Maggie Cobbett

Another triumph for the Doctor!

Always one to rise to a challenge, I recently entered and won the ‘Shaggy Dog Story’ mini-saga competition set by Helen Yendall. The brief was to write a maximum of 250 words and include ‘bone’, ‘dog’, ‘collar’ and ‘stray’ in any form.

How the Doctor came into it, you’ll discover by reading  A Timely Solution, now available on my Stories and Poetry page.

Helen has already sent me an Amazon gift voucher, which I promptly spent! The other part of my prize, a full critique of a short story, awaits. Thank you, Helen, for your generosity.

13 May, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

An Interview With Wendy Steele

Insight into another writer’s methods and motivation is always interesting and I was very happy to take part in reciprocal interviews with Wendy Steele. You can read Wendy’s interview with me at http://wendysteele.com/2013/meet-the-author-maggie-cobbett/

What motivated you to begin to write?

When I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do but it’s hard to envisage a time when I didn’t write.

My first piece was a poem aged 10, after visiting the Tutankhamen exhibition in London and, ever since, I’ve come home from new adventures and committed my thoughts and experiences to paper. My first piece of published (and paid!) writing was an article for the Dancing Times, after attending my first day of belly dance workshops in London, eight years ago.

As a child, I read and wrote stories, losing myself in the lives of the characters, while in my early twenties, I wrote children’s stories and short stories but it was on a two day writing course, nine years ago, that I believed I could be a writer. I liked the character I created on the course and, over the following three years, proceeded to write my first novel between school runs, children’s clubs, family domesticity, cleaning other people’s houses and stacking shelves in a supermarket.

After attending Swanwick Writers Summer School for the second time and receiving great advice and help, I made the decision to take time away from teaching dance and complete the current novel I was working on. ‘Destiny of Angels – First book in the Lilith Trilogy’ was the result followed by two short story anthologies and my first non-fiction book ‘Wendy Woo’s Year – A Pocketful of Smiles – 101 ideas for a happy life and a happy you.’ 

How do you fit writing into your daily life?

Teaching dance in the evening allows me to write during the day but it’s never as simple as that! My plans for this year have not panned out as I hoped as my mum’s ailing health, having our house on the market and family working shifts have changed the time I have available to me.

As a self published author, launching myself into the writing world and marketing my work has also taken me away from physically writing. Getting the balance right is a constant challenge.

Do you prefer to stick to one genre or move around?

Ideas for stories come to me all the time but my fiction writing has been concentrated on the Lilith Trilogy. It’s been described as contemporary, literary fiction with an occult twist.

Which do you find more challenging, writing a story or editing it afterwards?

Definitely editing! Once I’ve made the time to write, it rarely takes me more than ten minutes to get into my writing and even first edits are no problem but ensuring every word and every sentence is relevant and the whole novel flows is hard work.

‘Destiny of Angels’ was as good as I could make it when it was published last year but, another year of writing and editing has taught me a lot and ‘Wrath of Angels’, the second book in the trilogy, hopefully out this year, will be even better.

 Which writing related events do you like to go to?

I’ve attended a number of talks at The Essex Book Festival over the years and gained incites into the ever changing world of books but it was Swanwick Writers Summer School that propelled me forward, giving me the belief I needed, to dare to be a writer. Being able to focus on writing, among other writers, for a whole week with no distractions is pure luxury especially with the wealth of speakers and courses and approachable experts to learn from.

How important is reader feedback to you?

Hearing reader feedback is the equivalent of applause to an actor. As my work is on Amazon and Goodreads, readers can rate and post a review. To hear that a reader has enjoyed my stories, been motivated to read more widely or felt a part of the book was talking directly to them, is wonderful. Though each review is personal, I try not to take criticism personally but endeavour to learn by it.

How big a role does social networking play in promoting your writing?

At the end of last year, I launched my Big Birthday promotion and social media took over from writing for a month but I’ve endeavoured to redress the balance this year. My ideal writing week would consist of 80% writing/editing and 20% social media.

