Chandler's Ford Today

Allison Symes

Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown

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It’s fair to say 2020 was challenging. Next week, I’ll be starting a new series called Launches in Lockdown. Fellow writers and I will share our experiences of launching books during what has been one of the strangest periods in modern history. (I wish I could say I was exaggerating).

There is another side to this coin. How did 2020 impact publishers? I thought I’d talk again to local YA writer and publisher, Richard Hardie. He has a good view from both sides of the fence.

Feature Image – Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown. Image created in Book Brush by Allison Symes (image there from Pixabay)

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Favourite Writing Exercises and Why They’re Beneficial

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I use a variety of writing exercises to help trigger ideas for stories though a lot of these are also useful for generating thoughts for articles.

Feature Image – Favourite Writing Exercises. Image created by Allison Symes using Book Brush (images there are from Pixabay).

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New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope?

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Did you see the New Year in? I don’t bother these days, to be honest. I treasure my sleep more but I must admit I’m not sorry to see the back of 2020. Along with the majority of the world’s population I would’ve thought!

Having said that, and despite cancelled author events etc., 2020 was a good year for me professionally. It is funny how things can work out.

Feature Image – New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope. Image created on Book Brush by Allison Symes.

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O Tidings…!

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The title for this week’s post comes from the old Christmas Carol, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen of course and the moment I hear it or sing it, I automatically think of Dickens (and from there to his wonderful story, A Christmas Carol).

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Part 2 – The Chronicles Continue – Dawn Knox

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I’m delighted to welcome back a good friend of mine, Dawn Knox, to Chandler’s Ford Today. Dawn and I are both published by Cafelit and Bridge House Publishing. Both of us are flash fiction and short story writers but Dawn is also a playwright and has recently released her second hilarious set of “chronicles” stories called The Macaroon Chronicles. This is the follow up to her debut set of chronicles called The Basilwade Chronicles. If you like a good, funny read, do check these out.

Dawn Knox. Image kindly supplied by her.

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Introducing Dawn Knox… The Chronicles Continue

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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.

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

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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

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

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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

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Board and Card Games

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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

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The Joy of Photos

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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

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Wrapping Up

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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!

Feature Image – Wrapping Up. Pixabay

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The Phone Conversation

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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

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

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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.

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Seasonal Books

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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!).

Feature Image – Seasonal Books. Pixabay

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Preparing An (Online) Party

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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.

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

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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!

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

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Lessons – Part 2 – Lessons Learned from the Writing Life

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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

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Lessons – Part 1

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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

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

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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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