While the rest of the nation was gripped watching England play in the World Cup last night, I curled up on the sofa with the manuscript of a book written by a journalist friend.
Award winning business writer Jenny Chapman already has 11 books under her belt and wants to publish her latest via a blog. She has asked Geoff and me to help and suggested we read the story first to see if we were interested.
It is a 2006 version of Brief Encounter, one of my favourite films, a truly evocative masterpiece which so poignantly portrays the angst and conflict that develops in an illicit affair between two ordinary people.
Entitled Brief, Jenny’s updated version describes what would happen today if an unfulfilled housewife and dutiful husband, both married to dull spouses, were faced with the same circumstances.
She has taken many of the original scenes from the film and placed them in a modern context, such as the railway station and cafe, the boat ride and their embarrassing discovery in a friend’s flat.
From what I’ve read so far, I find Jenny’s story very gripping, perceptive and, of course, brilliantly written. Her past titles have been highly acclaimed and are in the same genre as those by Penelope Lively and Deborah Moggach.
I do not know how Jenny’s version ends yet. I thought the David Lean portrayal was superb: the anguished lovers had not been discovered by their partners, there was no unkindenss or cruel actions between them, just an acceptance that fate was forcing them apart.
How do you think a similar couple in the same situation would deal with this dilemma in 2006? How do you think Jenny’s book ends?
Blimey I had better start reading the manuscript so we can compare notes. Then its a question of how to publish it to best advantage. Maybe a chapter at a time as a blog post?
Speaking from past personal experience, just that – an acceptance that life circumstances were forcing them apart. Ideally, they would run away together into the sunset of course……….
I do believe that sometimes certain people were destined to be with each other, regardless of their commitments with anyone else. I’ll have to get reading this myself. Escapism is great but in reality we all face so many other issues that come bounding along when this does happen.
Liza runs a quality introductions agency and has a unique insight into people’s relationship problems. Beware internet dating is her sound advice, I’m sure she wouldn’t have a John Prescott look alike on her books.