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| From North&South magazine, Pietra, me and Sharon |
It's in the Family Ties section. How deputy editor Joanna Wane made sense of my 9am blitherings and run-on nonsense (see my first par on this blog post) is amazing. It's fascinating to watch a good journalist in action and I tried to take note of her questions which were wide ranging and searching and her demeanour which was low key.
I don't know about you, but someone asking for my thoughts on this and that quite the novelty. I could have carried on for days. I guess that's what therapists are for. I must look into that. I wish I'd worn color and a collar, but again you live and learn.
As you can't read the text: my sister Sharon, 50, is a producer and journalist for Checkpoint at Radio NZ, Pietra, 48, is an international documentary maker, her latest film is The Flickering Truth about film archive hidden in Kabul. I was a journalist in London for 15 years and now I'm freelance journalist. No, let's face it - I'm a van driver.
It was funny reminiscing about what we did during our summers during our childhood. I would ride my bike to the public pool to meet two friends and spend the day diving for pebbles and lie on not-too-clean concrete for hours. Happy as Larry.
Once home I would line up unripe nectarines on my bedroom window sill, scrunch through them and read through all the novels by Enid Blyton (high jinks in Devon, now regarded as horribly unPC) Somerset Maugham (his crusty observations on alcoholic expats in the Tropics was probably not suitable for a 13-year-old but oh well) and Jilly Cooper (horsey high jinks in Gloucestershire) Strange bedfellows.
What about you?
Actually it's quite easy to read the text when I just spread my fingers over the screen.
ReplyDeleteI used to read the Enid Blyton boarding school books - Malory Towers and St Clare's . And then I had polished off the Jilly Coopers too, swooning over Rupert Campbell-Black...
OOh yes, I remember old Rupert! Telly host wasn't he?
DeleteWhat a fabulous article! Jody,did you look to Chekhov for any inspiration for this novel that we need to hear more about? Will there be a character resembling Miss Shirley Dibbles who is to blame for all the bad dancing? (never underestimate the GSL Intel apparatus).
ReplyDeleteThis was a treat !!!
You have such a good memory - Mrs Shirley Dibble will be in it of course and giving philosophications along with good develope advice. I'm standing in third position as i deliver this news/
DeleteMy sister just sent me an article saying someone in NZ is making a crime TV show with the working title Bay Of Plenty. Not sure if this is good or bad for my novel...(which is a crime one too)
DeleteIt certainly can't hurt and please post on anything you can share on the novel, writing process, etc. We'd all love to hear about it and I want to be 1st in line to pre-order.
DeleteThat is awesome indeed. I had posts disappear on me like 3 years ago, was some blogger glitch.
ReplyDeleteOh that's interesting. Annoying that you can't just put in the link and un-delete it. Now I need to re-post and it will be sent out again...
DeleteBuggar my subscription to North and South has expired, I might get my mum to grab a copy and bring it over at Christmas time, oh and I was rifling through my bookcases on the weekend and came across...............Jilly Cooper - Polo LOL, did we get separated at birth?
ReplyDeleteOh Jilly, she was our favourite. even when I went to varsity and we were wimin united and furious about stuff we all loved la Cooper.
DeleteAnd I thought you were just stuffing your face with "lunch" all this time. Who knew?! This is a wonderful article. My sis is here as we speak and I am so totally happy.
ReplyDeleteI can hear the cries of Mum she started it. My sisters pick on me terribly, don't they know I'm the eldest? So unfair
DeleteThere you are...did wonder about the silence........what a talented lot you are!
ReplyDeleteOur writing teacher always says 'stay connected" to your writing. Once I'd left it for a week, that blank page is more imposing isn't it?
DeleteMercury retrograde and technology not a good mix. Can't wait to read the article but great pic and lucky you to have sisters I bet your get together a are full of the best stories!! Yes therapists are popular for so many reasons and people who can't be bothered to kept a diary.
ReplyDeleteI kept a diary all through my middle east travels in my twenties and threw it out (never once read it) but really regret it now, not for the dreadful constipative meanderings, but for a record of all the villages i stopped in at.
DeleteWonderful article. I was a Blyton gal myself and none the worse for it. I think my childhood was idyllic, except when it wasn't (thank god, we all need pain to help us recognize the happy, don't we?). I love that you are so close to your sisters; our siblings can be such a comfort to us as we get older - they know what we know and now that both of my parents are gone, I find we rely on each other to fill in the blanks!
ReplyDeleteSo well put Wendy.
DeleteI do find the stories vary as the glasses are drained throughout the evening.
Great article, Jody. Makes me wish I had a sister. :)
ReplyDeleteI used to read all the time in the summer too. Enid Blyton was okay, but I preferred the adventures of the Malcolm Saville stories, plus loads of school story books that my mum had on her shelves. Made me long to go to boarding school where they always seemed to have so much fun. :)
I know. I always wanted to go to boarding school and have midnight cocoa, even though I've never liked Cocoa. The Kiwi version, Milo is much nicer
DeleteJody that picture of you and your sisters is gorgeous. You do seem alike, you must laugh loads when you're together.
ReplyDeleteOur childhoods matched except for me it was apples and the Bronte sisters.
Very happy to see you back and I wonder where your posts went?xo
I ate so many apples at university that my teeth enamel wore off in the front.
DeleteI know. My posts made an escape.
