Chandler's Ford Today

am writing

Animals in Fiction

By 4 Comments

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books.

Some of my favourite childhood books involved animals. Think about Timmy from The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. I suspect he was the most intelligent of the lot of them.

I am an asthmatic, it was worse when I was a child and there was no question then of being able to have a dog of my own. But I could read about them and loved doing so. Ironically now I have no problems with having a dog as a companion and I still love reading. Neither do I mind animal characters as long as they are realistically portrayed.

[Read more…] about Animals in Fiction

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Out with the Old?

By 2 Comments

Image Credits:- Video and  most photos created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Other photos from Pixabay/Pexels. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Images of Wendy H Jones and Creativity Matters: Find Your Passion for Writing kindly supplied by Wendy H Jones for an earlier CFT post.

Happy New Year!

[Read more…] about Out with the Old?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Merry Christmas!

By 3 Comments

Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

Have a lovely Christmas, everyone. I thought I’d share some festive flash fiction for this post.

 

[Read more…] about Merry Christmas!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Back From Brechin

By 2 Comments

Image Credits:-
Some pictures are from Pixabay. Others are created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Many thanks to Sarah Archibald for the Festival related photos.
Many thanks to my guests from the Association of Christian Writers for supplying their fab author photos and book cover pictures. Naturally I took my own pictures (though will credit Adrian Symes for my author photo. It is tricky doing that one yourself!).

It was a pleasure to be a part of the Brechin/Angus Book Festival from 19th to 21st November 2021. The event also formed part of Book Week Scotland.

Last year, I went to the Festival thanks to Zoom but it was lovely to be there in person this time, my first “big” writing event since before lockdown.

[Read more…] about Back From Brechin

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Making the Most of an Author Event

By 2 Comments

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. (Many thanks to Sarah Archibald who is behind the Brechin/Angus Book Festival for the originals of these). Book cover images created by Chapeltown Books/Bridge House Publishing.

Now this is a timely topic for me as I will be taking part in the Brechin/Angus Book Festival from 19th to 21st November and something rather special is coming up next March which I hope to write about nearer the time.

For the Festival, I’m running a writing workshop on flash fiction. I’m also giving an author talk on the ups and downs of the writing life. I’m looking forward to doing this and hope to share a report on how things went later. There are also events over the weekend I will be taking part in alongside the other authors such as the afternoon tea on the Sunday when people can come and chat to us over tea and cake. (Now there’s a civilised event for you!).

[Read more…] about Making the Most of an Author Event

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Book Lists

By Leave a Comment

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images (and the same goes for the video. I find Book Brush to be a very useful designing tool).

I make two book lists a year – one for a certain festival coming up in December (yes, Christmas, there I’ve said it!) and another for my birthday. Always great fun to get these together. It also means I’m easy to buy for (so that helps my better half). And I mix up my choice of format for books – paperback, Kindle, and sometimes audio.

[Read more…] about Book Lists

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Good Writing Topics

By 5 Comments

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Title page from Pride and Prejudice taken from Chandler’s Ford Today archives.

So what do I mean exactly by a “good” writing topic? Surely whether it is good or not depends on the nuances, personal bias etc of the writer in question (and whether you agree with them or not!), and whether they “deliver” on the theme in an entertaining and/or interesting way?

[Read more…] about Good Writing Topics

Tags: , , , , , ,

Maressa Mortimer – Part 2 – Being An Indie Author

By Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Book covers and author pics were kindly supplied by Maressa Mortimer. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

It is lovely to welcome back Maressa Mortimer to Chandler’s Ford Today. This week, Maressa shares her thoughts on marketing (every writer has views on that!), and how she feels her writing has developed. She also discusses book tours and why she has used Facebook Live for her book launches. So with no further ado, over to Maressa.

[Read more…] about Maressa Mortimer – Part 2 – Being An Indie Author

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Introducing Maressa Mortimer – Being an Indie Author – Part 1

By 1 Comment

Image Credit:-

Many thanks to Maressa Mortimer for book cover pictures and author headshot photo.

Images for Creativity Matters: Find Your Passion for Writing kindly supplied by Wendy H Jones.

Most of the other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

One of the joys of the writing life is meeting other authors. I met Maressa Mortimer via the Association of Christian Writers.

Maressa, who is originally from The Netherlands, and I, as well as meeting at ACW events, regularly meet on her Zoom event held most weeks where ACW writers get together to chat. It can be very funny and at times therapeutic. There is nobody like another author who understands when you have had a rough week.

Likewise, those same authors will rejoice with you when things go well. What goes around comes around in writing circles. Most authors are supportive of each other’s efforts. We know it is not an easy thing to do. We know marketing and drafting the next work is tiring (and invigorating). You do need a shoulder to cry on sometimes (yet another reason to network well and develop friendships).

[Read more…] about Introducing Maressa Mortimer – Being an Indie Author – Part 1

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Small World Syndrome – Part 2 – Helen Matthews

By 2 Comments

Image Credit: Many thanks to Helen Matthews for supplying the author and book cover pics. Other images either created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or are direct Pixabay images.

Welcome back, Helen, to Chandler’s Ford Today. This week Helen shares with me what drew her into writing domestic noir, her social media preferences, and reveals her top three tips for writers amongst other topics.

[Read more…] about Small World Syndrome – Part 2 – Helen Matthews

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Small World Syndrome – Introducing Helen Matthews – Part 1

By 2 Comments

Image Credits:  Many thanks to Helen Matthews for supplying author and book cover images. Other photos created in Book Brush using Pixabay images.

Most of us have experienced small world syndrome when you re-meet someone you haven’t met for ages or discover the person who is sitting next to you at the cafe (now possible but suitably distanced of course!) went to the same primary school you did thirty odd years ago.

Recently this has happened again to me.

I first met Helen Matthews, novelist and short story writer, at the Hursley Park Book Fair as her table was near mine and we got chatting.

I’ve also met her at the Winchester Writers’ Festival. And now I’ve re-met her thanks to a Twitter group – #writingchat. This is on every Wednesday night between 8 and 9 pm where writers get together online and chat about a range of topics. We also share experiences and tips (including sometimes on what not to do). It is a friendly place to “hang out” and I always learn something useful from the discussions. (And it is wonderful being able to share with other writers the frustrations as well as the joys of the writing life).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

[Read more…] about Small World Syndrome – Introducing Helen Matthews – Part 1

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Finding Themes

By 2 Comments

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

Themes, like story ideas, are all over the place. It is a question of having an open enough mind to spot them and then working out which ones you like best. Those are the ones you will put heart and soul into writing up.

[Read more…] about Finding Themes

Tags: , , , , , ,