This week I chat to friends from Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, and Chapeltown Books, who didn’t launch one book in lockdown. They launched several! Now there’s a challenge!
Launches in Lockdown – Part 4
Community
St Valentine – Who, Why and How?
We all know that 14 February is St Valentine’s Day – accompanied these days with its commercialised retail opportunity to buy cards and gifts for loved ones. But do you know how it all began?
It all started as a third-century Christian feast to commemorate some early martyrs, all called Valentine, which must have been a popular name in those days. There was Valentine of Rome, a priest martyred in 269 (he ministered to Christians persecuted under the Roman Empire) and Valentine of Terni, a bishop martyred in 273. There also seem to have been another saint called Valentine who was martyred in Africa with other companions, although not much more is known about him.
Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 156)
Good neighbourliness; problems with the post; the Cambridge boat sinks; quality birding and botanising; Gran holds a baby; a race track is opened; a fortnight in Kent; some interesting art; cuckoos and orioles; a rare falcon, and “well-mannered and delightful young men”.
March 18th 1978 gives us a perfect example of the neighbourly thoughtfulness and trust that characterises the lives of Gran and the Kingstons next door, and the Hockridge family, before them:
I did a little posy of spring flowers for Ruth and left it on her breakfast room table in the sun, without calling her. I wanted to cheer her on this lovely day, as she is mentally weary at present, looking after her mother who is not well and resents being cared for. Ruth was soon over the fence expressing her pleasure, bless her.
The mail, always so important to Gran, who sends and receives letters almost daily to and from all corners of the World, gives her cause to write this on March 21st: [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 156)
Launches in Lockdown – Part 3
Welcome to Part 3 of my Launches in Lockdown series.
My guests tonight hail from that wonderful phenomenon known as the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School, believed to the oldest residential writing school in the world. See its website for more.
The cancellation of the 2020 Swanwick was the first cancellation in its 70 year history and deeply saddened all who love this wonderful celebration of all things connected with writing. We all hope it will be the only cancellation too.
Buttercross
Thanks to Chippy Minton and Mrs Chippy enjoying their walk in Cranbury Park, readers may be interested to hear about another piece of history attached to the park …
I am sure we are all familiar with the Buttercross in Winchester’s High Street. This fifteenth-century market cross stands 43 feet high and is reckoned to be the finest in the country. True to its name, its original function was for market traders to display the butter they had for sale, as well as cheese, eggs and milk. With four statues in niches, only the one of St John the Evangelist is original, the other three having been replaced during restoration in 1865 by Sir George Gilbert Scott (architect of many notable buildings and monuments including the Albert Memorial in London).
Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 155)
A win in Belgrade; “I cleaned my bedroom!”; Stuart – marooned; gales bring down trees; a Vulture in Wales; a preposterous suggestion; disappointment; “greedy strikers”; Jane gets whooping cough; Andy plays flute; Wallcreeper envy; a fabulous day, and “How lucky I am!”
Book 171
Entries in Gran’s 171st book cover many of Julian’s running exploits during the Autumn of 1977. For example, he runs in Yugoslavia on October 19th and on the following day, Gran records that, “The Echo contained the news that Julian had won the road race in Belgrade, eight seconds ahead of his nearest rival”, and on the 22nd: that “Julian rang this evening. He won a gold medallion with a portrait of Marshal Tito on it and valued at £100!”
She continues to miss her brother Norris’s company, and outings with him profoundly, but friends and other members of the family take his place to some degree. Lifelong friends Tommy and Bob Fowler drive her to the New Forest and Keyhaven, and to visit their daughter Jill’s family, the Brewsters, in Sussex; Sheila Moody, a more local acquaintance, takes her to Farley Mount; the Brenan family visits from Longton in Lancashire, and Julian and Sue, now ensconced at R.A.F. Odiham, entertain her there. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 155)
A Walk in Chandler’s Ford
Jill Mayes has taken these lovely photos from her walk today in Chandler’s Ford.
Do you remember Fordy? It’s lovely to see some spring colours there. We wrote about Fordy before in 2016. You can read about Fordy here: Wooden Train Built by Eastleigh Men’s Shed Arrived at Chandler’s Ford Station.
