Another 26 photos arrived on email this morning , thank goodness for Broadband, but it still took ages to download.
Well I had hoped my e-book would be inter-active – and its certainly being that – but had not expected it to be inter-generational. All these photos that are flowing in ( 72 yesterday on CD) are being sent by children and grandchildren who are suddenly discovering the "hidden life" of their elders, a history they never suspected.
Phew! I had no idea what I had started when I began to research a book on a piece of missing Welsh history. . The stories from the former child patients are rolling in and its a struggle to put all this into some kind of order. Have still got 8 hours of audio to edit. The stories range from the bizarre – midnight feasts on the castle roof- to Dickensian – children forcefed food. For many their experiences, usually running into years, had a profound effect on them for they were isolated physically from the rest of the world ( remote Welsh castle) and from their parents ( visiting allowed once a month).I am keeping a weblog about the research(www.craig-y-nos.blogspot.com)
And still the photos and emails come rolling in…however this afternoon met up with Caroline – we havent met since we were 10 years of age- and she has offered to help with the book. It's an offer I can't refuse. With nearly 80 people waiting to be interviewed we are seriously wondering if there is some money around to help.
Research
Just submerged in research for my book. Had not expected the public response that I got- 81 people -wanting to contribute. Only a few are on email so most of the work is going to have to be done on the telephone with some "live" interviews. I have a weblog up about it (http://www.craig-y-nos.blogspot.com) but because it deals with older people I suspect that not many are accessing it. However, I am trying to put at least one story up on it every day.
Some of the stories coming out are Dickensian: child forced to eat cabbage until he vomited; children living out on open balconies and covered in snow; parents allowed to visit once a month; children tied to beds. Yet there are also good times -the camaraderie of children suffering together against adult world.
Some have never spoken about their experiences before. Many talk about their "lost childhood" in this remote castle in mid-Wales used as a TB sanatorium.
Got an email from The Changing Room gallery in Stirling. They are launching a 24 hour virtual museum and are asking for some info from those of us who have had work there.
It seems ages since I have done any video work…
The electronic book.
Well, this may or may not change the way we read in future and its just been launched in America. I am of course talking about Sony's PRS-500, an electronic book smaller than a paperback containing 18 books.
Victor Keegan of the Guardian reviewed it. He says he found it easy to read and the print size could be increased to 200%.His final comment is:"The key thing is, it makes reading on a screen pleasurable. That is saying something."
