Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace is a place I've longed to visit for years and last week I finally managed to do just that. Together with two friends, Jo and Andrea we had a lovely day at this wonderful palace.

Work was started on this magnificent building in 1705 for John Churchill and his wife Sarah as a reward for his victory at Blindheim on the River Danube in Bavaria.

Blenheim also recently became a film set for Gulliver's Travels, the new movie to be released on Boxing Day. You can find out more about that here.

The Column of Victory stands in the vast and magnificent grounds, which I just have to go back and explore in the summer. You can just see the Column in the distance in this photo I took from the house.







Winter Party

Last week I attended my first RNA winter party. I had no idea what to expect, but really enjoyed the evening. As an aspiring writer the best bit was being able to talk to the editor who last read my work.

The party took place in the the Library of the ImechE, but being too busy talking I only have this one photo of Jan Jones.

More can be seen on the RNA's blog.

As I left, I just couldn't resist doing the tourist bit and took this photo of Big Ben on a drizzly November evening.

Still Here!

Last month was busy. One of those months where I couldn't do as much writing as I wanted, but on Thursday last week I met up with writing friends in Nantwich. I went there in September for a talk given by India Grey at the Library as part of the New Voices competition. It was such a lovely town, full of black and white Tudor buildings that I really wanted to go back.

What I hadn't bargained on was the misty and wet driving conditions. This is a photo I took when I stopped on the way and if the mist hadn't been obscuring the view across Wales it would have been stunning.

Another reason for wanting to go back to Nantwich was the gorgeous cake shop Homemade. It is a quaint little shop that also have a cafe, but the cakes are amazing. I just had to take a box home!

We had a lovely lunch and talked so much about writing I couldn't help but come home feeling so refreshed and revived. Between now and Christmas I have several competitions to prepare for and a new submission to Mills and Boon as well as more days out with writing friends.