Pulling Strings - April 2025
This month is somehow already over! It whizzed by in the best way, from my first poetry reading and writing Star Wars to a fantastic concert experience and my proper acting debut as the lead in a student short film!
Things I did
As mentioned last time, I spent the last evening of March at Waterstones Covent Garden for L.R. Lam, A.Y. Chao, Taran Matharu and Philip C. Quaintrell in conversation, discussing all things dragon!
It was a fantastic event with many insights not just into the creatures but writing in general, with an audience of great company - other authors, proof readers and general readers! It was great to catch up with L and get my hands on a copy of Emberclaw and its swag. While I was up in London I also visited the impressionist rooms of the National Gallery. I shared some stand-out pieces on my instagram here.
My first day out in April was another London trip. With my English Heritage volunteer pass, I scaled the great little Wellington Arch site. The exhibitions on the different levels inside are worthwhile, but the view from the top is the best, as is looking back overhead:
The main event that day was the Science Museum’s Versailles exhibition. I visited the palace in May of 2022, knowing it would be a major location in my second WIP novel. And it was so rewarding to visit again through this exhibition, learning so many details you can’t possibly soak up walking through one opulent room after the other or navigating the gardens. I could share so many photos but I particularly liked this bird’s-eye view of the whole layout.
Again, there’s more highlights on the ‘gram, including a couple of extras from the main science museum and V&A. The museum obviously showcased Versaille’s place amongst science history, with early pendulum clocks and an ornate watch, to the best map of the moon for hundreds of years, sketched over eight years. The inner workings of the gardens, their waterworks, will undoubtedly make it into a future draft. There was the first full map of the west coast of America and many educational tools used for the wealthy children at the palace. Then there was all the botanical and zoological ‘progress’ made there, like this pride of the menagerie:
Pivoting from that, I spent four days acting, a Saturday then Monday to Wednesday at Orpington. Out of the blue, I received a message from the same lovely group who had me in their music video project. They wanted me as the lead in their second year short film Pulling Strings, summarised briefly as a mods and rockers Romeo and Juliet. I took nowhere near enough photos, but that’s me getting kicked…
I attended another fantastic virtual lecture about Creswell Crags, a zoom (pun intended) through the 150 years of excavations on-site. Some more great titbits to add to my writing, and it put me back in contact with Dr George Nash.
On the 15th, I attended AK Patterson’s fantastic gig at Paper Dress Vintage in London. Hearing her powerful songs with live drums and bass and backing vocals was brilliant. Plus, as I entered, Alex was there to recognise and welcome me, and I got to chat to her parents at the merch booth. Then her partner and fellow musician, Merrick Winter, came on for a duet and then was right beside me photographing the concert!
Once again, Alex came out into the crowd for her last song. Across the circle, who did I see? Only Bastille’s Dan Smith, and Florrie, an incredible singer/drummer pop artist, drummer on Dan’s Ampersand tour (which I’ve covered seemingly ad infinitum). So, four out of six main Amperband members!
And, I happened to be wearing an appropriate T-shirt, which Florrie spotted. Dan gave me a knowing nod, thankfully recognising me from January and last years’ meetings. When Alex finished, I headed over for a lovely chat. Dan suggested we go down into the venue’s garden, where I had a great regular conversation with Florrie about the last concert and its documentary at Turner Contemporary. Then we headed inside, where I got to talk more to Dan, introduce myself to Merrick (who also co-wrote a song with one of my other favourite bands - half alive’s All My Love (Imperative)). He ended up shaking my hand three times, then I also got to congratulate Alex. It was surreal but also so normal to be amongst and talking to these musicians I’d seen play Shepherd’s Bush last year.
I took the plunge and got selfies with everyone, amongst the same instagram post I’ve shared twice already.
The next day, I was in Greenwich to record ADR for Pulling Strings. I didn’t know what to expect, but was led to this amazing booth with a lot of equipment, and this view into the main studio, with film playing, speakers and you can see all the sliders there. I had headphones on to hear anything, and a proper mic to act into. Fun!
As the rule of three dictates, I was on the train a third day in a row, this time London Bridge for a wonderful day with a friend, revisiting Anthony McCall’s Tate Modern exhibition, the Mithraeum and we had a longer explore within the Barbican. Lots of photos from that exploration here. We also popped in the Guildhall.
This is just one example of Evelyn de Morgan’s fantastic work on display there at the moment. Ashamedly, I hadn’t heard of this incredible artist (1855-1919) - I think she needs to be more famous. The one above, Our Lady of Peace, is a good example of all the little details she puts into her work, religious symbolism but deeper meanings beneath them, or through them. I love all the winged cherub heads in the rainbow, but also the paradoxical nature she was portraying, of someone going out to war praying for peace. The painting was one of many for the Red Cross.
