Confirmation or coincidence?

I recently went to see the movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which as most of you will know is the screen version of Stieg Larsson's novel by the same name. (As an aside, it is intriguing that the original Swedish title 'Men Who Hate Women' was not adopted for the English-speaking audience in either the print or film version. Is this a cultural 'thing'? I must say I don't think it would have attracted many English-speaking people to either read the book or view the movie.)

Nevertheless, the main point I want to make in this posting is that I wrote a scene (rather badly) for my novel, and nearly jumped out of my seat when there is my scene played out large as life on the screen. I'd like to add here and now, rather ashamedly, that I had not read any of Larsson's post-humously published novels, let alone seen this film before writing my scene. Again, is this one of those 'signs' that I am on the right track? (See previous posting.)

Another admission I'd like to make is that I seem to be developing a bad habit of seeing a film before reading the book upon which it is based - or is it that film producers are bringing out their wares earlier and earlier? What do you think?

Passion, power and politics

Passion, power and politics - so read the poster for Opera Australia's latest producton of Tosca by Puccini, which I was privileged to view recently at the Sydney Opera House. Although familiar with this opera, the rendition was quite unlike any other I had seen and was set during the Fascist era of Italy. However, what really struck me was the similarity between the overarching theme of the opera and my novel - a heroine prepared to sacrifice herself for the man she loves in a world corrupted by power and politics. Rather like the proverbial drowning person clutching at straws, I take some comfort from these revelations that they are a 'sign' to me I'm on the right track with my book!

Sebastian Faulks

You probably all know Sebastian Faulks has just published a new novel A Week in December, which I purchased in hardback. (Faulks, MacEwan and Le Carre - still got to find that acute accent - are the only authors to whom I would accord this tribute.) I have only just started to read this book, but as usual I'm already totally engaged by and drooling over his superb writing style. There are no gimmicks, no pithy modernisms, no lazy writing, - just plain, good - supremely good writing using a good old-fashioned third person narrator, plenty of imagery, description, metaphors and similes. The writing just flows. Have a look at my website in a few days for a proper review of this novel. He's still one of the greats!

How far would you go for love?

Taking a break from the 40 degree heat today, I went to see a Franco Zeffirelli production of Puccini’s Turandot filmed live at the Met in HD. As you may know, the Met has been showing a series of operas since last year throughout cinemas around the world. Cinema goers may be in different time zones but they see each opera as it goes out live. There is a VIP who introduces each opera, and who also interviews the stars and other members of the production team, in between acts. For example, today the person in charge of making severed heads, for operas like Salome, was interviewed. The young Latvian conductor was also interviewed. He said the thing he liked best about Turandot was the fact that Liu, a slave girl, sacrificed her own life to save the man she loved. He felt this act surpassed any heroic feats of war. It actually has echoes of the novel I’m attempting to write where the heroine, a Western girl, is coerced into working for the intelligence services and making sacrifices, to save the man she loves, who is a Uyghur.