Hello, and thank you for visiting my site. I hope that you'll return often and always find something of interest about my world and what inspires me to pick up a pen. (This is a figure of speech, unfortunately. My handwriting is terrible!) Here's what I've been up to recently...
Swanwick 2013
It’s a real pleasure to be back at the Writers’ Summer School, known affectionately as ‘Swanwick’, and hosted for every one of its 65 years at The Hayes Conference Centre. The main buildings were bathed in sunshine as I arrived but, rain or shine, I know that I’m in for a stimulating and challenging week. Placing copies of my short story omnibus in the Book Room for others to purchase (I hope) was only the first of many pleasures.*
Once again allocated a comfortable en suite room in Lakeside – yes, there actually is a lake in the grounds of The Hayes – I set off to meet old friends and make some new ones. There are 47 ‘white badgers’ this year, also known as ‘Swanwick virgins’, so that will be interesting. Chances abound to mingle; on arrival over tea and cake, in the bar before dinner, during dinner (no set places, thank goodness), in the bar later on …
Our opening speaker this year was screenwriter James Moran who, among many other things, has written episodes of Dr Who, Torchwood, Primeval and Spooks. He shared with us his ‘journey’, from weird paintings he produced at primary school, where he was already obsessed to some degree with horror, through winning a Sci Fi Channel script writing competition and then to being taken on by an agent and scripting the 2005 film Severance.
James made the point that a freelance screenwriter, however successful, is never ‘home and dry’. The more pitches you make, the more rejections you leave yourself open to and you will certainly meet many infuriating people along the way. Everyone connected with a production thinks that he/she knows better than the humble writer, who (if wise) quickly learns the art of lip biting. However, the writers who make it are those who don’t give up. Now how many times have I heard that at Swanwick!!!
The adrenalin was still flowing at ten o’clock when, after a swift trip to the bar and assured that no previous drama experience was needed, I joined the inimitable Julia Pattison’s ice-breaker. The warm up exercise, where everyone stood in a circle to reproduce the sounds of the Brazilian rain forest was fun and very effective. Later on, our little group’s attempt to reproduce a Japanese fairy tale – cast of 80+ characters required and there were four of us – left a lot to be desired. I’ll draw a discreet veil over my own performance as a windy mountain top!
*A copy has already been sold (before the official opening of the Book Shop) and I was delighted to pen a dedication to the lady concerned.
10 August, 2013 - There are 2 comments on this story
Potential eavesdropper in the Woolpack
Well, Rhona (Zoe Henry) seemed to think so in one of this week’s episodes.
This website is mostly about my writing, but I am asked from time to time about my ‘day job’. As often as not, people complain that they’ve never actually seen me in Emmerdale. Well, here I am! For once, I’m not just a blur in the background or disappearing round a corner.
9 August, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Ripon Writers’ Group featured in Club Focus
As the current Chair, I’m delighted to see RWG featured in today’s Ripon Gazette and its sister newspapers. Given that the Group’s history stretches back over 30 years, founder member Daphne and I certainly had plenty of material to choose from when we wrote the article. (The limitations imposed by an A4 scanner have led to its appearance below in two overlapping sections.)
8 August, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Featured in Writing Magazine
Sally Jenkins’s article on independent e-publishing is in the September 2013 issue and I’m delighted to be one of her interviewees. The others are Neneh Gordon, Anne Harvey and Jackie Johnson.
Along with a great deal of practical advice, Sally has explored our reasons for jumping onto this ‘shiny new bandwagon’. My own are twofold. First of all, it’s an opportunity to offer to a wider readership a selection of short stories that have won competitions and/or already been published; secondly to showcase others not written to fit the requirements of mainstream publications.
As Sally points out, independent e-publishing is not a get-rich-quick scheme for most writers. However, knowing that my stories now have a much longer life span than was previously the case will do for the moment.
2 August, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Also available in print!
I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve told me that they’d love to read my short story collections if only they were available in print. Well, here they are and all in one omnibus edition available from any Amazon website!
