Short 'n' Sweet by Ann Evans

Our latest anthology

It's all been about short stories recently. Belonging to the Coventry Writers' Group, we decided to put together another anthology of our stories to publish ourselves and to have as an ebook.

Coventry Tales 2 came hot off the press last week, and the group celebrated with a launch at Waterstones last Saturday and a launch party at our main library on Tuesday evening.

We all know how isolated it can be at times when you're a writer, so its nice to belong to a group of like-minded people. Of course it doesn't always work out, but happily over the last few years our lot have really got their act together in making good use of our work.

A couple of years ago, after running a Christmas short story competition, it was decided to compile them into an anthology. Fortunately for us, one particular member is a dab hand at publishing his own non-fiction books and runs a small publishing company. (Yes, we know we're dead lucky in having him as a member!) So he (Mike Boxwell of Greenstream Publishing) was the driving force behind our efforts at getting an anthology together.

Another member of the group was a qualified proof reader and copy editor, and a friend of yet another member is an artist - who volunteered her services to do the cover - again.

For some members of the group that was the first story they had ever published, so it was quite a big deal for them. Plus we all got involved in marketing and promoting the book (definitely good practice) as well as doing some leg-work in calling in at local newsagents and other outlets to see who would like to stock the book for us. One member even went along to the Lord Mayor's office and sold him some books. Seems he was delighted to have a local Coventry book available to give away to visiting dignitaries as gifts.

That anthology Coventry Tales was followed up by a free ebook called Christmas Tales. While another industrious member entered our anthology into a national competition for anthologies – which went on to take the first prize of £250!!

As another promotional event, which was also great fun, we held a performance at a local amateur theatre. We offered it free and put on refreshments as bribes! Then more recently we indulged in a writers' group breakfast at a local pub paid for by the anthology competition prize winnings.

Naturally, we decided to repeat the whole thing, so earlier this year we ran another competition, the theme being fact or fiction and linked to Coventry. During the Coventry Literary Festival we staged another performance (with costumes) at the local theatre which was great fun. And more recently we got all the stories together again, and Mike (bless him!) has once again turned it into a lovely book.

Some of the Coventry Writers' Group rehearsing for
our anthology performance

Following a press release, local radio stations became interested in our latest escapades which resulted in invitations to two radio stations and pieces in local papers. Plus the Coventry library were again fantastic in promoting Coventry Tales 2 and letting us do a launch party, which took place on Tuesday.

Then if that's not enough about anthologies, there's another one on the go, with a totally different group. Around January last year I started up another writing course, called Focus on Fiction. It was intended as a 6-week course, and I had about 10 students. After the six weeks were over, eight of the group were enjoying themselves so much and finding it really useful and supportive, they wanted to continue meeting up – and so the course continued – and continues...

As winter approached we decided to write some short stories with a winter/Christmas theme with the intention of reading them out around Christmas. And then we had the great idea of compiling them into an anthology and producing it as an ebook.

We needed to give ourselves a name, so we played around with names before coming up with The Wordsmiths. And now Winter Tales by the Wordsmiths is about to be launched on the world via Amazon Kindle... and the group are fantastically excited about the event, and so am I.

Only two of this intrepid group have been published before, and I am so impressed by the work and effort they have all shown in writing their stories, and working hard in proof reading them, it's just been absolutely fantastic. Plus knowing they are being published has boosted their confidence in themselves as writers, that they have all visibly upped their writing so impressively that I can't wait to tell everyone about our anthology.

I've only just uploaded it on Kindle, so at the time of writing I can't give you the link. But if you're browsing at any time, please take a peep at Winter Tales by The Wordsmiths.

The link to the Coventry Writers Group's latest anthology is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coventry-Tales-2-Writers-Group/dp/190767036X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386782610&sr=8-1&keywords=Coventry+Tales+2

And my website is: www.annevansbooks.co.uk

A Society for Woman (and men too) by Ann Evans

I'm sure that quite a few Sassies are also members of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists (SWWJ). It's the UK's longest-established Society for professional woman writers and has members based all around the globe.

