The Write to Know, Issue 13
Recommendations, reviews, randoms and reads
So we all watched the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, on Friday, right?
I thought it was both wonderfully avante-garde and joyfully in-Seine. A friend of mine, who’s French, said, “Now the rest of the world knows how weird we are.”
But there was much to admire (and also, let’s face it, be completely baffled by). So many fever dream moments. I will never forget the bearded naked blue man unfurling from inside a platter of fruit, the manic homage to Europop, or the parkour ninja warrior.
The lighting of the hot air balloon Olympic flame was spectacular, as was the iridescent horse hacking along the river, the Eiffel Tower laser show, and of course, Celine Dion’s magnificent rendition of Edith Piaf’s L'Hymne A L'Amour.
Celine delivered the perfect finale. Or as the kids would say, she ate and left no crumbs. Zero crumage (this works better if you say it in a French accent).
After watching the Prime doc that charted her struggles with stiff person syndrome, it was incredible to think she could ever return to the stage, let alone deliver such a powerful performance.
I wonder what she was thinking as she stood on the Eiffel Tower, the rain lashing down, the beams of light moving around the sky, with all of Paris spread out below.
Celebrities who reach a certain level of fame really do get to experience so many extraordinary life moments. But surely that one was too big to comprehend? Was it her pinnacle?
Even Brian May, the guitarist in Queen, said of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002: “Nothing could ever top playing on the roof of Buckingham Palace with no safety net.”
Ultimately, I love it when the world stops for art. Makes a change from war.
I’ll be tuning in to the Games as often as I can as I’m in awe of every athlete who takes part. I was once randomly picked to throw discus at our school’s county sports day. It landed at my feet. I didn’t have any upper arm strength, and I left many crumbs.
But there’s a sportsperson out there now, whose name you do not know, but who, in a month or so, will be on the cover of every Sunday supplement and appearing on every chat show and across social media. A star always rises and a new sport is always “discovered”. I can’t wait to see what, or who, it is in Paris 2024.
This is the 15th Olympics in my lifetime. Blimey. There are so many moments that come to mind across the years, but as a kid, watching ‘Rocket Man’ fly into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, is still the most memorable. It was 1984 and I literally couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the future!
And people, the future is now here. So let’s crack on with this week’s newsletter, which continues somewhat of a sketchy Olympic theme...
AN UNSTOPPABLE CHARIOT
Did you know that the film Chariots of Fire was inspired by a book called An Approved History of the Olympic Games, by Bill Henry?
Director David Puttnam read three paragraphs that inspired the idea for the movie. Writer Colin Welland, who went on to win the Best Screenplay Oscar in 1981, hand-wrote the treatment for the movie, in 1978. He called the script, Runners.
The BFI wrote about the birth of Chariots here and it’s well worth a read. Although, I suppose most people now really only remember the Vangelis theme tune, and more than that, Mr Bean’s performance at the London Olympics, in 2012.
If you’re after the book, it looks like it’s out of print but there’s a copy on Amazon for about £25. Great cover.
YOU CRAFTY LITTLE, DEVIL
The Screencraft Drama screenplay competition is now open and there’s a deadline extension to August 31.
This is a pretty good one because winners get introductions to established agents (who make up most of the jury), and are mentored by people who work in the industry as showrunners and screenwriters.
The overall grand prize winner in either feature or TV category will be ‘welcomed to their Writer Development Programme and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s), producers, or industry execs who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters’. They also get $1000.
Sidenote: Looking for a suitably debonair image of Cary Grant, I stumbled upon this article about style and Hollywood’s leading men. Worth a look, if only for the photos.
THAT’S BANANAS!
Guess how many bananas will be consumed in the Olympic Village this year?
Three million.
That’s more than anyone can shake a stick at, and if you did, you’d be shaking it until the end of the next decade. Let’s not even start with the 20 tons of coffee.
