Romy Gemmell's Blog, page 30

Author Spotlight: Saskia Tepe

I’m delighted to welcome the very interesting debut author Saskia Tepe, to my blog today. I’ve been privileged to meet Saskia several times through the Scottish Association of Writers and her local writing group but hadn’t realised what a powerful story she had to tell. I’m so pleased that she is finally able to share her memoir with others – and it’s hard to put down. The wonderful cover, using some of Saskia's family photos, was the winning design by Kevin Hickey from the competition Saskia ran through Glasgow Caledonian University.
A warm welcome Saskia and thank you for sharing the background to your compelling story. First, here’s the official blurb.

Surviving Brigitte’s Secrets: A Holocaust Survivor.  Her Daughter.  Two Traumatic Journeys.
It has always been easy for Saskia to tell her mother’s remarkable story... 
In 1938, when Brigitte Langer is 23, the Nazis claim the Sudetenland and she is labelled a Mischling (mixed race) Jew of the 1st Degree. Courageous and resourceful, she escapes the ultimate fate that awaited so many other unfortunates, only to end up at the mercy of the revengeful Czechs at the end of WW2.
By 1954, when Saskia is born, entering into a marriage of convenience seems to be the only means to leave the Valka Refugee Camp in Nurnberg. The long awaited emigration to Great Britain in 1961 finally promises security and hope for her newly formed family. Yet, as she begins the second part of her journey, Brigitte’s repressed past is never far behind her.
It is not so easy for Saskia to talk about her own life... 
A nomadic, fostered childhood leads to an unsettled, potentially angry teenager. When she is 13, Saskia learns the first of many of her mother’s secrets. Any chance for teenage normality ends as she shoulders the psychological burden of ensuring her mother’s happiness in an unfair world.
Saskia’s journey of self-discovery begins with the death of Brigitte in 1992. Unravelling their intertwined history, she is still coming to terms with her holocaust surviving mother’s past, as she continues to search for her roots.
The Story Behind the Memoir
Whenever people ask what my book is about, I take a deep breath. 
At its simplest, it is a complicated story – about what happened to my mother and me as a result of war and its aftermath. The only way I can truly describe it is to take the reader by the hand and take them with me on the journey I travelled, as I discovered my particularly unusual world and slowly tracked down my mother’s remarkable past to unravel her secrets.
Those secrets left me deeply wounded, and it seemed that the best way to heal was to tell the world what happened. So, humanity is inevitably exposed at its worst. The book covers racism, the Holocaust – although from a slightly different viewpoint than normally associated with that word. It describes the little known history of thousands of displaced persons that remained in Germany well into the 1960s, the lengths desperate people will go to in order to make a new life, and the challenges experienced by refugees arriving and settling down in a foreign country.
Other themes considered are: the reasons for keeping secrets weighed against the devastating effects discovery of those secrets can have on others, shame, labelling, bereavement, obsession, emotional turmoil, and searching for identity and roots. 
When asked what inspired me to write my memoir, my initial answer would be to provide a legacy of family history for my two sons. But actually, on reflection, as the words spilled out of me onto the paper, I have to say it was to expiate my guilt: guilt for not really believing my mother when she told me about some of her past; guilt for not being able to make her life-journey easier for her while she was alive. My own journey very much entailed coming to terms with that guilt.
All of which makes the book sound quite harrowing – but I can assure you it is not. Because it is also about the best of humankind - love, the strength of the mother-daughter bond, and the wondrous kindness of others. It is a life affirming story of family, survival, perseverance and courage. Yes, it is heart rending at times, but it is also uplifting, and seems to have touched the hearts of all who have read it so far – those who have been in similar circumstances as well as those to whom this piece of social history is totally alien.
In fact, those who knew me yet never knew of my journey, and have read the book, have felt a great need to hug me.
Which made writing it all down very worthwhile - I hope you think so too.

It's a riveting read, Saskia, and thank you for sharing it with us.

