Image Credits: All images, unless otherwise stated, were taken by Allison Symes
Towards the end of each year, I make a note in my new writing diary as to what I’d like to achieve in the next twelve months. I also review what I’d written for the current year and tick off achievements. Many things are long-term goals so carry over. I’m always going to want to have short stories and flash fiction “out there” no matter what the year is! [Read more…] about My 2017 Writing Journey
I first met Jennifer C. Wilson in 2016 at the first Swanwick Writers’ Summer School for us both. We became friends and this year we had the great joy of “racing” each other to Swanwick’s Book Room to put our books out for sale! [Read more…] about Ghosts, History and What Might Have Been: Introducing Jennifer C Wilson
By the time you read this, I will be coming to the end of a much needed break in stunning Scotland. (Sadly it’s not one I can write about for CFT as there’s no question of using our lovely railway station as a starting point!). [Read more…] about Signing at the Station by Allison Symes
I’m a great believer in the arts being good for the soul, that the arts are therapeutic and are something we need despite there not being an obvious biological need for them.
Writing helps me unwind and it is a lot of fun creating articles for Chandler’s Ford Today as well as my short stories and novels. And I’m definitely not the only one to believe this. [Read more…] about Writing as Therapy: Introducing Chocolate Muffin Publishing
I went to London on 5th December 2015 for the Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit joint book launch celebration. Naturally I left from Chandler’s Ford Station!
Though Bridge House published my first story in print, A Helping Hand in their Alternative Renditions anthology, this year I was going because my short story, The Magic Flute, is in The Best of Cafelit 4.
This was one of the books being launched, the other being Bridge House’s anthology for 2015 called Snowflakes. [Read more…] about My Year-End Review and Book Launch
One of my earliest posts for Chandler’s Ford Today was an interview I conducted with local author, and fellow dog walker, Richard Hardie, who had not long released The Trouble With Swords, his second book in his Temporal Detective series and follow up to the marvellous Leap of Faith. [Read more…] about Further Adventures of a Fantasy Author
Chandler’s Ford Today covers a wide spectrum of interests – from football to gliding, from local history to reviews of shows in nearby theatres and Thornden Hall. From memories of the Gang Show to news of the latest fundraising efforts by the Scouts and the Fairtrade events.
Naturally a blog like this will attract writers. People like Richard Hardie, whose young adult Temporal Detective Series (Leap of Faith and Trouble With Swords), will be highlighted in Chandler’s Ford library next Thursday 29th October. People like Brenda Sedgwick whose first novel, Marriage, a Journey and a Dog, was out earlier this year. [Read more…] about From Dancer to Writer: Felicity Fair Thompson
Some of the great joys of writing for Chandler’s Ford Today are in meeting new people and going to events that are new to me.
The recent Hiltingbury Extrav was the first I’d visited despite living in Chandler’s Ford for over 25 years. So I thought I would look back at it as we leave the summer season with its shows and fetes behind. (If anyone is in any doubt we are in autumn now, the recent wild weather should dispel that!). [Read more…] about High Jinks at the Hiltingbury Extravaganza 2015
I met Felicity Fair Thompson of Wight Diamond Press at the Isle of Wight Weekend Writers’ Conference, which she ran from 2000 to 2005. The conferences were held in Sandown.
I also met Gill James, later of Bridge House Publishing, at one of these conferences and she became the publisher for my first accepted short story, A Helping Hand in the anthology, Alternative Renditions. Wheels within wheels so to speak… [Read more…] about Life as a Small Publisher: Allison Symes Talks to Felicity Fair Thompson
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is the greatest of all Jane Austen’s works.
It is a blueprint for romantic comedy and Elizabeth Bennet remains one of my favourite literary heroines, being quick witted and intelligent at a time when that was not particularly welcomed. (It isn’t always welcomed now in some places, unfortunately). [Read more…] about Jane Austen: An Appreciation by Allison Symes
I’ve just come back from a wonderful few days at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. I hope to report more on that next week, including details on how my book launch there for Seeing The Other Side went. But it was the thought of the launch which led to the idea for this post.
Writing events didn’t come into my creative life at all to begin with. The thought of going to any terrified me but as it became clearer to me, writing wasn’t going to just be a hobby, I knew I needed to network, to learn more about the industry and so on. So that meant writing events would need to be something I got used to.
[Read more…] about Writing Events and How to Make the Most of Them
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).
[Read more…] about The Chameleon Theatre Company – Review – Camelot The Pantomime
This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of The Chameleons. They will be having a special event later in the year but to kick off 2025 in style, they started their new and special year with what is such a major part of theatre – the pantomime.
It is always a joy to go and see productions staged by The Chameleon Theatre Company. Their pantomimes are always full of laughs and that hasn’t changed for their latest one based on the classic tale of The Sleeping Beauty.
This version of the story was written by Norman Robbins who wrote many pantomimes based on traditional stories. To find out more do check out the website for him. The Chameleons have performed nine of his scripts, the most they’ve put on by any pantomime writer. This includes The Dragon of Wantley, which I reviewed here a couple of years ago.
[Read more…] about Review: The Chameleon Theatre Company – The Sleeping Beauty
As I write a lot of flash fiction and short stories, as well as posts like this, I always need to find ways of coming up with ideas. It is also sensible to have a variety of methods to find ideas because (a) it keeps things interesting for you as the writer and (b) you don’t run the risk of becoming stale.
Why the latter? If you only use one or two methods to trigger ideas, at some point you will find the well you draw from dries up! Your wells of inspiration need to be topped up continually and using different ways to come up with ideas helps with that. Also this approach gives you spare wells! That to my mind is always a good idea in itself. It also keeps you on your creative toes, which is another good thing.
I was privileged to lead a one hour workshop for The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick on Editing – From Both Sides of the Fence. I had the experience in 2020 of being edited on my book (Tripping the Flash Fantastic) and, simultaneously, I was editing someone else’s book for a small publisher. With my third book given the nod, it wouldn’t surprise me too much if I find myself in the same position again.
I thought it would be useful to give some pointers as to how to make the most of an in person workshop (though many of the points I make will also apply to online ones).
[Read more…] about Getting the Most From An In Person Workshop
The Coronation of King Charles III is the latest chapter in the story of kings and queens throughout our history. It was that thought which made me think of this topic for this week’s post. History turns up in fiction, as well as in non-fiction.
I mentioned briefly in my Book Recommendations post last week I have used how-to-write guides (and still turn to them for reference when needed). I adore Stephen King’s On Writing, which is a great mix of memoir and writing advice. Many writers speak highly of it.
It was with great pleasure I met with Janet Williams at Richie Hall to watch the latest production from The Chameleon Theatre Group. I love Sherlock Holmes tales so this was a win-win. Congratulations must go to the Chameleons for a sell out performance on all three nights from 27th to 29th October 2022.
It is my pleasure to welcome back Lynn Clement. Her flash fiction collection, The City of Stories, is out with Chapeltown Books and I had the privilege and pleasure of editing this collection.
Prior to that, I had met Lynn when I was guest speaker at the Hampshire Writers’ Society where I talked about flash fiction, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books, and this, I’m glad to say, inspired Lynn to start submitting work to CafeLit and then a single author collection to Chapeltown Books.
This week, Lynn and I talk about the editing process and why it is never a good idea to use song lyrics in your work.
[Read more…] about Introducing Lynn Clement – Part 2 – The Editing