It was founded in 1894 so next year sees it's 120th anniversary. Oddly enough it wasn't founded by a woman. It was newspaper proprietor and entrepreneur Joseph Snell Wood who recognised the need for women journalists back in those Victorian times to have their own organisation that supported them and which could establish and safeguard their rights.

And so he established the Society of Woman Journalists. In 1951 it changed its name to the present title, adding in the words 'Women Writers' to meet the changing needs of its membership. Then in 2004 the Society made the decision to invite men who are published writers to join as Associate Members.

Theorigins of the Society can be found in Sylvia Kent's book The Woman Writerpublished in 2010, but as a snapshot into the Society's history I found it interesting to note that in its early days a reception was arranged for its members to meet Sarah Bernhardt, one of the most famous actresses of all time. Within two months more than 200 women had applied to join.

Over the years it has attracted countless famous literary and society names. To mention just a few, members and Presidents have included Ursula Bloom, a prolific writer with some 500 books published, many under pseudonyms; crime writer Margery Allingham, Catherine Cookson, who has sold 100 million copies of her books; Richmal Crompton, famous for her Just William books;

Lady Longford was their Honorary Life President for 25 years. Joyce Grenfell was the Society's President for 22 years, followed by novelist Nina Bawden who was President from 1980 until her death in August 2012. 

It's an awe inspiring and possibly daunting line up, nevertheless the SWWJ – just like our SAS is friendly and welcoming.

I joined back in 1994. It actually comes as a bit of a shock to think I've been a member for so long. But it must be because I remember going to one of their Centenary celebration events as a new member.

The aims of the SWWJ include the encouragement of literary achievement (which I'm still striving towards!) the upholding of professional standards, and social contact with fellow writers and others in the writing business, such as editors, agents, publishers and broadcasters.

The social contact with fellow writers is something we all appreciate, although I must admit I haven't been to that many SWWJ events. However 18 months ago I went to a writers' retreat in Gozo near Malta which had been organised by a SWWJ member. That was fun with writing workshops every morning leaving the afternoons and evenings free to explore, get inspired – and of course lots of sand, sun, sea, cocktails and good food, to get those creative juices flowing.

A band of SWWJ folk in Gozo

There's lots of benefits from being a member. There are regular events such as workshops and visits to places of literary interest. There are seasonal get togethers which often feature big-name guest speakers. There are informal regional meetings. Just a few weeks ago, the Society held it's first Midlands regional meeting, and for me it was nice to put faces to names - and to meet up with a fellow Gozo writer again, Jean Morris.

Other benefits of being a member are that you receive the magazine The Woman Writer five times a year which is packed full of news, articles, competitions, markets and more. You receive a Press Card, which will get you into places and behind the scenes at countless events and venues - that alone is worth the very reasonable annual membership fee. Plus there are different levels of entry - but you can check out all the details of membership on their website.

There's a lot of benefits of belonging to the SWWJ. It might be right for you. Why not visit them at: www.swwj.co.ukAnd you can find them on Facebook.

Or visit my website: www.annevansbooks.co.uk

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

By Ann Evans

On a recent school visit, one little chap innocently asked, “How old are you?” Now, I'll answer any question truthfully to a class of nine and ten year olds – even that old favourite: “How much money do you get?” Oh but the age thing. So out came my stock answer, which is to say that I started writing when my children were tiny and now they are grown up with children of their own. Then as they're busy calculating the years, I get on with telling them something more interesting.

But that old cliché 'out of the mouths of babes', certainly rings true whether you're talking to a class of junior school children or your own offspring and grand-kids. One bright spark at another school did a quick calculation – not about age this time, but on rejection. I always tell the youngsters that I had six different novels rejected before I finally had one accepted – stressing the need for perseverance. I'd earlier shown them a typical 60,000 word manuscript (I was trying for Mills & Boon and adult crime stories at the time). Out of the blue a little ten year old put his hand up and said, “Miss, you wrote 420,000 words before you got anything accepted!”

