Time away from usual routines is a necessity. Whether it is for holidays, taking time out to go for a really good walk with the dog, time to think, to take a metaphorical deep breath and refresh your batteries, is vital.
Time Away
Arts
Every photograph we take, every show we present, or every song and hymn that we sing, we bring inspiration, creativity and joy to the community. Our artists have taken risks. They have brought us wonder and beauty of nature.
Hugh Benham: Sacred Choral Music
A new CD of choral music by Hugh Benham, director of music at St Boniface CofE Church, Hursley Road, has just been released by Convivium Records as disc CR050 – Hugh Benham: Sacred Choral Music.
Copies may be ordered from Hugh at H.Benham@Soton.ac.uk at £10 – delivery is usually possible within a day or two. CDs are also available (as are digital downloads) from the Convivium Records website. [Read more…] about Hugh Benham: Sacred Choral Music
Numbers Into Writing Will Go
Numbers in writing? What role do they play? In maths, obviously, but writing?
What possible role could they play in fiction, say? Surely there it is about the prose, how well the characters are created etc. Numbers turn up all over the place in writing.
Incidentally, the inspiration for the title comes from an old phrase hammered into me when I was learning division many moons ago at school. I had to look for numbers that “would go” into another number – e.g. 2 into 4 will go (twice!) and say 2 into 5 will go (twice but with 1 left over). Anyone else remember that style of teaching?
On to the use of numbers in fiction then…
It’s That Time of Year Again…
I hope 2019, despite all the upheaval, has been reasonably good for you and 2020 may prove to be better still. My favourite gag I’ve heard so far on the theme of the New Year is:
Why are shortsighted people looking forward to next year?
Answer: Because they will finally have 2020 vision”.
Okay… that one’s never going to win any awards…
As ever the last year seems to have flown by and it’s time to take a look at how things went, writing wise, this year.
What Makes A Good Story
How do you decide something is a good story? Do you judge that by the genre or by the quality of the characters?
For me, the latter is by far the most important criterion. Really good characters stay with you long after you’ve finished reading or listening to the story.
Friends and Traditions
This is the time of year when many traditions are upheld, of course, but I think the best involve getting together with friends to celebrate something you have in common.
For me, this winning combination works so well with the Bridge House Celebration Event held this year at St. John’s Church, Waterloo, in London on Saturday, 7th December 2019.
Review: Chandler’s Ford MDG Players: ‘Welcome to our village, please invade carefully’
This year’s performance by the MDG Players is a pastiche of sci-fi storytelling that lampoons radio plays and the stories of Stephen King and John Wyndham. Presented as a radio play, Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully is filled with clever humour and wit that results in a very original, fun way to spend an evening.
The plot is simple – the village of Cresdon Green, Buckinghamshire, is a normal English town that has just happened to be slowly invaded by aliens. It starts with a dome being placed over the village and then Uljabaan, an alien trying desperately hard to impress his superiors, attempting to blend in with the villagers. Whilst some embrace the aliens, others, led by the rebellious Katrina Lyons, want to see the aliens gone. Hilarity ensues. [Read more…] about Review: Chandler’s Ford MDG Players: ‘Welcome to our village, please invade carefully’
Progress and Success and How to Judge Them
My Oxford Compact dictionary defines progress as forward movement, advance, development, improvement and almost everyone seeks it in many areas of life. Despite the straightforward definition, it can be hard to define if you’ve achieved progress. Not everything can be measured… Even when it can be, progress can genuinely be slow. What matters overall is that there is some!
As for success, the dictionary defines it as accomplishment of aim, favourable outcome, attainment of wealth/fame etc.
[Read more…] about Progress and Success and How to Judge Them
Why I Love History
I set a word count for my CFT posts. For this one it was vital. Why? Because I can go on at length about this topic!
Many an author loves history because history IS a story (of a nation, of individuals who changed a nation’s fate etc) and it can come into their stories too.
I also believe there is truth in the phrase if a nation forgets its history, it is destined to re-live it. I can think of several episodes in British history which are best kept to the pages of a history book!
And, of course, it is why we have Remembrance/Armistice Day. It is important to remember. We should learn the lessons of history. Sadly we so often don’t. But that’s not history’s fault. It is ours.