Surviving Brigitte’s Secrets is available as an e-book from  Amazon and Smashwords and in print from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Read more about the memoir and follow new developments on: www.survivingbrigittessecrets.blogspot.com
Saskia Tepe spent eight years trying to publish this memoir. It was probably just as well she received the rejections she did, because it allowed her the time to join two writer’s groups and learn the craft of writing. Finding her style led to winning writing competitions and the publication of a few articles. She is married, has two grown sons, and her remaining ambition is to spend the best of her retirement years touring the Western States of the US in a fifth wheel trailer, and blogging about the experience.
Sounds like a great idea, Saskia!

The Best Part of Writing

No, it's not the sitting down and creating a masterpiece of some kind, or sending work out in hopeful optimism. For me, it's the editing - a book of whatever length completed and the chance to correct any glitches before publication.

So, I was delighted to receive the edits for the next novella in my Aphrodite and Adonis series, The Adonis Touch, which is due to be released by Tirgearr Publishing later in May. Even better, I haven't taken long to go through them this time! Next will be the pleasure of a cover - watch this space.

Rosemary

Books to Film

I've watched only the first episode of the new BBC production of Jamaica Inn so far and husband refused to watch the rest because it was too dull and depressing, so I've taped the other two episodes. So I can only comment on the first which has evidently proved highly disappointing to a great many people.


I do agree that the sound quality, or diction, was not good enough at times and the whole programme seemed a bit dark and muddy, while the women's costumes were not exactly true to the period. However, I'm aiming to watch the remainder as I still enjoy this type of story, although I've read a few complaints on Facebook that they give away part of the plot too soon - but I knew from the beginning what was actually going on.

Daphne du Maurier is one of my favourite authors and it's a good excuse to re-read the original story at some point. I love Rebecca and Frenchman's Creek and quite enjoyed the TV versions of the former. And for anyone who didn't already know this, she also wrote many short stories including The Birds and Don't Look Now, both of which were made into films.

Books made into films often cause controversy and the consensus is usually in favour of the original novel, rather than a visual adaptation. However, I can think of productions which I enjoyed as much as the novels, and in two cases I preferred the films. The famous BBC series of Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, did full justice to the novel and characters and the Jane Eyre with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson was one of my favourite versions of that novel.

Two films which I preferred to the original book were The English Patient and The Horse Whisperer. The novel of the former was almost unrecognisable after I'd seen the wonderful film and less easy to follow, while the ending of the latter made much better sense than in the book. These are only my opinions, of course, but I'm sure some of you will have other examples of good and bad adaptations!

Rosemary

Easter Greetings

 Hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend break, no matter what religion, or none, that you follow. At least the weather is behaving, even up here in the west coast.

Here's one of the poems from my old book of Medieval Latin Lyrics, although I'm only giving the English version here! Can't remember if I posted this last Easter but it seems fitting for today.

Easter Sunday

Last night did Christ the Sun rise from the dark,
The mystic harvest of the fields of God,
And now the little wandering tribes of bees
Are brawling in the scarlet flowers abroad.
The winds are soft with birdsong; all night long
Darkling the nightingale her descant told,
And now inside the church doors the happy folk
The Alleluia chant a hundredfold.
O father of thy folk, be thine by right
The Easter joy, the threshold of the light.

Sedulius Scottus

Author Spotlight: Kemberlee Shortland

I’m delighted to give a very warm welcome to romantic novelist Kemberlee Shortland who is visiting from beautiful Ireland, although she is originally a native of California. As well as being a writer herself, Kemberlee is the force behind independent company Tirgearr Publishing and it is a great pleasure to work with her and her staff. Today, however, Kemberlee is visiting in her personaof novelist with three great books set in Ireland in her Irish Pride series.

