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All About Kell


Kell

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THE BASICS:
Full Name – Kell Smurthwaite
Age – 39
Location – Northumberland
Marital Status/Children – Happily married to Dale since 1st August 2003 / Son - Xander / Son - Josh
Date You Joined The Book Club Forum 18/10/05

Favourite bands/singers - Dream Theater; Duran Duran; Metallica; Queen; David Bowie
Favourite movies - His Girl Friday; Arsenic and Old Lace; Bell, Book and Candle; Vertigo; 300; Dangerous Liaisons; Valmont
Favourite books - The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis; The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett; The Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong; The Romans series by Simon Scarrow; The collected works of Christopher Brookmyre and Stuart MacBride
Favourite authors - Terry Pratchett, Kelley Armstrong, Simon Scarrow, Christopher Brookmyre, Jane Austen, Philippa Gregory, Stuart MacBride, Richard Castle.

Why did you join The Book Club Forum?
I was looking for a place where I could chat with other chronic bibliophiles about the gazillions of books I was reading and happened upon Michelle’s Yahoo Group. I joined up, but was immediately told they’d just moved to a new forum and would I like to join them there? I promptly signed up and I’ve been here ever since!

How did you become a member of the Mod Squad?
By accident! I’d been a member four or five months and Michelle and I had chatted on and off the forum and discovered we got on famously. If I remember correctly, there were a few days that she was going to be away and asked if I’d like to help out. I accepted and the rest is history.

What is the most gratifying part of being staff at The Book Club Forum? What makes you happiest about the site?
The fact is, we’re very lucky here at The Book Club Forum, as we have such lovely members and there’s very rarely any bother. I think there’s a really friendly atmosphere and knowing that I’m a part of this community is wonderful. I really do look forward to visiting the site every day, just to catch up on what everyone’s reading and what’s happening in their lives.

What is your favourite section of the Book Club Forum and why?
I love chatting to the members and getting recommendations for new books and authors that I might not have tried or discovered for myself. The Reading Circle is one area I get a lot out of – it’s great being able to discuss a book you’re reading with other folks who are reading it at the same (or similar) time. And I also love the writers’ forum – there’s such a wealth of talent here on the forum and getting to read some of the work of our members gives me a real kick!

We all know you love reading, but what kind of books do you most enjoy and why?
I’m a bit of a cross-genre bibliophile, really. I used to be mostly into horror and sci-fi, but I’ve branched out a fair bit over the years. Nowadays I especially love a good historical fiction or crime thriller – especially if there’s a touch of pitch-black humour!

Which book do you most often recommend to others and why?
I actually tend to recommend entire series – LOL! I think the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong is the one I have directed most people towards, closely followed by all the books of Christopher Brookmyre, and Simon Scarrow’s Romans series. Kelley Armstrong is a great example of a cross-genre author – a touch of supernatural, a sprinkling of relationships (rather than straight romance), and a heavy helping of action thrown in, with a good dose of humour too. Christopher Brookmyre is a satirical crime fiction writer, whose books are pithy yet hilarious, and they work really well as “who-dun-its” too. Simon Scarrow’s Romans series is incredibly well-researched and quite possibly some of the most exciting writing I’ve encountered in recent years – if you’re a fan of great plots and terrific characters, then this is the series for you. Of course, I always recommend Terry Pratchett too, seeing as he’s right at the very top of my list of favourite authors – it’s hard to NOT recommend him!

What other interests do you have and what drew you to them?
Well, writing is one, although to tell the truth, I’ve not done an awful lot of it as yet, but I do like to occasionally put pen to paper - and I love reviewing the books I read. I also love crochet, cross-stitching and designing my own charts. I love to dance – I’ve done ballet, tap, jazz, national, ballroom, Latin American, and belly dancing in my time! Movies play a major role in my entertainment – we have a vast collection of DVDs in our flat, everything from action to horror, from sci-fi to fantasy; from classic to screwball comedy – they’re all represented.

Tell us three unusual and interesting things about yourself…
1. My Mam bought me a tiny plot of land one Christmas. As my land is in Scotland, I am legally entitled to the title of Laird or Lady, so I’m actually Lady Smurthwaite of Kincavel! Don’t worry; I won’t make you all bow or curtsy to me or anything like that…
2. I’ve been a practicing Pagan since my mid-teens. I don’t go in for ritual or all the tools and trappings traditionally associated with it, but I do quietly observe the changing seasons and celebrate the eight festivals in my own way.
3. I’ve had many varied and interesting jobs including actor, choreographer, karaoke hostess, nightclub bouncer, cinema manager, artist’s model, hair model, and directory inquiries operator. Some of them were at the same time!

Edited by Kell
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If anyone hase any questions, please feel free to ask... My life is an open book!

 

(I had to put this line into another post because, me being me, I'd made my previous post too long and had to edit it all again!:readingtwo:)

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  • 2 months later...

