My Name on a Book

Seeing your name on a book must be a wonderful feeling and that's just what I did during my weekend away. The only problem - this book was edible!

I arrived in Fishguard on Valentine's Day, and my birthday, for a weekend course with Kate Walker on writing romance. Whilst other diners where having quiet moments the early arrivals to the course were singing Happy Birthday to me. It was a lovely and unexpected surprise.

I saved the cake to share with the other romance writers in the group and on Saturday afternoon we had enjoyed a piece of the book.

 

 

It was an intensive weekend, with all aspects of romance writing covered. The group was fantastic and it was lovely to meet new writers as well as catch up with friends. Going to The Fishguard Bay Hotel and taking a course with Kate Walker each February has become something of an annual event. One I always learn from and enjoy immensely, but this year it had that extra special feeling. So thank you Kate for such a lovely cake, all your hard work to make such a fantastic course and thank you everyone who was on the course for making it the best weekend course so far!

 

Finally a big thanks to Writers' Holiday for organising the weekend. Can't wait for next year!



Spring

Finally hints or spring are around. Snowdrops are flowering and the daffodils are pushing their way up with the promise of sunny yellow flowers.



As for me, I feel like I've been hibernating over the winter months. I may have been quiet, but I haven't been asleep - honest! My latest story has just been completed and submitted to the New Writers' Scheme, run by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

So with the beginnings of spring I'm ready to start a new story, but first I have my annual trip to Fishguard, where I'll be attending Kate Walker's romance writing course at the weekend. I'm so looking forward to catching up with friends and meeting new writers.

A Toast to Success

Those of you who have been following So You Think You Can Write will know that the winner was announced last week. Seeing someone achieve their dream is great, but to know that person and to have been with them on at least part of their journey just makes it all the more wonderful.


Jennifer and I met two years ago in The Watermill whislt on a Romance Writing course run by Sharon Kendrick. It was one of the best weeks ever, the group was fantastic - and of course we were in Tuscany!

Here's Jen's call.




So all that's left for me to say is..

 Good Luck Jen!

Lots of Writing News

So far this month it has been busy and not just on the farm, but with writing. At the beginning of the month, myself and two friends stayed in an old cottage in the heart of the Welsh countryside. The weather ranged from sunshine, to mist and to heavy rain, but whilst the sun shone we walked out up the hills - the only place to get a mobile signal!



Most of the time we were warm and cosy inside, brainstorming ideas and reading over our writing. We also ate lovely food and drank good wine.

The next bit of news is that Cwrtnewydd Scribblers has just released its latest anthology, Teapots and Tiaras, and its available from the website or on kindle.

Finally, I'm really excited to be able to say that a friend of mine, Jennifer Drogell, is in the top three of So You Think You Can Write Competition. Her story, The Divorce Party, can be viewed and voted for here. 

Autumn's Arrival

Well, summer really is over, the swallows and house martins have gone and the pesky starlings are arriving in big numbers each day. Blackberries in the hedgerows are passing over and the leaves fall the the ground, carpeting everything in shades of golden brown. Autumn is here and we didn't see much of summer!

On the writing front I'm in the middle of a new story and enjoying my characters and trying to dig ever deeper.
It's also competition time with the So You Think You Can Write competition entering its next stage and I'm thrilled to know several of the top 28! Good luck to you all.
The Romance Writers of Australia's competition season started in August with the High Five and goes on into April next year when it ends with the Valerie Parv Award. These competitions are worth entering as each entrant receives score sheets with feedback from the judges. Brilliant to find out what you got right - as well as wrong.

My local writing group, Cwrtnewydd Scribblers, is also preparing to publish its next anthology, which this year again includes winners from our short story competition.

Back through the ages

Last week I went to Dinefwr Park with historical author Judith Arnopp. Even though this magnificent park is near to where I live I'd never been. So on a beautifully sunny day, armed with a picnic and our cameras we set off. Even the entrance to the park is grand, a long road through the park where White Park cattle graze. We also caught a glimpse of one of the deer, roaming amid the ferns in the Medieval Deer Park, but he was too quick for us to get a photo of him!

The castle dates back to the 12th century and offered spectacular views. We climbed narrow spiral steps to reach the top of the towers and spent several hours exploring all the small passageways and corners, wondering what it must have once been like.

In the afternoon we went to Newton House, originally built in the 1660's, but now displaying the Victorian stone facade after extensive remodelling.

Inside the house was a WWII exhibition, with rooms set out as they would have been when the house was used as a hospital. One of my favourite rooms was the Drawing room, complete with 1940's music.

It was a great day out and a fantastic place to draw inspiration from. I shall definitely be going back for another visit.

A Way With Words

Each Monday I meet with writing friends and together we are known as Cwrtnewydd Scribblers. Our latest collection of short stories has just been published on Kindle.

Our latest competition closed at the end of July and judging is taking place now, with the winners to be included in a next collection, due out later this year. If you missed this look out for our next competition in the new collection.

So if you are a short story reader why not give our collection a try?It's free to download at the moment. Get it here.