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The Chameleon Theatre Company – Review – Camelot The Pantomime

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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).

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Itchen Valley Probus Club (IVPC)

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Written by Graham Jackson

This is the first in a short series of articles about Probus, a movement which began over sixty years ago, and, more specifically the local Itchen Valley Probus Club (IVPC) formed in 1989.

The Probus Club movement can be traced back to the mid-1960s, perhaps specifically to Welwyn Garden City Rotary Club whose President is believed to have organised a Coffee Morning for his retired friends. The was successful enough for him to form a luncheon club and the rest, as someone once said, is history. From the outset, Rotary Clubs have historically taken a pivotal role in the development of many Probus Clubs, including IVPC.

Probus Logo

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Top Ten Author Newsletter Tips

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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.

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Spoofs

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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.

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Pitching

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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.

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Story Inspiration

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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.

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Winter Stories

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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?

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Christmas Message 2025 from Rev Rachael Hawkins

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Thank you to Rev Rachael Hawkins, Minister of Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church, for sharing this article with the community:

Dear friends,

Am I the only one who thinks that Christmas celebrations seem to have started particularly early this year? The Christmas adverts always seem to start in early November and the shops seem to start looking to Christmas once the Halloween stock disappears, but it feels as though there is also a desire in people more generally to start celebrations early. For the last week or so I have been noticing houses being decorated and trees going up, only a few, but they are around. One of my favourite memories from childhood is putting the Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve. It goes up earlier than that in our house nowadays, but it means that seeing decorations up so early still feels very odd to me.

 

Gifts image by Rosy : Bad Homburg : Germany from Pixabay
Gifts image by Rosy : Bad Homburg : Germany from Pixabay

I was intrigued, however, by a comment I heard recently asking whether decorations are going up early because people need it. Decorations, lights, coming together for meals, making time to do something special all give moments of joy and when people are struggling, when life feels hard, having those moments can be valuable. Life does feel hard for many people at the moment and so the comment made me see those early decorations going up in a different way. [Read more…] about Christmas Message 2025 from Rev Rachael Hawkins

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A Year In Flashback

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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.

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Back At The Theodore Bullfrog with Bridge House Publishing

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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.

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The Last Chandler’s Ford Community Produce and Craft Market on Saturday 13th December 2025

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Ten years ago, Steve Allen set up the Chandler’s Ford Community Produce and Craft Market. Several times a year he runs the market at the Brownhill Community Centre. Lots of people love going to the market, chatting, browsing, and buying, and getting to know our neighbours and local makers and crafters.

Unfortunately this will be the last Chandler’s Ford Community Produce and Craft market, and Steve has decided to close the market after this year.

The last market day will be on Saturday, 13th December, from 10am to 1pm, at Brownhill Community Centre (next to Co-op) and there’ll be Christmas gifts for friends and families.

The final market will be on Saturday 13.12.2025
The final market will be on Saturday 13.12.2025

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Author Interview – Introducing Heather Beveridge/Hetty Waite – Evolve

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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.

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Short Story Collections

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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.

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Review – The Business of Murder by Mike Standing

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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.

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

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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?

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Author Interview – Introducing Penny Rogers and Amelie At The Window

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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.

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

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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.

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Author Interview: Introducing John Puzey – Captive Audience

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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

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Ending A Piece of Fiction

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

Given last week’s post looked at Starting a Piece of Fiction, I thought it would be apt to write about ending the said piece of fiction. The beginning of a story has to set up interesting characters and a good premise to hook the reader in, but the ending must deliver on this.

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Starting A Piece of Fiction

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

I’ve often found starting a piece of fiction can be more problematic than finishing a first draft. How come? Knowing where to start is a crucial component to any story and every writer knows the opening lines, especially the first one itself, have to be strong enough to hook the readers in to want to read the rest of the tale. So no pressure then!

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