Put like that I was stunned. So thanking him for making my day, I reiterated the need for perseverance in whatever you choose to do. Fortunately almost half a million rejected words didn't seem to put anyone off wanting to be a writer when they grow up!

What would we do without the thoughts and comments of our young readers though? It was purely because of an email from a little girl that two of my books even got written. Shortly after my book The Beast came out, I received an email via my website from a little girl who said, “I enjoyed The Beast, what's going to happen to Karbel now?”

Karbel is my ghost of a sabre toothed tiger, haunting a remote Scottish Valley. So I sat down to reply to her, thinking, I haven't a clue what's going to happen to him, but I had to think of something... Before the day was out I'd got an outline for a second and third book. Happily the publisher loved the ideas and I loved the little girl who had pushed me into thinking a little deeper.

I count myself lucky now in having my very own number one fan and critique all rolled into one – Jake, my eldest grandchild. At 13 and almost as tall as me (as he constantly points out) he's always been keen to read my latest offering. In fact there was an incident that made me smile a while back. He was sitting on my bed reading one of my books. I was sitting at the computer next to the bed madly typing away on a new story. For a moment it felt like a little production line which made us both smile.

I was looking through one of those old rejected manuscripts from years ago. It was an adult crime story and in it, the dog dies. I remember at the time, talking about the story to my local writers group and how horrified they all were at the thought of the dog dying. “You can't kill the dog!” they all yelled.

As a keen reader and story writer himself, Jake has always been eager to come up with ideas and suggestions when I've been stuck and one suggestion he made recently certainly struck a cord.

I told Jake my storyline. Surprise, surprise when he exclaimed, “You can't kill the dog!”

Never mind the humans who come to a sticky end, the message was loud and clear, the dog had to live. Perhaps that was why it never got accepted. Maybe the newer dog friendly version will have better luck.

Grandson Jake and pal.

When visiting schools, I generally read a section from one of my Beast books. The Reawakening has a puppy called Scooby in it, and my favourite passage to read is when Karbel snatches the puppy and runs off with it in his ghostly jaws. It's a great cliffhanger and I just love seeing their faces when I end with the line: ...Until finally, he couldn't see the mass of shimmering light at all, and Scooby was just a speck in the distance. And then she was gone.

Inevitably they all want to know - does the puppy dog die?

Fear not, I tell them – no animals were hurt in the writing of this book!

I wouldn't dare do otherwise!

Busy Bee by Ann Evans

Me about to meet some real busy bees!

I like to have a number of different writing projects on the go. It probably isn’t the most efficient and productive way of working. Perhaps if I concentrated on one thing at a time, I’d get things finished and sent off a lot quicker, rather than having half finished books and articles hanging around for ages.

But that’s me, and when there’s a deadline looming, I knuckle down to the job in hand. I suppose the reason I like having a collection of different things on the go, is because there’s always something different. Writing doesn’t get tedious, and things are at different stages.

What I probably enjoy the most, is doing the research, especially if it gets me out and about. And to be honest it's a lot easier than actually sitting down to actually write.
The photo on the right is me being a real busy bee, about to go get up close and personal to a few thousand bees. The picture below is me taking notes about a new Charlie Chaplin museum in Switzerland. 

Another interview

It's mainly when I'm working on an article that I go off and research some topic or other, and now and again I've found that the information gathered on what is usually someone else's hobby or passion, can come in very useful in my fictional writing too.

A couple of weeks ago, my romance book Champagne Harvest came out in paperback large print, published by F A Thorp (Publishing) of Leicestershire. (Originally published by People's Friend). It's set where else but the Champagne Region of France.

The idea for the book first took hold when I was lucky enough to go on a press trip to Champagne to write about bubbly for the newspaper I was working on. I know, it's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

My hero in the book is champagne tycoon (and famous painter) Philippe Beaulieu. My heroine is a feature writer on a local newspaper. Okay a bit type cast but as you all probably know, being a writer opens doors and I wanted my heroine, Laura Kane to investigate Monsieur Beaulieu, believing him to be up to no good.

