Should I keep or should I throw now . . .

                                                           https://kateahardy.com/

In some ways I love moving house. Yes, it's exhausting, stressful, sad, exhilarating and never ending - if you have a fair amount of stuff, as we do. The 'I love moving' element is the purging of accumulated afore-mentioned stuff - where allowed to . . . Mark is a bit of a hoarder; all relevant or in some cases, nostalgic things, but I'd happily throw out more. He is a musician however, and not a piccolo player - piano, accordion, cello, percussion, etc, as well as an academic so the piles and stacks of papers, books, records and associated items are difficult to part with. 

He's done well so far, especially in tackling his hoard of 'every program of any music event he has ever been to'. There were I think fifty box files of pamphlets, A4 sheets and books all stretching back to his adolescent years and up to the present date. He's culled the collection to fifteen, and I think he would admit it was in some ways a cathartic experience.

Last time we moved I took several van fulls of stuff to charity shops and the tip - probably partly things we had brought with us from a previous and less purge-worthy move - the one where we left the UK and the panic before the move was such that a lot of what-the-hell-is-this . . . what-shall-I do-with-it things remained with us.

I've managed to part with a mass of objects that have been with me since London styling days; brocante props and other boot sale finds along the years. I may still do that teashop/book shop/antique den but I'm fed up with seeing the potential stock, move after move, so it's going and has already gone partly to a story-worthy dealer who rubbed his hands in a Heep like fashion as he went around the house leaving no bit of china unturned. 

My stacks of manuscripts were burned in a sort of ceremony before the last move and I'll probably do it again this time, just keeping the most recent copies - it's somehow worrying to part with them but what's the point of holding onto all those earlier edits and junked ideas . . .  unless I suddenly become intensely famous in which case . . . nope. It's all going.

And then there's the 'Hey! the copy of techniques des autopsies that I found in a boot sale for 2 euros is listed at 350 euros on Abe books.' Plus all the other old 'could be worth something' books we own. I tried a few attempts at selling online but unless you are in the dealer world it's a soul crushingly waste of time. So . . . techniques des autopsies with its delightful and gruesome 1920s drawings will probably come with us along with many other books until we open that teashop/bookshop/antique emporium . . .

                                                          Mark sorting through his box files

          Do I really need old list-diary books . . . and scraps of lyrics. Nope, photo, then bin . . .

A tale of three lunches

I think I might write a Londonia cookbook to celebrate making do and other related forms of cuisine. It would probably be a very slim tome with one or two actual recipes.

Step one: open cupboard and see what's in it. Step two: open fridge and see what's in it. Step three amass found foods and create something, preferably not involving cat food or trifle.

Last week I was gratified to realise that we could make three different dishes with just a small amount of minced beef and whatever had been sitting in afore-mentioned storage items. The dishes evolved from a sort of spaghetti bolognese with some not-usually-included ingredients such as left-over Brussel sprouts and potato, to the next day which was more tomatoey, and was served with polenta; to the next, and final - (phew) - day where the dish became a yet more tomatoey and spicier invention with crunchy cheesy potato rounds on top. (Personally, I think this was the best of the three - well matured and marinaded in spice) I reckon the whole three plate principals cost about ten euros for both of us. And . . . more to the point, we didn't get poisoned by 'waiting in the wings' food. Obviously I wouldn't try it using chicken or pork, or God forbid, seafood. Arg.

I suppose it's just what we did as students but with a bit more knowledge gleaned along the years of cooking, and my mother's/grandmother's wisdom about having a peasant pot - as Mum called it, of chunky soup 'on the go'.  

                                                                        Lunch Number 3

The brilliance of my other half

You sort of know (when you live with someone, and have lived with them for many years) everything, well, not absolutely everything - that sounds a bit surveillance system-esque - about them. But often you forget to admire the unique qualities of that person; too busy just wading through the stuff that makes up the average day, good and less good. 

Working more closely with Mark on our audiobook project over the last year has revealed anew just what an extraordinarily creative individual he is; not just the bread and cake maker, piano/cello/accordion player, academic, composer and teacher . . . It's his library of musical and artistic knowledge tucked away in the high, somewhat wrinkled forehead of his; the personal library that enabled him to come up with the pieces of music, and created/found sounds that he dropped into the story at just the right points, and in just the right amounts. I did put the odd bit of editing in, or suggestion of a different creaking door/bird call/whatever from time to time, but the conception and creation was all his from the atmospheric Londonia theme to the most subtle of nods to great historical composers.

