Words on a Wednesday Morning

Listening to audio is such a pleasure for me yet often I do it as something secondary. It’s on the background as I write or work on paperwork, or else I’m listening to it on my MP3 player as I travel. This morning I found myself just sitting and listening to a radio program, it was so fascinating that it alone held my attention.

The program was called Midweek, on BBC Radio 4, and is basically a round-the-table chat show. The host, Libby Purves, invites a group of people on and they chat for 45 minutes. What makes this program so interesting is Libby Purves’ skill at getting her guests to talk. This isn’t the usual format of question and answer, she actually manages to get an interesting conversation running.

Today her guests were the actress Penelope Wilton, Colm O'Gorman (founder of One in Four charity, http://www.oneinfour.org.uk/ ), Donald Reeves (Rector of St James's, Piccadilly and whom Margaret Thatcher call “a Very Dangerous Man”) and Bradley and Soren Stauffer Kruse, the Sugar Dandies.

Penelope Wilton is an amazing actor; her performance on Doctor Who, as Harriet Jones, stood out, amongst so many excellent performances. Her character went from hero to villain and back to hero again, finally sacrificing herself to save the Earth. So much of her character’s arc was down to her own performance. But, over the years, I’ve seen her deliver many standout performances on the stage.

The highlight of the program was Colm O'Gorman. As a child he was abused by a catholic priest in Ireland, which left such deep scares with him especially because no one would believe him. He was one of the first people to speak out publically about what had happened to him. He successfully sued Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns for allowing the abuse to occur (in light of the Catholic Church’s shameful practice of covering up an abuse by priests) and won. He later tried to sue the Pope, for the worldwide cover-up of abuse by priests. He failed but I deeply admire his courage in doing so. (In a previous blog I have written about what happened to me as teenager at the hands of Christians, http://drewpayne.blogspot.com/2007/12/based-on-true-story.html ). He spoke so passionately about the wall of silence around the abuse he suffered, something I recognised, that blind reluctance by Christians to admit that they can cause harm or that other Christians do. (Colm O'Gorman’s own website is http://colmogorman.com/ and the Irish branch of One in Four is http://www.oneinfour.org/ ).

Donald Reeves talked about the way he has been marginalised by the Anglican Church, especially the Evangelical branch, for his political stance. He also talked about the way religion wants to keep people in a very childish state, to be very reliant on their leaders for their intellectual answers and needs, how this perpetuates the power of religion. I have seen this a lot in religious leaders, people who are addicted to the power of their position.

Lastly came Bradley and Soren Stauffer Kruse. As the Sugar Dandies they are a gay male ballroom dance act. I have never been a fan of ballroom dancing. I find it soulless, their dances in no way reflecting the music they dance to, instead being far too concerned with performing the “perfect” step. After listening to Midweek I watched a clip of the Sugar Dandies dancing (http://www.homotopia.tv/blog/2008/11/sugar-dandies.html ) and was so impressed. They were opposite of all the things I hate about ballroom dancing. They were joyous, fun and intentionally camp; they could have only danced that dance to that piece of music.

BBC webpage about that episode of midweek: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kfdq7

Listen Again to that episode at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qrpf

Drew.

Time Makes Liars Out of All of Us

Only a handful of days ago I was complaining (though trying to do it in a gentle tone) about noting having anything published (in print or on the web), well today that changed.

In the post I received my complimentary copy of Nursing Standard, complimentary because in this week’s copy I have had an article published. The article is giving advice to nurses (though the advise can apply to all works in the UK) about what to do if they find they are being transferred from one employer to another (The TUPE legislation here in the UK). This might sound a dirt subject but it’s still a very important one, many nurses are facing a change of employer as yet again we’re facing re-organisation in how healthcare is delivered, also those working in the private section are facing this with the credit crunch as one company takes over another.

The article itself can be found in this week’s edition of Nursing Standard (April 1-7 2009) or via their online edition at: https://secure.rcnpublishing.co.uk/index.asp?mode=challenge&action=login

Just receiving this magazine gave me such a boost. It is so affirming to have something of mine published because it shows that I can write something that people want to read, that I’m not just playing at this.

Drew.

