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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.

I also write for Writers' Narrative magazine and am one of their editors. I am a freelance editor separately and have had many short stories published online and in anthologies.

Getting The Hooks In

March 13, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

Hooks are crucial for holding a reader’s interest, regardless of whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction.

They can also be placed in varying places within a piece to give maximum effect. The idea here is an opening hook draws readers in, one somewhere in the middle will keep their interest going, and then another one at the end brings in a satisfying conclusion to the piece.

This mirrors the Three Act structure though the hook in itself isn’t enough to keep things going. The golden rule, if there could be said to be one, is there should be no boring bits, nothing readers might be tempted to skip.

[Read more…] about Getting The Hooks In

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, fiction, holding reader interest, hooks, non-fiction, writing advice

Author Interview – Wendy H Jones – A Right Cozy Historical Crime

March 6, 2026 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Wendy H Jones and Lynsey Adams (Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog) for images for this interview. Many thanks to the other authors in the anthology for their author head shots. Other images created in Book Brush using their images or Pixabay ones.

It is with great pleasure I welcome back Wendy H Jones to Chandler’s Ford Today. As part of a book tour organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog, I quiz Wendy about the latest book to come from Wendy’s publishing company, Scott and Lawson – A Right Cozy Historical Crime. This volume is part of a series of Right Cozy crime books (the others so far are A Right Cozy Christmas Crime and A Right Cozy Culinary Crime).

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Wendy H Jones – A Right Cozy Historical Crime

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Tags: A Right Cozy Historical Crime, anthology, author interview, creative writing, crime fiction, historical fiction, history in story form, mixing fictional genres, Scott and Lawson Publishing, short stories, Wendy H Jones

Catching Up

February 27, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

Do you like the prospect of catching up? I guess it depends on context. I’m not fond of those times when I’m catching up with the housework, say. But when it comes to catching up with my reading and writing, that’s different. I have no problems with either of those.

I thought I’d use this post as a “catch up” one with my writing matters. A few things have been going on since I last wrote this kind of post.

[Read more…] about Catching Up

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Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, author news, editing work, Friday Flash Fiction, Substack, the writing life, ups and downs in writing, Writers' Narrative, writing news

Writing Events

February 20, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- 
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Many thanks to Lynn Clement and Gill James for two photos included here. Other images (especially of The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick) were taken by me, Allison Symes.

Hopefully later this year, I will be off once more to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and I expect to take in a couple of other writing events. It took me ages as a new writer to pluck up the courage to go to my first writing event where, ironically, I ended up meeting the lady who would become my publisher. Neither of us could have known at the time.

Why go to writing events at all? What benefits are there for writers? Does it pay to work out what it is you would like to achieve by going to a specific writing event? I hope the following helps.

[Read more…] about Writing Events

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Tags: ACW in person event, am writing, Bridge House Publishing Celebration event, Continuing Professional Development, creative writing, networking, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, writing courses, writing day events, writing events, writing residential events, writing workshops

Writing To Themes

February 13, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

Themes crop up all the time in creative writing. Many story and article competitions set a theme. Many writers have a theme in the back of their minds when creating a story or piece of non-fiction writing. Indeed, my theme here is to share tips about writing to themes.

For Writers’ Narrative magazine (which can now be found via Substack), there is a monthly theme the core contributors, including me, write around.

[Read more…] about Writing To Themes

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Tags: am reading, am writing, creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, themes, writing advice, writing tips, writing to themes

The Chameleon Theatre Company – Review – Camelot The Pantomime

February 6, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- 
Many thanks to Daisy Wilkins (Dazoo Art) for kind permission to use their photos on behalf of The Chameleons. Other images created in Book Brush using their images or ones taken from Pixabay. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

One lovely thing about January, to escape from the fact is it does seem to go on forever, is it gives Janet and I the chance to get to the pantomime again – oh yes it does!

This time, on Thursday 29th January, we went to see The Chameleon Theatre Company perform Camelot The Pantomime, which was written by Ben Crocker. For more information, and a chance to read some of the script, do check out the link.

As you can imagine from a title like this, the pantomime was huge fun. (Images of Monty Python did come to my mind when I saw that title).

[Read more…] about The Chameleon Theatre Company – Review – Camelot The Pantomime

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Tags: amateur theatre, Camelot The Pantomime, pantomime review, pantomimes, The Chameleon Theatre Company

Top Ten Author Newsletter Tips

January 30, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

My most recent marketing development has been to have a monthly author newsletter. I started this on Mailchimp but as they stopped their free plan, I moved over to MailerLite. The transition was painless, I’m glad to say, and there are certain things I can now do which I couldn’t on Mailchimp. The important one is being able to schedule my newsletters. I schedule pieces all the time including for Chandler’s Ford Today so I appreciated coming across this feature.

I enjoy putting my newsletters together and work on them throughout the month so there’s no last minute rush to get a newsletter out. It also gives me time to add things as more news and ideas occur to me. It also gives me plenty of time to review my draft ahead of scheduling it so it is good to go on the first of each month.