You can find me at www.wendysteele.com

My Facebook pages

https://www.facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel

https://www.facebook.com/WendyWooBooks

You can view my books on Amazon via my author pages

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Steele/e/B007VZ1P06/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1365459567&sr=1-2-ent

http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Steele/e/B007VZ1P06/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thank you, Wendy. I’ll continue to follow your career with interest and hope to meet you at a writers’ event one day.

13 May, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

Sprechen Sie deutsch?

Swiss writer Karin Bachmann has just translated our recent interview (see below) into German and you might like to see the results on her website http://stories47277.blogspot.ch/2013/05/interview-mit-der-englischen-autorin.html#more

Karin’s interview with me and mine with her were fun to do and an experience that I’d be interested to repeat with other writers. Please let me know if you’d be interested.

5 May, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

Now is the month of Maying…

… When merry lads are playing. Fa la la la la – or something like that. It’s also the month during which prudent Yorkshire folk ne’er cast a clout and it is indeed, quite chilly today. (OK, I know that the old saying probably refers to the flowering of the hawthorn bush, but many people still hold fast to the view that you can’t trust the weather until 1st June.)

Pagans wouldn’t dream of moving Beltane for the convenience of industry and commerce, but May Day in the UK, unlike most other countries, is now rarely celebrated on the first of the month. Nor do the ‘merry lads’ and their bonny lasses often dance on the village green on that day. Even in Aldborough, the nearest place I know of around here still to have a maypole in situ, has chosen Sunday 12th May for the event this year.

Back in the day, though, every self respecting primary school and many other organisations, large and small, liked to keep up the old traditions. You might like to take a look at my very short story ‘May Day Mayhem’.

1 May, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

Featured in Writers’ News

The arrival of the latest issue of Writing Magazine/Writers’ News is always something I look forward to – and not only when my own work gets a mention.  However…

I can’t even begin to list the number of ways in which WM/WN has helped me over the years, but I’d certainly recommend the publication to any writer as an invaluable resource.  Available to buy over the counter, a subscription is much more cost effective and there are perks for new subscribers!

Full details are available from https://www.writers-online.co.uk/

30 April, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

What the Dickens!

I’ve always loved a challenge and the latest one was to write the ‘next chapter’ of a well known story.

Scanning the book shelves that line most rooms in the house, I came across A Tale of Two Cities. It always seemed a shame to me that Sidney Carton – forever pictured in my mind as Dirk Bogarde – had to die at the end. Well, now he doesn’t and you can read the update on my Stories and Poetry page.

Maybe one day I’ll also ‘rescue’ Romeo and Juliet from their fate!

30 April, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

Even better than being shortlisted…

… is a win! I’m delighted that Helen Yendall has chosen A Timely Solution out of all the entries in the open section of her recent flash fiction competition.

The brief was to come up with a story in a maximum of 250 words which included the following: bone, collar, dog and stray (in any form). My entry also includes Louis XV of France, his favourite mistress,Madame de Pompadour, a certain Doctor (Who?), a hapless maid and a very 20th century product.

You can read this and much more at http://blogaboutwriting.wordpress.com/

29 April, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

An Interview With Karin Bachmann

I was delighted with the opportunity to interview Swiss writer Karin Bachmann, whom I first met a few years ago at http://swanwickwritersschool.co.uk/ the Writers’ Summer School in Swanwick.  Karin is unnecessarily modest about her command of English, as you will see from her answers below. You can read Karin’s reciprocal interview with me on http://stories47277.blogspot.co.uk/
Have you always been a keen writer?

I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. So it came naturally to write them down once I’d learnt to read and write. In the beginning, they were micro-stories of only a few sentences. I’ve always had problems with spelling, and it took me some years to discover a love for letters. It helped a lot that I grew up in a house full of books. Both my parents are avid readers, and they always read stories for us at bedtime. I doubt whether I’d have become a writer without their support.

Where do you find the greatest inspiration?

I’m a born eavesdropper. And I commute to work. That’s where I find most ideas. You wouldn’t believe what great stories you can come by using public transport.  I also find it inspirational to stare out of a train window while the world is gliding by.Having said that, I’ve also found great story ideas listening to the news or watching documentaries on TV. Once I had to wait at the town hall and found a fantastic story beginning simply by reading a flyer. Stories are everywhere. All you need are open eyes, open ears and an open mind.