It’s lovely to see you here, Kemberlee. First a little about the brand new novel, Shape of My Heart, and you can read about the other two novels after the interview.
Shape of My HeartIrish Pride Series, book 3

Gráinne has moved back to Dublin to get her life straightened out. She dreams of college and a better life. She’s working for her brother, Kieran, in his newly reopened pub, The Blues Tavern, but the money isn’t enough to support herself and pay tuition. Moonlighting at The Klub! as an exotic dancer seems to be her answer to fast money.
John ‘JD’ Desmond is a detective working undercover in the Blues Tavern. The Klub!, owned by Jimmy Malloy, is being used as a drug front, headed by the notorious Taylor Wade. JD had intended to get Gráinne to snitch for him, but when he falls in love with her, things get complicated.
When Gráinne witnesses Jimmy’s murder, she and JD are forced to go on the run until Wade can be apprehended. Wade lives up to his nickname, The Hunter, and JD and Gráinne quickly find themselves at the end of a gun and running for their lives. Shape of My Heart is available in all e-formats including Amazon kindle from Tirgearr Publishing

Sounds great! Thanks for answering the following questions, Kemberlee. Tell us a little about how you became a writer.

I don’t really know. It’s one of those things that just happens. I was an early reader, so I’m sure that had something to do with it. I used to borrow picture books from the library and write my own stories based on the images. I wrote my first short story when I was about 9. When I was around 15, I started writing a story about a school girl looking for love. Of course, she was my age and looked and acted nothing like me :) By the time I was 23, I’d finished by first complete novel, as of yet unpublished due to the embarrassingly horrid writing! Around the time I was 16-17, I heard the song Paperback Writer by the Beatles. I’d heard it loads of times before, but suddenly it woke me up and I said, “I’m going to be published one day.” Great inspiration!
How much does living in Ireland affect your writing and stories – if it does?
Living in Ireland is great for research. They say ‘write what you know’ so I just go outside. When I lived back home in Northern California, my first books were historicals set around my home area. Now that I’m living in Ireland, my stories tend to be set here. The other thing that’s changed is that, up to now, I’ve only published contemporary tales.
Do you write only romance? Are you planning to write in any other genre?
This is sort of a carry-over from above. I love the romance genre and tend to write romance. I’ve started some crossover stories though. My current WIP is a time travel, a first for me. Also, under a pen name, I’m writing erotic romance. Okay, technically still in the romance genre. I guess I’m hooked! I’d love to write crime or a detective story, but, you know, the last time I tried writing outside my normal box, the characters fell in love!
You’re obviously a real romantic!
What is the most difficult part about starting a new book?
Finding the time to actually write. These days with our new company, finding time to write has been challenging. Doesn’t mean the ideas aren’t still floating around in my head, or that I haven’t written pages of outline for that magic time when I can actually write. They are, and I do. Fortunately, as the company grows, we’re able to bring in more help which, in theory, is meant to free up some 'me time'.
Do you have a favourite writing place?
It really doesn’t matter where I write. Once I get going, I go inside myself. My only requirement is that it be quiet. No dogs throwing toys at me, no phones ringing, no music on in the background. Just quiet time so I can concentrate. When I was younger, I enjoyed having background noise, but not these days. Ask me about my favorite research places next time :)
Oh, sounds intriguing!
How do you promote your books and does it work?
Promotion is tricky. There’s no single thing that’s guaranteed to attract readers into buying books. I do the usual things, like blogging, interviews, getting reviews, etc. But times are quickly changing, so I have to change with them. The new ‘big thing’ is coming from listing services which send members free daily newsletters with recommendations. The author/publisher pays for those listings. This is a new avenue for me, so I’m giving it a try. I’ve seen many well known authors’ books on these lists, so why not mine too?
The most important thing is word of mouth. It only takes a small handful of readers who love your work to tell all their friends about it. I think what works consistently, is just being consistent with promotions, and I try not getting discouraged when the returns are low. I know the feeling!
Do you find time for hobbies?
9-11pm. Nightly. I usually work 9am to 9pm - 9pm is rubbish telly and knitting time for me. Sometimes also referred to as rubbish knitting and telly time. Lol

I love watching TV at night too, but I don't knit!
What are your current writing plans?

I need to find that illusive 'me time', as I have several stories percolating in my head. It’s one thing to have voices in your head. I’m just afraid one day they’re going to come out and it won’t be to go down on paper! I have that time travel WIP to finish, and I’m behind on a couple erotic romances that are long overdue. And, of course, there’s that drawer full of old manuscripts I could pull out and work on. One day.
What made you go into the publishing business and does it curtail your own writing?

