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The Fire Service Visits!

August 18, 2024 By Christine Clark Leave a Comment

Last year, a group of U3A folk was able to visit the HQ of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in Eastleigh. It was a fascinating visit as we were given a warm welcome, lots of information and practical advice.

One of the pieces of advice was a recommendation that we had a free Home Fire Safety Check visit to:

• identify any potential fire risks and discuss with the occupier how they can prevent or reduce the risk;
• ensure occupants have working smoke alarms, install where necessary and advise on maintenance and testing;
• ensure occupants have carbon monoxide detectors where needed, install if necessary and discuss the dangers;
• help put together a household escape plan and identify any mobility issues that may impede an evacuation;
• issue fire-retardant bedding, furniture throws and nightwear where needed;
• give basic advice on topics such as falls prevention and smoking.

I made the appointment and awaited my visit. I was told that if an emergency call coincided with my appointment, I’d need to be understanding – of course! But no emergency came and on time, two lovely fire officers (pictured) rolled up in the appliance. I don’t know what the rest of my street thought when they saw the appliance parked up! [Read more…] about The Fire Service Visits!

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Tags: Chandler's Ford, good neighbours, u3a

Never Fear The Editing

August 16, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Never Fear The Editing

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Tags: creative writing, editing, editing tips. editing on screen, giving enough time to edit, improving your writing, the creative process, the purpose of editing

Book Title Games

August 9, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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!

[Read more…] about Book Title Games

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Tags: alternative book titles, book title games, having fun with words, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, word play

The Chameleon Theatre Group – Bleak Expectations – Review

August 2, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about The Chameleon Theatre Group – Bleak Expectations – Review

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Tags: amateur theatre, Bleak Expectations, Charles Dickens, comedy, drama, humorous plays, Ritchie Hall, spoofs, The Chameleon Theatre Group

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

July 26, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Val Penny – Hunter’s Rules and Book Blog Tour Organiser interview – Lynsey Adams

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Tags: book blog tour, book launch for Hunter's Rules, crime fiction, DI Hunter Wilson Series, Harrogate Crime Festival, Hunter's Rule, Lynsey Adams, Spellbound Books, tips for writers re book blog tours, tips on book blog tours, Val Penny, writing series novels

Making the Most of a Writing Event

July 19, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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).

[Read more…] about Making the Most of a Writing Event

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Tags: am writing, Continuing Professional Development, courses, creative writing, networking, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, workshops, writing career development, writing events

Writing Fitness

July 12, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Writing Fitness

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, looking after yourself as you write, the writing life, ups and downs of writing, writing advice, writing community, writing fitness, writing support

Employing Kipling’s Serving Men

July 5, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…] about Employing Kipling’s Serving Men

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Tags: asking what if in writing, creative writing, Kipling's serving men, Rudyard Kipling, using questions to outline, writing outlines, writing structures

Author Interview: Maressa Mortimer – Going Downstream

June 28, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Maressa Mortimer and Lynsey Adams for author and book cover pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

It is a great pleasure to welcome Maressa Mortimer back to Chandler’s Ford Today. Maressa and I are members of the Association of Christian Writers.

If you’ve been tempted to think you don’t have time to write, Maressa may encourage you to think again. She writes around her home life of four children, who are home schooled, a dog, and the demands of her husband’s job as a church minister.

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Maressa Mortimer – Going Downstream

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Tags: author interview, characterisation, Christian fiction, Downstream, Maressa Mortimer, publication news, the Elabi Chronicles, world building, writing advice

Author Interview: Jennifer C Wilson – 31 Days of Writing

June 21, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Jennifer C Wilson for her author shot and book cover shots. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images.

It is a great pleasure to welcome back Jennifer C Wilson to Chandler’s Ford Today. Jennifer’s new book, published today, is 31 Days of Writing, which will be so useful to a wide range of writers.

Amazon Buy Link – Pre-order link

31 Days of Writing buy link:

Blurb for 31 Days of Writing

31 Days of Writing draws on the prompts and exercises from seven years of North Tyneside Writers’ Circle. Whether you’re wanting to build scenes for a work-in-progress, or generate ideas for short stories/poems, there’s something for everyone in this collection, to keep the inspiration flowing for a month of writing…

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Jennifer C Wilson – 31 Days of Writing

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Tags: 31 Days of Writing, A Novel Approach, Black Coals White Sand, creative writing, creative writing guides, Jennifer C Wilson, North Tyneside Writers' Circle, publishing via Amazon, self publishing, The Writers' Summer School at Swanwick, workshops, writing advice, writing groups, writing prompts

Having a Superpower

June 14, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

I run a monthly Zoom workshop on flash fiction writing for the Association of Christian Writers. It is great fun to do and the online aspect helps so much as the members live several hundreds of miles apart so we could never get together in person.