[Read more…] about Top Ten Author Newsletter Tips

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Tags: am writing, author newsletters, creative writing, fiction, marketing, newsletter tips, non-fiction

Spoofs

January 23, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

I have a soft spot for a good spoof. This is because I love stories, films etc., which make me laugh. I also think there is a huge need for these especially at times when the world seems unremittingly grim as it is right now. The dictionary definition of a spoof is something which mimics something else to comic effect and often uses exaggeration to get the laughs.

[Read more…] about Spoofs

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Tags: am reading, am writing, Camelot The Pantomime, Carry On films, pantomimes, parody, spoofs, The Chameleon Theatre Company. humorous writing

Pitching

January 16, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

Other than the word “marketing”, the word “pitching” can be enough to make a writer’s blood run cold. Why? In both cases, it is because we all know it has to be done. We also all know we would far rather be writing.

We also know with pitches we do open ourselves up to rejections. Indeed, it is common to have far more rejections than acceptances for any kind of pitch.

[Read more…] about Pitching

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, doing your market research, marketing, pitching, rejections, submitting writing

Story Inspiration

January 9, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

One reason I love conducting, reading, and/or taking part in author interviews is because I often learn what inspires a writer and/or a particular tale of theirs.

Inspiration comes from many sources, which is immensely encouraging to any writer, but it does pay to know where the great “hunting grounds” are for it. It pays not to rely on it coming to you but by actively seeking inspiration, you are in with a much better chance of finding it.

This post looks at inspiration “haunts” I’ve found repeatedly useful and I hope you’ll find them useful too.

[Read more…] about Story Inspiration

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Tags: am reading, am writing, books, creative fiction, creative writing, story inspiration, triggering writing ideas

Winter Stories

January 2, 2026 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

I hope you had a lovely Christmas break and may I wish you a very Happy New Year.

One of the things I love about the period between Christmas and New Year is having more time to catch up on reading. The rush of Christmas is over and there are a few blissful days before normal routines kick in again and I use that time to enjoy books. Winter is the perfect time for this, isn’t it?

[Read more…] about Winter Stories

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Tags: A Christmas Carol, am reading, am writing, biographies, books of letters, literacy, storytelling, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Lord of the Rings, the Nativity, winter stories

A Year In Flashback

December 19, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- 
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay image. Book cover shots from Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown Books. Many thanks to Lynn Clement, Paula Readman, and Penny Blackburn for images from the Bridge House Publishing Celebration Event and The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick held earlier this year. Other images and screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is hard to believe, sometimes at least, just how quickly another year has gone by. I make a point of taking some time out to review how my writing year has gone and what I’d like to see happen in the next one. I’ve found writing things down for this makes it more likely I will take at least some steps to try and achieve what is on my writing wish list.

[Read more…] about A Year In Flashback

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Tags: ACW in person event, Allison Symes, anthologies, Association of Christian Writers Flash Fiction group, Bridge House Publishing, celebration event, creative writing, flash fiction, networking, short stories, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, Writers' Narrative, writing year review

Back At The Theodore Bullfrog with Bridge House Publishing

December 12, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- 
Most of the images were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images were created in Book Brush using my images or ones from Pixabay. Many thanks to Paula Readman for taking the images of Rosemary Johnson and me with some of our respective works. Many thanks to Lynn Clement for the selfie of both of us.

On Saturday 6th December 2025, I had the great joy of being back at the wonderfully named Theodore Bullfrog in Charing Cross, London, for the annual Bridge House Publishing Celebration Event. This, along with The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, is a major highlight of my writing year.

[Read more…] about Back At The Theodore Bullfrog with Bridge House Publishing

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Tags: anthologies, Bridge House Publishing, Bridge House Publishing Celebration event, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, fiction, flash fiction, Magi An Anthology, networking, short stories, The Best of CafeLit 14, The Theodore Bullfrog, writing event

Author Interview – Introducing Heather Beveridge/Hetty Waite – Evolve

December 5, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Heather Beveridge (who writes as Hetty Waite) and Lynsey Adams of Reading Between The Lines Vlog for author and book cover pics. Some images from The Writers’ Summer School were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using their photos or ones from Pixabay.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Heather Beveridge, who writes as Hetty Waite, to Chandler’s Ford Today to discuss her new book, Evolve. This interview forms part of a book blog tour organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between The Lines Vlog.

Heather and I have a mutual acquaintance in the form of Scottish crime writer, Val Penny. We have a certain writers’ school in common too, The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick.

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Introducing Heather Beveridge/Hetty Waite – Evolve

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Tags: author interview, book launches, creating characters, creative fiction, dystopian fiction, editing, Evolve, Heather Beveridge/Hetty Waite, marketing tips, Reading Between The Lines Book Vlog, SpellBound Books Limited, The Chromosone Trilogy, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, writing life, writing tips, YA fiction

Short Story Collections

November 28, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Book cover images from Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown Books.