We’d thought a few times of getting involved in the publishing business. I’ve worked in various aspects of the book business for more than 20 years, and the hubs has a great mind for figures and technical things. We had an opportunity to buy a small press about 15 years ago when the partnership was breaking up, but ended up not, as one of the partners thought she could keep things alive. Sadly, that didn’t happen.
A couple years ago, I got the rights back to some previously published work and thought to self-publish them. They were only short stories, but would have been a good experiment. We already had the company set up for when I was writing travel articles, so I used it to publish my own stuff. Funnily enough, I got a couple submissions without advertising. The hubs and I talked about it and decided to try another experiment. So we invited a handful of authors I knew to submit something. The rest, as they say, is history. We’ve just entered into our third year doing business and it’s going great.
To answer your second question, YES. I tend to work twelve hour days, mostly six days a week. Seven days if there’s something extra going on. Working those kinds of hours makes it very hard to write my own stuff. After being at the computer all day, the last thing I want is to sit here in the evening. Sometimes, I just can’t get my fingers to click one more key. Oddly though, knitting doesn’t seem to be a challenge! I do schedule time off during the year—the holidays and the midseason break—but my brain has other ideas. As soon as it’s ‘down pencils’ in the office, my brain shuts off and doesn’t let me write. Much. I may have to go back to the old pencil and paper, and relearn the art of handwriting!
Tirgearr is a great publishing company and very friendly towards writers!
Any tips for new writers?

Oh, yes, and this is very important. Soapbox time for me J
You must treat writing like a business if you want to publish.
If you’re a hobby writer, write for yourself and be happy that’s what you’re doing. If you write to publish, then you must— must — treat it like a business. Your book is your product. If you don’t promote it regularly and consistently, it’s going to sit on the shelf collecting dust. And that can be one of the most discouraging things for any writer.
Consider this—you spend months, maybe years, planning to open a shop. You find a great location, fill the space with incredible merchandise, design a wonderful shop exterior, then place some ads. Opening day comes and you’re so excited. Loads of people come in, but no one is buying.
Do you close the shop?
Of course not. You stay open, because this was your dream. Even though no one buys anything the first few days, or weeks, you need to keep promoting. Maybe that next ad campaign will be ‘the one’ that brings in the buying public. Or maybe you get just one customer who comes in and buys something, then goes home and tell some of their friends, “Have you seen the new shop in the town? You must go in. They have that thing you were looking for . . .” or whatever the reason. Those people come in, buy something, and they go home and tell more of their friends. Eventually, the shop will be full of people. And it happens because you don’t give up, but also because you consistently promote.
Most writers I know hate talking about themselves. They prefer to bury themselves in their writing and let someone else handle promotions. That’s fine, but hire a professional if you can’t or won’t do it yourself. If you can’t afford it, then learn the art of self-promotion, and discover the outgoing side of yourself.
Having a business is very hard work. It’s not for the faint of heart. And you must realize, if you treat publishing like any business, the first three to five years are the make-or-break years. To make it takes hard work. Like working twelve to fifteen hour days, six and seven days a week.
And remember, only one in a million writers will be the next JK Rowling or the next EL James. For the rest of us, we must promote and market. Even when it means spending money. However one promotes, it must be consistent. If one thing doesn’t work, try something else. Just don’t give up.
Nothing good worth having is appreciated when it’s given to us. We appreciate it more when we work hard to obtain it.
Thanks so much, Romy for having me on your blog today.
Thank you, Kemberlee, for such great advice!
Kemberlee’s other two books in the Irish Pride series have been reissued with these lovely new covers.
  Rhythm of My Heart
Irish Pride Series, book 1

Artist Representative, Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career so that other women could have a fair chance at having their music heard. Having suffered rejection from callous men in the industry, she thought she would get away from ‘casting couch’ mentality. But when she finds herself in the office of Fergus Manley, all bets are off. Disgusted by his continual come-ons and lewd invitations, Eilis is looking for ‘the one’ who will take her career to the next level, getting out from under Fergus’s controlling thumb.

