Thursday 6 March 2008

Displacement Activity

The saying goes that 'discretion is the better part of valour', but I reckon it's also the epitome of wisdom and maturity too. I’m not good at it. I just know that if I’d been around during the second world war I’d have been far better employed digging up turnips than cracking secret codes at Bletchley or being dropped into occupied France (they wouldn’t have had to bother with torture, just get the kettle on, open the biscuit tin and say, ‘so—what’s the gossip from England?’)

Don’t you find that when you’re desperately trying not to give something away, it becomes the only thing you can think about and you know that the minute you open your mouth (or begin a new blog post) the details are all going to come spilling out? I’m really not allowed to give any details of the book I’m working on at the moment, which is so difficult because I’m having great fun with it, and it’s one of those ones that has just SO many possibilities that it’s a bit like standing in the middle of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory and having to choose one thing (actually—that would be easy wouldn’t it? I’d take Johnny Depp dipped in dark chocolate, please...)

Anyway, while I’m not mentioning it, I’m trying to think of other things to talk about instead. Like the series that just finished this week on ITV1 called The Palace. I must admit I was slow to get into it, but by week 3 I was totally hooked. The almost- gorgeous Rupert Evans helped of course, but the whole premise of the thing was so gloriously Presents, and it reminded me of the glory days of Dynasty and Dallas, but with Brits in tiaras. What’s not to love?

Sadly, it’s finished now so I need something else to fill the gap. Any suggestions? What’s everyone else watching these days?

11 comments:

Kaz19 said...

Hi India
Oh my God! I can't believe it, somebody who has actually watched The Palace. I have yet to find a person who has watched it, (who will at least admit to it).
It was utter kitch, and yes you're right, it was a bit like a Present's book. I loved it.

Congrats to you for your last book, I loved it! What I like about your writing is that, your story line is so detailed, at least that's how I would describe it. I hate authors who skip important links. Its so frustrating.

I wish you could give us a clue on the book your writing at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Dear India,

I'm still missing Masterchef desperately. I don't know if you watched any of it, but who could have imagined that a TV cookery competition final would make a grown man cry? HE did you know...

Johnny's New Kingdom on BBC2 is brill. There are some fabulous (combover, balestring belted, definitely NOT Presents) characters. Last night saw some baby badgers-so unbelievably cute that-well-yes, dammit, I bawled my eyes out. Sniff.

Chair still sparkling?

Love,
Rach.
XXXX

Unknown said...

No, Kaz, NO!! Don't ask me or I'll blab, and then I'll be in such big trouble...

I don't know anyone who watched The Palace either, so it looks like our fan club is going to be very small and exclusive! I couldn't make up my mind whether Rupert Evans was gorgeous or nerdy... What's your verdict?

Rach, I caught a couple of episodes of Masterchef during some marathon ironing sessions the other week, and found it all very tense and compelling, so I'm not surprised it reduced Him to tears. How they can make cooking a meal into some kind of life and death gladatorial combat I don't know, but by heck it works for me! (as I put the kettle on for a Pot Noodle...)

Chair is still unbesmirched, but am not sure that this will continue to be the case much longer as I have a sex scene coming up and will need lots of the dark stuff!

Ray-Anne said...

Boston Legal.
It is so silly and ridiculous, while trying to tell us a moral message, it is cool.
And it has James Spader in it. Who has a rather interesting romance life, let's just leave it at that.
Thursday. 10pm.
Everything else? Not really.
I have a TBRead pile which is in danger of avalanche.
And DVDs. Michael Clayton last night. Very clear screenplay.
Movies. Books. MMMM. :-)

Eva said...

Lost is on tonight. That means I might catch a glimpse of Sawyer. Sigh.

Unknown said...

Boston Legal has escaped my radar, Ray-anne, so I'll definitely look out for it. Of course, you know that now I'm going to have to do an in-depth search on James Spader and find the darkest secrets of his interesting love life, don't you?! For some reason I can't make the sofa-commitment to watch a whole DVD on any other night than Saturday (and then I always fall asleep...)

Eva, I didn't really understand Lost and gave up after about 2 episodes (I know-- that says more about my intelligence than about the programme!)However, who needs to follow what's happening when there's Sawyer to look at??

Kate Hardy said...

Ashes to Ashes. I just love remembering what it was like to be 15 when that music was around and those fashions... (Plus Philip Glenister is superb in it. They must have had such fun making the show.)

Michelle Styles said...

I will echo Kate H and say Ashes to Ashes. Philip Glenister makes the show, and the 1981 fashions...it takes me back to my teenaged self.

Amanda Ashby said...

NZ is about 10 years behind the rest of the world, but right now I'm watching: Ugly Betty, House, Scrubs repeats, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and my new favourite totally bonkers show: The Mighty Boosh!!! Well, I'm not actually watching them all right this minute because I'm too busy burning dinner...

Kate Hewitt said...

24 on DVD... very tense and addictive. I've watched four seasons in the space of a few months before I finally burned out on it. Kiefer Sutherand is great in it.

x Kate

Unknown said...

I kind of found myself avoiding Ashes to Ashes for that very reason-- I'm in denial that we ever used to look like that!! (though I think I may have missed a trick with the music. Must revisit it.)

We're divided in this house about The Mighty Boosh-- He loves it, I'm not sure, so have ended up taking the opposite position just to annoy him. Ah... the joys of marriage!!

Kate, I really really must discover 24, because I know so many people who think it's fab.

Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies. Monday nights need not be empty from now on!