Author Archives: Scribe Doll
Portrait of Mother and Child
It’s a crowded train and he sits on her lap, her arms around him. Not tight but rather soft, rounded, her hands relaxed on his lap. So he doesn’t feel trapped. So he doesn’t feel as though there’s any danger. … Continue reading
Château de Seneffe*
I’ve translated ten pages and that’s enough work for today. It’s raining heavily, so I can’t go out for a walk in the grounds this afternoon. Determined, steady rain that heralds the autumn. Hard rain that chills the air until … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged belgium, katherine gregor, scribe doll, seneffe, translation, writing
12 Comments
Religious Tolerance – Yes, But From Everybody, Please
I ask a man I’ve just met what he does for a living. “I build boats,” he says, “like Jesus – I mean Noah –” he darts me a concerned look and holds out his hand in a halt sign, “I … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends
Tagged atheism, katherine gregor, religious tolerance, scribedoll, writing
37 Comments
The Yellow Dress
Through a writer with whom we’ve recently formed a pleasant acquaintance, we were invited to a small dinner party given by a prince belonging to one of Italy’s oldest and most illustrious houses. The kind that owns a collection of … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged aristocracy, katherine gregor, scribe doll, storm flies, writing
12 Comments
A Herb Garden on the Windowsill
I’d planned to work today. After all, for one reason or another – mainly to do with accumulated tiredness, I spent all last week doing dolce farniente. However, when I woke up this morning, after ten hours’ sleep, I remembered … Continue reading
Exeunt, pursued by bedbugs
Our first holiday in years. We entered my acquaintance’s Paris flat, immediately expressing our gratitude to the moon-faced ginger tom who had made this possible. We could not have afforded a hotel, so free accommodation in the exclusive, almost central … Continue reading
Norwich Animals
Every morning, half a dozen or so large seagulls gather on the roof of the house opposite H’s study window. Well, perhaps “gather” isn’t the right word, since they’re never all there at the same time. They compete for the … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Uncategorized
Tagged animals, katherine gregor, norwich, scribe doll, writing
6 Comments
A Soundtrack to Growing Up
Not long ago – I forget where – I read an article in which several writers listed the most influential books of their childhood; books that changed their lives and inspired them to become writers. Inevitably, I thought back to my own … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends, Uncategorized
Tagged creative writing, growing up, katherine gregor, music, scribe doll
22 Comments
Eight Complaints of a Literary Translator
One: A couple of weeks ago, my mother’s doctor said he charged £25 to write a (short) letter about the state of her health. I commented that it was more than people would often pay me, as a literary translator. … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends
Tagged katherine gregor, literary translation, scribe doll, translating, writing
16 Comments
How Much More Can You Bear?
H. stayed up all night, watching the election results on television. I’d had an exhausting day, so collapsed into bed at around 11 pm. At 5 a.m., I woke up and went to the living room. “David Cameron is staying,” … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
14 Comments
Scribe Doll 