After many years living abroad, including 21 years in Greece, Linda returned to UK to marry her husband in 2001 and quickly joined a creative writing class in order to reignite her long held desire to write. She had ‘played about’ with poetry and short stories, including children’s stories in the past. On its inception, she joined Corinium Radio as a presenter of three different programmes including one called ‘Write Out Loud’.
Linda joined Somewhere Else Writers in an attempt to get back into writing a novel she had started several years earlier. Two stories have been published in an anthology organised by the ‘Aspiring Writers’ group on ‘Linked In’ and a number of poems included in other anthologies. A play has been broadcast on Corinium Radio and works for children performed at Watermoor School and/or in Frampton Mansell where she lives.
You can listen to Linda reading some of her work below.
Linda has included the first scene of her radio play, The Piano.
The Piano
Jim (aged about 70)
Mrs Patel
Jessie (Tom’s neighbour)
Mick
Cathy – Jim’s daughter
Anna/Andy – Jim’s young granddaughter/grandson
Pete – Jim’s older grandson
Tom – Pete’s friend
Talent show host/hostess
SCENE ONE – MRS PATEL’S CORNER SHOP.
(Sound of shop door bell ringing – shop door opening and closing)
JIM
Morning, Mrs Patel – morning, Jessie. I’ve got a little advert if you’d be able to put it in the window for me.
MRS PATEL
Morning, Jim. What’s this? ‘Wanted, grand piano, up to £800 on offer’. Who’s that’d be wanting a grand piano?
JIM
Why me, of course! Didn’t you know I used to play a lot in my youth?
MRS PATEL
But where are you going to put it in that little flat of yours?
JIM
I’ll find room for it somewhere – chuck out the settee if necessary.
JESSIE
And how’ll you get it up those three flights of stairs might I ask?
JIM
I’ll figure something out. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
JESSIE
And how did you come by £800 if you don’t mind my asking? Did you win the lottery or something?
JIM
Nope, my dear old Auntie Margery just died aged 97 and she left me a £1,000 – so now at last I can make my dream come true. One of the saddest days of my life that was when I had to get rid of the old piano – what with being laid off all of a sudden and four mouths to feed. I always swore that when I could I’d get another one. But I never had a chance – not till now, that is.
JESSIE
And what does your daughter say about it?
JIM
Cathy? She doesn’t know yet, but it’s none of her business, anyway. I’m her Father – not her son to be nagged at.
MRS PATEL
Well you seem quite sure about it- so I’ll put this in the window. That’ll be 50 p. please . I’ll leave it there for a month. Was there anything else?
JIM
Not right now, thanks.
(Sound of coins exchanging hand and till ringing.)
JIM
Thanks a lot. Tarra, ladies!
MRS PATEL
Have a good day.
JESSIE
Bye!
(Sound of door opening and closing with shop bell ringing. The two women burst out laughing.)
JESSIE
Crazy! How will he ever be able to put a grand piano up there? And how will I be able to stand the noise through those paper thin walls?
MRS PATEL
I shouldn’t worry too much, Jessie. I shouldn’t think there’s too many people round here selling off a grand piano! He’ll probably forget about it after a few weeks with no success!
JESSIE
Yes, and that daughter of his will probably talk sense into him. Takes after her mother-got her head screwed on straight.
(They laugh again as sound fades)
More of Linda’s writing can be found in the Cirencester Scene page and Cirencester Scene Archives.
Somewhere Else Writers Group 