Cherry Potts, Writer, Editor, creative writing tutor; Lesbian, cat-mother, would-be singer. Any of these can crop up here.

The Passenger

So the Wendy Dawn Thompson Fan Club (Blackheath Chapter) were out in force last night, Me and A, M and D (separately, we thought they were going a different night and bumped into them in the bar). I have to admit I would not have gone to The Passenger if WDT (Vlasta) hadn’t been in…

September 30, 2011
Essex extremes

I do like a mix and match day. So we started with a couple of kilometres of walking round Rainham Marshes bird reserve. Not many birds to see, but there’s not much to beat a marsh in the sun; a beautiful morning, a stolen September summer Sunday, wandering about in shirtsleeves with the end of…

September 25, 2011
Folkestone Triennial: Art-on-Sea

A and I are a bit last-minute with exhibitions and regularly miss things because we think we’ll go ‘later’ and then just forget. However, we actually made it to the Folkestone Triennial with two days to spare. We followed the yellow seagulls sprayed on the pavement from the station to the visitor centre. There was…

September 25, 2011
sleeping with more cats

The continuing saga of the cats who have owned me. Earlier episode here One of the things about Hattie, (we rarely called her Harriet) was that she had a ritual of staring out of the window every morning, which we attributed to her ‘checking outside was still there’. It turned out we were right. When…

September 22, 2011
A Sense of Place

As a writer, reading is hedged about with difficulties – every book read takes time away from time writing (even when travelling, these days, although the book-to-read-on-the-train is still an honoured tradition), and there is the danger of absentmindedly siphoning off themes and even style, I am easily influenced by a good writer. And, except…

September 20, 2011
Open Queue

It’s day two of London Open House and we’re off to Crossness Pumping Station. This has been a long-held ambition, but with so much to choose from over the weekend it has taken, ooh, six years? to get here. The instigator of this sudden resolve is our friend J who phoned and said: I’m going,…

September 18, 2011
London is Open

Every year in September, buildings of historic, architectural and ecological note open for the public for free. In London Open House is in full swing. Take a look at the overwhelming website – it’s all going on tomorrow as well. Most years I go and feast my eyes and wear out my feet: holidays are…

September 17, 2011
BBC short story cuts

I’ll admit to an ambition shall I? I’d really like one of my short stories read on BBC Radio 4. What’s more I’d like it read by Emma Thompson. How likely is that? Not very, perhaps, but the chances are decreasing since the Beeb decided to cut its output of readings. Of course they do…

September 12, 2011
Singing for Water

What a great day of singing. My feet are feeling it, but we’ve had a superb day out, doing what we love best, and raised some money for charity in the process. Our sponsorship page will function for another three months, but no need to wait, donate now! Please!! Around 800 people, representing over 50…

September 11, 2011
Sing for Water final preparations

It’s been a manic couple of days, we drove home from holiday yesterday, had showers and went out again, to North London for a final Raise the Roof rehearsal for Sing for Water. Mel hosted a tight squeeze in her flat, and everyone brought food and drink. A boiling hot evening, all the windows open…

September 10, 2011