Allison Symes

About Allison Symes

I'm a published flash fiction and short story writer, as well as a blogger. My fiction work has appeared in anthologies from Cafelit and Bridge House Publishing.

My first flash fiction collection, From Light to Dark and Back Again, was published by Chapeltown Books in 2017.

My follow-up, Tripping the Flash Fantastic, was published by Chapeltown Books in 2020.

I adore the works of many authors but my favourites are Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett.

I like to describe my fiction as fairytales with bite.

Introducing Dawn Knox… The Chronicles Continue

November 27, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Dawn Kentish Knox is a great friend and we have publishers in common – Cafelit and Bridge House Publishing in particular. We usually meet at the twice yearly Bridge House events (though technically the one in the summer is the Waterloo Arts Festival Writing Competition one, though Bridge House sponsor that). We are both missing these events this year though we have met on Zoom.

Along with Paula Readman, whom I interviewed a few months back, Dawn and I make up the photo that appears on top of the Scribblers Sans Frontiere Facebook group which is for authors published by Bridge House and its imprints (including Chapeltown Books).

Dawn Knox. Image kindly supplied by her.

Tags: being published, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books. The Macaroon Chronicles, creative writing, Dawn Knox, humorous prose, The Basilwade Chronicles, The Great War, writing tips

Brechin/Angus Book Festival – Local Author News – Allison Symes

November 20, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

One thing to come out of the pandemic has been the cancellation of so many author events. The ones still running have had to go online but these have proved to be a lifeline for writers and readers alike.

Going online has also made certain things possible/more accessible, which is one positive thing I’d like to see continue long after the pandemic crisis is over (and hopefully it will be one day!).

Books have been sold online for some time but never in greater numbers than in 2020. Pixabay

Tags: Allison Symes. Youtube, book festivals, Brechin/Angus Book Festival, online writing events, writing advice

Introducing Elizabeth Hurst – Historical Mysteries, Romances, and Ghosts!

November 13, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

One joy of going to a great writing event such as the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School is discovering so many wonderful writers and their amazing range of work.

It is my pleasure then to introduce Elizabeth Hurst, another Swanwick stalwart, who writes the Lost Souls series.

Feature Image – Introducing Elizabeth Hurst. Image kindly supplied by Elizabeth Hurst

Tags: A Friend In Need, creative writing, Elizabeth Hurst, fiction, Kindle countdown offer, Lost Souls series, paranormal fiction writing, Siren Spirit, Swanwick Writers' Summer School

Board and Card Games

November 6, 2020 By Allison Symes 6 Comments

Were you a fan of board games? Perhaps you still are.

I have fond memories of playing various board games with my family over the years. I was fortunate enough to live in a big old Victorian semi when I was growing up with a separate living room and dining room.

The dining room was really only used for that for Christmas and other special occasions as we often ate in the kitchen but we also used this room as a kind of games room. The big table we had in there was ideal for board games and the like. And we could leave a game set up in progress if we needed to do so.

Feature Image – Board and other games. Pixabay

[Read more…] about Board and Card Games

Tags: board games, card games, family history, family memories

The Joy of Photos

October 30, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

I love photos. Love looking at them and taking them and I’ve taken to digital photography well too. I recall taking film rolls to the chemists and waiting a week for them to come back. (I used to go to what is now Day Lewis Chemists for this if I wasn’t posting rolls of film off to people like Bonusprint. And there’s the old joke about Cinderella, . Why was Cinderella at the chemists? She was waiting for her prints! And yes I have cleaned that joke up a bit..!).

One of the joys of a site like CFT is of course seeing the photos people share here and that’s fabulous. I thought with this post though I’d share a few of my favourite pictures and then invite others to write a follow up post to this one with their favourites. Any takers? I do hope so.

Cameras and photos have come a long way. Pixabay

[Read more…] about The Joy of Photos

Tags: digital photography, memories, photos, writers and photos

Wrapping Up

October 23, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

It’s a wrap! How often have you heard that? It usually means a film or a scene within it is “finished”. For writers, I guess our “wrap” is when we’ve written our draft, edited it and polished it, and then finally sent it off to a publisher for their consideration. At least you’ve got that stage done!

[Read more…] about Wrapping Up

Tags: creative writing, juggling writing and marketing, publication, targeting markets, wrapping up

The Phone Conversation

October 16, 2020 By Allison Symes 6 Comments

Do you recall the old cop show dramas and series where a suspect is allowed one call to their lawyer? I’m sure that is nothing more than a plot device but I thought I would take that idea for this post and run with it, so to speak.

If there was one phone call you could make to anyone, who would it be and why? What would you say? You can go backwards or forwards in time.

What would you say if you had ONE chance to call anyone? Pixabay

Tags: conversation, flash fiction, Phone, writing challenge

LOCAL AUTHOR CYBERLAUNCH NEWS – ALLISON SYMES – TRIPPING THE FLASH FANTASTIC

October 9, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Just a quick post from me this week to flag up my cyberlaunch for my second book from Chapeltown Books, Tripping the Flash Fantastic, on Saturday, 10th October 2020.

