Maggie Cobbett

A day I’ve been dreaming about for 12 years!

The proof copy of my novel Shadows of the Past has arrived and I’m setting about the task of checking it through. Despite hours of careful editing – and not only by me – I’ll be very surprised if a few mistakes aren’t still to be found.

However, this is the culmination of a dream. Friends who’ve been following this saga over the last few years know that it was inspired by a very strange holiday I had in France as a teenager and is to some extent autobiographical.

There is something of me in the first narrator and even more in the second, although I can’t cook as well as she does! Her story is central to the plot and the young Frenchman who becomes her saviour bears more than a passing resemblance to the one to whom the book is dedicated.

Watch this space!

17 July, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story

My article in ‘Down Your Way’ magazine

‘Down Your Way’ is a cheerful little magazine, much loved by Yorkshire people still living in our great county and cherished by exiles all over the world. It has included many of my articles over the years and the bottom right hand corner of the cover gives a clue to the subject of the latest one.

Being a Saturday girl in ‘Woolies’, Woolworth’s Briggate store in Leeds in my case, was my first taste of paid work and quite a culture shock. My immediate boss ruled her department with a rod of iron and was far less forgiving of mistakes than any of my teachers. I was also in terror for the first few weeks of my colleagues, who had all left school at fifteen and were far more sophisticated and worldly wise than I was. Being at the bottom of the pecking order was a new experience.

The first draft of the article was almost a stream of consciousness piece, but I had to tone it down to avoid giving offence or even being sued! Suffice it to say, that I could have said a great deal more about the goings on than made it into print.

27 June, 2015 - There are 2 comments on this story

The Womag blog

This has long been an invaluable resource for all of us interested in writing for the women’s magazine market and I’m delighted to have been invited to make a guest appearance. You can see what I have to say by going to http://womagwriter.blogspot.co.uk/

24 June, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story

Unexpected exposure!

The life of a background artiste (‘extra’) is a very varied one, but we humble folk rarely make the pages of the television magazines. However, here I am! Filming a fight scene of any sort is always a complicated business and many ‘takes’ are done before everyone is satisfied. The only problem is that it becomes increasingly difficult to take it seriously.

I love the caption to this one, although it’s years since anyone said ‘rhubarb’. With microphones so sensitive these days, we have to mime our imagined conversations. Even a bag of crisps has to be sucked rather than crunched!

15 June, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story

‘Shadows of the Past’ is on its way!

Having finished my novel – all 120 000 words of it – I’m treating myself to some down time in our back garden today. Writing it has been a labour of love as well as a hard slog.

The cover is still to be decided upon and I’m awaiting final critiques and endorsements from fellow writers who’ve been kind enough to read the manuscript, but then it will be all systems go to publication!

12 June, 2015 - There are 2 comments on this story

What’s in a name?

A great deal hangs on names in my new novel, which should be out some time in June. That being the case, I was delighted to find the combination of plant and container above on my last visit to Ripon’s Walled Garden. (The project gives work experience to disadvantaged young people who might otherwise have little worthwhile to do with their time.)

Two of my main characters are called Marguerite and Fleur. If you can think of an alternative name for the former, you’re well on your way to uncovering the mystery at the heart of the story!

25 May, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story

The light at the end of the tunnel!

That phrase is quite appropriate, given the setting for the novel I’ve been working on for such a long time. Scroll down through a couple of posts to see the same opening from the other end! Both are crucial to the story.

Copy & line editing are now going on and the cover design being worked on. Before the start of summer, I hope to have the finished product ‘out there’ and will be holding a couple of launch parties to celebrate the fruition of such a long term project. No invitations needed. When the details are finalised, everyone will be welcome!

7 May, 2015 - There are 3 comments on this story

Coming up for air!

The work on my novel continues and I’m close to finishing the third – and maybe final draft. Still struggling a little with the ending, though, and weighing up the suggestions given by fellow members of York Writers’ NSG (Novelists’ Support Group). There will be launches in both Ripon and York. Watch this space!

There hasn’t been a lot of time for other projects, although a piece I wrote for Ripon Writers’ Group’s ‘Blast From the Past’ competition went down well and I’ve just revamped it as a feature for Down Your Way. It’s about my time as a Saturday girl in Woolworth’s and has inspired me to dig out some (very) old photographs of myself during those years. Wasn’t I cute! If the article meets with editor Kev’s approval, it should be appearing round about September/October.

In between times, salsa, voluntary work with the Ripon Activity Project (RAP) and paid work at the Emmerdale studios continue. No new dance or studio photographs to upload, but Ten Pin Bowling at Clifton Moor was enjoyed by one and all.

Ah, well. Back to work now!

19 April, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story

Head down for the next 60 000 words!

Regular visitors to my website have probably been wondering why there have been no postings so far this year. This isn’t because of inertia on my part – far from it – but because I’m determined to get my novel (working title Shadows Of The Past) finished before the summer.

This story, partially based on my own experiences in France when I was only 17, has been long in the telling. I began work on it over ten years ago and it has been through many drafts and very significant changes. Now that I’ve made some firm decisions about its form – the content was never in doubt – it’s all systems go!

The one thing I regret, is that my dear friend Jean-Claude Quehan, seen with me in the photograph above, passed away a while ago and will never see the finished product. He knew about it, though, and was highly amused to be cast as the saviour of the female character upon whose uncertain fate much of the story hinges.

To what extent are the events depicted autobiographical? Well, Jean-Claude and I lived through some of them together certainly, but I haven’t been afraid to use artistic licence in a way I think would have made him chuckle. He helped me with my research into the history of the area in which the story is set and many of the characters have been inspired by real people, although they won’t be slavishly depicted.

24 January, 2015 - There are 8 comments on this story

Local traditions

Although sitting firmly on the fence as regards religion, I do enjoy taking part in some of our local customs and the annual pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to the ruins of Fountains Abbey on Boxing Day morning is one of them. It follows in the footsteps of a group of Cistercian monks who walked from the Cathedral on 26th December 1132 to found the Abbey. Led this year by the Dean of Ripon, Bishop of Knaresborough and other clergy, hundreds of walkers, many with dogs in tow, followed the cross on a four mile walk, mainly across fields and via the deer park of Studley Royal to the gates of the Fountains estate. The National Trust waives the normal entry charge on this one day of the year and a carol service in the cellarium, the only part of the Abbey still to have a roof, is always held at midday. Refreshments – including mulled wine – are served beforehand and the atmosphere is very cheery.

The sound system leaves much to be desired, though, hence this letter to the Ripon Gazette!

On New Year’s Eve, I attended the Watchnight service at the Cathedral and joined the throng milling up Kirkgate to the Market Place to see in the New Year. When I first moved to Ripon, the congregation was equipped with flaming torches. Unfortunately, health and safety concerns did away with those many years ago. After a brief period with glow sticks, someone came up with the idea of a small candle in a cardboard holder, to be lit during the singing of O Come All Ye Faithful. Unfortunately, it was windy this year and most of the candles, including mine, were extinguished as soon as their bearers stepped out of the west door.

However, spirits were high as well wrapped up church goers merged with scantily clad revellers in the Market Place. From the balcony of the Town Hall, the Mayor, Dean and Bishop wished us all the best for the New Year and – just before the chimes of midnight – our Hornblower, George Pickles, sounded the old Ripon horn for the last time in 2014. An excellent firework display followed and then – as Samuel Pepys would have said – to bed.

2 January, 2015 - Make the first comment on this story