotte, to Dallas where I was the keynote speaker at LIPT, a voluntary organisation which works extremely hard to help literacy in Texas. They were most hospitable people, and I was deeply impressed with their work. The story of a man of ninety-eight who wished to learn to read, was a brilliant acheivement. He succeeded, was triumphant, and died at one hundred and three years old - READING! I had a very long trip home, all the way through London, and on by car to St. Malo on the Emerald Coast in France. But what a marvellously beautiful place! A medieval walled city, bombed in 1945, and rebuilt perfectly after the original. It was like stepping back in time, but with peace, good health, and all the things that make modern life easier. The weather was glorious, the sea exquisite, and the french hospitality and food all you could hope for. And incidentally - a good bit of interesting literary discussion. The drive back was through the most glorious countryside. I went to the Inverness Book Fair 6th October, which I hear went very well, and to Wellington in Shropshire on the 9th. That was another glorious drive, and very warm reception. It was an excellently organised festival and most professionally done, but with great friendliness. I would love to go back again some time. I had Tuesday at home, then on Wednesday set off for Lago d'Orta in Italy. That was so beautiful it could almost break your heart. The lake was exquisite, the little town centuries old, streets about seven or eight feet wide, wrought iron balconies with flowers, narrow alleys down to the water's edge, a tiny island in the middle with an abbey on it. The hotel was five star, I should think, overlooking the water, and the food 'to die for' as the Americans say. We ate Italian style, two or three hours for lunch, and again for dinner, talking about everything under the sun, setting the world right, telling wonderful tales - in English and Italian. I found I understood more than I expected to. But the crowning glory was a recital by a brilliant young violinist, who had a Stradivarius instrument, and the sound of it is something I shall not forget. He played for us, a second night, in one of the palaces where we had a reception. And this is work! One night at home. Then to Vancouver to the Surrey International Writers Conference, one of the very best, and every bit up to the usual standard of comfort, friendliness, smooth organization and excellent content. As usual, there were writers there for every genre, including film and television, fact and fiction, and also agents and editors. I was busy all but about one hour of every day, and enjoyed myself very much. Met old friends and made new ones. From Vancouver I went to Utah and stayed with a close friend of many years, had the excellent time I always do with her, and wrote a great deal. I actually came home with the novella for next Christmas completed. Flew from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles for the Sisters in Crime twentieth annivesary conference, which was centered on learning all one can about pitching your work to Hollywood, there was a chance to actually do so, to a producer in five minutes!! Nerve-racking, but that is what life is for - to try! That conference was also superbly well organised. As far as I could see, it ran without a hitch of any kind. I felt far more at home in Los Angeles than I expected to, since it is over thirty years since I lived there, but people were kind above anything one has a right to assume, the weather was perfect, warm, dry, still, sunny, but not too hot. I met old friends, and new ones, and learned a great deal. It remains to be seen what will transpire! It really was very exciting. Now I am home again until the end of January, and have completed the next Monk, although I have no idea when it will be published, and I have just begun the new story set in Byzantium. Hope you had a good Christmas and good wishes for 2007.
(Updated 7th April,2006) Left Coast Crime in Bristol was absolutely excellent. The hotel was one of the best, rooms very good and food marvellous. Four fire drills added a bit to the excitement, especially three in the night. But they gave us a complementary champagne reception, wine at the table and a superb full English breakfast as an apology. That went over very well indeed! There were about four hundred people present, slightly more American than British I think, and they showed their usual friendliness and enthusiasm, which added to everyone's enjoyment. I was delighted to see so many people from both sides of the Atlantic, that I know and like, and to meet new people as well. The European guest of honour was Boris Akunin, who was very agreeable and spoke excellent English, and the American guest was Jeffery Deaver, whose books I have long read and enjoyed. We have mutual friends who have always said how delightful he is - and so he proved to be. One of the nicest aspects of it was the smoothness of the organisation, and general goodwill and the lack of long speeches. On the last evening we had a buffet supper, Simon Brett spoke and was as individual and throughly entertaining as always. Altogether it was one of the happiest times I have experienced, and I heard many other people say the same. Too modest to say so herself, Anne Perry was the British guest of honour at this event. I have also recently done a British tour, from one end of the country to the other, and east to west, and such a pleasure to be driven rather then spend my time in airports, and trying not to carry anything too heavy. We had excellent weather, traffic that was good, most of the time, and no mishaps at all. I was deeply impressed with the high professional quality of local radio and how courteous people were. I felt welcome, and that is one of the happiest experiences in life. Now instead of being anxious about next time, I look forward to it. (Updated - 25th Jan. 2006) Last year went very well in many ways. In the spring I had a trip to America to promote Long Spoon Lane, which I enjoyed enormously, as I always do. I went to Las Vegas for the first time professionally, and had the largest audience I have ever had. I also went to many of my old favourite places, and met many friends whom I have come to value more and more as time goes by. I also went to the Paris Book Fair for my French publishers - in the spring How we writers suffer for our art! Paris in the Spring - isn't it awful! I did enjoy it. They were charming to me. I also went to Strasbourg by plane, Lille by train and Bordeaux by train. Back to Paris every night. I tell you - life is tough! Later in early summer I went to the Madrid Book Fair for my Spanish publisher. What a marvellous city and such delightful people. The fair was held in the open air in a gorgeous park. Also went to Le Havre in July for wonderful Festival on the Beach and great fun, lovely people, terrific art museum too. In August I was at the Mystery Writers Conference in St. Hilda's in Oxford, which is always excellent - good food, even better discussion, and best of all lot of friends. Other great conferences were Chicago in February - doesn't sound terrific, but it was. The warmth of the welcome made up for the coolish weather. Went to another in Toronto later in the year, and to Surrey International Writers Conference near Vancouver in October. That one is always superb, the best I know for learning and improving your skills. It is the most thought provoking and beneficial conference I attend, full of opportunities to grasp something new and good. In the autumn I went to Italy for my new Italian publisher, and had a wonderful time in Milan, Verona, Vicenza, Florence, and Rome. All the internal travelling was by train, of course with an interpreter, although my Italian is improving. At least it is better than my French! It rained every day, but it was still marvelous. The food, the architecture, the land, but most of all the people were wonderful. And they call this work! In December I met with my British and American agents and we had a big meeting to plan the future. That is largely full of exciting - and still secret ideas. One thing for certain is writing the last of the five stories set in World War One. Another is writing the next Monk story, still with no name, only a few very vague ideas so far. Dark Assassin is just out in the UK, will be out in April in USA. I don't know publication dates for anywhere else. The forth war story, At Some Disputed Barricade, is still a little uncertain on publication date, and may vary from one place to another. And of course there will be another Christmas story at the usual time of November or so. It is written, and will probably be titled A Christmas Search. It features Dominic Corde, and his new wife Clarice. I have about finished the next Pitt, which has no title yet either - I'm not good at titles - but I am happy about the story and I love the people in it. I have no tour of America this year, but plan to come over two or three times for myself, once to Utah and that general area, including Idaho for a conference in early June. I shall also be at the SCWE in Vancouver in October, and St. Hilda's in August. This year Left coast Crime is in the UK, Bristol, in March, I have put dates onto the itinary page. All sorts of things could yet happen, sometimes at short notice. Watch this space. |
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