The flowers that bloom on the Spring

I have just received word that my article on Tolkien’s Plants

‘Elms, Nasturtians, and the trouble with Willows: J.R.R. Tolkien’s botanical sensitivity’

is about to appear in the Journal of Inkling Studies. This is the academic version of the paper I gave on a wet and miserable day at RHS Rosemoor in Devon in May last year. It was good to revisit that paper and see the brief material suited to a talk develop into something with proper critical foundations.

There is still some time to wait before my latest Shakespeare article – ‘This Insubstantial Pageant faded: The Drama of Semiotic Anxiety in The Tempest’ appears in this year’s Shakespeare Survey, but it should be out in the Summer.

Meanwhile, as my Bevis blog shows, that work is ongoing, and is now coalescing into something that feels more exciting all the time.

However, this week must be given over to tidying up the May presentation in the series on textual evidence of Conspicuous Consumption before 1642. After that I have had to crave the Thursday group’s indulgence yet again, while I take the summer as a writing sabbatical to finish Bevis.

Revised plans for this year

With short deadlines in all directions, I have had to revise my plans for the running of my courses, and while March remains unchanged, I have had to change the structure of Conspicuous Consumption. There will now be only 1 meeting in April and 1 in May, after which I have to take a writing sabbatical until the autumn when I intend to pick up the rest of the Conspicuous Consumption course. It will still run as 1 meeting per month, but all topics will be covered.

I am happy to say, however, that my article for Shakespeare Survey: ‘This insubstantial pageant faded: The Drama of Semiotic Anxiety in The Tempest’  is in the final stages of pre-publication.

I am also happy to say that my article on Tolkien’s use of plants in his works has been accepted by The Journal of Inklings Studies and is about to be fast-tracked into the April issue.

Progress on the book about Bevis and Southampton is slow but steady and throwing up some very interesting matters for further consideration. I am now updating my Bevis blog on a weekly basis.