Tripping the Flash Fantastic – cover from Chapeltown Books

I’m holding this event on Facebook from 7 pm to about 9.30 pm. Would love it if you could join me. (And if you can only pop by for just two minutes, you’ll still be most welcome!).

The lovely thing about online launches? No worries about social distancing etc! And they give an author a chance to celebrate the fact their “baby” is seeing the light of day!

See https://www.facebook.com/events/1246876649024453 for more details. Meanwhile I am delighted to share a link to my book trailer. I share one of my stories from the new book here – Time For Some Peace.

Tags: Allison Symes, book promotion, creative writing, cyberlaunch, flash fiction, locall author news, Tripping the Flash Fantastic

Seasonal Books

October 2, 2020 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

It is always the season to be enjoying books of all kinds but from now to the 24th December is the “big push” for the Christmas market. What with delays in publishing due to You Know What, recent news has been of 600+ books published in one day.

According to a recent article I read, that figure is up by about one-third from what usually comes out in early September. Not a good situation but the publishers are contractually obliged to produce and the inevitable delays meant there would have to be a catch-up time at some point.

This time of year is the big money earner for the publishers. And it makes sense. What is nicer than being cosy at home with a lovely new book to read? (Answer: being tucked up at home reading an old favourite…! Yes I know!).

[Read more…] about Seasonal Books

Tags: book promoting, books, books in lockdown, seasonal reading, Tripping the Flash Fantastic

Preparing An (Online) Party

September 25, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

I am happily preparing for a party at the moment – an online one to celebrate the publication of my new book, Tripping The Flash Fantastic.

Date For Your Diary: Saturday, 10th October 2020
Time: 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm
Venue: Your computer, laptop, I-Pad etc at your home!
Link for Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1246876649024453

(Can’t beat the convenience here! No traffic hold-ups. Just a good internet connection needed which you hopefully should have anyway!).

My latest flash fiction collection. Image from Chapeltown Books.

Tags: Allison Symes, cyberlaunch, flash fiction, online writing event, Tripping the Flash Fantastic

Local Author News – Allison Symes – New Book, New Anthology, New Zoom Event!

September 18, 2020 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

Murphy’s Law has struck again for this writer! No news (publication or otherwise) for a while and then lots all at the same time!

Feature Image - Allison Symes - New Book, New Anthology, and Zoom-1 — Feature Image – Allison Symes – New Book, New Anthology, and Zoom-1. Book cover image from Chapeltown Books.

Tags: Allison Symes, author readings, Author talk, Bridge House Publishing, Dawn Kentish Knox, flash fiction, Gill James, new anthology, new book, publication news, The Best of Cafelit 9, Tripping the Flash Fantastic, Zoom Event

Lessons – Part 2 – Lessons Learned from the Writing Life

September 11, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

I talked about lessons from school, learning to drive etc., last week. This week I’m going to look at what I have learned from writing and how that has developed life skills too.

A lovely place in which to learn and the natural habitat of the writer! Pixabay

Tags: comfort zone, editing, learning not to be precious, opportunities, rejections, social media, the writing life

Lessons – Part 1

September 4, 2020 By Allison Symes 9 Comments

Lessons are a big part of life. Some we love, others we loathe. In this two-part series, I thought I’d take a look at how lessons are an ongoing thing. We’re just not always conscious of it. I’ve learned so much from writing which has helped directly not only with that but with life skills too.

So let’s start with the obvious then.

English language and literature lessons were my favourite at school. Pixabay

[Read more…] about Lessons – Part 1

Tags: dog owning, driving, learning, lessons, ongoing lessons, school, swimming, voice projection, writing

Local Author News: Richard Hardie and Doctor Who by Allison Symes

August 29, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Local YA author, Richard Hardie, is delighted to announce that his novel, Leap of Faith, the first in his Temporal Detective Series, is now being advertised on the online edition of Doctor Who magazine.

Richard Hardie. Image kindly supplied by him.

Well done, Richard! Both the print and online versions of the magazine have a big “reach” so being able to get the word out to readers about a time travelling detective agency to fans of the most famous time travelling show is a very good move!

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Tags: advertising, Doctor Who, Leap of Faith, local author news, Richard Hardie, Temporal Detective Agency

How Has Your Summer Been?

August 28, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

I know, I know! With a title like that, this could be a very short post indeed!

It has been an odd year, has it not? Even the weather has reflected it. I noticed my first ripe blackberries out at the end of July, a good month early. And I’m seeing the leaves on the trees changing colour and some shedding of leaves occurring now, in August, significantly earlier than normal, and almost certainly due to the lack of rainfall over the last few weeks.

A beautiful summer image here. I suspect most of us will hope Summer 2021 will be happier than this year’s. Pixabay image.

