Christmas is, for authors and publishers, the most important time of the year for selling books and is a major lifeline for our bookshops.
With so few independent bookshops around now, it is nice to be able to share news of one that is not only continuing to do well but is also stocking local author Richard Hardie’s Young Adult novels, Leap of Faith and Trouble With Swords.
[Read more…] about Local Author News: Richard Hardie
One of the highlight Chandler’s Ford Today posts for me this year was the Top Ten Classical Music Greats list and many thanks to all who added wonderful contributions to this. I’ve loved listening to them all.
The biggest problem I had was in working out which piece had to go into this list. It left me with a number of pieces I would have loved to have included but very conveniently these are film scores/extracts so a new post on Top Ten Film Themes would seem to be in order! [Read more…] about What’s Your Favourite Film Theme? My Top Ten
It is typical there is no Local Author News for ages, then there are two at once!
I am delighted to bring you news of my latest publications, including the production of my first book, From Light to Dark and Back Again, which is a flash fiction collection being published by independent press, Chapeltown Books. [Read more…] about The Writer’s Journey: Allison Symes
As you know by now, I love train travel but I’m pleased to say I am easily outdone (in terms of distance and time taken to complete the journey) by two local authors who are bringing out a new book shortly.
The furthest I’ve been in a day from Chandler’s Ford Station is York (to date anyway!) but the new book, written by Martin Kyrle and Michael Roberts, is called Jottings from the Trans-Siberian Railway. Now there is considerable commitment to long distance train travel! [Read more…] about Book Launch News: Martin Kyrle and Michael Roberts
I went to see All My Sons by Arthur Miller at the Chameleon Theatre Company in Hursley Road recently.
Wonderful performances, a great story and I’m glad to have discovered this play. It is also, I think, apt that this review appears on 11th November given All My Sons is set in 1947. The impact of World War Two is still red raw on grieving families (as the play makes very clear). [Read more…] about Review: All My Sons – Excellent Production by Chameleon Theatre Company
One thing I promised myself this year is that, for once, I would listen to all of the BBC Proms and not just the fantastic Last Night. I kept that promise and enjoyed a wonderful series of concerts.
And all credit to Sir Henry Wood for coming up with such a fantastic idea of bringing wonderful music to as wide a range of people as possible. [Read more…] about My Top 10 Classical Music Greats
This is Part 2 of my interview with Barbara Large, MBE, founder of the Winchester Writing Conference as it was known. Now known as the Winchester Writers’ Festival, it is recognised as one of the major writing events of the year.
Despite stepping down from running the conference in 2013, Barbara is as busy as ever running workshops, leading tours around the CPI production plant at Chippenham for those interested in self-publishing and having her own creative writing consultancy – Creative Words Matter. [Read more…] about The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 2
Further to my recent post on the Story Shuffle Project, I’m glad to share some further images of the app.
The Story Shuffle Project encourages children to write and ten local schools are taking part, one of which is Merdon Junior School. The schools partner up with local libraries and naturally Merdon is linked to our library.
[Read more…] about The Story Shuffle Project Update
I had the great joy of meeting Barbara Large at the Winchester Writing Conference (as it was known) many moons ago. Now known as the Winchester Writers’ Festival, this three day writing event was started by Barbara in 1980. She led the conference until 2013.
Barbara is as busy as ever and runs workshops. [Read more…] about The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 1
One of the joys of writing for Chandler’s Ford Today is discovering projects I would not have otherwise come across. One of these was the Road to Agincourt Project which appealed to my love of all things historical.
Another was when I interviewed Kate Day of Chocolate Muffin Publishing and looked at their work with children and dementia patients (amongst others) to encourage creative writing.
[Read more…] about The Story Shuffle Project
I regularly attend the Winchester Writers’ Festival, which was originally the Winchester Writing Conference started by Barbara Large, MBE.
I am glad to say I will be interviewing Barbara soon. Her help and encouragement to so many writers over the years, including me, has been phenomenal and much appreciated. [Read more…] about What Makes a Good Writing Conference?
One place that is always a joy to visit is beautiful Bath, which is an UNESCO Heritage site.
The trip from our station gets you to Romsey in just over 5 minutes and from there the Romsey to Bath journey takes about an hour and twenty minutes. [Read more…] about Away Days: Bath by Allison Symes
If it was possible to interview anyone in history, who would you choose and why? I thought it might be fun to sometimes write posts on who I would choose, what I would ask and what the replies might be! For this post I’ve chosen Richard III.
You can’t be impartial on Richard III. You agree with Shakespeare’s portrayal or you don’t. You are a red rose supporter or a white rose fan. Does it matter now? If a king can continue to be maligned, any of us can be. Reputation matters. [Read more…] about Impossible Interviews: Richard III
In the week when the centenary of that marvellous writer, Roald Dahl, is celebrated, I thought about whether the tools a writer uses matter.
Dahl (and the brilliant Wodehouse) had their faithful typewriters, Shakespeare swore by his current quill (and probably at it when the nib broke, how many did he get through?!) and of course story telling originates from the oral tradition. [Read more…] about Writing Tools: Why I use Scrivener Writing Software
Have you tried writing Flash Fiction?
Yesterday I wrote a brief introduction to Flash Fiction and shared one of my flash stories as an example. Do you have a favourite Flash Fiction story to share with us? [Read more…] about A Peek into My Writing World – Tools and Inspirations
Have you heard of Flash Fiction?
Flash fiction is any story that has a maximum of 1,000 words. It is also known as micro fiction, postcard fiction, short short story (though that is a mouthful!) and sudden fiction. [Read more…] about Flash Fiction – What is it?
Just a quick reminder that Barbara Large’s new creative writing workshops start later this month at The Dovetail Centre.
Further details below. [Read more…] about Reminder: Creative Writing Classes at The Dovetail Centre
The free Medieval Weekend, organised by the Road to Agincourt project, was recently held at Manor Farm and Country Park, Bursledon.
This post continues with a look at the lives of typical villagers re-enacted over the weekend. And I discover what a fletcher was… [Read more…] about Road to Agincourt: When Medieval Life Comes Alive Like Magic
The free Medieval Weekend, organised by the Road to Agincourt project, was recently held at Manor Farm and Country Park, Bursledon.
The weekend was being launched to open a new walk, enabling people to walk down to the River Hamble where they could see the wreck of The Grace Dieu, one of Henry V’s ships. The interactive map I have written about in my previous Chandler’s Ford Today posts was in evidence too.
[Read more…] about Would You Live a Medieval Life?
My next couple of articles will be about the recent Medieval Weekend, organised by the Road to Agincourt project and backed, amongst others, by Hampshire and Eastleigh Councils.
But this post is a first for me. It’s the first time I’ve reviewed a walk, or perhaps I should say “road tested” it! (Even when I reviewed a walk in Salisbury, it was more of a review of the book it appeared in, Station Walks, given I wanted to see just how accurate and helpful the directions and description of things to spot on the walk were!). [Read more…] about Following the King: on the Great Ships Trail
