• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Churches
  • Library
  • Eastleigh Basics Bank
  • Community Food Larder at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church

Writers' Narrative

A Year In Flashback

December 19, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- 
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay image. Book cover shots from Bridge House Publishing/Chapeltown Books. Many thanks to Lynn Clement, Paula Readman, and Penny Blackburn for images from the Bridge House Publishing Celebration Event and The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick held earlier this year. Other images and screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is hard to believe, sometimes at least, just how quickly another year has gone by. I make a point of taking some time out to review how my writing year has gone and what I’d like to see happen in the next one. I’ve found writing things down for this makes it more likely I will take at least some steps to try and achieve what is on my writing wish list.

[Read more…] about A Year In Flashback

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: ACW in person event, Allison Symes, anthologies, Association of Christian Writers Flash Fiction group, Bridge House Publishing, celebration event, creative writing, flash fiction, networking, short stories, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, Writers' Narrative, writing year review

Being Interviewed

September 26, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. The Writers’ Narrative image was supplied by Wendy H Jones with text added by me, Allison Symes, via Book Brush.

As many of you will know, as well as writing for the fabulous Chandler’s Ford Today, I also write for a monthly online magazine called Writers’ Narrative. I am also their copy editor. The magazine has a monthly theme and the October edition will be about Short Form Fiction.

I’m delighted to say I will be their Featured Author for October and have been interviewed in depth by the Editor in Chief, Wendy H Jones. I also wrote a separate article breaking down one of my published flash tales and looking at how I wrote it, as well as sharing some of the influences which led to its creation. Am very much looking forward to sharing this via my website and social media later.

It was interesting being on the other side of the interview. The questions were thoughtful and challenging and a joy to answer. So I thought for this post, I would look at what makes for a good interview, what authors can do to prepare themselves for interviews they face, and how to make the best of them once they are “out there”.

[Read more…] about Being Interviewed

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes interview, am writing, author interviews, being the interviewee, being the interviewer, Chandler's Ford Today, prep work for interviews, research, Writers' Narrative

Approaching A New Year

December 29, 2023 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshot of December 2023 Writers’ Narrative magazine taken by me, Allison Symes, as were the photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. Images of me at the Book Fair at The Hilt taken by Richard Hardie – thanks, Richard. Many thanks to Julia Pattison for the photo of me at my editing workshop in Swanwick in August 2023.

First and foremost, may I start by wishing you all a Happy New Year.

How do you approach a new year? I think it is safe to say, given how 2020 turned out, many of us may approach the new time period with some trepidation. I know I do. But if I look at this from writing and reading viewpoints, the outlook is far more sunny!

[Read more…] about Approaching A New Year

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes, am reading, am writing, author news, new writing and reading year, New Year, reassessing goals, The Book Fair at The Hilt, The Writers' Summer School at Swanwick, Writers' Narrative, writing goals

Local Author News: Allison Symes – Spring 2023 Round Up

May 26, 2023 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One image directly from Pixabay. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes, or by kind colleagues using my phone!

It has been a busy few months since my last round up and that was only back in March!

Mind you, this is how it is supposed to be! The writing life is not a static one. Nor it is meant to be. So what has been going on writing wise for me recently?

[Read more…] about Local Author News: Allison Symes – Spring 2023 Round Up

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes, am writing, author news, author newsletter, creative writing, feedback, flash fiction, Friday Flash Fiction, Hiltingbury Book Fair, publication news, The Writers' Summer School, workshops, Writers' Narrative

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

The Chameleon Theatre Company - Review - Camelot The Pantomime

Categories

Tags

am writing arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh education entertainment event family fiction fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Dan Harvey on Montgomery Of Alamein School In Winchester: Astonishing Historical Pictures Revealed
  • Brisland on Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: North End School (Part 4)
  • Elizabeth Jolley on Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 44)
  • Janet Williams on Review – The Chameleon Theatre Company – The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley
  • Janet Williams on Review – The Chameleon Theatre Group – Notes From A Small Island
  • Allison Symes on Review – The Chameleon Theatre Group – Notes From A Small Island

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

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

Copyright © 2026 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.