Chandler's Ford Today

Allison Symes

Review – The Chameleon Theatre Company – I’ll Be Back Before Midnight

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Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to The Chameleon Theatre Company for supplying the photos from I’ll Be Back Before Midnight. Other images created in Book Brush using Chameleon images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I joined Janet Williams for the performance of I’ll Be Back Before Midnight on Thursday, 24th October. The play (a thriller) is by Peter Colley and it was advertised as not being suitable for the under-12s. Spot on there but the play had a fantastic and strong storyline, a real whodunnit and whydunnit combined.

There were so many bluffs, double bluffs, you had to pay close attention but the storyline was so gripping, that wasn’t an issue.

When you are on the edge of your seat, hoping everything will somehow work out the right way for one character, whom you believe is being set up cruelly to die (probably at their own hand or made to look that way), then you know the characters have gripped you and will not let go until the play ends. That is how it should be too.

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Author Interview – Debz Hobbs-Wyatt – If Crows Could Talk – Part 2

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Debz Hobbs-Wyatt for supplying book cover and author pics. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Some images are directly from Pixabay. Screenshots were also taken by me, Allison Symes.

Introduction – Part 2

It is a great pleasure to welcome Debz Hobbs-Wyatt back to Chandler’s Ford Today for Part 2 of an in-depth interview celebrating the launch of her new novel, If Crows Could Talk (Walela Books).

Part 1 from last week covered Debz’s writing journey and wonderful advice regarding agents and the writing life. She also discussed the small presses (both of us are connected to Bridge House Publishing). Link at the bottom of this section of the interview if you missed Part 1. Whatever stage of the writing life you find yourself at now, do check both parts of this interview out. Debz has shared lots of wonderful tips.

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Author Interview: Debz Hobbs-Wyatt – If Crows Could Talk – Part 1

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Debz Hobbs-Wyatt for supplying book cover and author pics. Some images from a Bridge House Publishing event supplied by Paula Readman and me. Screenshots were also taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is a joy to welcome Debz Hobbs-Wyatt to Chandler’s Ford Today. I’ve known Debz for some time thanks to our mutual connections with Bridge House Publishing.

I’ve been on one side of the fence here, having had several stories in various BHP anthologies over the years. Debz has been on the other side of the fence with BHP founder, Gill James, and the two continue to work closely together. Indeed, I’m looking forward to meeting up again with Debz and Gill at the Bridge House Publishing Celebration Event in December.

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ACW Autumn Gathering and Supportive Writing Groups

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Image Credits:-
Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Photos from the Autumn Gathering and screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

I was delighted to get to my first Association of Christian Writers in person event for a while on Saturday 12th October 2024. I went up as part of their Autumn Gathering held at Rugby Elim Church. It was a Friday night/all day Saturday event but I just went up by train on the Saturday.

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BOOK FAIR AT THE HILT – SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2024

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Vie Portland for providing the poster for the Book Fair. One image created in Book Brush using the poster.

BOOK FAIR AT THE HILT 2024

 

I’m delighted to say the Book Fair is back at The Hilt, Chandler’s Ford, this Saturday 19th October from 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

Entry is free, there will be a wide range of books available from our talented local authors, so do come along. You could even start your Christmas book buying early, assuming you haven’t already of course!

There will be talks from some of the authors too.

Come and say hello and hopefully go home with books, knowing your seasonal present list has now had some items ticked off it!

See you there.

Allison Symes

At the Book Fair in 2023 – hopefully see you at this year’s one on 19th October 2024.
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Meeting Miriam Drori: Loyalty and the Learner

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Image Credits:- Many thanks to Lynsey Adams from Reading Between The Lines Vlog and to Miriam Drori for supplying author/poster photos, book cover pictures, and to Miriam specifically for images relating to the world of her stories with additional information given in the captions. One image taken as a screenshot from Miriam’s website. Other images were created in Book Brush using either Pixabay images or photos provided by Miriam/Lynsey. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Miriam Drori to Chandler’s Ford Today. Miriam and I met at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in August and it was lovely to chat in person. We took part in the Open Prose Mic Night there.

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Story Inspiring TV and Its Music

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Image Credits:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Videos from YouTube. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes. One image directly from Pixabay.

In my recent post about Books, Movies, and Music, which was a joy to write, I focused on the link between classical music and films/stories on which the movies are based. For this post, I thought I’d take a look at those stories which have inspired wonderful TV series, with superb themes bringing them to life musically.

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Behind The Curtain with Anita D Hunt

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Lynsey Adams for supplying book cover, blog tour, and author pics. Many thanks to Anita D Hunt for supplying images from Cornwall relating to Behind The Curtain. Images of Anita from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by Keith Hinchy. Other Swanwick images were taken by me, Allison Symes, as was the screenshot of Anita’s fascinating memory workbooks. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images with some directly from Pixabay.

It is with great pleasure I welcome debut novelist and fellow Swanwicker, Anita D Hunt, to Chandler’s Ford Today. Anita’s novel, Behind the Curtain, is a domestic noir published by SpellBound Books.

The novel was launched at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick following its release in paperback on 2nd August. Anita had the joy of signing copies in the Book Room, almost literally hot off the press.

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Catching Up with Ruth Leigh – The Further Adventures of Isabella M Smugge

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Ruth Leigh for supplying author pic and book cover images. Images from the British Christian Writing Conference were kindly supplied by Social Shapes. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay images and/or book cover shots from Ruth. Some images are directly from Pixabay.

I’m pleased to welcome back Ruth Leigh to Chandler’s Ford Today. Ruth and I are members of the Association of Christian Writers. Last time we talked, Ruth had three books out in her funny and touching Isabella M Smugge series.

