Tag: libraries

Appreciating Books

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Facebook – General

Was at the Winchester Discovery Centre for their 10th-anniversary celebrations as part of a group of local writers. Chatted with people, sold some books, other people took postcards of the book, and I hopefully raised the profile of flash fiction. After all, what is the most common question asked of any flash fiction writer? Basically, what IS flash fiction?!

Funnily enough, I wasn’t asked that today and I’ve found the best answer is to read an example or two out to people. Loveliest comment of the day was from one person who bought From Light to Dark and Back Again as she absolutely loved being read to! Maybe adults need reading to more often!

Will write more about this for Chandler’s Ford Today for this coming week’s post but thanks to Richard Hardie for setting things up. I hope all who went to the Centre today had a great time.

Support your library? Definitely! (And a big thanks must go to the library staff who provided teas, coffees and cake throughout the day!)

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Heather Chamberlain and Woofbot enjoy talking with Richard Hardie, YA author, at Winchester Discovery Centre.  Image by Allison Symes

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Have spent most of today promoting From Light to Dark and Back Again, and flash fiction in general, at Winchester Discovery Centre today.

A group of local writers were there joining in with the celebrations for the Centre’s 10th-anniversary. Didn’t get to do the author talk (though at least I’ve got one prepared now!) but did do readings of my stories, which I love doing.

Off to the Bridge House/Cafelit/Chapeltown celebration next weekend. I’ll be reading stories again then too and am looking forward to catching up with fellow BH authors again.

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Children’s author, Finian Black, at his book stand at Winchester.  Image by Allison Symes

 

Goodreads Author Programme Blog – Appreciating Books

I was at the Winchester Discovery Centre on 25th November as one member of a group of local writers invited to take part in the Centre’s 10th-anniversary celebrations. I used to work in Winchester and passed the Centre countless times but had never been in there before. It is a stunning building and the library is beautifully laid out.

I’ll be writing more about today’s event for my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week but I wanted to say now how good it was there were so many people in the Centre and that books are appreciated. Sometimes I’ve had the impression books can be sidelined. There ARE other forms of entertainment after all but to my mind you can’t beat curling up with a good book, whether that is in book, audio or electronic format.

It was good to talk to people about what flash fiction is and, better still, read a couple of examples out from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Loveliest comment of the day was from someone who relished my reading to her as an adult! Perhaps we “grown ups” need to be read to much more often!

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Events and Editing

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Sorry for the gap in posts but lots going on, all positive.  More below.

Facebook – General

Not been around much the last couple of days. Have been editing a series for Chandler’s Ford Today, which has been interesting and good fun to do but time-consuming! All good experience though. The series will appear fairly soon.

My post this week will be the start of an occasional series looking at pivotal moments in history. Tomorrow’s post will focus on Bosworth and how that affected us in Hampshire. More details tomorrow but when you consider Hampshire’s symbol is the Tudor Rose, well the outcome of 1485 mattered! I somehow think Hampshire would have chosen a different symbol had Richard III won!

Looking forward to going to the 10th-anniversary celebrations at Winchester Discovery Centre on Saturday. I’ll be giving a short talk on flash fiction (at about 11.45) and giving readings from From Light to Dark and Back Again. Should be good fun.

And if you’d like to discuss flash fiction, writing for the small presses and online magazines, do come over and have a chat.

Meanwhile, Lady settles in…

Lady enjoying looking at the ducks on Hiltingbury Lakes. Image by me.
Lovely late autumn day at Hiltingbury Lakes.
Some of the books I’ve appeared in and FLTDBA of course. Image by Allison Symes
From behind my table at the local Book Fair. Image by me.
My book is on sale in local outlets, including MIBI Gift Shop. Image by me.
Reading your work out loud is a vital part of editing.
Always lovely to meet readers. Image taken by Janet Williams, editor of Chandler’s Ford Today
Says it all really and applies to non-fiction equally as fiction. Image via Pixabay.

Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again

Sorry for the gap in posting but I have been editing a new series for Chandler’s Ford Today which will start soon. It has been interesting and fun to do but time-consuming. All good experience though! Can help you look at your own work with a more critical eye too and that is useful.

I’m going to be at the Winchester Discovery Centre this Saturday as part of its 10th-anniversary celebrations. I’ll be giving a short talk on flash fiction and reading from From Light to Dark and Back Again.

Do pop over and say hello if you can. I’m also happy to talk to any writer who might like to know more about writing for the small independent presses and online magazines.

There will be a wide variety of events going on at the Discovery Centre and the local authors’ stands are one part of this. And I’m all for libraries and local writers supporting each other as previous Chandler’s Ford Today posts from me show!

Should be good fun. Hope to see you there.

 

WANT TO KNOW MORE

ABOUT FLASH FICTION?

