Reporter’s diary

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Romantic reading

ROMANTIC fiction writing has been both the butt of snide comments and yet top of the popularity polls for years. Recognising the interest shown in romance writing, the Canterbury Public Library will hold a special evening at the library called Romancing the Reader. Three Christchurch writers will give an insight into how romances are written and how the writers get started. Rosalie Henaghan and Mary Moore have had a number of novels published by Mills and Boon; and .Gerry Tyler-Smith has a first romance coming out soon under a pseudonym. Library staff assure us it will be a lively and entertaining evening, as they convince scornful - readers that writing a light

romance is not as easy as it looks. For an evening that promises to be full of romance, then, be at the Stringleman Room, 7.30 p.m., Tuesday, July 25. Narrow orbit WHEN man landed on the moon 20 years ago, attitudes to space travel still had an element of awe. For instance, the photographer, Yousuf Karsh, and his wife, counted themselves fortunate to have lunch with Neil Armstrong after a photographic session with him. Armstrong politely asked the pair about the many countries they had visited. “But, Mr Armstrong,” protested Mrs Karsh, “you’ve walked on the Moon. We want to hear about your travels.” “But that’s the only place I’ve ever been,” replied the rueful astronaut.

Uncumber for encumbrances ? HUMBLE apologies to those women who have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous husbands; we forgot to mention the feast day on Thursday of the saint who might come to their aid. St- Uncumber (or St Wilgefortis to her friends) never existed, but that never stops a good legend. She was an erroneous explanation of the twelfth century crucifixes that showed Christ fully clothed and shod, wearing a beard. Only women would dress like that, went the explanation, and the myth that she had deliberately prayed for ugliness to rid herself of an unpleasant suitor, arose. Hence, she became the patron saint of wives

with troublesome and unpleasant husbands. Realist OVERHEARD: A Marist priest commenting on his job as a teacher: “The pay’s lousy but the rewards are out of this world.” Heinzsight “WHAT’S this?” cried an eagle-eyed reader scanning the list of rural grocery stores in the columns of “The Press.” “Heinz Shopping Centre? Heinz? Shouldn’t that be Hinds, as in Hinds the township?” Ah, well, yes. These things happen. The caller was philosophical. “I reckon it just goes to show that in spite of the drought, the people down there are still full of beans.” Touche. —Jenny Setchell