A Masterclass With Meandmybigmouth, Spectre In IMAX And A Few More Detecting Finds

One of the first accounts I followed when I joined Twitter was publisher Scott Pack who tweets very entertainingly under the handle @Meandmybigmouth and writes a great blog in the same name (see link over there to the right). About four years ago Scott offered to review and critique the work of the highest bidders in a charity auction that he ran in support of the defence in the fiasco that was the Twitter Joke trial. I was fortunate enough to be one of those bidders and Scott gave me some excellent advice on developing Give Me Your Tomorrow which, as regular readers know, I finally self-published last year. 

When Scott tweeted that he was to be the speaker at The Guardian's masterclass aimed at  helping new authors to avoid the publishers' slush piles, I booked straight away. I am half way through my second novel and, as I want to attempt the traditional publishing route this time, the subject matter was perfect for me. Months later the big event finally arrived and, on Saturday, I joined forty plus other hopefuls at The Guardian's plush offices behind King's Cross Station for three hours of very instructive, useful and entertaining advice on getting our books noticed. Scott was a very funny and genial presenter and, if two things are certain in life, all of the attendees will be really, really really sure their manuscripts are ready before sending them out and none of those manuscripts will be in envelopes stuffed full of glitter.

We went to Cineworld in Ipswich today for this week's cinema outing. We've still got loads of Indie and foreign films on our 'to see' list but what better way is there to spend a wet Wednesday afternoon than the latest Bond on the IMAX screen? Marion loves Daniel Craig's version of Bond (Roger Moore was my favourite) and Craig plays the character well but with none of the humour of the earlier films. As always, the movie begins with a spectacular chase and this one, set in Mexico City during the Day Of The Dead Festival is as spectacular as they come. I would have been quite happy to go home as soon as it finished as it would be impossible to better it - brilliant stuff.

After that the film follows the usual formulaic plot, car chases, a female interest or two, a megalomaniac in a weird super villain hideaway and the obligatory ticking bomb. It's all very well done, very exciting and visually stunning (especially in IMAX) but I felt that I knew exactly what was coming next and that the plot was a bit of a cut and paste job on the old scripts. Do watch it if you love car chases in glamorous locations. With just one laugh in the whole movie, give it a miss if you want the old Bond humour with those chases.

It's metal detecting stuff now so stop reading if that's not your cup of tea. With series 2 of Detectorists , filmed here in Framlingham, due to hit our screens on Thursday night I took a friend who, inspired by the first series, fancied trying his hand at the hobby with me for a couple of hours in the fields on Monday.  Having never used a detector before, he did quite well and his finds included the following.

A Charles I Rose Farthing Hammered Coin 

Medieval Annular Brooch Or Buckle

I know detector users who haven't found any hammered coins after years of trying so finding one on his first trip was a good start for my friend. The annular brooch or buckle is also quite rare in that it has its pin intact.

Spurred on by the gloriously unseasonal weather, I returned to the field on my own on Tuesday. There were plenty of signals.

Here's What I Tipped Out Of The Finds Bag When I Got Home

And here's what was included amongst the junk.

More Musketballs

A Silver Groat From The Realm Of Edward III (14th Century)

A James I Silver Penny (Early 17th Century)

A Post Medieval Buckle Probably Tudor Period

Victorian Penny

Unidentified Fragment Possibly  A Strap End

Unidentified Stud (I feel that this is Medieval)

Loop Fastener (Again, I Believe, Medieval)

Half A Victorian Locket

Decorative Drawer Handle

Medieval Bronze Vessel Fragments

Royal Artillery Cap Badge 

Post Medieval Stud

Croatal Bell Fragment

I will be taking all the latest finds to the archaeologists in Bury St Edmunds next week for recording on the Portable Antiquities Scheme. I probably won't get too many more chances to get out in the fields when the winter sets in so I will take advantage of any more of the warm weather and ,when it turns wet and cold, concentrate on finishing the new novel.