Antonia Forest fans please come and talk to me so I can tell you my superb AF related thing

[FrannyandZooey]

I got this for Christmas and am having such a good time reading it.

It contains loads of trivia which I didn't know, including the fact that Wade Minster (where Nicola sung her solo in End of Term) was based on Chichester Cathedral. Where I also sang a solo as a child.

I am unwarrantedly happy to discover this and know absolutely no-one in RL who would know wtf I am talking about, so am sending this out into cyberspace instead in the hope that someone will say

ooooOOOOOOOooooh

ooooOOOOOOOooooh

it's fab isn't it

there was a conference and all sorts but i missed it

but I did sing in Wade Minster

oooOOOOOOOooooh

Thanks for the link Franny - I'm also going to order the Monica Edwards Romney Marsh Companion.

Do you have all the books? I have all the Marlow ones, but not The Players & the Rebels or The Thursday Kidnapping - which I read once from a library & have been looking for ever since. I once saw it on Amazon for £70, but couldn't afford it

I haven't even read The Thursday Kidnapping - copies do come up occasionally on eBay

I am sitting on my hands waiting for the Players and the Rebels to come out - I LOVED the Player's Boy, and have managed to get dp to start it - he found the school titles too girly

Ooh - think I may have to treat myself to a New Years copy of it .

The conference was on DH's birthday, so I felt it would be better to not go. Sadly.

Yes yes it is a fab book we must all read it [impatient] - Do you understand why all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I read about the cathedral? I felt like someone had said I was sitting in a chair that - oh god I don't know - the Dalai Lama had sat in

the other great thing in the book so far for me is that she and K M Peyton (my other main children's book obsession) were close correspondents and that AF particularly liked Jonathan Meredith [swooooon]

I have realised I don't have the Player's Boy . Must rectify this. And order the Marlowes and their Maker. And wait for the Players and the Rebels. Probably better for my bank balance anyway.

YES YES stop drooling over their back catalogue I SANG IN WADE MINSTER I TELL YOU

[desperate for some kind of acknowledgment]

Wow - what a fantastic looking book.
Only re-read Falconer's Lure the other day. Followed it with The Marlowes and the Traitor and then Autumn Term. These are the only ones I have. Oh and The Ready Made Family.
Cannot believe the drivel that you find in libraries these days, and all the while they seem to be getting rid of the excellent books that I remember.
Was looking for Susan Cooper books lately, but no joy. Though I suppose that might change after there was a film of The Dark is Rising.

[gives up as realises people only want to talk about the books]

damn

Sorry

Gosh Franny - did you really sing in Wade Minster!!!!

So you could be Nicola, F&Z. I know what you mean about feeling electrified by a similarity between real life and fiction - feeling like you shared realities IYSWIM.

My mother and I used to go on book tours when I was little - I was massively obsessed with Malcolm Saville when I was about 10. So we went to Rye, Shropshire and broads to follow in the Lone Pine footsteps.

Ditto Swallows and Amazons - holiday in Lake District. Not the same as actually being them.

She and Peter were my favourite characters. Couldn't stand Ginty. Madam.

Ha HA this is more like it

yes I DID fabulous isn't it?

Actually I like(d) Lawrie better. It took me bloody AGES (I mean, till I was about 30) to realise that Nicola was meant to be the more likeable character. My other favourite is Rowan (of course)

What did you sing?

Oh yes, Rowan too, natch.
Not Lawrie - she was a PITA about the share in the Idiot. And generally. Very not me.

Once in Royal David's City

now without checking I don't think Nick sung that but she did sing Adeste Fideles at some point IIRC

Lawrie is just marvellous. I could always completely identify with her

I thought there were probably plenty of other immature self-centred misfits out there feeling the same until I read the book in the OP - they are very scathing about poor Lawrie and AF quotes from cheeky fan letters saying what a headcase she is

God I have to have this.

AM impressed about the singing. What did you sing??

I like Lawrie best now I am grown up, but rather boringly favoured Nicola as a child.

Peter's Room was the best book, and I don't have a copy now

I so wanted their house, it actually hurt. Land and all.

oh did you really love Peter's Room? That's interesting. I came to it as an adult and was horrified by Patrick arsing about with the twit Ginty

Nicola is quite dull really, sorry. Lawrie is just marvellously mad - the bit in the Thuggery Affair where she dresses as a beatnik and climbs out the window LOL! and forgets she is pretending when the police find her, and nearly gets banged up

I wanted to have a big family with lots of brothers and sisters I am a sucker for big family stories

I haven't read Peter's Room as an adult, but I thought it was brilliant. I remember feeling Nicola's pain very keenly.

Lawrie is a fantastic character. I also rate Tim. I don't think Nicola is DULL though (heresy!!!)

well no perhaps not dull

but not so interesting as Lawrie