Greetings from Manchester [[England)

[sumas]

I do hope you get an escort if you plan on touring abandoned houses and buildings are dangerous places

[oladub]

As well as the location work, which I can only really do when I'm in the city, I am also interested in the motor industry in the 1960s and 70s. This is both as background to the plot of my novel and also for personal reasons too. .

Consider reading The Reckoning by David Halberstam. The author does a good job of backgrounding everything from factory workers to the bean counters at Ford Motors during that era.
http://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-Davi.../dp/0380704471

[Barbara Nadel]

Happy 2011 from fog-bound UK. Yes, it's not a myth, we really do get a lot of fog here although not as much as we used to years ago. When I was a kid in the 1960s and 70s there were still a lot of coal fires which used to cause, in London, a very thick fog called a Smog. This was very dense and very eerie. You couldn't see a thing. I remember once going to school and actually smashing into a lamp-post because I just couldn't see it!
I've had a tough start to the year with a cold that felt like flu and some heavy negotiation on a new contract. If anyone ever tells you that the UK is out of recession, tell them from me that they're talking nonsense. People, in all industries [[except banking) lose their jobs every day here and publishing has been very heavily hit. Luckily for me all my hard work has paid off and I do have a contract for the time being, but just clinging on takes it our of you as I'm sure many of you know. But now I'm a little bit clearer and can finally concentrate on my actual work and what I have to do in the next few months. I'm looking at the second week in March for my Detroit visit. I have to work out my flights, which is easy and then find somewhere to stay. Any recommendations would be gratefully received. I don't have a big budget but I want to stay somewhere that is OK. In know that in London if you stay somewhere really cheap it just isn't worth it because those places are just so squalid. That said I'm a tough old soldier and so I don't mind roughing it. Fairly safe and fairly clean will do me. By the way this is not, to put minds at rest, some sort of veiled way of asking to stay. I wouldn't do that. I'm British and so even asking for advice is difficult - we're so repressed!

[Barbara Nadel]

Consider reading The Reckoning by David Halberstam. The author does a good job of backgrounding everything from factory workers to the bean counters at Ford Motors during that era.
http://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-Davi.../dp/0380704471

Thanks. I'll order that. Barbara

[Pam]

Any recommendations would be gratefully received

http://innonferrystreet.com/05/

http://www.theinnat97winder.com/

I'm not sure how these compare to typical hotels price wise, but I've seen the inside of both of them and they are lovely and clean.

[Barbara Nadel]

http://innonferrystreet.com/05/

http://www.theinnat97winder.com/

I'm not sure how these compare to typical hotels price wise, but I've seen the inside of both of them and they are lovely and clean.

Thanks so much Pam, I will certainly look into those.

[Barbara Nadel]

I notice that some of you like to watch our Corrie [[Coronation St) on TV. Did you know that it was 50 years old last year? You can actually see the film set when you come in to Manchester by train. So all the trains you see in the programme are actually real. I think that probably a large proportion of the population have been 'in' Corrie at one time or another via this train thing.

[Barbara Nadel]

Been doing a lot of background reading about the city and have just finished a book called 'Made in Detroit' by Paul Clemens. For those who haven't read it, it's an account of Paul's life as a white Catholic child growing up in the city of Detroit in the 1970s and 80s. One of the topics it covers is the very long stewardship of Mayor Coleman Young. It's my understanding that Young began a programme of affirmative action in Detroit which of course was viewed rather differently by different groups of people in the city. We have never had anything like affirmative action here in the UK [[the nearest we've ever come is women only candidate lists for electoral seats - nearly always a total muddle which ends in failure) and so its impact can only be guessed at. So if anyone has any anecdotes about Mayor Young, or some opinions about his tenure or thoughts about affirmative action in Detroit I would be interested to know those things.

[Barbara Nadel]

Coming to Detroit! Finally after so many problems I won't even begin to bore you with them I am going to be flying from the UK to Detroit on 17th March. Only a short visit this time [[until the 23rd) but I am just so made up that I've finally managed to do it. Things have been rough here for a while and for a time there I thought it was never going to happen. But it has! So everyone who has kindly offered to show me around or give advice I'd be really grateful if you could get in touch now - if that's still OK. I don't expect anyone do do anything for me for nothing and I am happy to pay an agreed sum or give talks on my own areas of expertise [[East End of London, crime writing, Istanbul) or if you want something that can only be purchased in the UK, like proper Breakfast Tea, then do let me know. Big items [[castles, guardsmen, the Queen) will not sadly be practical due to luggage allowances and of course, the law.