I usually set a monthly theme and then set exercises based on that. Sometimes I will prepare an answer to an exercise to show as an example but most of the time I will write on the night of the meeting with the other members.

[Read more…] about Having a Superpower

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Tags: am reading, am writing, Association of Christian Writers Flash Fiction group, creative writing, limiting character powers and why, live writing, problems with fictional superpowers, setting writing exercises, superpowers, writing exercises

Author Interview: Jenny Sanders – The Polished Arrows of Non-Fiction Writing – Part 2

June 7, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for supplying book and author pictures. Other images from Unsplash and Pixabay (forwarded by Jenny Sanders). Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

It was such a pleasure to welcome back Jenny Sanders to Chandler’s Ford Today last week where we discussed her new devotional book, Polished Arrows. Devotionals are a specialised form of writing and she discussed the joys and challenges she faces here.

This week, Jenny is sharing thoughts on marketing and book launches. There are some great tips here for any writer thinking along these lines which may prove useful to you.

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Jenny Sanders – The Polished Arrows of Non-Fiction Writing – Part 2

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Tags: Association of Christian Writers, blurbs, book launches, book marketing, devotional writing, Instant Apostle, Jenny Sanders, non-fiction writing, Polished Arrows, Spiritual Feasting, writing groups

Beyond Beliefs by Sohail Husain: The Incredible True Story of a German Refugee, an Indian Migrant and the Families Left Behind

June 2, 2024 By Janet Williams Leave a Comment

Meet the author from Chandler's Ford - Beyond Beliefs book written by Sohail Husain.

After 6 years’ research, Chandler’s Ford resident Sohail Husain has published this remarkable book – Beyond Beliefs.

Beyond Beliefs is an incredible true story of a German refugee, an Indian migrant and the families left behind.

Now you can Meet the Author Sohail Husain, on Monday 24th June, at Dovetail Cafe at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church, from 2pm to 4pm.

Meet the author from Chandler's Ford - Beyond Beliefs book written by Sohail Husain.
Meet the author from Chandler’s Ford – Beyond Beliefs book written by Sohail Husain.

This epic memoir recounts the compelling and extraordinary tale of Sohail’s parents and grandparents, whose lives were engulfed by four momentous events of the 20th century: the First World War, the Great Depression, the Partition of India and the Holocaust.

His parents were separated by birthplace, race, faith, language and age, but their common experience of unimaginable loss and upheaval ultimately brought them together in London.

Their love story was complicated and unconventional, but enduring. It is a testament to human spirit overcoming tragedy and adversity. [Read more…] about Beyond Beliefs by Sohail Husain: The Incredible True Story of a German Refugee, an Indian Migrant and the Families Left Behind

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Tags: book release, book review, Chandler's Ford, Dovetail Centre, family history, history, publishing

Author Interview: Jenny Sanders The Polished Arrows of Non-Fiction Writing – Part 1

May 31, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Jenny Sanders for supplying book and author pictures. Other images from Unsplash and Pixabay (forwarded by Jenny Sanders). Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

It’s a pleasure to welcome Jenny Sanders back to Chandler’s Ford Today. Jenny and I are connected through the Association of Christian Writers. We have written for Mom’s Favourite Reads. We now write regularly for Writers’ Narrative (on which I am also a copy editor. Good news – it is free to subscribe to – see the link for more).

As well as her children’s fiction, Jenny writes articles on writing. She also writes non-fiction books (Christian devotionals) and her latest is due out today, 31st May 2024. Her Polished Arrows is a follow up to her first non-fiction book, Spiritual Feasting, (both published by Instant Apostle).

I’m always interested in how writers combine writing fiction with non-fiction. The disciplines are different so managing to meet the demands of both is an interesting challenge.

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Jenny Sanders The Polished Arrows of Non-Fiction Writing – Part 1

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Tags: Association of Christian Writers, Christian writing, devotional writing, hybrid publishers, Instant Apostle, Jenny Sanders, non-fiction writing, Polished Arrows

The Role of Chandler’s Ford in the Run-up to D-Day

May 27, 2024 By Christine Clark 1 Comment

Writer: Christine Clark
Photos: All crochets by Chandler’s Ford u3a.

On 6 June 1944, the long-awaited Allied landing in northern France began. Facing Hitler’s Atlantic Wall coastal fortifications, soldiers of the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and other Allied nations landed on beaches in Normandy, beginning a campaign which lasted until 24 July 1944.  

