Gill's Blog: Agents

This is an old blog of mine, but I can't see how to post this on the new one. A very useful blog...

Gill's Blog: Agents: Agents seeking submissions  A for Authors Take care they have submissions periods  and will delete your work without looking at it if yo...

New Blog in Wordpress - (Reminder - October 2016)

I have just noticed that this old blog is still coming up in Google searches. My new blog is at:

https://stargleamblog.wordpress.com/

- and intermediate between the two I had a blog on the Fractal Publishing website. Please feel free to browse. :)

NEW BLOG

PLEASE NOTE:

This blog has moved to:

http://stargleam.wordpress.com/home/pippa-roberts-stargleam-blog/

Brief update and News of Nomination for Award

Hi everyone,

I have been going through a lot of sadness in my personal life and so have not posted much in recent weeks. Fear not though. Plans are bubbling away beneath the surface, and I have been closely following some interesting scientists, with a view to collaboration. I am collecting a long list of people who definitely want to commission me, but currently don't have the funds. I think that's good. :/

In the realm of achievements: the Hull University project (for which I wrote a children's play and book) is being nominated for the Guardian Excellence in Widening Participation Award. Credit to Mark Lorch, who set the whole project up, advised me on the science, then went into schools and did the experiments with the children.

See you all again soon, I hope.

Pippa :)

Pippa Roberts: About Fabien Oefner - Projects that Bring Together Art and Science

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry that I have been gone for a while. I've been writing - but travelling a lot. I'm now paying Gill to type my scripts and stories, as I've suddenly realised that the brake on my work is actually the amount of time it takes me to type something. (I'm only a self taught typist, and could be much faster.) I also have Pauline, managing my admin, and work is coming in quite steadily. I think I'm the sort of person who works well as part of a team, so these arrangements suit me.

As I'm writing plays and stories with real science in them I am naturally very interested in any other projects that bring together art and science. A new TED talk has been posted today, that brings them together in the most stunning way. Photographer, Fabien Oefner, takes photos of crystals interacting with sound waves; paint mixing with magnetic liquid, and whisky catching fire - though he stops after one demo as he says a lot of people would argue he should be drinking the whisky. He's fun. :D The video is well worth watching. Have a look at:

http://on.ted.com/oefner

Now, I'd better get back to work, or maybe some serious relaxation. I had an incredibly long day yesterday - and the day before (6.30am to 8.30pm) travelling around on public transport, chasing poetry events in little villages and towns. :D) They've been a great couple of days, but I have to admit to being slightly tired!

See you all again soon,

Pippa x

Mark Lorch's Periodic Table - A Map of the Underground for Chemists :)

Hi everyone,

You may have discovered the Guardian's excellent science blogs. They cover all sorts of weird and wonderful subjects. Today the blog post was written by Mark Lorch, the scientist who worked with me on the play and novel, 'Investigation: Haunted House'.

This is the link:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2013/sep/03/underground-map-elements-periodic-table

It was devised for Mark's son, Sebastian, who is mad on trains - so it is not too complicated or 'clever' - and there is a jargon buster, to explain any difficult vocabulary.

I've tried to upload the image, but failed miserably. Do have a look at it. If there are any students of chemistry reading this - it may even help you to remember relationships and symbols.

Good luck! :)

Pippa

Canyon Found Under Greenland Ice Sheet - and thoughts of Robert Peary by Pippa Roberts

Hi everyone,

I have just seen this news from NASA:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/icebridge/index.html#.UiEJNhukqop

It's interesting that we are still mapping the surface of our planet. I have a particular interest in Greenland and the Polar regions, as I am working on plays set in them, and I have just - virtually - finished the OU course, 'The Frozen Planet', as background for these. (just my TMA - (final paper) - still to go). I've read a huge number of books about Robert Peary's journeys in Greenland, and the exploration of this ice sheet. I wonder what he would have thought of this news? He hoped that Greenland would turn out to be a larger landmass which would allow him to trek straight to the Pole, and he even convinced himself that he could see hills in the distance.

There is so much more to this story that I am dying to tell. Look out for the play, which should be finished some time this year.