[Barbara Nadel]

Dear Pam,

Thanks for your suggestions. I actually got one of those flight and accommodation deals in the end and so I'm going to be staying at the Hilton Garden. I won't be there much with any luck, just a place to sleep. I think I get in to Detroit at about 10.30pm on the 17th so I expect I'll just want to get to bed when I arrive and as long as it's clean, that will be fine. I'm sure it will be.

[Pam]

Dear Pam,

Thanks for your suggestions. I actually got one of those flight and accommodation deals in the end and so I'm going to be staying at the Hilton Garden. I won't be there much with any luck, just a place to sleep. I think I get in to Detroit at about 10.30pm on the 17th so I expect I'll just want to get to bed when I arrive and as long as it's clean, that will be fine. I'm sure it will be.

I think that place gets good reviews too. I thought it might be fun for you to stay in an older place with more history though. Have a good trip.

[Barbara Nadel]

I think that place gets good reviews too. I thought it might be fun for you to stay in an older place with more history though. Have a good trip.

Thanks Pam. I would have liked a more historic place too, but things have been a little fraught here and so in the end I just had to get what I could. I'm sure it will be absolutely fine

[sumas]

Happy to hear you can make it. Visit is awful short though. Detroit is large in land mass and changes from street to street, block to block. Still don't get a fix exactly on the settings you want as your backdrop. If you want gritty you should listen to [[I forget ) if it it was Gnome or Gannon, that said Django could give you a tour that would raise sweat on your fingernails. He recently acted as driver/consultant for a photo journalist from Scotland. Django is a man of many talents. He has been a good friend to my husband and me and a vastly amusing campanion.

Enjoy your stay, if I thought you were here longer I would have suggested you come to an afternoon party we are hosting at our home in historic islandview village on the 20th not far from downtown. Gracious larger older homes for the most part decaying due to costs of maintenance and sky high taxes. Invitees are a nice cross section of ages, city, burbs, rich, poor, gay, straight, students, retirees etc.

Next time, extend your visit. We will throw you a party. Our block is 1/3 urban prairie, 20 % of housing is caving in at the seams and the rest of us maintain gentile poverty. Cut our grass, shovel our snow, plant flowers and look out for each other. Even fly flags. Most of us rent rooms or board relatives to cover high utilitity costs for our beloved creaky old homes. These old neighborhoods have such character and characters live in them. .

We had a friend who had a son with a T shirt that said, "Detroit, Where the weak get eatten". Strangely it had a certain charm. I guess for those of us who stayed and for those wishing to be the new urban pioneers we have a strange pride in the fact that we are tough enough. The problems are less with the populace but much more with anti urban politics and politicians that prey on their constituants.. If you are looking for crooks, malice and unadulterated greed, check them out for your villain profiles..

The best thing about Detroit, is its people, hope you get to meet the real Detroiters. The stories to be told are fascinating. Hope your interaction helps give depth to the characters in your novel. You will certainly meet a diverse group of people when here.

Sumas

[Barbara Nadel]

Happy to hear you can make it. Visit is awful short though. Detroit is large in land mass and changes from street to street, block to block. Still don't get a fix exactly on the settings you want as your backdrop. If you want gritty you should listen to [[I forget ) if it it was Gnome or Gannon, that said Django could give you a tour that would raise sweat on your fingernails. He recently acted as driver/consultant for a photo journalist from Scotland. Django is a man of many talents. He has been a good friend to my husband and me and a vastly amusing campanion.

Enjoy your stay, if I thought you were here longer I would have suggested you come to an afternoon party we are hosting at our home in historic islandview village on the 20th not far from downtown. Gracious larger older homes for the most part decaying due to costs of maintenance and sky high taxes. Invitees are a nice cross section of ages, city, burbs, rich, poor, gay, straight, students, retirees etc.

Next time, extend your visit. We will throw you a party. Our block is 1/3 urban prairie, 20 % of housing is caving in at the seams and the rest of us maintain gentile poverty. Cut our grass, shovel our snow, plant flowers and look out for each other. Even fly flags. Most of us rent rooms or board relatives to cover high utilitity costs for our beloved creaky old homes. These old neighborhoods have such character and characters live in them. .

