December 2007
Thanks to everyone who made December Blue Room such a lovely event. Karen Davis kicked off with a beguiling, tragic-comic, extract from her new, and very beautifully illustrated, story tale, Egg Girl. She gamely kept her nerves invisible whilst making a fantastical story so very recognizable and true. She was followed by Jo Colley, in immaculate form, who made the ten minutes a tardis. Her work is pristine and fully fleshed; her new book, Weeping for the Lovely Phantoms, is on sale now.
At the break people were harangued into opening their Harrod-style Christmas presents, hidden under real stars. (Everybody looked lovely in their new, cashmere sweaters).
Next up was Pete Tanton, reading from his novel, Johnny Lonely, pulling us into a statically charged world that was compelling from the start. He also, very illuminatingly, shared some of his work-in-progress. Kevin Fegan ended the readings with an acute look at the immigrant experience, exploring his own family’s story and recording those of others, similarly dislocated. The stories were told in real time so we were a bit late with the fantastic Amabutho Dancers who pounded on in the dark and showed us a thing or two about telling stories. Each dancer is utterly self-possessed but they move as one and communicate powerfully using all the senses, they’re a joy and an education to experience.
The quiz was won by everyone, surprisingly enough, and the matter was settled by a sudden death battle which was won by Stevie Ronnie.
