27/06/2009 by admin.

The Royal Academy of Arts is presenting an exhibition of the works of the critically acclaimed artist J W Waterhouse.  The collection of public and private works is the first of its kind since the 1970s.  The wonderful collection includes ‘The Lady of Shalott’ a work close to the heart of Ben and Julia Whittenbury as described in the conclusion of our free online novel sample. 

The exhibition is another strange coincidence which seems to vindicate Ben’s claim that Julia has a kind of ‘third eye’ although Julia is too conceited to admit to her insightful abilities.

Ben and Julia plan to visit and have until mid-September to do so. Why not pay the Academy a visit? Here’s the link to relevant page on their website:

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/waterhouse/

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q42 Do you enjoy drawing?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

24/06/2009 by admin.

Our novel records the mysterious antics of Malachi the Samoyed dog who seems able to disappear and reappear unexpectedly in the strangest of places.  Time seems to hold no barriers for our messenger - working on behalf of Mother Nature personified in our story as Lucy.

How interesting then that a dog named Lucy who vanished from her home in Cornwall on 6 February has been found 550 miles North roaming a garden in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland.   The 17 year old border collie was missing for over four months and nobody has any idea where the dog has been or how she ended up so far from home.  Lucy’s owner, Mrs McKerron was overwhelmed to be reunited with her lost canine after Edinburgh Cat and Dog Rescue range to say her dog had been traced following a microchip scan.  We like nothing better than a mystery with a happy ending.

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q41 Do you like surprises? | No Comments »

23/06/2009 by admin.

Early today a fire broke out in the historic Wellington Inn, Welwyn, Hertfordshire.  The blaze took hold on the top floor of the three-storey building.  Fortunately no one appears to have been injured, but we very much hope the building isn’t too badly damaged. The Wellington has its orgins as an inn dating back to the 13th century and was once visited by the famous writer and diarist Samuel Pepys. 

We feel rather unsettled by the fire. Our readers will recall the mysterious blaze on the Cutty Sark - at Greenwich the home of time - which we recorded in our Watch.  Now we have a fire at another venue linked to our story - afterall did not the Duke of Wellington chair the Blakesware Set?  It’s unsettling given the venue is so close to home.  Given global temperatures are predicted to rise unless carbon emissions are brought under control we wonder - is this a clear sign to us all that the mercury is set to soar? 

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q47 Do you know your history? | No Comments »

22/06/2009 by admin.

In our story, Charles Lamb’s journal records the significance of a blue ribbon taken from Lucy Ebbs’ hair in helping to flag the needs of Mother Nature. How surprising then that Oxfam Campaigners are asking people to demand action on climate change until their ‘Blue in the Face’.

A host of celebrities agreed to have their face painted blue to show their support for the global movement determined to take action on climate change; people like Fatboy slim, Jarvis and VV Brown. Its all part of the run up to the Copenhagen event in December when world leaders will come together to agree a new global climate deal.  The video in the link will be shown at Glastonbury.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/festivals/index.html

The less brave at heart might want to follow Lucy’s lead and wear a blue ribbon instead?  Forget-her-Not?

Posted in Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour?, Q28 Have you ever lived in poverty? | No Comments »

21/06/2009 by admin.

Novel Spoiler 

Our tale concludes with the unmasking of the role of ‘The Emperor’ in overseeing all the activity and, presumably, the events unfolding on our Watch.  The Emperor’s main goal is to encourage us into urgent action to address the pressing environmental challenges - speed is of the essence!

How curious then that the BBC car programme Top Gear has ‘revealed’ the identity of the Stig, the mystery driver who tests high-performance vehicles against the clock. 

The Stig removed his helmet for the first time in a moment that shocked and surprised the audience.  The person behind the white mask was the seven times Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher.  Its unclear whether he’s the real Stig but all the same the coincidence is uncanny given society’s ongoing love affair with the car and the implications for the environment at a time of looming climate chaos.

So, on the Summer Solstice, let’s celebrate the work of The Emperor….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZh7oKD08A&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

18/06/2009 by admin.

Our readers will know that Charles Lamb’s journal begins with a vision from high in the clouds, that The Beatles provide much of the creative influence for the story and that playful squirrels get up to all kinds of mischief on the Tree of Life to tell us that the time for talking is over.  How fascinating then that Sir Paul McCartney’s childrens book ‘High in the Clouds’ about the adventures of a squirrel is to be made into a film. 

The book is about Wirral the squirrel’s search for an animal sanctuary, which is what we’re very much about - seeking a haven for the endangered creatures on this planet.  It will be Sir Paul’s biggest involvement in a major animation since The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine in 1968.

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »

17/06/2009 by admin.

President Obama has swatted and killed a fly during an interview with John Harwood on CNBC. Hehowed impressive hand-eye co-ordination and declared, “that was pretty impressive, wasn’t it? Got the sucker.”  In a bizarre re-enactment from one of the scenes in our novel, the fly had buzzed around his head in a similar way to the one that vexed our psychic, Julia Whittenbury.  The US leader is now being dubbed Obamazilla, after the act and his suggestion, “You wanna film that, well there it is!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ2H1K_0FXw&feature=popular

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q44 Is there anything worse than a fly at night? | No Comments »

15/06/2009 by admin.

A ghost forest of huge tree trunks from Africa will appear around Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Square this November.  The dramatic artwork will highlight the threat of deforestation. The iconic world reknowned column will be surrounded by stumps of trees that once stood at similar height. The project is the brainchild of artist Angela Palmer who travelled to Ghana to locate naturally fallen trees to use in the display.  The artwork will then move to Copenhagen ahead of the crucial UN Conference on climate change in December.  The fate of the rainforests will be high on the agenda.

Our novel records how Ben and Sarah took part in a protest in Trafalgar Square about climate change. Dressed as a polar bear Ben Whittenbury poses beneath Nelson’s column as his daughter takes photos.  Whilst Charles Lamb’s journal records the significance of ‘Nelson and the Bear ‘ a painting by Richard Westall and gives an insight of the trip the Admiral made to the Arctic when just a boy; a venture captured in the painting.

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

12/06/2009 by admin.

Gerrit Blank a teenager from Essen in Germany has been hit by a meteorite yet lived to tell the tale.  He was on his way to school when he saw a fireball heading towards him from the sky.  The missile from space hit the boy’s hand then bounced off to leave a foot long crater in the tarmac.  Gerrit was left with a 3 inch scar in his hand.  It came to him like a bolt out of the blue. It knocked him flying with a sound like thunder that left a ringing in his ears for hours.  The pea-sized meteorite had sped along at 30,000 mph.  There is only one other case of a human  surviving after being hit by a meteorite.  It was a one in a million chance - perhaps a reminder of the reference in our novel of the remarkable speed at which the Earth is moving through space.

Posted in Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q41 Do you like surprises? | No Comments »

09/06/2009 by admin.

In our novel Sarah speculates about the existence of fairies and asks Ben whether Neverland’s a real place. Well Ben we’ve news for you - Charles is off to Neverland! Well not Charles Lamb, but the environmental ambassador HRH Prince Charles.  The Prince will attend a royal gala premiere of the first ever production of J.M.Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens - the place where the story is set.  Video screens will recreate a moving backdrop as Peter Pan, Wendy and Tinkerbell fly over London.  

Clap hands if you believe in fairies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb7F8cNF5lQ

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q25 Do you believe in fairies? | No Comments »