We had a friend who had a son with a T shirt that said, "Detroit, Where the weak get eatten". Strangely it had a certain charm. I guess for those of us who stayed and for those wishing to be the new urban pioneers we have a strange pride in the fact that we are tough enough. The problems are less with the populace but much more with anti urban politics and politicians that prey on their constituants.. If you are looking for crooks, malice and unadulterated greed, check them out for your villain profiles..

The best thing about Detroit, is its people, hope you get to meet the real Detroiters. The stories to be told are fascinating. Hope your interaction helps give depth to the characters in your novel. You will certainly meet a diverse group of people when here.

Sumas

Dear Sumas,

Thanks so much for contacting me. I have been in touch with Django and will contact him when I arrive. Also Kathleen has offered me a trip too. I know my visit is short but hopefully will just be one of many. Has to be this way unfortunately as we've had a load of family problems lately.

I love 'Detroit: Where the Weak Get Eaten', I hope I can get that T shirt! Where I come from in London is also a place where the people are great but the place is falling apart. I am so looking forward to meeting people! Your home sounds amazing and - I live in an old cotton workers house myself, huge and an absolute nightmare to maintain. I will have some time on the 20th if the offer of coming along is still open. If not, no matter, we'll do it next time. If we do get to meet let me know if you'd like me to bring anything for you from the UK.

Barbara

[sumas]

Sorry about your family problems. I can certainly relate. My Mom is 91 and has a growing brain tumor affecting her speech, co-ordination which requires full time care. My husband and I are primary caretakers. We have Home Hospice and family helps some but we straddle two worlds. Her care and home and our home. We split our time so sometimes my husband is with Mom and sometimes me. I spent the last two days at our home working on projects with Django but now am at Mom's home tonight and Ron leaves to be there in the am. He has Parkinsons which we have to work around too. Our family is fine but it is really our network of Detroit friends that make our lives so rich. Hope you get a glimpse at what big hearts exist in this very diverse but mostly poverty stricken city.

I own/operate a small garden/landscape co but don't work winters. That has been a blessing since family/households have been demanding. Can't wait for spring though and back to mucking in dirt.

Glad you are in contact with Django. He is well traveled, eclectic in lifestyle, almost fearless and knows the city. He does massive amounts of projects with and for us regarding maintaining and restoring our home in Islandview Village. He might be embarassed by my endorsement but he is a true gentleman with a very kind heart. Even if we don't get a chance to hook up, he has keys to our home and can give the penny tour of our 104 yr old home. That is young by Europe standards but ancient for Detroit.

Hope we meet but if not there is always next time.

Sue

[Barbara Nadel]

Sorry about your family problems. I can certainly relate. My Mom is 91 and has a growing brain tumor affecting her speech, co-ordination which requires full time care. My husband and I are primary caretakers. We have Home Hospice and family helps some but we straddle two worlds. Her care and home and our home. We split our time so sometimes my husband is with Mom and sometimes me. I spent the last two days at our home working on projects with Django but now am at Mom's home tonight and Ron leaves to be there in the am. He has Parkinsons which we have to work around too. Our family is fine but it is really our network of Detroit friends that make our lives so rich. Hope you get a glimpse at what big hearts exist in this very diverse but mostly poverty stricken city.

I own/operate a small garden/landscape co but don't work winters. That has been a blessing since family/households have been demanding. Can't wait for spring though and back to mucking in dirt.

Glad you are in contact with Django. He is well traveled, eclectic in lifestyle, almost fearless and knows the city. He does massive amounts of projects with and for us regarding maintaining and restoring our home in Islandview Village. He might be embarassed by my endorsement but he is a true gentleman with a very kind heart. Even if we don't get a chance to hook up, he has keys to our home and can give the penny tour of our 104 yr old home. That is young by Europe standards but ancient for Detroit.

Hope we meet but if not there is always next time.

Sue

Thanks Sue. So sorry to hear about your Mum and about Ron's problems too. My mum is a elderly too and has mental health problems and can be quite bizarre. It's upsetting. I'm just glad that you have access to care. We have free care here, although it is very closely rationed and one has to wait to get it sometimes for years. Take you point about Django and am really looking forward to meeting him and exploring the wilder side of the city. Hope we can meet, but if we don't next time. Do keep in touch. Barbara