The Mighty Oak
The mighty oak (Quercus rubor), the one in the centre of our garden is due for a haircut, we decided. Visitors comment on our lovely garden – but such a shame about the oak tree – all that shade. If they lived here, they would chop it down, except that it is subject to a tree preservation order.
If the tree was chopped, there would be an open space. The summer sun would beat relentlessly down, and an umbrella would be needed. I would miss the sturdy black limbs etched against a grey winter sky with the playful skitter of squirrels among the branches. I would miss the birds, there are two magpies in the branches as I write, and hundreds of others birds visit to feed on the myriad of insects living in the nooks and crannies of the bark. Blue tits nest in the attached birdbox and tree creepers and the nuthatch hang, head down, to feed.
Launches In Lockdown – Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of my new series. I’m talking to various authors about the challenges they’ve faced launching books in lockdown.
As well as sharing my experiences (see last week’s post), I’ve talked with writers from the Association of Christian Writers, Authors Reach, Swanwick Writers’ Summer School, and Bridge House Publishing/CafeLit/Chapeltown Books.
Everyone agrees 2020 was extraordinarily challenging!
But books still needed to be launched.
A walk in a park
Looking to expand our repertoire of “walks withing five miles of home”, Mrs Chippy and I recently explored the public footpath through the Cranbury Park estate.
The Chamberlayne family of Cranbury Park once owned much of the land in what is now Eastleigh town centre. The names are preserved in the names of Cranbury and Chamberlayne Roads, and the Chamberlayne Arms pub. I think that Desborough and Nutbeem were something to do with the estate as well, but I forget what. [Read more…] about A walk in a park
Launches in Lockdown – Part 1
From a writing viewpoint, 2020 had the benefit of:-
1. Zoom.
2. Being able to have some writing events thanks to Zoom!
The major disadvantage was the lack of our usual writing events. This was something I discussed with YA writer, Richard Hardie, last week. He has faced the challenges of the pandemic as author and publisher (see link at the bottom of this post).
But writers and publishers still had books to launch, so I thought I’d look at how authors, including me, managed this during this strange period.
A huge thanks to all of the writers taking part in this series. They have all shared fabulous insights and something that comes across from what they share here is where one way is not possible, others will be.
That is something positive from 2020 I think.
Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 154)
Another family wedding; two new ducks; Gran – “extraordinarliy fit”; a Yorkshire Dales holiday; the car and caravan are sold; “God bless the Queen”; Serpentine in Cornwall; Julian runs a 10,000m ‘PB’; a morsel of family history, and missing Brother.
April 10th 1977: After Barry and family depart Chandler’s Ford for their home in Bushey, Gran:
… had just settled to a lonely afternoon and evening when Beverly and Ricky appeared, a delightful surprise. I gave Ricky Brother’s microscope and he was so pleased to have something which had belonged to Norris. They suggested that they would take me to the Caravan to get papers etc. that I had forgotten before, and I let Ricky take the South Moth Books and brought the Readers’ Digest Bird book for Geoffrey who always asks to see mine when he is here. Ricky then asked if I would like a ride round the Forest and I led the way to Ladycross of happy memories of my last outing with Brother. We saw a Stonechat on the way and, passing Hatchet Pond, I showed Ricky where the Bog Orchids grow as he has never seen them. We stopped at “our gate” at Ladycross and went for a walk, so that I could show Ricky and Beverly the Lungwort, also new to them.
Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown
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.
[Read more…] about Richard Hardie, Authors Reach, and Lockdown
A Quiz from Local Walks in Chandler’s Ford
If you have been doing your socially distanced walk locally, you might have discovered some new things. Today we have 3 questions for you:
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Where can this milestone be found n Chandler’s Ford?
2. Where can you find these pooh sticks in Chandler’s Ford?
[Read more…] about A Quiz from Local Walks in Chandler’s Ford
Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 153)
Resumption of local walks; a new dress for £6.99; paid with a joint; “a concoction of my own”; Ship Canal shares from Gilbert; Crossbills at Woodfidley; “dear old brother”; sadness and sympathy; friends and frustrations, and an ambition fulfilled.