I found it really helpful to read back through the copious notes made on the press trip, and then weave some of the factual stuff into my story. The quotes from the growers and champagne aficionados certainly made my characters sound more believable when I slipped a few authentic words and sentences in here and there. 

Learning about champers!

Thinking up new story ideas is a real struggle at times and for me the spark of an idea is nearly always centred around something in real life, so looking at the factual info gathered for different non-fiction articles comes in so useful at times.

Just a week ago I went off to interview an engineer who rebuilds and repairs large scale model steam trains – the sort you and the kids might sit on to ride around a park. It's for a mechanical engineering magazine. And amongst the research I discovered a wonderful eccentric character from the 1920s who will be just perfect to resurrect and remould in a romance. In fact the prospect of writing the fictional story that's currently brewing in my head is a lot more exciting that writing all that stuff about castings and boilers!

So I suppose that's the thing with research. You start off on one subject and you just never know what other ideas and opportunities it will spark. What do you think?

Please feel free to look at my website: www.annevansbooks.co.uk

Become a Writer - A Step by Step Guide, out now.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Become-Writer-Step-Guide/dp/1907670246/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378835148&sr=1-2

Seeking Inspiration. Ann Evans

Harbury Library recently

Whenever I do a school visit I'll inevitably be asked 'Where do you get your inspiration from?'

Before I tell them, I usually turn the question around and get them thinking about where their story ideas come from. 

After that discussion, I'll usually tell them how I came to write this book ot that book. In almost every instance the idea is based around something that I've done, seen, heard or experienced in real life. 

However, the more often I repeat these anecdotes, the more easy and obvious it all sounds. Probably because I'm looking back, and time and distance seems to have put it all into some clear-cut logical sequence. In reality, when considering where inspiration came from for a particular story I'm pretty certain I've lost track of the actual time factor between getting that spark of an idea and actually getting organised enough to write something on it. Perhaps weeks or even months have slipped by before a few words get woven into a first draft of a story. So in retrospect, when we (or at least I) talk about finding inspiration, it sounds a lot easier than it actually is.

I know that with The Beast I was deliberately seeking inspiration for a thriller. I'd finished writing a series for Scholastic which had taken a lot of plotting, as they were whodunnits. But then I was free and I wanted to see where my imagination would take me.

Holidaying in Scotland was the perfect location to set a story with those majestic mountains and deep forests – plenty of scope there for an adventure. And just as I advise other budding writers to do, I asked myself all those 'what ifs'  which eventually led to a storyline and characters. (At least I practised what I preached there!)  

So actively looking for inspiration can work. But generally  it strikes when you least expect it, and sometimes the more you try the harder it gets.

A general piece of advice I give to students is to keep an 'ideas notebook' because those elusive ideas can flit into your head and vanish just as quickly. But where's my notebook? Well actually, I either fill up my notebooks and the ideas are lost somewhere between the pages; or the actual notebooks get buried under the other papers and 'stuff' on my desk. 

Although I know when an idea has really taken hold, because I'll start typing it up. Sometimes though, it gets forgotten or overtaken by more pressing jobs. Then, months (even years) later I'll come across that sketchy idea again by accident and decide that it's not too bad – or alternatively, wonder what on earth was going through my head.

Inspiration is a funny old thing. Here's what a few well known writers have said on the subject. Do any of these quotes strike a chord with you?

Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work. Stephen King

I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning. P eter De Vries

If you wait for inspiration to write; you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.Dan Poynter

A writer is working when he's staring out of the window. Burton Rascoe.

Writing is just having a sheet of paper, a pen and not a shadow of an idea of what you are going to say. Francoise Sagan

And this quote from Raymond Chandler made me smile, because it's exactly what I've done in the book I'm writing now. Trying to decide how my protagonist should first encounter his pretty unpleasant cousin, I did exactly what Chandler suggested...

When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand. Raymond Chandler

Thank you Mr Chandler.

And finally, Inspiration is the act of drawing up a chair to the writing desk. Anon.

How about you, do you wait for inspiration to strike, or just knuckle down and write?