That evening, I had my poetry reading - but I’ll cover that in writing news. Speaking of, the following week was a time to get more writing done, along with visiting Station Books in Tunbridge Wells for a great conversation (and to pick up another book!).
I also attended a couple more webinars. One was a fantastic talk (and opportunity to work in breakout rooms) by comic creator Claudia Matosa, for the WIP Comics group I’m now a part of. Then a few days ago I attended a talk about recent research and digs at Creswell.
This evening, possibly as you’re reading this, I’ll be watching a 20th anniversary screening of Revenge of the Sith! Where the fun begins.
Things I wrote
This newsletter… (I still like starting with this one!)
Writing my third article for Star Wars Insider this month has been such a joyful privilege. I loved the process of re-watching and reading everything possible, and doing some further online research, shaping it all together in notes, writing it out in proper prose then chopping and changing and trimming then connecting until I had something resembling the word count!
And my poetry reading on the 17th went really well! I’m sure if I’d have been in a room with all the attendees I would’ve been a lot more stressed, but it was such an enjoyable novel experience to be guided through the zine the wonderful team at New York Public Library, to be introduced and then see all the clapping emojis flying up the screen when I was done reading and talking about my poem featured in their zine. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the faces of the editors and some fellow contributors, whether poets or the zine’s great artists.
On April 24th, I celebrated ten years of being a (self-) published author, with the release of my first book in Kindle! My cover design and writing has improved a lot since twelve-year-old me put this out, not knowing what to expect. I won't forget the feeling when hundreds of readers found it, or when I started to sell paperback copies which would be other children's Christmas gifts.
I had no idea in 2015 that I'd release 30 books in this universe and sell approx. 6,000 copies. Nor did I know this backlog would help me get my first traditionally published writing in the official Star Wars magazine!
I wouldn't be the writer I am today - wouldn't be the person I am today - without this book and everything it gave me from the moment I hit publish. I honed my craft, built my confidence, and found escapism while writing my Diamond Dimensions universe for seven years. And that journey is still very much ongoing.
I am so grateful for DanTDM and his fans for the support over the years. And of course many thanks to Dan especially for giving me permission to release that first volume, to create, to follow my dreams.
I entered the Oxford/42 New Writing Prize this month. Fingers crossed on that one (more info at the link if you’re curious, and if you’re reading this the day it arrives in your inbox, the comp’s still open!).
In terms of regular querying to agents, I’m still in the trenches. But I did receive a major boost in the form of a personalised rejection. The agent complemented my stunning prose, admired my ability to build a scene and said I was extremely talented!
Two more wonderful editions of A Long Time Ago… came out this month. And I can definitely say one of them belongs on this list as I did in fact write it all, I said in last month’s newsletter. It holds even truer now! Though I can’t claim my own contribution for the year anniversary of the series was wonderful - was wonderful to write though!
A Long Time Ago… with Lavie Tidhar
A Long Time Ago… with Harvey Hamer
I’m very thankful to Lavie Tidhar for contributing this month, then came my own favourite Star Wars stories and historical sites. It was a celebration, and also a changing point for the series going forward.
The schedule’s going to change. It may move to once a month, or perhaps be sporadic. Frankly, it’s not that I’m running out of potential guests. It’s that I’m running out of steam contacting people, or mainly, checking in. That said, there has been some more great yesses and a fantastic contribution from a writer I really admire - coming May 4th!
The video game project has properly been announced on the founder’s channel. While working on other things, we properly finalised the script for level 4, which is really coming to life. It is incredibly rewarding to see whole minutes of gameplay in a 3D environment. Also working with a very responsive concept artist is amazing, tweaking sketches before we commit to full pixel art backgrounds for a different gameplay section.
Things I gained
Marc Guggenheim’s Jedi Knights first issue was a fantastic pilot episode of a comic and I can’t wait to see where he takes the whole cast. Legacy of Vader really hit its emotional stride with this issue, and The Rise of Skywalker adaptation continues to really add to the film with some incredible layouts.
Here’s the full range of goodies L was kind enough to hand out with Emberclaw. It’s a fantastic end to the duology, full of so many good character moments and worldbuilding that is a great mix of tropes and unique elements.
It was a lesser month for new books. Four nice finds from the parents, including a Hawkeye hardcover and some useful research books. Thrill Ride is Amy Ratcliffe’s first novel and I’m really enjoying the relatability and deep dives into theme park culture the book’s providing. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever enjoyed a day out at a theme park, and it would be especially nice if you supported Amy for the support she’s given me (like being the first A Long Time Ago… guest! - or trusting me to beta read her next book! - and hopefully working on something else together!)
Thanks very much for following along. See you next month!