And The World Slows Down.

For my writing getting out there, into the world at large, March has been a very quiet month. So quiet I feel ashamed to admit it. I have had nothing published but it’s not for want of trying.

I have been sending out so many different pieces, to different publications, but with no success. Whenever I have got a reply, and that can be very infrequently, it has been that my writing isn’t what they are “looking for”, though they don’t mention how my writing could be altered to be “their style”. So often, I wonder if they fully read or even begin to read what I have sent them.

It’s a complaint that I’ve made before but as a writer I am so much in the hands of editors. The good ones can really bring out the best in a writer, unfortunately they do seem rare. The majority of them seem to be of the type that label a piece “good” because they like it and don’t go much further than that, often you can be lucky if you get a reply out of them. Editors aren’t a “necessary evil” but a very important part of the publishing process, unfortunately good ones are so rare.

I carry on writing, though. At present I am working on several short stories revolving around murder, but my usual dark take on the subject. These are stories were murder is messy and destroys lives. Also, I’m working on non-fiction articles about modern nursing. I’m keeping myself busy writing, it’s still so important to me.

(The picture attached to this blog is one of the photographs taken by my partner Martin, it’s of one of the ornaments in our garden)

Drew.

Some More and More of My Writing

Here are some links to pieces of writing that I’ve had published, some of the recently. Most of them are short stories, my non-fiction writing is usually published in print format and takes longer to get onto the internet, but I have managed to include one of my opinion pieces.

Praying in The Stock Cupboard
http://www.gayflashfiction.com/Story_Archive/Praying.html
This story features one of my favourite themes, the clash between Christianity and homosexuality. This one revolves around Joe, a gay officer worker, who finds one of his colleagues praying in the office’s stock cupboard and the effect it has upon him.

One New Message
http://www.authspot.com/Short-Stories/One-New-Message.446401
Receiving emails can be a joy or a chore, a personal email from someone can be so enjoyable and a pain when it’s scam. This story is about a man who posted a profile on Friends Reunited and then gets a message from the only person he would want to contact him...

Goodbye
http://www.authspot.com/Short-Stories/Goodbye.320077
The ending of relationships is another subject that fascinates me; I’ve been on the receiving end of it enough times in the past. This story features a man who has finally decided that the time has come to end his relationship with his girlfriend, they are so very incompatible, but he also doesn’t want to hurt her. He hasn’t set himself an easy task...

Things You See in the Dark
http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=20525
This story has a special place in my affections. It was published in the Spring 2006 edition of Chroma magazine. Chroma is a lesbian and gay literary publication and it was an amazing honour to get one of my short stories accepted by them. This one traces the growth of one gay man’s self-identify, during the seventies and eighties, through the films he watches and the different images of gay men he’s exposed to.

'The NHS should help obese people change their lifestyles to lose weight – blaming patients is dangerous'
http://www.nursingtimes.net/This_weeks_issue/opinion/Hot_topic/2008/12/the_nhs_should_help_obese_people_change_their_lifestyles_to_lose_weight__blamin.html
This is an opinion piece I wrote for Nursing Times magazine. The subject here is very plain from the title but it was based on something that actually happened to me. I was bluntly told, by a doctor, that I was overweight and had to lose weight but that was all the help I got. He bluntly told me that and then I was expected to leave, no further help or advice offered. So this was one of my responses.

Happy reading.
Drew.

It’s February and it’s LGBT History Month

This year I have again been involved with Nursing Standard to mark LGBT History Month. Unfortunately they didn’t run a special edition to mark it but I was invited to write an editorial for them, and naturally I said yes.

The theme of it was The Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, the legalisation that makes it unlawful to deny anyone goods or services because of their sexuality or even perceived sexuality. This is a revolutionary law for lesbians and gay men, it takes away the shadow that I’ve lived with for most of my life; that shadow of worry that I would be turned away because I’m gay. “We don’t want/allow your sort here.”

