Beware of typos

Yes just one simple slip of the finger can totally change the meaning of what you're writing. Take tonight's Shropshire Star for example. There is an article plus photograph of Miss Edith Elizabeth Bufton who is shown celebrating her 100th birthday with her nephew. However, in reporting this joyous occasion Hannah Costigan of the Shropshire Star obviously got carried away with the whole event. She wrote 'Despite reaching 100, Elizabeth still LOVES independently and keeps active.'

Well all I can add to that is good luck to Miss Bufton and long may she continue.

Attingham Park declared a resounding success

Following a meeting this afternoon at Attingham Park the Book Fair in May has been a wonderful success. So much so, plans are now underway to repeat it again next year, which I think is wonderful news. So watch this space. Next year, things will be bigger, better and probably instead of two days we'll do three so that means longer too.

My thanks go to Dorothy Nicolle, Simon Whaley, Mike White and all those who were involved in organising this event. Also thanks to Barbara Groom, Mollie Bolt, Nicola Vincent, Julie Phillips, Fiona and Steve Smith, Jenny Kiernan, Darren Bailey, Di Perry, Phyllis Blakemore, Brenda Carter, Beverley Woodhead (and if I've forgotten anyone please forgive me, or email me and I'll add you to the list) for turning up. Also thanks to Wrekin Writers for the Chairman's Challenges that were on display. We showed Shropshire what a bunch of talented writers we are.

Also I have to say a great big thanks to the authors who turned up. You guys were the stars of the show and I promise you'll get an invitation to next year's event.

And finally, the competition. Well there has been a delay in announcing the results but rest assured the winners will be notified within the next few days.

Thanks again guys without you, your support and enthusiasm Wrekin Writers wouldn't be the fantastic group it is.

My Mum

Three years ago today my lovely Mum was 'Promoted to Glory' and although I was privileged to be with her when she died there is not a day goes by that I don't miss her dreadfully.

Writing about someone you love and you've lost is incredibly difficult and I'm not even going to try. Instead I want to share a poem with you that over the past three years I have found to be of immense comfort.

Death is Nothing at All

Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)


Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room,
I am and you are you,
Whatever we were to each other that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way, which you always used,
Put no difference in your tone,
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow,
Laugh as we always laughed,
At the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant,
It is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity,
Why should I be out of mind,
Because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval,
Somewhere very near,
Just around the corner, all is well.

To my Mum thank you. Thank you for your love, your laughter,
your sense of fun, your drive, your determination but most of all thank you for
being my Mum.

I will alway love you. God bless xx

New Wrekin Writer

Congratulations to Jenny Keirnan on the birth of her son Robin Stephen Keirnan on 29th May. Knowing Jenny we certainly have a new Wrekin Writer. Loads of love sweetheart and I know I'm speaking from the group, we wish you and your son every happiness.xx

Chapter and Verse

What a week! Monday afternoon I went to a writers’ workshop run by Jeff Phelps. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon although I suspect it didn’t quite go according to plan. One of the participants asked how can an editor edit fiction? I suppose in the ideal world no one has the right to edit your creativity but we don’t live in an ideal world and the bottom line is, if you want your work published, you have to give the editor what they want. All the stories published in magazines have to follow guidelines that have been laid down by the magazine and you have to adapt your work to fit their guidelines. Even competitions have rules that must be adhered to. There is no point submitting your brilliant

story of two tho

usand words to a competition that states the maximum word count is sixteen hundred words. It will be disqualified. So whether we like it or not, fiction is edited one way or another.

It was also

nice to see Jeff again, he was a member of Wrekin Writers when I first joined many years ago.

Monday evening I went up to Bishops Castle to hear the crime writer Priscilla Masters www.priscillamasters.com Her story is very different to most. One of seven adopted children of different nationalities she grew up in Yorkshire. Her entry into writing was the result of an aunt asking her what she was going to do with her life. The rest, so they say is history. If you haven’t heard Cilla talk she’s well worth seeing, as for me I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Thursday evening I was off out again. This time I went to Church Stretton library to hear Gillian Linscott. Gillian started her career as a journalist covering such exciting stories as jumble sales and lost dogs. Eventually she moved into writing crime novels and gardening. She now lives and works at Hampton Court, no not that one, the one in Herefordshire where she gardens during the day and writes in the evening. Again I had a wonderful evening.

Friday afternoon I had coffee and cake in Craven Arms with Phil Rickman. Phil like Gillian was a journalist who has also turned his hand to writing fiction. Ghost hunting is his speciality and consequently the discussion did turn to ghosts and seeking them out. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it was an interesting afternoon. Not quite sure though how far he goes with his research or whether he does it alone. I don’t think I would.

These events were arranged as part of the Bridgnorth and South Shropshire Literary Festival. I've had a wonderful time and learned a lot and am grateful to the organisers for arranging the festival. Hopefully it will be repeated next year but with better publicity. Also it was fantastic that there was so much going on right on my doorstep, now that does make a change.