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Book Recommendations

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Image Credit:    Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Image of Jane Austen from CFT archives (and originally from Pixabay).

Do you recommend books to others? I do sometimes, usually when chatting with other writers at an event over a cup of tea, and they recommend books to me. This is why all writers everywhere have an enormous To Be Read pile. They have an even bigger To Get Around to Reading at Some Stage pile. Don’t even ask what I’ve got waiting for me on my Kindle. Am just go glad electronic book shelves can’t collapse under the strain!

I blog once a week for Goodreads, the book website, and recommendations crop up all the time on there.

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Using Time For Fiction

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

I’ve often used time in fiction. I’ve sometimes used Time as a character. I sometimes have a story where a character has a certain amount of time in which to achieve their objective. I’ve also written from the viewpoint of time travelling aliens (as you do!). I’ve written the odd story as a diary format and even timed the entries written by the narrator. I’ve also written historical flash fiction where the setting is back in time. All great fun to do.

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Days to Treasure: Faith and Literature

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This year Winchester Cathedral hosted the Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature (subtitled as a three-day literary festival with a theological slant). Some of our parish went along to see what was on offer.

One of us volunteered as a steward at the West Downs campus for the Saturday. She says, “I had a very interesting day.  As a steward I had the opportunity to attend a number of seminars.  My day began with hearing from Brian Draper on the subject of Soulfulness, followed by Rowan Williams speaking on Christian Ethics and Solidarity. I then listened to Catherine Fox and Francis Spufford as authors in conversation together on faith in fiction, and rounded it all off with a discussion between Rachel Mann and Jay Hulme as poets, on (un)holy desire with a trans perspective – a fascinating and eclectic day by anyone's standards, with much to reflect on! (And so much more I didn’t get to hear!)”

Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral – via Pixabay
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What’s in a (road) name?

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Following my recent discovery of Lordswood Lane and Chilworth Drove – bridleways that used to be more important routes – I had a look at a map and found that there are more of these than you might think.  Or more than I thought.

For example, White Lane runs from Twyford in the vague direction of St Catherine’s Hill, and  Silkstead Lane and Shepherd’s Lane can be found near Compton and Otterbourne.  Even the pathways that lead through Boyatt Wood may follow routes that predate the houses.  The footbridge over the railway at the end of Archers Road may even be a legacy of an access route that is older than the railway.

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Author Interview: Gill James – Build A Book Workshop

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Gill James for supplying images of books produced by the Build a Book Workshop and for her author photo. Most of the other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos with one taken directly from Pixabay.  Image from Bridge House Publishing celebration events was taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Gill James, publisher and author, back to Chandler’s Ford Today. Gill wears many hats. She is a multi-published writer and is the driving force behind Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, and Chapeltown Books amongst other imprints.

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For more information check out the following sites.

Useful Website Links

Gill James website: http://www.gilljameswriter.com/

Bridge House Publishing: https://www.bridgehousepublishing.co.uk/

CafeLit:  https://cafelit.co.uk/index.php/submission-guidelines-2

Chapeltown Publishing: http://www.chapeltownpublishing.uk/

Bridgetown Cafe Bookshop/Buy Link: http://www.thebridgetowncafebooksshop.co.uk/2021/07/build-book-workshop.html

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Anthologies

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Image Credits:-
Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots and photos of my earlier publications were taken by me, Allison Symes. Book cover images are from Bridge House Publishing. Creativity Matters – Find Your Passion for Writing book cover photo was supplied by Wendy H Jones.

I’ve had the privilege and joy of being published in various anthologies over many years, mainly published by Bridge House Publishing.

What are the advantages to writing for anthologies? I thought I’d take a look at this and give some tips on working out ways of using any set theme wisely.

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Catching Up – Local Author News – Allison Symes

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Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Book cover images from Bridge House Publishing/CafeLit.

It has been a brisk start to the first quarter of 2023 for me, I’m glad to say.

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Magical Mystery Tour

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One of the joys of cycling is the ability it gives to explore an area in more detail than by car, but more quickly than by walking.  On a bicycle, you travel at a pace fast enough to make progress, yet slow enough to stop and look at anything interesting along the way.

Cycling
Photo Credit: Damin@Krauss, via Flickr

When I go for a bike ride, I usually have a destination in mind, but am more than happy to venture off-piste if an interesting-looking path crops up.  Even more exciting if I don’t consult a map, and so have no idea where I am going – a proper mystery tour.  After all, isn’t it more rewarding to travel than to arrive, and doesn’t every path lead somewhere? Even if “somewhere” turns out to be unknown and/or where you don’t want to be and/or back where you started. [Read more…] about Magical Mystery Tour

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Chandler’s Ford u3a Celebrating 25th Anniversary

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Knitted postbox toppers are appearing around Chandler’s Ford. Have you seen them? These have brought a lot of smiles.