I am fond of short story collections for various reasons, not least of which is the fact they gave me my way into being published. My first story in print was A Helping Hand in the Bridge House Publishing anthology Alternative Renditions back in 2009.

Coming right up to date, I am also pleased to say another short story of mine, The Family Legend, has recently been published in Bridge House Publishing’s Magi anthology. I’m looking forward to celebrating that book at the Bridge House Publishing celebration event in London next week, which is always a fun event.

[Read more…] about Short Story Collections

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Tags: am reading, am writing, anthologies, Bridge House Publishing, building up a writing CV, Cafelit, creative writing, short stories, short story collections, themes, tips, writing advice

Review – The Business of Murder by Mike Standing

November 21, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images taken by me, Allison Symes. Some images created in Book Brush using my images or photos from Pixabay.

 

Review – The Business of Murder

Written by Mike Standing

Presented by Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church Senior Thespians

The last week in October proved to be a busy one for Janet and I. As well as going to see The Chameleons perform The Ghost Train on the Thursday (30th October), Janet and I went to the Dovetail Centre on the Saturday afternoon (1st November) for a murder mystery play, The Business of Murder by Mike Standing.

[Read more…] about Review – The Business of Murder by Mike Standing

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Tags: amateur theatre, Chandler's Ford Methodist Church, Chandler's Ford Methodist Church Senior Thespians, murder mystery play, The Business of Murder by Mike Standing, The Dovetail Centre

Review – The Chameleon Theatre Company – The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley

November 14, 2025 By Allison Symes 1 Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their photos. Other images created in Book Brush using their photos or ones from Pixabay. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

I was intrigued when I heard The Chameleon Theatre Company were going to stage The Ghost Train, written by Arnold Ridley, actor and playwright (1896-1984). If that name seems familiar, it is because it is, given Arnold Ridley is best known for his role as Private Godfrey in the classic Dad’s Army. But it was also known he was a writer and The Ghost Train is his best known work.

Janet and I went to the opening night on Thursday, 30th October and were gripped by the story. There were plenty of twists and turns. Was there something supernatural going on here or was it a con or could it be both?

[Read more…] about Review – The Chameleon Theatre Company – The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley

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Tags: amateur theatre, ghost stories, plays, Ritchie Hall, The Chameleon Theatre Company, The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley

Author Interview – Introducing Penny Rogers and Amelie At The Window

November 7, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Penny Rogers and Bridge House Publishing for supplying book cover and author shots. Other images created in Book Brush using images from them or from Pixabay using their photos. One image from a past Bridge House Publishing celebration event was taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is always a joy to welcome fellow authors to Chandler’s Ford Today, especially when they are fellow Bridge House Publishing writers. Penny Dale, who writes as Penny Rogers, is someone I have often chatted to at the Bridge House Publishing Celebration Event held annually in December.

Penny has had many stories in The Best of CafeLit anthologies. Indeed she and I have had our work in the same books but it is a great joy to congratulate Penny on her forthcoming book, Amelie at the Window.

The title story started life as a short story but other stories about Amelie’s life emerged in response to popular demand and this led to the book being written. It is written in two halves as a collection of short stories about the people who lived in a fictional small town in France in 1914 and again in 1924. So much happened in those ten years.

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Introducing Penny Rogers and Amelie At The Window

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Tags: am reading, am writing, Amelie At The Window, author interview, book launch, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, flash fiction, historical fiction, marketing, new book, Penny Rogers, short stories, writing tips

Author News – Allison Symes – Getting Out and About with ACW

October 31, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:  One image directly from Pixabay. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or images taken by me, Allison Symes. Other photos were taken by me, Allison Symes, at the ACW Autumn Gathering event in 2025 (and for the funny captions on the tables from their event in 2024 but the captions do not date!).

Last Saturday, 25th October, I had the joy of going to Egham for the Association of Christian Writers Autumn Gathering. It is the annual in-person gathering. The other ACW meetings are held on Zoom and are so useful but there is something special about getting together with other writers in person.

[Read more…] about Author News – Allison Symes – Getting Out and About with ACW

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Author Interview: Introducing John Puzey – Captive Audience

October 24, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to John Puzey and Richard Hardie of Authors Reach Limited for supplying book and author shots. Other images created in Book Brush using their images or Pixabay photos. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes, as was the picture of John Puzey at the Hiltingbury Book Fair in 2023.

It is a great pleasure to welcome John Puzey to Chandler’s Ford Today, as a local author and a member of The Chameleon Theatre Company.

John has recently been published by Authors Reach Limited (which local author and publisher, Richard Hardie, is behind) with his book, Captive Audience. John has recently held an author talk at Chandler’s Ford Library and launched his book on Facebook.
For more on what John writes, check out his website

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Introducing John Puzey – Captive Audience

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Tags: acting, author interview, Authors Reach Limited, Captive Audience, creative writing, historical fiction, historical non-fiction, John Puzey, Richard Hardie, The Chameleons, World War Two, writing, writing tips
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