Do you have a favourite story out of all those you have written?

I usually like my latest story best. However, there’s one of the children’s whodunits I wrote for SJW-Verlag, Zurich, called Die Zirkus Affäre (The Circus Mystery) that I think turned out rather well. It’s a mix of circus  versus village life and a burglar mystery. There’s also a good deal of humour in it. When I’m invited to school readings, it’s often that story that I choose to read.

Do you always write first of all in German or sometimes directly into English?

The language I use depends on the market. If I’m writing for an English market, I’ll write the story in English. I have some very dear, long-suffering friends who are native English speakers and who proof read my texts, as my English is still very far from perfect. I have used stories in both languages and my blog is bilingual, in which cases I translate either from German into English or vice versa.

Do you plan everything to the last detail before you begin a new story or do you prefer to ‘go with the flow’?

I’d say it’s a mix of both. When I begin to write, I usually have a pretty good idea of the beginning and I know where I want to go. I also know what topics I’m going to use and what obstacles the protagonist(s) will encounter. So I know what kind of research I’ll have to do before fully embarking on a project. I don’t do to much planning because I’m afraid I might grow tired of a story before I even start. The disadvantage is that I might have to do stubstantial re-writing because a twist I insert doesn’t go anymore with an earlier part. But I like being surprised by a story, so I don’t mind the additional work.

What are you working on at the moment and what are your future plans?

For some time, I’ve been trying to interest a publisher or agent in a children’s whodunit set in the Isles of Scilly, without any success. A course at last year’s Swanwick Writers’ Summer School set me thinking about going the self-publishing route. Two Swanwick friends read the story and I’m now re-working it according to their ample and helpful suggestions. A lady friend of mine, who’s an illustrator, will do the cover. I’m at the editing stage and hope to bring out the book either in time for the next Swanwick Writers’ Summer School or for Christmas (probably in both, English and German). The working title is The Venetian Pearls.

My plans for the future? I have two or three projects in the pipeline, which I hope to be able to finish soon and sell. Being superstitious, I won’t tell you more at the moment. But if you wish, you can follow my progress on http://stories47277.blogspot.com or on Twitter (@BookwormKarin).

Thank you very much, Karin. I’ll continue to follow your career with interest and look forward to seeing you again at  http://swanwickwritersschool.co.uk/ Swanwick in August. In the meantime, I’ll test out my German skills by reading Die Zirkus Affäre, which can be found in http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mord-Switzerland-Kriminalgeschichten-Edition-ebook/dp/B00BQ8OR86/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367145473&sr=8-2&keywords=Mord+in+Switzerland Mord in Switzerland.

28 April, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

A Timely Solution

Squeezing a credible story into 250 words is a tricky business, so I’m very pleased to have made the short list in Helen Yendall’s latest mini-saga competition.

A Timely Solution can be read at

http://blogaboutwriting.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/shaggy-dog-tales-competition-the-shortlists/

25 April, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story

My desk companion

All kinds of desk companions are available, from pencil holders to Piranha plants made of felt.  (This is not a joke. You’ll find one on offer at http://desertbus.org/giveaway/232) Mine is Tabitha. Sometimes asleep, sometimes regarding me with a fixed stare and sometimes blocking the screen – generally when a mealtime is approaching – she invariably joins me as soon as I sit down at the computer and stays there until I move away. Her brother Tom appears at the first sound of activity in the kitchen but is generally busy about his own affairs during the rest of the day.

William Burroughs, Raymond Chandler, Jean Cocteau, Colette, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Ernest Hemingway, Patricia Highsmith, Samuel Johnson, Jack Kerouac, Doris Lessing, Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain are amongst the many cat loving writers I know of.  Someone may come up with an equally long list of writers who can’t/couldn’t stand the creatures, but please don’t bother. We probably wouldn’t ever have got on!

20 April, 2013 - There is one comment on this story