Chandler’s Ford u3a is celebrating its 25th Anniversary by erecting 25 toppers in Chandler’s Ford. Thank you Jill Mayes for sharing these photos.

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Deadlines – How to Make the Most of Them

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

Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, famously said “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Strongly suspect his publishers/those he worked with on the BBC (for scripts, including for Doctor Who) did not take the same view!

I see a deadline as a challenge. Not to let it go by but to meet it with room to spare. I also think deadlines can encourage you to be more creative, simply because they give you something to work towards. There is an end goal. It is a great antidote to that notorious thief of time, procrastination!

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Making the Most of a Zoom Workshop

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

One good thing to come out of the pandemic was the increasing use of Zoom. I used it for family get togethers when meeting in person wasn’t possible. (I still regularly meet up with family members abroad this way too).

A number of writing related activities transferred to this medium so I was able to join in with workshops, listen to talks etc. In the past eighteen months or so, I’ve been invited to run workshops via Zoom on flash fiction. It has been lovely to have paying gigs too! (Would always welcome more of these!).

So I thought for this post I’d look at how to make the most of Zoom workshops if you’re running them/likely to run them in the future. I hope you find this useful.

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Character Creation

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

All great stories focus on their characters. Why?

It’s because we want to find out what happens in the story and that usually involves finding out what happened to the lead character in particular. Did they get their happy ending? Were they a rotter who deserved and got their comeuppance?

Only one way to find out and that is to read the story but the character has to interest you enough in the first place to make you want to read on. So how can that be done? I share some thoughts about how I approach character creation and hope you find it useful.

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Author Interview: Richard Hardie – Remember, Remember

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Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to Richard Hardie for supplying author, location, and book cover shots (and one of the author’s assistant – Oscar!). Other images created by Allison Symes in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or taken as screenshots by her or are directly from Pixabay. One shot of Richard at a previous speaking engagement was taken by Allison at The Hiltonbury Farmhouse.

It is with pleasure I share the news Richard Hardie, author of Leap of Faith and Trouble With Swords, will be releasing his third book in his Temporal Detective Agency series. The third book is called Remember, Remember for reasons that will become apparent when you read it! Richard is also planning to release his fourth book soon too. This will be a collection of short stories linked to his Temporal Detective Agency.

Definitely time for another CFT interview then!

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Changes at Fryern Hill

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There has been quite a lot of changes at Fryern Hill. Banks have disappeared, shops are closing, businesses are moving elsewhere……Here are just a few examples.

Card Gallery

Card Gallery is closing
Card Gallery is closing

The former Barclays Bank

The former Barclays Bank in Winchester Road - soon to become a family-run coffee chain, Josie's.
The former Barclays Bank in Winchester Road – soon to become a family-run coffee chain, Josie’s.

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Review: The Chameleon Theatre Group – Pinocchio

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Image Credit:-
A huge thank you as ever to The Chameleons for kind permission to use their photos. One image adapted in Book Brush using a Chameleon photo. One screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes, from the Chameleons’ website re their next production.

It was a joy to see Pinocchio, staged by The Chameleon Theatre Group on Saturday, 28th January. There are many for whom pantomime is their first experience of live theatre. Funnily enough, it wasn’t for me. My kid sister and I tended to go and see the latest Disney releases at the old Gaumont, now of course The Mayflower in Southampton. Remember seeing Robin Hood and Cinderella there.

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Classic Stories

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

What would you define as a classic story? Do you define it by age or by how often it can stand being re-read? Or do you define it by its word count where you have a story where you can’t imagine another word being added and/or words being taken out of it?).

Of course, your answer can be any of the above, maybe all of them! For me, though, the age of a story is irrelevant. If it is classic, it is because it is a fabulous tale, not because of its antiquity (or lack of same).

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Author Interview: June Webber – Publication: Never Too Late

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Image Credits:-
Many thanks to June Webber for supplying author pictures and book cover photos. The Best of CafeLit 11 images come from Bridge House Publishing so many thanks to them for those. Images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images (with one image directly from Pixabay).

It is with great pleasure I welcome friend and fellow Swanwicker, June Webber, to Chandler’s Ford Today. June and I first met at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick back in 2016 when I was a “white badger” (first time attendee). June, Val Penny, and I regularly meet up on Zoom.

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Writing Pitfalls

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

The writing life is fun but being prepared for the roller coaster aspect of it is a good idea. Every writer has their ups and downs. It helps to know this. Going into the writing life with your eyes wide open also helps. It also helps, I think, to accept the following is true.

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Diaries and Letters

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Image Credits:     Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos (with one image directly from Pixabay). Book cover images from Chapeltown Books.

Have you ever kept a diary? Did you use to/still do enjoy writing and receiving letters in the post? The answer to both those questions is yes from me.

I keep a diary to help me stay on track of what I write when (and to remind me to get my author newsletter out, note down workshop dates etc). I also keep, as part of the same diary, notes on how my writing is going and whether I was pleased or not with the previous day’s writing efforts.

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