Notes of Cheer - July

The new book is out, it's raining and hot at the same time, and I've gone mad for 1950s entertaining tips

Hello! How are you? I hope you’re really well.

Welcome to the second installment of Notes of Cheer. Thank you to everyone who liked or left comments on the first one. I really like that you can do that now this newsletter is on Substack. I’m enjoying it here. It is like starting a new school a bit later than everyone else, but everyone has been very friendly and I haven’t been water-bombed in the toilets yet, so top-notch all round.

Since I last wrote, my new novel Dear Miss Lake has come out in the UK and Ireland and more thanks are definitely due - in fact a huge thank you to everyone who has already bought the book and spread the word. Reader reviews have been coming in and I’m really grateful. They’re super important to the evil robots that will take over the world algorithmns online so my publishers are delighted. TBH all I care about is that you’re enjoying this final episode, so thank you! (And also, phew!)

Meanwhile, publication day has also meant that after months of living with entirely imaginary people, I’ve been allowed to leave the house and speak with real humans. This is one of my favourite parts of writing books.

It’s been great fun as you can see below, even though these pictures only have me in them which is obviously the sign of a megalomaniac a shame. I must admit I’m quite pleased with the one on the top right which has a slight “I put it to you, sir,” vibe and I’m going to suggest hints at gravitas. (Easy tiger, that’s a very bold claim.) Next stop, Newsnight.

Image: me foisting myself on unsuspecting bookshops and radio listeners.

Speaking of gravitas, I was chuffed to write this piece for The Women’s Prize Writers’ Toolkit (a great section of the website with loads of info). I’ve listed five things I’ve learned from writing the Emmy Lake series, and while obviously you can only begin to touch on such a huge subject in an article, I hope there’s some food for thought.

I also had a lovely time chatting with Miranda Mills for her joyous Seasons of Story podcast which you can listen to here. (And if you’re on Instagram Miranda's account really is balm in a mad world).

Image: Quite the loveliest picture taken from Seasons of Story by Miranda Mills on Substack

Still To Come

This week I’ll be at Tring library on Wednesday 9 July so if you’re in the Hertfordshire area, I’d love to see you.

And as I know tons of you live at least four thousand miles away so it might be a bit of a stretch, if you’re around tonight - Monday 7 July, at 7pm BST (or later on catch up) I am going to be doing an Instagram Live on Are You Sitting Comfortably with the fabulous Rebecca Lovatt and Rebecca Fletcher. You can watch it at My English Country Cottage which is another of my favourite Insta accounts and hugely popular all round.

Speaking of Four Thousand Miles Away

If you’re in the USA or Canada, clear the decks on Tuesday 5 August as that’s when Dear Miss Lake hits the shops. Not long to wait and if you fancy it there are tons of links to pre-order it here. This is it so you know what to look out for. Lovely.

Right, onto other things. Or rather, other books.

Top Reads Corner

I’ve loved reading all the comments on my post here which give dozens of suggestions for mid-twentieth century novels. Once I’ve finished this newsletter I’m going to put them all into a handy new post. I’ll include a link next time but in the meantime, you’ll find it on Notes of Cheer in the next day or so. Tell your bank manager or local librarian to brace themselves - it’s a cracking list!

Meanwhile, this month I’ve been judging books by their covers. Or rather buying them. Let’s raise our chapeaux to the jacket designers in publishing. Blimey, they earn their money.

One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes

I’m a big fan of Mollie Panter-Downes (London War Notes is essential reading) but hadn’t read One Fine Day until Virago Press posted about their new cover design and kaboom, I was in. Set in a village in 1946, it’s a wonderfully evocative and reflective novel about the enormity of change the war has brought, both to a small family and the greater world. Laura Marshall tries to run her big house with the now limited availability of domestic help (it is only a family of three so I have to admit I didn’t feel it was that arduous, but she’s of the generation where the privileged grew up doing nothing for themselves so finds it all a bit much), while the Porters and Prouts spill out of their tiny cottages and appear to be coping far better with post-war life and new opportunities.

I love MPD’s writing - the detail and feeling of place and time really is exquisite.

One Fine Day is a great book club read as there’s tons to discuss - not least re how our world has changed even more since then. It may well divide the room as there’s no plot to speak of which can get people’s goats (I know someone who didn’t get on with it because of that), but that’s always good for a discussion. I loved it. Glorious.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Vintage Classics have just re-published To the Lighthouse (along with Mrs Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own) in hardback with Vanessa Bell’s original jacket design. Isn’t it great? I was torn between this and Mrs Dalloway but I already have the Macmillan Collector’s Library edition which is also beautifully done and has a ribbon which makes up for the fact that the print is tiny which if you’re anything like me, is a bit of a strain on the old mince pies.

I often buy older versions of books I’ve read in pb because I like the original artwork. However, as a first edition of To the Lighthouse with this jacket design costs around £4,000, I’ve gone for this! What a great marketing idea too. As I haven’t read TTL since my A’Level English I’m looking forward to it.

