Words for your ears

‘There’s more to life than books you know, but not much more.’

Morrissey

So, I’ve already told you I like, well, love books. I also LOVELOVELOVE music. It’s the thing that makes us move and look stupid and act stupid, when it hits you right in the gut, the heart and then finally the head, and  if you’re reading this and going, yep, well, we’re on the same page eh?

Some of my favourite books have music at the very core of them, and a lot of my own writing, both factual and fictional, and,  as I would dearly love this book group to be A LOT more interesting than polite people eating cheese, stroking their chins and saying ‘hmmm’ a lot, I thought one way would be to bring music into the mix.

So, to start us off, I decided to treat you to a playlist that goes with our first book ‘Apples’. Now, it’s not just some random songs I’ve plucked out of the air and deemed worthy, oh no, this list comes from the author himself, who’s partial to My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3.

Let us know what your favourite music book are, and what songs you think go well with books you love. I’m a geek on both scores, so the more lists the better!

Here is Richard Milward’s playlist…please have a listen, have a read of the book, and feel free to leave us a message to say you’ve stopped by.

It’s lonely out in (cyber) space.

Playlist for ‘Apples’

Rolling Stones – ‘She’s a Rainbow’

The Beatles – ‘Dear Prudence’

Elliott Smith – ‘Independence Day’

Madonna – ‘Like a Virgin’

The Smiths – ‘How Soon is Now?’

The Beatles – ‘Yer Blues’

The Doors – ‘The End’

The Beatles – ‘All You Need is Love’

So here we are…

So, here it is, a book group in the Boro. Ace. Being asked to run this group is quite an honour.  I’ve loved books ever since I got my first library card at Easterside Library age 3, have Roald Dahl’s Matilda as a role model, and got thrown out of Waterstone’s as a teenager for browsing for too long. Geek. Yes I know, but there’s just something about books. 

Reading can be a comfort, a solitary thing, where you can hide away from life and get firmly trapped inside someone else’s. it can take you away, change the way you are, how you act, what you think.

One of the most frustrating things about reading is not having anyone to share it with. The number of times I’ve wanted to talk about a character or a plotline and had nowhere to go but Amazon, which isn’t the most interactive thing ever. 

This is why the idea of a book group makes me so excited. Until now, I’ve blogged about books and hoped people will react, but now, I can meet people; real, live, who will talk and tell me I’m wrong. Hah.

So yes, I guess what I’m trying to say is that this book group will hopefully make reading even more fun for the bookworms that lurk in Middlesbrough bookshops, libraries, bedrooms and baths

This is no ordinary book group. Oh no! Laid-back, informal (please wear clothes though) It’s after work, which means after hours cocktails and tea for the drivers. There will be food, good music and a chance to meet up with people and talk about your feelings, ideas, irritations and loves. 

If you’d like to come, you’re more than welcome, and there will be all sorts of free niceties on the first night….just send us an email to let us know you’re coming blueloungereadinggroup@newwritingnorth.com

Oh, and members of the book group can get a discount of 20% on all Blue Lounge Book Group titles at Borders Teesside with their membership card.

So come on down, the kettle’s on.