Feel free to take a look at my website:  http://www.annevansbooks.co.uk

Latest books: (under the pseudonym S.Carey) http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143306986/eerie-trunk

And

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Become-Writer-Step-Guide/dp/1907670246

For The Love of Dogs by Ann Evans

Friends' dogs - Chip and Hetty

Did any of you go along to Crufts last week? As I’m writing this in advance I’m looking forward to going there on Sunday. Partly for work and partly because I just love seeing all the dogs. Although I admit there was one year when I'd looked at so many dogs during the afternoon, I commented on how one particular dog was sitting so still and obediently... It turned out to be a life-sized stuffed cuddly toy! 

I have always loved dogs. When I was little and all the pleading and pestering to mum and dad to let me have a dog came to nothing, I would play outside with a piece of rope which I pretended was a dog lead attached to my make-believe dog. 

Since then, happily I've been lucky enough to have had some wonderful dogs as pets. As anyone with a dog knows, our four-footed friends aren't just companions, they are protectors and comforters. They're always pleased to see you, and as confidants, you can tell your dog all your secrets and troubles and you know they won’t breathe a word to another soul.

Dogs are certainly man’s best friend – and many a writer’s best friend too. As a freelancer I've been writing for Dogs Monthly magazine since the 1990s. The first article was on my dog, Pippa who had a walk-on part in a play at my local theatre which resulted in her being interviewed on the radio!

Me and Pippa

Since then there have been articles on assistance dogs, search and rescue dogs, detection dogs - sniffing out anything and everything from ammunition and illegal drugs to detecting illnesses and impending epileptic fits. There have been articles on Army dogs, police dogs, cadaver dogs and stunt dogs; pedigree and cross breeds; dogs with super skills and dogs just desperate for love - to mention just a few. 

For many of us, walking the dog is just the ticket when we need to get away from it all and let our minds wander. That free time can be inspirational. And as we know dogs have been inspiring writers – and artists for centuries.

Here’s a few canine-themed poems which I hope you’ll enjoy reading as much as I have... and some nice doggy photos to share with you!

Tom's Little Dog

Grandson Jake and Chippy.

by Walter de la Mare

Tom told his dog called Tim to beg,
And up at once he sat,
His two clear amber eyes fixed fast,
His haunches on his mat.

Tom poised a lump of sugar on
His nose; then, "Trust!" says he;
Stiff as a guardsman sat his Tim;
Never a hair stirred he.

"Paid for!" says Tom; and in a trice
Up jerked that moist black nose;
A snap of teeth, a crunch, a munch,
And down the sugar goes! 

To a Lady with an Unruly and Ill-mannered Dog 
Who Bit several Persons of Importance

by Sir Walter Raleigh

Your dog is not a dog of grace;
He does not wag the tail or beg;
He bit Miss Dickson in the face;
He bit a Bailie in the leg.

What tragic choices such a dog

One of the perks of writing about dogs!

Presents to visitor or friend!
Outside there is the Glasgow fog;
Within, a hydrophobic end.

Yet some relief even terror brings,
For when our life is cold and gray
We waste our strength on little things,
And fret our puny souls away.

A snarl! A scruffle round the room!
A sense that Death is drawing near!
And human creatures reassume
The elemental robe of fear.

So when my colleague makes his moan
Of careless cooks, and warts, and debt,
-- Enlarge his views, restore his tone,
And introduce him to your Pet!

The Power of the Dog

by Rudyard Kipling

Daughter Debbie, boyfriend Steve and Lola

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie --
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find -- it's your own affair --
But . . . you've given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit hat answered your every mood
Is gone -- wherever it goes -- for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept'em, the more do we grieve;

For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long --
So why in -- Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

And some dogs are worth their weight in gold.

Thank you Rob Tysall of Tysall's Photography for the photos.

(www.tysallsphotography.org.uk)

And if you'd like to look at me website, it's:  www.annevansbooks.co.uk

Out now: Become a Writer - A step by step guide. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Become-Writer-Step-Guide/dp/1907670246/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394300642&sr=8-1&keywords=Become+a+writer+ann+evans