Additional Fact of Shame: when I was in a lockdown Zoom bookclub we read Mrs Dalloway which I am very keen on. In the middle of the discussion someone accidentally called it Mrs Doubtfire which, possibly due to hysteria brought on by not having left the house for some time, made us all laugh for easily the next three weeks. Honestly, it was only that and watching back to back episodes of Big Bang Theory that kept up morale, but now I live in fear of accidentally saying Mrs Doubtfire during a top literary conversation and subsequently getting booted out of publishing for being a complete idiot. Please never ask me to mention the D-word out loud. I shall deny everything.

Hold on - is that the sound of a thousand people hitting ‘un-subscribe'? Don’t go!

Anyway, this is beautiful new packaging and well worth a splurge.

Now onto some Old Stuff I Like and this month I’m staying with books and their jackets:

Vintage Enthusiasm of the Month

The Reluctant Hostess by Ethelind Fearon

Full transparency: I haven’t always loved old books. As a youngster I was scared off by finding some piccalilli in the middle of a book on 1960s counter-culture from the library. I don’t mind admitting it took a while to forget that and “book bits” were a very real fear. But reader, I moved on and boy, I’m glad that I did.

Earlier this year I bought Ethelind Fearon’s The Reluctant Hostess purely because of the jacket. First published in 1954, mine is the 1957 printing. Fabulous.

You may already know Ms Fearon and her work, but she was new to me and now I want everything she ever wrote.

TRH is really funny in a peak British way (Chapter VII: Some Ghastly Games: “Having got the people to your party you must do something with them”) and it’s full of tips, most of which wouldn’t see the light of day now because of sensible Health and Safety rules keeping us all alive. So if you do get hold of a copy, don’t follow anything at all especially if it involves chemicals.

Anyway, the premise is that entertaining at home is awful but as you’re going to have to do it sooner or later, here’s the least awful way of doing it.

Of the uninvited guest:

“… the resiliance of the human soul is phenomenal. You no sooner extricate yourself graciously, having introduced her to the potted cacti and the current issue of Vogue, than you are extemporizing valiently on a theme of six eggs, a tin of orange sections and a packet of brandy balls.”

I don’t even know what a brandy ball is, but God, I want to live next door to EF.

One game called Feeding the Brute is “death to carpets” (it involves jelly), and the Drinks chapter should probably now be banned. What Ethelind refers to as “the harmless beverage class” could knock out a horse and by the time you get to the “N.N” cocktails (“not for novices”), to be on the safe side I’d pre-emptively call an ambulance before the first guest arrives.

And do note, in terms of drinking, “V.C” means “good and very cheap” and not a medal for bravery. At least I think so. Can’t be sure. It would be well deserved.

There’s a short biog of the author on Jane Badger Books here, because Ethelind also wrote pony books which only makes her even more magnificent in my view. And actually, Jane Badger Books is the place to visit if you’re interested in classic pony fiction.

Back to Ethelind and I also have her Flower Growing for Ungardeners (“How to grow the maximum of flowers with the minimum of effort” - I’m in) and The Reluctant Gardener, and I have to say that any of them make a great gift. Perfect for when you visit someone and they either already have everything other than a speed boat, or have given up everything so nothing you used to take, works. You can find all the books mentioned with a jacket (a must have) for £5-10 so that’s good too. I like the look of Me and Mr Mountjoy which is about a pig. I like pigs.

Are you an Ethelind fan? Do tell me in the comments. I hope she was nice.

Right. What else?

Where Things are Mostly Cheerful

Oh yes, here’s a quick round up of some nice things I’ve seen/bought/wanted over the last month.

Museum shops: who doesn’t love a museum/gallery/stately home shop? I desperately want this Luke Edward Hall tablecloth from the Louvre. Isn’t it gorgeous? And buying it online totally beats joining the bonkers queue to take a selfie infront of the poor old Mona Lisa.

A fake old fashioned cooler: this Polarbox is everywhere and looks cheery. And on the other 10x more expensive hand, look at this jaunty gin box which you could definitely get for someone if they already have a speedboat and all of Ethelind’s books. Wildly expensive, but very nice.

Gingham: this coat from Damson Madder is gorgeous AND reversible. I bought one but it comes up very big and so had to go back and I’m still mulling over which size to get. It’s lovely so I’ll def give it another go. So size down as they say.

Correspondence cards: I had these (see below) made to send out with signed pre-orders of Dear Miss Lake. They’re from Blush Publishing via Etsy who were super helpful especially re turnaround times. The cards are lovely to write on too. I highly recommend, plus they do non-bespoke cards too. VVG.

And finally I can’t tell you how much I adore this: The Linen Box at The Well Worn, making tops out of vintage embroidered tablecloths. What a wonderful way to give them new lives. (If you’re handy with a needle, eBay is always chocka with tablecloths needing new homes so you could give it a go at home. Someone once spent ages making them - they deserve to be loved).

OK, that’s it for now. I’m sorry this is a bit late (I’d promised Sunday reading) but I hope it kicks off your week with a bit of cheer.

Thank you again for all your support for Dear Miss Lake. I really am grateful.

Have a lovely month. If you’re in the UK, the heatwave is coming back. Use sun block. Drink lots. Get a hat.

I’ve turned into your Nan.

Until next time.
Yours,

AJx

PS: if you’ve enjoyed this please click on ‘like’ or leave a comment as it will tell Substack I’m doing OK!