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Chapeltown Books

Celebrations, Crackers, Chapeltown, and Cafelit – London 2018

December 14, 2018 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

Feature Image -Celebrations, Crackers, Chapeltown and Cafelit

On 1st December, it was my great joy to travel to London once again to meet up with fellow Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit/Chapeltown Books authors at the annual celebration event. On the way up by train, I enjoyed my usual routine of writing stories on my phone app and getting quite a bit of work done by the time I got into Waterloo. [Read more…] about Celebrations, Crackers, Chapeltown, and Cafelit – London 2018

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Tags: Allison Symes, anthologies, author event, book celebration, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, flash fiction, independent press, short stories

Networking Tips – Allison Symes (with Mandy Huggins)

April 13, 2018 By Allison Symes 1 Comment

Feature Image - Networking Tips - image via Pixabay

Networking is vital for all writers. You make connections, those may lead to taking part in events like book fairs, but, most importantly, you make friends. There is nobody like another writer who will understand the drive to write and its frustrations. [Read more…] about Networking Tips – Allison Symes (with Mandy Huggins)

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Tags: books, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, flash fiction, From Light to Dark and Back Again, writing advice

Writing Tips and Character Creation: Interview with Gail Aldwin Part 2

March 23, 2018 By Allison Symes 6 Comments

Feature Image - Interview with Gail Aldwin Part 2. Image supplied by Gail Aldwin

Part 1 of Gail Aldwin’s interview last week shared Gail’s memories from her round the world bus trip and how it influenced her Paisley Shirt flash fiction collection (published by Chapeltown Books).  Here she shares her writing tips, the joys of creating characters and her thoughts on ebooks and “real” books. Comments on the latter would be welcome! [Read more…] about Writing Tips and Character Creation: Interview with Gail Aldwin Part 2

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Tags: books, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, fiction, flash fiction, interview, writing advice

Travelling by Bus around the World and Inspirational Flash Fiction – Introducing Gail Aldwin

March 16, 2018 By Allison Symes 9 Comments

Feature Image - Gail Aldwin Part 1

Further to last week where I discussed the frustrations of publishing, it is my pleasure to share my interview with another writer taking the independent press route. Please “meet” fellow Chapeltown Books author, Gail Aldwin. Also many thanks to her for supplying the images for this interview. [Read more…] about Travelling by Bus around the World and Inspirational Flash Fiction – Introducing Gail Aldwin

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Tags: Chapeltown Books, creative writing, flash fiction, inspiration

How to Cope with Publishing and Editing

March 15, 2018 By David Lamb 2 Comments

Allison Symes’ sound advice on publishing and its perils, The Frustrations of Publishing, set me to thinking about my life as a writer and in some respects as a publisher, or rather editor of journals and  series of books. I was fortunate in having a few bright ideas at the right time such that small publishers who were seeking to expand their business took me on as a series editor for books in philosophy, ethics, and science related topics. [Read more…] about How to Cope with Publishing and Editing

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Tags: books, Chapeltown Books, publishing

The Frustrations of Publishing

March 8, 2018 By Allison Symes 8 Comments

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There are few authors who don’t know about the frustration of getting their work out there. Also, even fewer make their living “just” via their books (as regular surveys by the Society of Authors make depressingly clear).

George Orwell made a significant amount of his living via book reviewing. The benefits of his creations passing into the English language as shorthand, sadly, were not realised by him directly. I’ll be returning to my 101 Things to Put into Room 101 (which is loosely based on his creation of Room 101 in 1984) in a few weeks’ time. You don’t want all my moans at once! [Read more…] about The Frustrations of Publishing

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Tags: books, Chapeltown Books, publishing

Writing Sayings – Truth or Nonsense?

February 16, 2018 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

Feature Image - Writing Sayings

Sayings are strange things at times. Okay, the one about not casting a clout before May is out does make sense. We live in Britain. The weather is changeable!

However, there are others that are open to question and some relate to writing.

[Read more…] about Writing Sayings – Truth or Nonsense?

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Tags: books, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, reading, writing

Writer Co-operatives

July 28, 2017 By Allison Symes 14 Comments

Feature Image - Writer Co-operatives (image via Pixabay)

Given publishing is a tough business and it is the hardest it has ever been for a writer to find a publisher and/or agent, why on earth would writers want to form groups? Surely they should focus on their own books?

Ironically, it is because the world of publishing is so tough, that writers forming co-operatives is (a) becoming more common and (b) a fantastically sensible thing to do. [Read more…] about Writer Co-operatives

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Tags: book promoting, Chapeltown Books, creative writing, fiction, writers, writers' co-operatives

Why have Book Signings? Report from the Station – Allison Symes

July 14, 2017 By Allison Symes 5 Comments

Feature Image - Why have Book Signings?

Image Credit:  Many thanks to Janet Williams for taking the signing photos at the railway station.  Like many women, I can multi task but there is a limit and even I couldn’t take a picture of myself signing a book!

Many thanks to all who came to my book signing at our lovely railway station on Saturday 8th July. Particular thanks go to Mark Miller and Nick Farthing of the Three Rivers Rail Community Partnership, Hilary Stone for “manning” the drinks and snacks bar, Janet Williams, Richard Hardie and Daniel Symes.
[Read more…] about Why have Book Signings? Report from the Station – Allison Symes

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Tags: book launch, book promoting, book signing, Chandler's Ford Railway Station, Chapeltown Books, event, From Light to Dark and Back Again, local interest, writers

Cyberlaunch Lessons by Allison Symes

April 14, 2017 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

Feature Image for CFT Launch Lessons post

I loved the cyber launch for From Light To Dark and Back Again held at the beginning of the month. Thanks again to Chapeltown Books and Cafelit for hosting the event. I was co-host. This post looks at how I prepared for the event and what I learned from it. I hope it will be of use to other writers. The images used in the post were those I used during the launch itself.
[Read more…] about Cyberlaunch Lessons by Allison Symes

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Tags: advice, book launch, book promoting, books, Chapeltown Books, flash fiction, From Light to Dark and Back Again, publishing, writing

What is a Cyber Launch? by Allison Symes

March 30, 2017 By Allison Symes 8 Comments

Cyberlaunch Image - image supplied by Allison Symes and Chapeltown Books

A cyber launch is basically a Facebook online party celebrating the publication of your book and promoting it. There are usually quizzes with prizes, giveaways, special offers and so on.  The only requirement is to be logged on to Facebook at the time of the event. [Read more…] about What is a Cyber Launch? by Allison Symes

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Tags: advice, book launch, Chapeltown Books, communication, From Light to Dark and Back Again, Information, literature, publishing, writers, writing

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Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

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