Bizarrely you can locate deleted posts but can't re-instate them as they occurred on your blog. Funny that google can't work that one...
You've got quite a talented family, lucky you. Don't get me started on my family, I spent my childhood looking for my birth certificate, I wanted to know if I had been adopted. I hid in books most of my childhood, starting with the Wizard of Oz series.
ReplyDeleteWe used to tell Sharon she was adopted. She totally believed us.
DeleteOne of my kids Tallulah is constantly checking to see if she was adopted and is always very disappointed by the answer. (No)
YOU THREE are FABULOUS!RED, BLONDE and a BRUNETTE!HOW STUNNING!I want YOU to frame this photo.............
ReplyDeleteI wondered what had happened to you......thought the walk had gotten to YOU and well you check out for awhile!Not so.........see you THURSDAY!WHERE?
Mine is totally dyed these days, Im so grey in front.
DeleteReal life got to me....the walk was easy peasy compared to this
Are there any new Oakland places you want to try? I have to stay local
I have missed your blog and wondered if I had dropped off the list. You and your sisters look beautiful. If you hadn't spoiled it by listing everyone's profession, I would've sworn you were crime fighters. A Kiwi Charlie's Angels perhaps. :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha! I could be a firefighter if there was a loo close by!
DeleteHi Jody,
ReplyDeleteWonderful article. The secret: "They grew up in small town New Zealand, but the three Brettkelly sisters - a journalist, an international documentary filmmaker and a first-time novelist living in California - have always been drawn to worlds beyond their own.” “…to look beyond ourselves and be interested in a world greater than our own."
And everyone waits for your novel.
Best regards,
Edgar
Thanks Edgar fellow traveler
DeleteOh God Jodie, I love Enid, Somerset and Jilly too! I loved the Razor's Edge so much.... perhaps it was inappropriate for an early teen, but it did make me determined to loaf through life!
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of stunners you and your sisters are. And so bloody talented!
Just read a review of a new autobiography about him - he was a disgusting fellow. Agreed to be the most depraved of all the writers. Now I can't find the link but it was quite shocking.
DeleteHe was such a prolific writer because to pay to keep his lovers attentive. That's one motivation.
Amazing writer though
I've been reading Enid Blyton to my daughter before bed. For some reason I always affect an English accent when reading it. Must be all those references to things being "jolly" etc.
ReplyDeleteLove the photo - so interesting you've all gone into different forms of journalism. Often you see that in families, but it usually seems to come from the parents first (medical or legal families for example). But I seem to remember you saying your Dad wasn't a journo?
How annoying re the disappearing posts!! I often have difficulty uploading mine and it takes a few goes. xx
Congrats to Sharon & Pietra! Great photo of you three!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvellous article, you ladies look amazing too :)) xx
ReplyDeleteYou all look lovely and what a talented bunch! I will have to get my kids to bug their dad for some pineapple lumps as now I have a craving for them. Be gentle with yourself on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. I find that I'll have a crazy week with the book stuff and then, on a normal day, sit there staring at the laundry feeling mildly depressed. Real life seems odd after a bit of a departure from it doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteLovely family. You and your sisters seem so close. How neat you are all writers too. It must be fun when you get together. I think you look lovely in this photo- all of you. I'm glad you are back and okay. Was a bit worried you were off for a bit and are so prolific. Hope all is good now. Off to get my magnifying glass and read this!!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with the creativity and success of all three of the 'sistas'. I know your wonderful parents are very proud. What fun to peek at more of your life growing up and accomplishments Jody! Wonderful article. I'm sorry to hear about your posts vanishing. That is such a bummer. I just bet they are hiding somewhere..... maybe under some wayward 'pineapple lumps'??
ReplyDeletexx, Heather
Wonderful article and beautiful sisters! I've had posts go poof, but this summer my whole blog went missing. Damn hackers. I hope you have 2step verification on your blog.
ReplyDeleteLunch soon?
How pretty you all are! I can't believe this is only the first time someone has got around to writing an article about the three of you. All so funny and friendly and interesting
ReplyDeleteI didnt know you were writing a book. Crime mystery was what I read as a young'in, Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.
I think that is so lovely to have an article written about the three of you and what interesting lives you lead. I agree on the looking like you might pee in the photo but you still manage to look great.
ReplyDeleteHi! I has been attracted by the beautiful photo of you three girls... so beautiful, so smiling! Have a wonderful weekend, dear!
ReplyDeleteThe London post has gone? Where?
ReplyDeleteI bought it back because I also had the blogger app on my phone and it was in draft there. but its all out of order now. Bummer.Good reason to have a blogger app then
DeleteOtherwise you follow the trail if you've got an old link and have to repost but you still can't put it in order.
Whole blogger thing is odd, not very sophisticated in some ways
Well I'll be darned! I had wondered where you'd been :)
ReplyDeleteLovely photo of the three of you.
ReplyDelete'Gone with the wind', 'Stalky and Co,' 'Vinegar and Brown Paper', anything by Angela Brazil and 'Just William.'
You belong to such an exciting family! Creative as can be, the whole lot of you. (I'm sorry to say I cannot read the article; Bears eyes are not particularly good even at the best of times.)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Lining up nectarines. Nope; never did that. But it sounds terribly exciting. At least it does to a Bear.
Glad you're back from your pilgrimage!
Blessings and Bear hugs, Jody!