Terry Tyler: memoirs

Friday, 25 September 2015

The Z Files ~ Val Poore ~ Taurus

Welcome to The Z Files, in which writers/bloggers show how the characteristics of their star sign influence their work; contributors have been invited to treat the subject as seriously, cynically or lightly as they like. Links to other posts can be found at the end of this one :)

Val escapes via Taurus Bull when her barge gets into trouble!

I waved a red rag and she rushed towards my blog ~ here is a cheerful Taurus, and one of the nicest people I've met in cyberspace, the fabulous Val Poore! I first got to know Val after I read her accounts of life on board barge, Watery Ways and Harbour Ways, and her magical book about life in South Africa (you got it - African Ways!). You can read my reviews of all three HERE, all Amazon links included.

Let us moor up here for a while, Val, so you may tell us about being a Taurean writer...

"Taurus the bull. That's quite something to live up to, or rather live with, for as the sign suggests, Taureans are known for being stubborn, intractable and when they've got their heads down and horns out, totally un-extractable too. I am one of these, and a fairly typical example. I seem to have all the 'difficult' characteristics that Taureans are known for to some extent, but I like to think I'm not too impossible or unforgiving...well, at least my sense of humour is in pretty good shape, so I hope that redeems me a bit!"

"That said, being a Taurean can be very useful as a writer. Because of our natural persistence, we bulls tend to be pretty determined to finish what we've started. So, once the first page of a book is down, you can be pretty sure the Taurean will make it to the last one. I've managed to complete and publish five books and have nearly finished the sixth, and that tenacity - or bullish doggedness (metaphorical animal mix intended) to make it to 'The End' has really helped. It's also helped in providing the material for my writing in that life has thrown a few lemons at me and landed me in some curious places - on a remote farm in Africa and a barge in Rotterdam to name two. The Taurean trait of being practical and coping really saved me in these situations, and of course gave me the stories to fill the three memoirs I've written. That and a well developed sense of the absurd, which I think is quite a Taurean characteristic too."

"Apart from this, bulls like fine, artistic things in life and good quality too. In writing, this translates to an obsession with getting it right. I'm not saying I always do, or that I'm fault free - far from it, and it can drive me nuts - but I proofread and edit to the point where I end up dreaming of catastrophic disasters involving missing commas, and having - horror of horrors - semi-colon nightmares. But don't worry, I won't bore you with the details...dreams know no boundaries when it comes to either reality or tedium.

All told, though, I'm glad the astrological gods saw fit to plonk me on earth in May. I rather think that if I didn't have these bullish traits, life might have steered (sorry, couldn't resist that one) another, less exciting or creatively rewarding course for me."

~ Val in the 1960s?? ~

Ah, you are more Taurean than I thought, Val! I think it must be quite a good sign to be - and I do like bulls, you tend to know where you are with them, it has to be said ~ hell, I married one! If you have any interest at all in somewhat less than conventional lifestyles, you'll love Val's 'Ways' books, she's a smashing writer, and she writes the odd bit of fiction, too! You can also follow her on Twitter and look at her 'Rivergirl' blog.

Now, some famous Taurean scribes for Val.....

I couldn't resist this one: Jerome K Jerome, author of one of my favourite books ever... Three Men in a Boat!

.... and another of my favourite authors ever, and a jolly nice Taurus chap, John Boyne. A real 'we are not worthy' ~ if you haven't read him, do!