Mark's Londonia suite of piano pieces are a beautiful hotchpotch of ragtime, honky tonk bar, wistful, resonant melodies, and upbeat romps. When we get a film deal . . . come on! we can dream! I do hope the persons responsible for creating the soundtrack will take an audio trip into the non AI and completely original world of Dr Lockett's music.

https://marklockett.com/

During our Londonia podcast - on Spotify or Youtube.

One of Mark's Londonia suite pieces - Fred being the owners of Fred's Threads recycled clothing emporium

And on with the next one...

So . . . I'm sure anyone who reads this blog will know that Londonia has been an ongoing project for many years; from the moment I climbed out of a swimming pool with the idea sloping about in my mind, to the novel being published by the marvellous Tartarus Press, to our audiobook version of the novel, finished after a year of hard work, and now launched. The audiobook can be found on Spotify/Findaway voices, and other platforms - Audible soon.

I'm going to put a review here for the audiobook. It's the first one - apparently you can only do stars on Spotify - bit odd . . .

The person reviewing is also a writer and writer workshop aficionado - Hazel Manuel.

Londonia audiobook review. February 2025

Wow, what an experience. These days audiobooks are my medium of choice for novels, and I listen to a lot of them.

I have to say that Londonia is so much more than a reading of the story. It is a fully immersive experience with original music, scene creations and vivid character portrayals.

The talent of Kate A Hardy and musician, Mark Lockett's performances brought so much to what is already a gripping and un-putdownable novel.

Post-apocalyptic London in 2072 is brought to life with refreshingly human characters, compelling in all their individuality, emotional depth and authenticity, who navigate a dangerous yet community spirited world. 

This is no clichéd, futuristic hero story, although we encounter much bravery in the most dire of situations. Here we experience along with 'Hoxton' her friends, animals and enemies, an intelligent, thrilling and heart-warming tale, all without resorting to tired tropes and stereotypes, so often present in dystopian novels.

The author doesn't shy away from the darkness and lawlessness of post-apocalyptic city life, but at the same time shows us how friendship, community and kindness must be at the heart of surviving in such a world.

I loved the fact that Hardy didn't feel the need to give us a predictable 'happy-ever-after' ending. Instead I was left with a deeply satisfying feeling that life in Londonia will continue in all its glorious chaos, and that there is always room for hope.

                                             

       Me reading in our very Londonia kitchen complete with wood stove-drying washing 

Currently we have a couple of possible leads into the film, world so that would be a nice development . . . After all those years of readers saying this would make brilliant screen material, it would be a happy conclusion for the Londonia world - or a continuing world as there are of course other related books.

The next audiobook project has to be decided. We might do a short story while we consider jumping into the vast time commitment of a whole narrated book. When we do jump it'll either be the follow up to Londonia - Smithi, or a time-travel tale called, the Panto Horse End, or possibly, The Hundred and Fifty-Eighth Book, a wry humoured, roller coaster of a story featuring Hamish who a reader described as a cross between Withail and a more loveable version of Bernard from Black books.

I would just like to say again a massive thanks to all the people who supported us on Kickstarter to get the audiobook done, and all the readers of my work over the years who have believed in it!

For more info on my other books, please check my website - I can't put a live link here but it's kateahardy.com

If you read the book or listen to the audiobook version, and enjoyed the Londonia experience, please leave a review/stars on the audiobook platform/ Goodreads/Amazon, etc. Thanks! 

                                                                   Bernard of Black Books

Yr average panto horse

Withnail (on the right, IF you don't know the film . . .

   https://kateahardy.com/

Launched!

Our audiobook of Londonia was launched today on Spotify's Finally voices - and other platforms. To celebrate a year's worth of work we held an event last evening in the salon of a beautiful C14th building in our local town, Saumur. Owner of said house is the most generous and relaxed human being - you just tell me when you want to do the event; I'll provide wine, and make tea. Just do what you like, move the furniture around, whatever . .  numbers of people? Up to you; I'm sure we can accommodate a good crowd, etc.

In fact nearly everyone turned up except someone who got stranded in Nantes, and a couple of flu-struck bods. It was a lovely evening. Mark played some of the Londonia pieces he had composed for the story; I did quite a few readings and tried out my accents, and people seemed to want more - a useful experiment!

Mark had made Jake the Prophet's ParkPlace pies, which were fantastic, and Hackrovia WTC cakes (Whatever is in The Cupboard, cakes). A great mix of nuts, dried fruit, flour and spices.

The last Londonia launch we held was back in 2021 in London when the hardback book came out. Interesting timing . . . the 13th March, literally a couple of days before lockdown. We had a good crowd with only a few, possibly sensible, people staying well clear, but there was a palpable feeling of angst about what was about to happen. This time was certainly more relaxing . . .