I’m revisiting some older articles, and this is one, Five on Friday, I wrote for Jill’s Book Cafe Blog back in 2023 just after my fifth novel, The Memory of Animals was published (I’ve edited it slightly to update links etc). Five on Friday takes the format of five questions which require five answers. Read on to find out five things most people don’t know about me, five things I’d still like to achieve, and more.
Which five pieces of music/songs would you include in the soundtrack to your life and why?
We Roamed Through the Garden by my son, Henry Ayling.
Henry is an acoustic guitarist, and although I’m his mum, I think he’s very talented. His music feels like the soundtrack to my life since I had my children. You can listen to a snippet of it here (it’s number 6 on this list), or indeed, support him and buy the album
The Emperor Concerto by Beethoven. I don’t listen to a lot of classical music but my dad played this in his car when I was a child and it brings back feelings of comfort and safety despite how rousing it is.
Wichita Lineman sung by Glen Campbell, with lyrics by Jimmy Webb. My mum used to play this when I was a teenager and I thought all of Glen Campbell was horribly cheesy but of course I’ve come right around to loving it now. And don’t you think the lines, And I need you more than want you / And I want you for all time, are the most romantic?
Time Has Told Me by Nick Drake A song I listen to at least once a week although I probably could have picked any of Nick Drake’s songs. I never tire of them.
Passing Afternoon by Iron and Wine This is a song from the album, Our Endless Numbered Days and some readers might recognise that I borrowed this title for the title of my first novel. I listened to all of Iron & Wine’s music on a loop while I wrote that first book and it has seeped into my subconscious.
What five things (apart from family and friends) would you find it hard to live without.
Green. Green living things, the colour green, pea soup. Anything green.
Warmth. I really don’t like being cold.
Books. I’m always reading.
Being creative. I have to be making something.
Dark chocolate. Preferably with hazelnuts.
Give five pieces of advice to your younger self?
Stop eating octopuses – they are too clever to be food for humans.
Leave that man much earlier than you did.
Take a gap year, travel, see more of the world.
Keep a list of all the books you read as you read them because when you’re in your forties or fifties you won’t be able to remember what they were.
Have more self confidence.
Tell us five things that most people don’t know about you
I have a tattoo of an ammonite.
I don’t have a middle name.
I used to play the oboe, badly.
When I was about eleven I practiced handwriting an ‘a’ like a typewritten ‘a’ with the curve at the top, and I’ve handwritten them like that ever since.
I can count to ten in Norwegian (but can’t say anything else in the language).
Tell us five things you’d still like to do or achieve.
I’d like to learn how to throw (pots, as in pottery).
I’d like to learn how to throw (and catch) (balls).
I’d like to persuade my cat, Alan to love me as much as I love her.
I’d like to see one of my novels made into an excellent film.
I’d like to be to be able to identify birdsong.
Many thanks for joining me today Claire, and for bringing me some great music. I enjoyed listing to your son’s compositions, and you’re not biased – he’s very talented. I also agree with you about the lines in Wichita Lineman, I’ve always thought they were incredibly romantic. Heat, books and chocolate would also tick my boxes for not living without too, maybe it’s my age but the cold is certainly something I notice more these days. I love your advice about octopuses, I only discovered how intelligent they were fairly recently. While they would never be my go to thing to eat, they’re definitely off the menu now. An ammonite tattoo seems a very personal choice and makes me wonder whether you’re a keen fossil hunter. I used to search for, and collect fossils when I was younger. Sadly my (admittedly small) ammonite collection got lost in a house move when I was a teenager, it’s something I still occasionally think about. I really hope you get to achieve your dreams and that Alan especially will see the light and love you back.
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love all this!!!!!!!
Thanks so much, Elyse.