January 12th 1977: Gran always looks forward to new stamp issues but today’s are not her favourite:
New stamps were issued today, Racket Games, Tennis, Badminton, Squash and Table Tennis, but I think they are spoilt by the “stroke lines” on them, which look like scribble. I sent the usual to Penang and Australia.
On the 13th, she tells us that, “In northern, eastern and western areas it has been the worst Winter’s day for fourteen years, with snow in some places ten feet deep”. It is frosty in Chandler’s Ford but rain sets in later and Gran walks to Hillside for the whist drive there, “… going in Wellington boots and my old, long tweed raincoat which Jane gave me over twenty years ago, and taking warm slippers with me”. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 153)
A Daily Visit by Royalty – and a Sumptuous Meal for a King
When I built the new Wykeham House in Hiltingbury I got the digger driver to dig out a large pond in the back garden, piling the spoil at one end in readiness to make a waterfall. This was the basis for our landscaping, planting and stocking once the lining and filtration system were in place. The day at last came when we flicked the switch and the water gushed and eddied down the waterfall. This comforting sound has stayed with us for the past fifteen years and it is a joy. When the water had cleared and the balance was right we stocked our pond with twenty golden rudd, some green tench, three black comets and three shubunkin – and the odd goldfish contributed by neighbours.
Over the years, and thanks to the early morning visits from a hungry heron, we lost some fish – usually speared and left on the grass – so we had to find an ingenious way of heron-proofing the pond. At first, we didn’t mind the heron’s visits; seeing that majestic bird landing and taking off was exciting but he was greedy and cruel and had to be deterred. We strung fishing line across the pond and installed a water sprayer triggered by a motion sensor. So far, so effective………..
Every early summer there are a few days of frantic activity when the water froths like a cauldron and a month or so later a large shoal of small fry of mixed variety can be spotted and, over the years the fish population has multiplied alarmingly. [Read more…] about A Daily Visit by Royalty – and a Sumptuous Meal for a King
Favourite Writing Exercises and Why They’re Beneficial
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.
[Read more…] about Favourite Writing Exercises and Why They’re Beneficial
Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 152)
An engagement is announced; a holiday is planned; Nastase – a “rotten sport”; Katie does well; sad news of “a kind and understanding friend”; Christmas dinner – but leave the washing-up; Rob is impressed on HMS Victory; birds on the Ibsley floods, and “one of the darkest threads of life”.
Book 165
On October 23rd 1976 Gran takes part in an outing with the Southampton Natural History Society, looking for fungi in the Otterbourne area – her first such outing since her hip operation, and at the end of the day declares it to have been a great success and to have thoroughly enjoyed it. She had been given a lift there by a kindly but unknown couple, who saw her waiting at the bus stop, and had been brought home by S.N.H.S. members Pat and Peter Heppleston.
On the 30th:
Barry, just back from the Scilly Isles, rang to tell me what a marvellous time he and the boys from Haberdashers’ Ornithological Society had enjoyed. Barry had seen nine new species as well as many exciting but previously recorded ones, mostly American, but I cannot remember all he mentioned.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 152)
Keeping us Cheerful – the Windmills of my Mind
On April Fools’ Day 2019, I had the following letter published in the Daily Telegraph:
Sir,
Every lawn in my road has been devastated by crows frantically digging for chafer grubs. The day they started on my lawn I ordered two hundred and fifty children’s windmills and placed them over the entire grassed area of my front garden. That was five months ago and not one crow has ventured into our garden and our grass has flourished. These colourful windmills are a great source of entertainment for families walking up and down the street – one or two have even spread into neighbouring gardens.
Having had success, I decided to harness the potential of each windmill by modifying them to become miniature wind turbines, interconnecting them and linking them to the National Grid. The power that is generated reduces the cost of my electricity bill by approximately 25%.
In these challenging Brexit times when we all have to become more self- sufficient, I offer this simple, yet effective scheme to save your readers money – and to fend off crows.
Sincerely,
[Read more…] about Keeping us Cheerful – the Windmills of my Mind
New Year 2021 – Apprehension or Hope?
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.
