It’s done! It’s done! After four years work I’ve completed the final draft of my new book. I may still be coy about its title and the nature of the journey, but not about the publication date – summer 2026. Hurrah!
I finished the final edit as a guest of the remarkable Palazzo Butera in Palermo. Over the course of my residency, I fell head-over-heels in love with the palazzo, the city and above all the extraordinary light…as illustrated by this beautiful dawn only a few days ago. Time and again the beauty of the Sicilian light all but brings me to tears.
As for the not-so-coy, if you fancy popping over to another Mediterranean shore, in September Nick Danziger and I will be tutoring our annual Telling Tales: the Art of Creating Stories in Images and Words. This Monaco workshop remains one of the highlights of our year – because of the location, because of our dedication to our respective arts, because of our excitement for the meeting of words and image, and above all because of the participants. As in previous years, the week’s programme will be tailored to participants’ specific needs and include intense one-to-one sessions – perfect for focusing on your book, collection of short stories, film script or exhibition. Numbers are limited to a maximum of eight writers and/or photographers. Dates are 15th – 19th September. If you’re tempted, drop Nick or me a line. At the moment three spots are still available.
Ahead of that on Tuesday 10th June, I’ll be holding an Arvon Masterclass on bringing people and places to life in your writing. Over the two hour session, I’ll share the mechanics of describing places and then illuminate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s principle that character is action. It’ll be a practical, nuts-and-bolts session on how to make your writing live.
Finally, later in September I’ll be joining Sophy Roberts (The Lost Pianos of Siberia, A Training School for Elephants) and Laura Beatty (Pollard, Lost Property, Looking for Theophrastus) for a week-long non-fiction workshop at Arvon’s beautiful in Totleigh Barton in Devon. By when I promise not to be coy about the new book!
yours ever
Rory
