'Funnily Enough' in the December issue of IBelieve, the Christian Lifestyle Magazine

The last extract in a series that has spanned eleven months,

when I have often been given a line on the front cover:

My Mother's Maddest Moments in Movies

It all started when Mum played Mad Mary in the She-Wolf of London. My sisters were mortified. 

She then appeared as 'a lovely Babooska' in The Saint with Val Kilmer for Paramount Pictures. He was dressed up as a babushka too, trying to escape from some baddie, you'll have to tell me who.

Things got worse. Here she is in The Ghost of Greville Lodge, but what shocked her friends recently was seeing her looking hideous as the Dowager Duchess in a TV movie Maggie Smith starred in called Capturing Mary. It was directed by Stephen Poliakoff. At least she was drenched in jewels.

Seeing Mum on Casualty was somehow more appalling. She played a pathetic character called Doreen Oaken in one episode but said it was quite restful as she spent most to the time being pushed around on a gurney. 

Her best part was playing Miriam in The Chase directed by Sue Tully, who I worked with years ago when she was in Eastenders. The Chase is a BBC drama series about a veterinary practice in Yorkshire. Mum adopted the accent, and was given a terrible haircut, to play a resentful woman on community service who found fulfillment when she came across a baby otter trapped in rubbish and managed to rescue it. Needless to say it was her own tame otter. She must have spent days in a costume comprised of fisherman's waders over a red zoot suit but has never been happier.

Mum's lastest role was playing a nun for the BBC. I just hope my sisters do not see the result.

Click here for more photos of this mad life or read the true story - snatches of which are in Funnily Enough.

The diary I kept when I was recovering from CFS - serialised in iBelieve magazine

Kim Alexis is on the front cover of this month's issue of iBelieve. 

My story continues inside.

Please click here for subscription details.

Memories of my sister's wedding, in the August issue of iBelieve ~

The International Rubery Book Award-winning read, featured in iBelieve magazine, August 2013

The cover of iBelieve magazine, August 2013 - to subscribe or order, click here

'Funnily Enough' - now an Award-winning book by Sophie Neville

Latest Amazon reviews ~ November 2012

Amazon reviews for 'Funnily Enough'

"An uplifting story of the writer's battle with illness.

Her optimism, faith in God and support of family and friends get her through.
A very positive read!" Mrs JPG Rice

"This is a very funny and entertaining book..." JSF Hopkinson

To write your own review - however brief - please click on the greenish sausage beside the chart on your Amazon product review page.

For those in the UK, please click here 

For readers in the US, Africa or India, please click here

Many thanks!

All sketches on the blog are featured in 'Funnily Enough' and are (c) Sophie Neville. Please contact me if you need to use them on sophie@sophieneville.co.uk

Questions for Book Clubs

1.  Is it important that Funnily Enough is a true story? Why?

2.  Whilst most readers say they laughed out loud whilst reading 'Funnily Enough' one reviewer thought it a sad story. Another said that it is not a funny book.  Is it sad?  Is it funny? Would the funny stories lack appeal without the reality that ME or Chronic Fatigue is a disease that needs to be taken serioulsy?  

3.  Do you think the story could be made into a stage play?

Or could be read on stage with music and sound effects?

4.  How would you alter the story to make it into a feature film? Would you make it into a romance, a thriller or both?

5. One Book Club thought that the Christian content would hinder sales and book reviews in mainstream newspapers and magazines. Do you agree?  If you were a publisher would you reduce or cut out the Christian sections?

6.  Do you want to know what Sophie did next?