Today, 20th September 2024, will see the release of her fourth novel featuring her heroine – The Further Adventures of Isabella M Smugge. Congratulations, Ruth. Little beats the buzz of being published.

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Books, Movies, and Music

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Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Videos from YouTube. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.

On the recent August Bank Holiday, Classic FM counted down their Movie Music Hall of Fame. This was voted on by listeners (you could only pick one theme) and I was delighted my favourite was the number one.

I voted for The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. It has everything I want in a movie score – classical music, choral, opera, and Enya! It also conjures up, whenever I play the double album, images from the film and the book. It does what a movie soundtrack should do – brings the films and the book to life.

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Story Judging

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Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images

Later this month, I’ll have the great joy of judging a flash fiction competition for a Scottish writing group (all done via the wonders of email). I enjoy judging and have learned much from the process of doing so in that it has helped me to improve my own work for judging by someone else.

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Random Generators

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

I often use a wide variety of random generators because I need various ways to trigger ideas for characters and stories. Having these different ways of being able to create tales is useful. Mixing up what I use is also good for keeping me on my creative toes!

I see random generators as the modern equivalent of story cubes (I use those too!). I also use books of prompts (and have contributed to some), proverbs and well known sayings (sometimes I subvert these to generate even more tales) but, by far, the method I use most often is the random generator.

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Swanwick 2024

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Jen Wilson, Penny Blackburn, Val Penny, Keith Hinchy, and June Webber for images from Swanwick. Other images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by yours truly, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using my photos.

When this post goes out, I will be back home, having recently enjoyed another lovely week at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which is based at The Hayes, Derbyshire. This week sees me immersed in the world of writing, which is just one of many reasons I adore going. It is also the place from where the only German prisoner of war from World War Two successfully escaped and fled back to Germany.

On the writing front, delegates are free to choose which courses and workshops they go to and there is a wide range of topics to choose from too. There is something to suit everyone, no matter where they are at in their writing journeys.

There are four part and two part courses to choose from, as well as the one hour workshops, plus I find I always learn something useful, as well as enjoying being entertained, by the after dinner guest speakers, who are all renowned in their fields.

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Never Fear The Editing

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Image Credits:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes

I don’t know if any survey has been done but, from talking with writers I know and reading interviews over many years, editing elicits a Marmite response. You love it or hate it. There doesn’t appear to be a middle “don’t mind it” option!

My attitude towards editing took a major step for the better on realising good edits were increasing my receiving acceptances. My attitude has gone up further in leaps and bounds since becoming an editor too.

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Book Title Games

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Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I love word games of all sorts, my favourite being a version of Scrabble I play on my phone. I’m also fond of the Radio Four comedy, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. It has been on air since 1972. Its original chair was Humphrey Lyttelton and its current chair is Jack Dee. Amongst the many silly games they play on here are rounds involving books, which I adore. No surprises there!

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The Chameleon Theatre Group – Bleak Expectations – Review

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their fabulous photos, which were taken by Stuart Wineberg. Other images were created in Book Brush using one image from The Chameleons. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

I was intrigued to discover The Chameleon Theatre Group were staging Bleak Expectations and was only too glad to go to this show. I remember this as a hilarious Radio Four comedy show which I enjoyed listening to many years ago. Both the play and the radio show were written by Mark Evans.

The title comes from Dickens’s Bleak House and Great Expectations, but there were plenty of other gags connected with the great author.

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Author Interview – Val Penny – Hunter’s Rules and Book Blog Tour Organiser interview – Lynsey Adams

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Val Penny and Lynsey Adams for author, book cover, and blog tour pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One image directly from Pixabay. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome back Val Penny to Chandler’s Ford Today. Val is renowned for her DI Hunter Wilson mysteries and the latest one in the series, Hunter’s Rules, is now out via her new publisher, SpellBound Books. This interview forms part of a blog tour organised by Lynsey Adams (of Reading Between The Lines Book Vlog).

For this post, I will be putting a couple of questions to Lynsey about organising blog tours and what authors need to think about before approaching blog tour organisers.

I’ll also be discussing Val’s new book with Val. We all hope you find this interesting. There will be plenty of useful tips and advice here.

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Making the Most of a Writing Event

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Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots and photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. A huge thank you to Julia Patterson for taking the image of me leading my editing workshop at the 2023 Swanwick.

I’m shortly off on my travels again to a major highlight of my writing year, The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in lovely Derbyshire. I meet up with friends I only see online for the rest of the year (though that is wonderful).

Indeed, one writer I plan to be catching up at Swanwick is Val Penny, author of the DI Hunter Wilson series, whom I’ll be interviewing here again next week. I hope to write more about Swanwick for a later post here but I am running a two part course called Editing as a Writer, Editing as a Competition Judge, which I’m looking forward to presenting.

I thought it might be useful to share some tips as to how to make the most of any writing event you might go to, whether it is a week long residential one like Swanwick, or a single day event. (I am hoping to get to another of those soon too run by the Association of Christian Writers).

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Writing Fitness

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

One disadvantage to the writing life is it is a sedentary one. I compensate by walking the dog and swimming, though not at the same time! As well as being aware of the need to compensate for a stationary job, there are other ways in which writers need to think about their fitness. This post outlines some of those.

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Employing Kipling’s Serving Men

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

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), renowned writer and poet, came up with his “serving men” which are an inspiration to all writers. Part of his poem on the subject reads:-

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

Do check out the full version via the link to The Kipling Society.

I would add in the question of “what if” as a useful addition to these six. How can all writers benefit from these questions? Let’s take a look.

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