Readers who prefer to download the omnibus from Amazon as an eBook can also benefit, as this offers all three collections for the price of two.
28 July, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Literary Allsorts 2013
Ripon Writers’ Group’s third annual ‘open mic’ event saw around forty writers and their guests enjoy an evening of readings at the Golden Lion on Allhallowgate. Vicky and Steve generously allowed us free use of their large (and air conditioned) function room, for which everyone was very grateful on such a hot evening.
In addition to many local writers, it was good to welcome contingents from Leeds, Harrogate, Nidderdale and York, including many Swanwickers (devotees of The Writers’ Summer School held each August at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire).
Poetry, prose, fiction and non-fiction flowed in generous measure and I managed to fit in – just – everyone who signed up to take part. Chairing the event was quite a task but an enjoyable one, even though I seemed to spend as much time scanning the list of would be readers and anxiously eyeing my watch as listening to their contributions.
Fortunately, fellow RWG committee members kept my glass well filled and the evening ended in a happy glow.
More photographs of the event can be seen at www.riponwriters.co.uk
12 July, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Featured in the Yorkshire Post
N.B. My companions and I didn’t just have ‘a trip round’ the Russian capital in a double-decker. We bought the old bus for a very modest sum and drove from Manchester to Moscow via France, Belgium, West and East Germany and Poland. Our route home took us through parts of the Ukraine, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Six weeks on the road and plenty of food for thought!
5 July, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
An Evening with Andy Humphrey and Guests
An upper room in the Royal Oak on Goodramgate was the venue for the launch of Andy’s first full-length poetry collection, A Long Way To Fall. The place was bursting at the seams when I arrived just after 7.30 p.m. and more people squeezed in later; a tribute to Andy’s popularity and many hats. A great deal more about Andy can be gleaned from his own website http://andyhumphrey1971.webs.com/
There was much to enjoy on this fine if rather muggy evening in York. Guest performers included poets Ann Heath, Tanya Nightingale and James Nash and there were musical numbers from Rob Nightingale and Union Jill, all well known faces on the local scene.
Hearing Andy read is always a great pleasure and the audience listened with rapt attention to the poems he chose on this occasion.
Ripon Writers’ Group is looking forward to welcoming Andy and other members of York Writers to our showcase/open mic event on Tuesday, 9th July.
28 June, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
Pre-Swanwick reunion in Newcastle
One of my favourite weeks of the year is in August, when I go down to Derbyshire for the Writers’ Summer School. It’s known to writers all over the UK and many abroad simply as ‘Swanwick’, the name of the village in which it takes place.
The WSS, which has been going for over 60 years, takes over The Hayes Conference Centre from Saturday afternoon until Friday morning. During that time, 300 or so of us revel in the unique buzz of so many like minded people getting together to swap ideas and learn from a range of outside speakers. Full details of this year’s programme can be found at http://swanwickwritersschool.co.uk/
I first attended in 2006, when I was proud – and completely taken aback – to win a free place through the annual poetry competition. Later on, the first 1000 words of a story for children won me another free place, but I’ve been happy to pay my own way every other year and consider it money very well spent.
In between those wonderful weeks, Swanwickers like to keep in touch through the newsletter, social media sites and many individual arrangements. The photograph above was taken yesterday when a few of us got together for the day. As ever, the conversation flowed even more freely than the drink.
23 June, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
‘Quartet’ by the Ripon Rowel Players
Reviewing a play is always a pleasurable assignment and I was happy to oblige one fine Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago. Having missed the film, I went along to the Ripon Spa Hotel with no preconceptions and had a thoroughly enjoyable time of it. The seating in the ballroom was cabaret style with optional refreshments during the performance and between acts, all of which contributed to the convivial atmosphere.
My review has appeared in full today in the local press. If anyone connected with the performance is away and unable to get hold of a copy, please let me know.
20 June, 2013 - Make the first comment on this story
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