Tags: Allison Symes, book news, lockdown, social distancing, summer 2020, writing, writing events

A Novel Approach – Jennifer C Wilson In Conversation With Allison Symes

August 21, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

The defining thought for my recent CFT posts has been how writers can pick up on the zeitgeist, long before we know there is one to tap into!

This summer the topic has been about changing direction. Some writers do this a lot, others only every now and again. Some make the change a permanent one, others see the variation as a detour from what they usually write though they will resume that in due course. My recent interviews with Scottish crime writers, Val Penny and Wendy H Jones, are good examples of this.

Another author changing direction is Jennifer C Wilson who has gone from writing ghost stories crossed with history in her Kindred Spirits series to romance with The Raided Heart and is now writing non-fiction with her recently released A Novel Approach.

Jennifer C Wilson’s latest book is her venture into non-fiction writing. Image kindly supplied by her.

Tags: A Novel Approach, creative writing, creative writing guide, fiction, Jennifer C Wilson, Kindred Spirits, non-fiction, The Raided Heart

The Power of Why – Wendy H Jones in conversation with Allison Symes

August 14, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Sometimes writers can feel as if they’ve “caught something” in the air and definitely not Covid-19! We refer to the zeitgeist where we subconsciously pick up on a bubbling mood which then does come to the surface and grabs public attention.

For me, and for many writers recently, that bubbling mood has been about changing direction with our writing. This has manifested itself in two distinct ways. Firstly, this has been in taking on new roles which are likely to be permanent (editing for me). Secondly, the other change has been in writing something different from what we are usually known for (as I’ve recently discussed with Val Penny and will be again soon with Jennifer C Wilson).

This week, I invite Scottish crime writer, Wendy H Jones, back to Chandler’s Ford Today as her new venture is something very special indeed. Wendy is the only UK writer in the The Power of Why (see Amazon link). There are 23 stories in this collection of women from around the globe who have taken steps to change their lives by starting their own businesses.

Wendy H Jones. Image kindly supplied by her.

Tags: author entrepreneur, changing direction, creative writing, marketing, the business of writing, The Power of Why, Wendy H Jones, women in business, women in writing

Part 3 – The Writing Game – and What to Watch For

August 7, 2020 By Allison Symes 6 Comments

For the final part of this series, I would like to say a big thank you to my wonderful guests for their excellent contributions. Please find the links to Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Writing is the fulfilment of many people’s dreams (and being published even more so) but, as with any other area of life, there are those prepared to make money out of your dreams and rip you off doing so. When you start out, it is knowing what to look out for that can be tricky. Also, where do you go for advice? (Answer: The Society of Authors, The Alliance of Independent Authors, and talk to other writers. Word does get out about scams and the like).

Scams happen in creative writing too, image via Pixabay

Tags: Association of Christian Writers, creative writing, crime writing, Jacci Gooding, Jennifer C Wilson, non-fiction, paranormal writing, scams, self publishing, short stories, Swanwick Writers' Summer School, tips, Val Penny, Wendy H Jones, writing advice

Part 2 – The Writing Game – and What to Watch For

July 31, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Welcome to Part 2 of my new series. You can find the link to Part 1 here. Writing colleagues and I share tips we hope will be useful ranging from contracts to marketing to even handling professional jealousy. There is much to learn from here!

Any industry attracts charlatans. Writing isn’t exempt. From copyright infringements to piracy, it pays to be aware of what can happen and where to go for advice. It is also useful to know what to avoid.

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Tags: advice, Allison Symes, Amanda Baber, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, Dawn Kentish Knox, fantasy, flash fiction, Gill James, hints, humour, Paula C Readman, publishing, scams, short stories, tips

The Writing Game – and What to Watch For – Part 1

July 24, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

So much has changed in the industry since I started writing seriously. I’ve gone from using manual typewriters to laptops. I’ve gone from sending submissions in by snail mail to sending almost everything in by email. (There is still the occasional competition which prefers post but these are as common as the Dodo).

I don't miss typewriters either - I used an Olympia one and it weighed a ton - Pixabay — I don’t miss typewriters either – I used an Olympia one and it weighed a ton – Pixabay

In the joy of creativity, and unless you have decided to write solely for your own pleasure, which is fine, it is easy to forget writing is a business. As with any industry, there are charlatans out there.

It is only when you’ve been writing for a while, when you’ve had setbacks, you realise how much you don’t know. There are things I wish I’d been aware of when I started writing.

For this three part series, I share tips and contributions from writing colleagues. A big thank you to them for taking part in this series. We all hope you find it useful. There will be a brief bio for my colleagues plus links to their Amazon Author Central page and the like. Between us, we represent a very wide range of genres and experience in the industry.

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Tags: advice, Alliance of Independent Authors, Authors Reach, books, Brenda Sedgwick, creative writing, flash fiction, Francesca Tyer, local authors, Maggie Farran, Richard Hardie, scams, short stories, Society of Authors, Teresa Bassett, writing advice, writing tips, YA novels

Allison Symes

About Allison Symes

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