And it was very, very cold not least because I couldn’t resist standing and watching the most amazing windsurfer. They seemed to be part of the water and were flying to and fro and graceful in a way that I’d never seen before, and a spot of Googling once I’d taken a picture so I could see what was on the sail told me that I was lucky enough to be watching one of our potential Olympians. The fact that he looked gorgeous in a wetsuit was, of course, completely immaterial and a sign of how seriously I take doing my research. And you can find out about him here if you're interested and see lots of other proto-heroes and heroines. https://www.pooleharbour.co.uk/blogs/info-center/meet-our-riders
And that’s the thing about Poole. So much is happening there, both modern and beneath the surface where the past isn’t as buried as it is in most places. There’s sailor Pip Hare, who’s a round-the-world solo yachtswoman. You can find out more about her here if you’re interested https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/20169854.sailor-pip-hare-unveils-latest-solo-round-the-world-race-bid/ but we often see her out in the harbour, and doing maintenance on her boat. She’s forty-eight, so into the zone where women become invisible. (Although sailing solo around the world does strike me as being quite a drastic way to get away from people who take you for granted. For one thing, I can’t sail…) But wow, what a woman! Intrepid doesn’t begin to describe her so that article is well worth a read.
I’m not very intrepid at the moment. I’m stuck indoors because of the Amber cold weather warning and I am NOT happy about it but sometimes even I have to be sensible so I’m reframing it as a time for research and for cooking and sewing and writing. If I say I’m researching Poole pirate Harry Paye, Jackie magazine in the 1960’s, Ann Sidney, the Poole girl who became Miss World and then an actress who led an eventful life and an illegitimate Romanian Prince who claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne then you’ll begin to see why Amy and Peter have headed over to Poole this time.
And yes, one of my younger heroes does go windsurfing cross the water in a way that I so wish I could. Actually, I’d settle for a good long walk, but the first draft is coming well so I’ll store up ‘walk time’ for spring which will come no matter how it feels at the moment. What’s more I can, as always, go adventuring through books, which leads me neatly on to this weeks special offers, which are;
Hard Running - A new anthology of 2 of my Shadows books which I write as Eleanor Neville. A little harder edged, a little darker, a little sexier, but still with a strong feeling that most people are good and decent if you try to understand why they’re doing things that may seem crazy.
The first 3 Lavender House books - House of Dreams, Ghost of Love, Ghost of a chance, on at 99p UK, and 99c US. Set around so-called millionaire’s playground Sandbanks (which it is, but it’s also a nice community, especially in winter when the second home owners aren’t there.) Tough strong willed heroines, heroes with issues and a ghost with a mission
The first 3 Windy Bay books - A Fresh Chance, Starting Over, Second Chances - again on at 99p Uk and 99c US. - Gentler, no sex, more family orientated, and set around a lovely village where time goes more slowly and people are interested in each other. Not nosy, obviously. Nosy is very naughty. Interested in people is a different matter, as you can tell from my research!
So have a good week till we meet again, stay warm, and here’s a picture of that amazing windsurfer in action.
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