I will ask you one of the same questions that I asked Michelle. Have you read any of John Steinbeck's books. The reason I ask y'all is that I enjoy his work so much and would like to see others have the same enjoyment.

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LOL - I thought I'd escaped being asked anything!

 

Yes, I have read a Steinbeck novel - during school I believe it must have been roughly 5th or 6th year as we watched the film as part of our Media Studies class) I read Of Mice and Men and very much enjoyed it. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I loved it! I'm not quite sure why I've never got round to reading more of his work so far - I think I quite fancy the sound of The Grapes of Wrath.

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LOL - I thought I'd escaped being asked anything!

 

Yes, I have read a Steinbeck novel - during school I believe it must have been roughly 5th or 6th year as we watched the film as part of our Media Studies class) I read Of Mice and Men and very much enjoyed it. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I loved it! I'm not quite sure why I've never got round to reading more of his work so far - I think I quite fancy the sound of The Grapes of Wrath.

The Grapes Of Wrath is an epic of a novel. Be prepared though for some strong emotions. Anger and sadness are 2 emotions that i can almost guarantee.

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I’ve done ballet, tap, jazz, national and belly dancing in my time!
National Dance? Wotthehell?

 

If I were to guess, some kind of Traditional Dance specific to a region? Flamenco, Balinese, West African, Javanese are all Traditional Dances: mebbe you do clogging or some kinda Riverdance stuff.

 

Tell us more!

 

Belly Dancing bragging needs some photographic support, I think.

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To tell the truth, I was very, very young when I did National Dance and can't rightly remember exactly what it entailed. I think nowadays it might be called Modern Dance. I only remember once specific dance which was called "The Little Dutch Girl" where I wore the national costume and did a dance that was almost like clog dancing, but not wearing clogs.

 

And there is no photographic evidence of me belly dancing - I hate having my picture taken at the best of times, but there were no cameras allowed in the class as quite a few members were very shy and some of the costumes are mighty revealing!

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To tell the truth, I was very, very young when I did National Dance and can't rightly remember exactly what it entailed. I think nowadays it might be called Modern Dance. I only remember once specific dance which was called "The Little Dutch Girl" where I wore the national costume and did a dance that was almost like clog dancing, but not wearing clogs.

 

And there is no photographic evidence of me belly dancing - I hate having my picture taken at the best of times, but there were no cameras allowed in the class as quite a few members were very shy and some of the costumes are mighty revealing!

 

Perchance to dream, for some reason "mighty revealing" appeals to me in a post-modern artistic commentary ... okay, I'm a guy.

 

Nowadays, Modern Dance is pretty much the same as Contemporary Dance; I'd be thinking of Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham or Alvin Ailey. I might believe Merce as "The Little Dutch Girl", but that's another story.... :blush:

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Do you enjoy living in Aberdeen?, I haven't been, what is it like Kell? x
I adore living in Aberdeen - to my mind, it's one of the most beautiful places in the country! There's all the convenience of living in a city, but we're surrounded on three sides by some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK and on the fourth side by the sea. There are also loads of gorgeous parks and public gardens, and the suburbs are very pretty too. The majority of buildings in the city centre are all made of local granite which sparkles when the sun hits it and looks stunning at sunset - you've got to see it to believe it!

 

I count myself as very lucky to live here - I've lived in several different places and I'm not originally from here (we moved here when I was almost 11 years old), but it feels like home and I can't imagine living anywhere else in the UK now.

 

Contrary to popular belief, Aberdeen actually gets more hours of sunlight per annum than anywhere else in the country apparently, so it's not always raining. In fact, we've had some beautifully warm and sunny weather this week! :blush:

 

Incidentally, if any of our members ever visit Aberdeen, give me a shout - I'd be only to pleased to show you around some of my favourite places here!

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It can be chilly, yes, but in the summer we have the advantage that it doesn't tend to get too hot like it does down south - we get some pretty nice temperatures in the mid 20s, and further inland in the shire, in places like Braemar and Alford, they get scorching weather from very early on in the year. It was something like 18 or 19 C the other day in some areas in Aberdeenshire and about 13 or 14 in the town. And it's just the start of April. :blush:

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I agree that it's too hot in peak Summer!! Especially when we start going into the 30's . Last year was unbearable at times!!

 

On a few occasions during July the temperature in my office was 32 degrees according to the thermometer and my bedroom was still 29 degrees at 11pm!

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I try not to complain too much though, because we get so much colder weather. We went on holiday to the coast last August, and we needed coats some days (wet and cold!).. that's just depressing!

 

I never complain that its too hot! (apart from when i am trying to sleep) I am a big summer person :blush: and your right it never last that long anyway.....make the most of it i say!

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  • 2 months later...

Can I just jump in here and say I have met Kell and she is lovely (stands aside to watch her face go red :roll:)...lol.

Also agree about Aberdeen (speaking as a Fifer). I moved here 16 years (after 6 in London) ago not knowing anyone but didn't find it took that long to settle in and like it.

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