rivers2cross

Today from nowhere really I suddenly got to thinking about perhaps doing another cancer fundraising book. It’s been three years since my previous book The Record was published, and I have not really had any thoughts about doing another one. The last one had taken me the best part of three years to put together after mum died. It was without doubt a very cathartic experience and really rewarding. One of the best things I have ever done. However, I started the book within days of mum’s death and although throwing myself into the book was perhaps a coping mechanism, it meant that I didn’t really give myself the opportunity to grieve. When the book finally came out I think I felt rather lost and without that crutch that I have been living with for 3 years. I think if I was to do another book it wouldn’t have the mum connection, so I wouldn’t be putting myself under so much pressure. I also wouldn’t take 3 years doing it and I would aim to perhaps spend no more than a year…

The idea I have had is something along the lines of “two faces of cancer”. The idea being that each chapter would feature a cancer patient and consist of two of their own photos showing the two faces to cancer. It could be a before and during set, or a during and after set, or maybe just two defining photos which represent two sides to cancer. Perhaps photos of how social media can portray someone living with cancer… Lots of possibilities and I would probably let people decide themselves. Each chapter would have some accompanying text talking about the photos etc. Although meetings in person might not be easy to organise with Covid and also geographical issues, I would hopefully speak to everyone on Zoom at the very least. So that’s the idea at the moment, and I am not going to dive in straight away and I will have a good think about it and maybe contact a few people to see if they might be up for being involved. These positive and creative thoughts have come at a very welcome time, and given me a nice boost today.

Tonight I listened to Stereo Underground on BBC Sounds. Each Saturday night DJ Richard Latto plays two hours of indie and alternative music and has a featured artist on each week and plays three of their tracks. This week was The Vapours, so I emailed in asked for their track News At Ten and told Richard about how I met Dave Fenton from the band at Westminster for my Lives & Times fundraising book. I had been tipped the wink that my story was going to feature on the show, so I managed to record the segment on video! News At Ten is one of my all time favourite singles and I saved up my pocket money to buy it back in 1980! I was so pleased to finally get to see the band live when they got back together. Quite a thrill being featured tonight.

After a pretty wet and miserable day, which had actually begun with me remembering seeing my parents in the Chapel of Rest (that’s a story for another day), I am having a cosy night in. Cooked myself a curry (well from a jar), so all is well… Until tomorrow x