When Authors Talk… by Allison Symes
Author events are fun but they all have one thing in common – the writer always wonders if anyone will show up! The relief when people do is enormous.
So if you know writers and they are putting on events, do go along. Never underestimate the value of much appreciated morale boosting support here. (The other simple way of supporting writers is to review their books on the usual sites. The nice thing with this is the review doesn’t have to be a long one).
Richard Hardie/Antony M Brown – Hiltonbury Farmhouse – Author Event
Richard Hardie and Antony M Brown – Author Event
Richard Hardie has shared the following details for a local author event at The Hiltonbury Farmhouse on Tuesday, 12th November. All are welcome!
[Read more…] about Richard Hardie/Antony M Brown – Hiltonbury Farmhouse – Author Event
MDG Players’ Production: ‘Welcome to our village, please invade carefully’ – Thursday 28th – Saturday 30th November
MDG Players’ next production is ‘Welcome to our village, please invade carefully’ by Eddie Robson on Thursday 28th – Saturday 30th November, in the Dovetail Centre Café, of Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church, at 7.30pm.
Tickets £8 can be purchased from The Dovetail Café or Brenda Discombe on 023 8025 3922 or email: johndiscombe1962@talktalk.net
The Chameleon Theatre Group: My Husband’s Nuts – Review
Image Credit: A big thank you as ever to Stuart Wineberg and The Chameleons for the images.
The play’s title indicated there would be play on words (in every sense) running through the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Group. With a title like this, it can hardly be avoided! Still it does tie in with my post last week on Meanings!
[Read more…] about The Chameleon Theatre Group: My Husband’s Nuts – Review
Meanings
By the time this post goes live, Janet and I will have seen The Chameleon Theatre Group’s latest production, My Husband’s Nuts. Review to follow next week.
The use and meaning of language adapts and evolves all the time of course. I can think of a few different meanings for the word nuts, as I’m sure you can… The word husband cames from the old Norse phrase house and owner (and it is thought such men were more attractive partners and over time the word husband came to mean married man, but it is not how it begun). [Read more…] about Meanings
What Books Mean To Me – Part 3
Thank you to my guests in this series, especially for answering my first question. I can’t think of any writer who would willingly just save one book!
I conclude with contributions from Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit colleagues, discover what two fine Scottish crime writers would save if push came to shove (that’s an apt expression given what they write!), and will finally answer the questions myself. [Read more…] about What Books Mean To Me – Part 3
What Books Mean to Me – Part 2
It was a great pleasure last week to start this series on What Books Mean to Me. Now I write, I have realised how important reading well is for developing my imagination. [Read more…] about What Books Mean to Me – Part 2
What Books Mean To Me – Part 1
Any writer will say to write well, you must read well (and widely). Every writer I know is as happy to talk about the latest great book they’ve read as well as what they’re working on. Why would you write if you didn’t love books and stories in the first place? There are two sides to this coin.
Image Credit: A big thanks to my guests for supplying photos. Unless otherwise stated, the book and library pictures come, as always, from those magnificent people at Pixabay.
Stories of Sanctuary – Saturday 9th November 7.30 pm Performing at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
A date for your diary!
On Saturday November 9th 7.30 pm Stories of Sanctuary will be performing at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.
Free entrance. Pay what you decide donation. From 3-5 pm there will be a pop-up choir session for anyone who would like to learn the songs (with the option but no obligation to sing along at the concert!) [Read more…] about Stories of Sanctuary – Saturday 9th November 7.30 pm Performing at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
Meet Local Author Claire Gradidge at the Curious Café on 20th September
On Friday 20th September, the Curious Café (at The Dovetail Centre, Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church) will be hosting Claire Gradidge, local author and winner of the Richard and Judy “Search for a Bestseller Competition 2019”. [Read more…] about Meet Local Author Claire Gradidge at the Curious Café on 20th September
Swanwick Writers’ Summer School
Image Credit: Unless stated otherwise, all photos were taken by Allison Symes
I’ve recently returned from my annual trip to the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School, which is based at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. I had a fantastic time learning from the courses and workshops, meeting up with old friends and making new ones. [Read more…] about Swanwick Writers’ Summer School