 

COME AND TALK TO ALLISON SYMES

AUTHOR: FROM LIGHT TO DARK AND BACK AGAIN

 

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Enjoying writing the follow up to FLTDBA. Image by Allison Symes

PUBLISHED BY CHAPELTOWN BOOKS

 

SHORT SNAPPY TALES TO KEEP YOU ON EDGE OF YOUR SEA

100 WORD STORIES 

FAIRYTALES WITH A TWIST 

SUPERNATURAL STORIES 

AND CHARACTERS YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO MEET IN LIFE

 

 

COME AND FIND OUT MORE…

 

 

Says it all really and ties in with my post tonight for This World and Others. Image via Pixabay.

THE JOY OF BOOKS

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It’s spot the theme night tonight!

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

The Joy of Books looks at well the joy of books for one thing but also asks whether your characters read for pleasure.  Also, do your characters take in their stories via print or do they use other media to do so? How do your characters “use” their literacy?

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

In Reading, ask how literate is your world and if reading is encouraged or viewed with suspicion?  (Reading can generate ideas, after all, some of which at least could be threatening to those in power).  Are there libraries?  Can anyone access them?

FACEBOOK PAGE

I talk about the various books I have on my Kindle – everything from C.S. Lewis to Doctor Who to short stories to fantasy to history (fact and fiction).  I conclude by wondering if someone found my Kindle, would they consider me a confused reader or someone who couldn’t make up their mind as to what they read?  For me, variety is the spice of my reading life.

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The Kindle - modern reading for a modern era. Image via Pixabay.

The Kindle – modern reading for a modern era. Image via Pixabay.

Story ideas still start on paper. Image via Pixabay.

NURSERY RHYME NONSENSE

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FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Nursery Rhyme Nonsense is an opinion piece from me.  For me, and for my stories to work, the fantastical world has to be believable.  This is where I find things like nursery rhymes bizarre.  Take Hey Diddle Diddle for instance. I’ve never seen a cow jump over the moon and have to wonder what the writer was on at the time when coming out with that!  Equally, I want to know if the cow has some form of jet propulsion (and not from its rear end!).  Things like that jar with me which is why, though I do enjoy nonsense verse, I can only read it in small doses at any one time.  I think I am a bit too prosaic!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

I’ve had issues tonight with titling on tonight’s post, which is not an issue I’ve had before.  My Fairytales with Bite website is absolutely fine.  My post tonight which I called Autumn Changes, turned up on Facebook as being Unreliable Characters, my post from yesterday!  The Weebly helpline was very good but the Facebook developers’ tool link they sent me is beyond me to fathom out.  I am not technically minded (unless you count knowing what a 1500 word story should look like in terms of the number of pages it should be on!).  Have got round the problem by just sharing a link to the general blog page on This World and Others as that lists the latest post first.  Hope I don’t get this issue again tomorrow.  It’s an odd one. Have not known it happen before.

FACEBOOK PAGE

Am delighted to say I’ve got proofreading work to do on my flash fiction collection, From Light to Dark and Back Again.  I also hope the events going on at my local library are well supported.  I never want libraries to become a thing of the past.

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Two formats for reading and Chandler's Ford library stocks both. Image via Pixabay.

Two formats for reading and Chandler’s Ford library stocks both. Image via Pixabay.

 

Story Shuffle Project: Choosing what to read. Image supplied by Eastleigh Borough Council.

EXPECTATIONS OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER

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I’ve written lists tonight for both of my website posts.  I do love a good list!

FAIRYTALES WITH BITE

Expectations of a Fairy Godmother lists ten things an experienced fairy godmother should expect during the course of her career.  If you can think of any to add, I’d welcome comments!

THIS WORLD AND OTHERS

Why Annoying a Writer is Not a Good Idea gives 10 reasons why this is so.  Again, if you can think of others, I’d be glad to get your comments!  This post was inspired by a Facebook photo doing the rounds earlier this evening.

CHANDLER’S FORD TODAY

I’ve written a quick update post tonight on the Story Shuffle Project.  This project is a great way of encouraging local school children to create their own stories and use their local libraries.

The idea is they write a story which, for this project, will be based on the tales of Sir Bevis of Hampton, Southampton’s legendary hero – think James Bond on tapestries basically!).  The stories are then digitised and put into the Shuffle app.

The children are given a code and have to visit their local library to use this code to unlock their own stories and gain access to a wealth of other books and stories.  From a writer’s viewpoint there is nothing not to like about this – creative writing and library use, wow!

I do hope all who use this project have a great deal of fun with it.  Tonight’s update shares further images sent into CFT about this.  I think the app looks great.  See what you think!  (And I hope ideas like this spread – great use of technology, stories, history, animation etc).

FACEBOOK PAGE

I share news of my CFT update and must thank Eastleigh Borough Council for supplying the images.  They support the Story Shuffle Project because of its role in encouraging creative writing and reading.  I must also thank my lovely editor for re-arranging the feature image.  She is very creative on this sort of thing!

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Story Shuffle Project: Code Setter. Image supplied by Eastleigh Borough Council.

Story Shuffle Project: Code Setter. Image supplied by Eastleigh Borough Council.