Hitler and his generals had been expecting an invasion that year. However, the successful Operation Bodyguard, a military deception strategy, misled the Axis powers into believing that the invasion would be later in the year and further north-east, nearer to Calais. Instead, the Allied war planners had selected a 50-mile stretch of coastline in Normandy on five beaches codenamed Utah, Omega, Gold, Juno and Sword.

Crochets by Chandler's Ford u3a.
Crochets by Chandler’s Ford u3a.

A key part of the strategy of Operation Bodyguard was to hide the amount of troop buildup in southern England. Approximately 160,000 Allied soldiers had to be mustered, fed, watered and moved to their embarkation points without it being obvious to the Axis powers’ intelligence.

These muster points, or marshalling areas, spread right across the south coast of England. In our area, Marshalling Area C was central south Hampshire and included Southampton, Botley, Winchester, Chandler’s Ford, Hursley, Ampfield and Romsey. The closest embarkation point was Southampton docks, although there were others in the New Forest and Gosport. [Read more…] about The Role of Chandler’s Ford in the Run-up to D-Day

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Tags: Armistice Day, Chandler's Ford, community, D-Day, history, local history, remembering, Remembrance Sunday, u3a

Decisions

May 24, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

Every story focuses on a decision. At some point a character has to choose whether or not to act on a situation they’re facing. What they decide to do has immense consequences for that story.

[Read more…] about Decisions

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Tags: am writing, character decision, creative writing, decisions in writing, marketing, networking, social media, writing career decisions, writing community

Journeys

May 17, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

By the time this goes live on Chandler’s Ford Today, I shall be packing up after a lovely holiday in Scotland with my husband and Lady and preparing to have a long journey home again. So with that in mind, I thought I would look at journeys in writing.

[Read more…] about Journeys

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, journeys in fiction, journeys in non-fiction, the character journey, The Lord of the Rings, the writing journey

Questions and Answers In Writing

May 10, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

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

Questions are something I often use in my writing. For my non-fiction work, they often act as an underlying theme. I have been known to use them as titles too. For fiction, again I use them for titles and themes. In this case though I am getting my character(s) to answer the question. In my non-fiction work I’m answering it through the conclusion I come to at the end but I show my “workings” along the way.

[Read more…] about Questions and Answers In Writing

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Tags: am writing, beginnings middles and ends, creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, questions and answers as structure, questions in fiction, questions in non-fiction, structure

Fryern Funtasia Chandler’s Ford 2024

May 6, 2024 By Janet Williams 3 Comments

Once again Fryern Funtasia was held during the May Bank Holiday Monday, at Fryern Recreation Ground. Did you have a good time? Yes we did despite the rain.

You can imagine the organisation of this event was a mammoth task and it was so wonderful to see so many people and animals, and so many stalls, games, and activities.

Some children sang some songs about the ‘sunshine’ and don’t we love these children from Fryern schools?

Thanks to Chandler’s Ford Parish Council and Event sponsors – TMT Legal Services are supporting this year’s event, along with
National Lottery Community Fund,
Infinity Playgrounds,
Dripool Ltd,
Vitaplay
and A&A.
(Source – Chandler’s Ford Parish Council)

Below are some photos taken before the rain. Let’s start with some animals –

 

 

[Read more…] about Fryern Funtasia Chandler’s Ford 2024

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Tags: Chandler's Ford Parish Council, Chandler’s Ford community, charity, community, days out, Eastleigh Borough Council, event, Fryern Funtasia, Fryern Recreation Ground, fundraising, local interest, Methodist Church, review, social

Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Waiting For Gateaux

May 3, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to The Chameleons as ever for kind permission to use their excellent photos. Screenshots from The Chameleons’ Facebook page and website were taken by me, Allison Symes. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
Also a huge thank you to Katrina Lush for kind permission to use her photo of the Slimming World Yes You Can sign placed next to The Chameleons’ Waiting For Gateaux sign at Ritchie Hall recently. Katrina, like me, is a member of the Slimming World group that meets here. This photo went up on the local SW Facebook page and gave us all a huge laugh. I think it is excellent product placement for Slimming World and The Chameleons.

It was a joy to be back at the Ritchie Hall with Janet to see the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Company. Their latest show, Waiting for Gateaux, intrigued me the moment I heard about it. My first thought was this must be more fun than Waiting for Godot. I was right. I was surprised though to find a story behind the laughs which was often moving. More on that shortly.

[Read more…] about Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Waiting For Gateaux

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Tags: amateur theatre, local theatre, Ritchie Hall, The Chameleon Theatre Group, Waiting For Gateaux
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Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

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History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

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