One of the first effect we have witnessed has been the Lillian Ladele case. She was a registrar who refused to preside at Civil Partnerships because she said they went against her Christian beliefs. She was eventually dismissed and took her employer to an Employment Tribunal, claiming she was the victim of religious discrimination. She lost on appeal, the judge saying her behavior was discriminatory. We’ve repeatedly seen this, Christians claiming they are the “victims” of discrimination because they can no longer use their traditional homophobia. (Naturally, my editorial wasn’t as blunt as this)

I was so pleased to be asked to write this. Healthcare, in Britain, is still not the friendliest place for lesbians and gay men but Nursing Standard has been very positive in tacking homophobia in it. Their LGBT History Month specials have been wonderful and they have repeatedly promoted lesbian and gay rights. To be part of that is so important to me. Being involved with them has also benefited me, it has pushed my writing career up so many levels; I wouldn’t as well published as I am now with the experience they gave me. But most of all, I feel that their coverage of LGBT History Month is so important for moving nursing forward, and I’m so proud to be involved with it.

More about Nursing Standard can be found at:
http://nursingstandard.rcnpublishing.co.uk/

Drew.

Read All About Them

This is another of those less then subtle attempts at self promotion, and why not? There’s no such thing as bad publicity.

The Triond website has published three of my short stories (Faith, Hope and Chastity; The Office Bicycle & Dandelion Clock), but the best of this is that I will get paid each time they are read (!!). It isn’t a lot of money but it will soon mount up the more times they are read; and nicest of all, they are free to read. You don’t have to register or pay a fee or anything; you just have to click on the link.

Faith, Hope and Chastity (http://www.authspot.com/Short-Stories/Faith-Hope-and-Chastity.302805) explores one of my favourite themes, evangelical Christianity and sex. Daniel is a twenty-five year old Christian and a virgin, who only believes in sex within marriages. His world is turned upside down when he meets Kate, whom he believes God has sent to him to be his wife… This story looks at how such narrow Christianity screws up an individual, because Daniel is so much the victim of his believes.

The Office Bicycle (http://www.authspot.com/Short-Stories/The-Office-Bicycle.314825) is set in an office and revolves around a woman how has a reputation as a slut, which she has cultivated by telling endless stories of her sexual exploits and one-night-stands. But why is she doing this? Why do we create the images of ourselves that we do?

Dandelion Clock (http://www.authspot.com/Short-Stories/Dandelion-Clock.314831) is about a dysfunctional family having a family picnic. It is seen through the eyes of a disappointed mother, as she looks at her family around her. (This is the shortest of the three).

Please check them out and have a read. You can click on a tab to say if you liked it or not and you can also leave comments about the stories. Please do, I value any feedback.

I intend to publish more stories on this site so do keep an eye on my profile (https://www.triond.com/users/Drew+Payne) because that will contain new links as each new story of mine is published there.

Happy reading.

Drew.

Work, Work and All Work.

I’ve been silent on this blog for far too long, and my only excuse is that I’ve been so busy. It’s been a combination of my job been so busy and having to sort out the sale of a flat, there’s been so little for writing and I’ve missed it. I know this sounds like a little chorus of “Poor Me”, but it’s just what happened. It is strange how much I missed writing, it’s there in my blood.

Well I’m back on the horse, so to speak, and writing a lot. Things have eased up a bit, mainly because we’re on two weeks annual leave and have time to ourselves. Martin has been taking lots of photographs and I’ve been writing.

Next week I’ve got a half page opinion piece in Nursing Times. This is about healthcare’s poor attitude to weight loss and obesity. Basically, in England, the opinion seems to be if you’re over weight it’s your fault. There is very little help for people trying to loose weight.

I have also gone back to writing a series of short stories about a vicar’s wife who solves mysteries. This may sound like a twee ripe-off of Agatha Christie but I want to grow the stories very much in modern day. These stories deal with jealousy, patricide, blackmail, murder and deception. I choose an amateur detective because I know so little about police procedure it would have been laughable but I wanted an amateur detective that was at least passably believable. With a vicar’s wife I can have a character would has a reason to be involved in other’s lives. Different members of her parish come to her with problems and she solves them, though I hope the problems reflect far more on the twenty-first century then the nineteen-thirties. There’s an American publisher I hope I can interest in them, I just have to write enough of them.

Drew.

P.S. The picture I’ve posted with this is one of my partner, Martin’s.