If you want to learn how they keep thousands of people fuelled over the next few weeks, this article from Eater has all the skinny (which is what you won’t be if you eat three million nanas). In my mind, I’m visualising Death Star Canteen…
NEWS JUST IN! I just read that there’s catering chaos. Apparently, Team GB has flown in their own chef as the Village is experiencing supply issues. My goodness, how hard is it to serve up 40,000 nutritious meals a day?
TRACK CHANGES
This exceptional long read from The Atlantic is harrowing in so many ways and utterly beautiful in others.
It tells the story of a woman called Trina, who was a promising track star but never fulfilled her promise after she spiralled into addiction.
Trina was hailed as the next Wilma Rudolph, who was then the fastest woman in the world, overcoming polio to become a record-breaking Olympic champion in track and field, in 1956 and 1960.
The story is told with courage and conviction by Trina’s daughter Jenisha Watts, a senior editor at the magazine, who spent most of her young life living away from her mother.
BOOKS FOR DAYS!
Did you read Fiona Gibson’s Ten for The TEN? You should - it’s a good ‘un!
Fiona had many wonderful book and author recommendations which I simply must share with you.
Here’s what she said when I asked about her favourite authors…
“David Nicholls is brilliant - my top favourite. I have reread Us several times and love his latest, You Are Here.
Nina Stibbe’s Love Nina is a favourite I dip into all the time, quite randomly. It always makes me laugh. She is a comic genius. I’m obsessed with Norah Ephron - Heartburn is a favourite (again, I’ve reread it loads) but I love her nonfiction too. She really was the sassiest.
Other novels I’ve loved, which are more about character than plot - which tend to be my favourites - are Sorrow and Bliss, by Meg Mason, Small Pleasures, by Clare Chambers and Standard Deviation, by Katherine Heiney. But I also love a racing plotline and Lisa Jewell is the queen of this. I have devoured all of her thrillers.”
Fiona’s latest novel, The Woman Who Ran Away from Everything, is available to buy now.
WRITER MEET AGENT
Roll up, roll up! Agent Louise Buckley from the Hannah Shepherd literary agency is open to submissions again.
She’s looking for literary fiction, book-club fiction by Irish writers, cosy crime, cosy fantasy, Gothic novels and dark academia.
LET JEFF HELP YOU OUT
If you have, this might be of interest. The Kindle Storyteller Awards are now open to entries until the end of August.
From their blurb: The Kindle Storyteller Award is a £20,000 literary prize recognising outstanding writing. It is open to writers publishing in English in any genre, who publish their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. Readers play a significant role in selecting the winner, helped by a panel of judges including various book industry experts.
Your book must be enrolled in KDP Select to enter the contest, and it has to be on sale as a paperback and e-book.
THAR SHE BLOWS!
After writing about Moby Dick in my most recent Monday mote, one of my subscribers
told me about the Cozy Classics versions for toddlers and it turns out they are adorable. The characters are made of felt and there’s one word a page.Just look at the Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett on the cover of their Pride & Prejudice. From now on, this is the only way I will read a novel!
AND FINALLY…
A cheeky little ear worm for you.
Want more? ‘Rocket Man’ was an architecture student called Bill Suitor, who happened to be a neighbour of the man who invented the jet pack suit. Here’s what he had to say about his legendary entrance.
“Did I hear someone say we’d run out of bananas?”
SO MANY BANANAS 🍌😂
Thank you for the Wendy's World mention, Lisa! Those Cozy Classics are pure genius, aren't they? I want the full set!
Agree with Fiona on Heartburn by Nora Ephron and Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe. Have read both more than once. Will check out some of the other books you recommend.
Bravo on the 'in-Seine' pun. It was a wacky opening ceremony. I felt quite emotional watching Celine Dion perched half way up the Eiffel Tower, looking at once powerful and vulnerable. Glad she has re-found her voice. Thanks for the behind the scenes info. HOW many bananas?!