Aspiring blues guitarist, Kieran Vaughan, is looking for his big break. But after suffering near bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous business partner, Kieran is left picking up the pieces. He’s unsure if the debts will ever be paid or if he’ll ever have a chance to do something with his music. At his wit’s end, he’s about ready to throw in the towel and find a full-time job with real hours.

When Eilis discovers Kieran playing in a seedy pub in Dublin’s Northside, she knows he’s the one rare talent she’s been searching for. With her know-how and his talent, Eilis will finally get everything she’s been waiting for. Neither of them count on the powerful attraction from first meeting. Eilis is so rocked by Keiran’s forthright words that it sends her running. Kieran risks being arrested as he chases Eilis across Ireland.

Seeing what’s happening between Eilis and Kieran, anger wells inside Fergus and he steps up his pursuit of Eilis. Refusing to let Kieran get in his way, Fergus vows to add Eilis’s notch to his bedpost, whatever it takes.

Will Kieran be able to protect her?

Rhythm of my Heart is available in all e-formats including Amazon kindle from Tirgearr Publishing
A Piece of My HeartIrish Pride Series, book 2

Mick and Kate thought they were falling in love. Kate hadn't been just the girl next door. She'd been Mick's life, and he hers. When an unforeseen force draws them apart they're left with wounds that refuse to heal. Now, ten years on, Mick's father's will should have been straightforward, except his addendum was like ice water in Mick's face.

It's essential that Mick and Kate work together to save his family's farm. Mick doesn't count on his new manager being accused of murder, and Kate doesn't expect a dangerously seductive woman from Dublin to claim Mick is the father of her child.
Kate thought she was falling in love with Mick all over again; however this newest revelation is too much for her. She is determined to finally say goodbye to her childhood sweetheart forever, but Mick has other plans for Kate's future. And none of them involve goodbye.

A Piece of my Heart is available in print and all e-formats including Amazon kindle from Tirgearr Publishing

The great news is that all three e-books are on a special offer of only 99c/£0.77 each in April!

Kemberlee Shortland is a native Northern Californian who was raised in a community known as Steinbeck Country, home to author John Steinbeck, as well as Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, and others. With so much literary influence around her, it's not hard to see why Kemberlee fell in love with the printed word.
It was in 1997 while employed by Clint Eastwood that Kemberlee couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend six months in Ireland. While in Ireland, she met a man who eventually became her husband. Living in Ireland has allowed Kemberlee to study the country's torrid past and unique culture first hand, and has even picked up a cúpla focal . . . a few Irish words. In recent years, Kemberlee had published several short stories and novels, including the popular Irish Pride Series. Kemberlee's current work in progress is a time travel romance called The Diary. You can connect with Kemberlee on her Website; Facebook; Twitter; Tirgearr Publishing    

More Clearing Out

 Does anyone keep old hard copies of their unpublished manuscripts? I ask because one of my shelves was groaning under the weight of several heavy folders containing far too many as yet unpublished short stories, articles, poetry and just about every other kind of writing I've ever attempted. I suddenly wondered why on earth I was cluttering up the room with so much dust-attracting paper.

Anyway, in between having a short walk with husband at one of my favourite little places on Loch Lomond over the weekend (between rain showers), I've been filling up the recycling bin. It's been a great opportunity to go through all the various versions of some pieces on the computer files and get rid of the oldest. And I'm making sure to back up everything on two different memory sticks!

Hopefully, at the end of this tearing up frenzy I'll be able to start actually rewriting anything that has possibilities. Must say, it's not just the shelves that feel a lot lighter! Maybe I'll get round to sorting the photos next.

Rosemary

Facebook Fun with Tween and YA Authors

 If anyone enjoys reading tween and YA books, or has young people who do, then you might like to drop by the MuseItUp Publishing event on Facebook from today, 10th April until next Thursday 17th: https://www.facebook.com/events/224006297795748/#

Some of the tween/YA authors are sharing recipes and information on background, settings and characters from their books. I'm sure there will be a few give-aways, the winners chosen from those leaving comments over the week.

My two tween books, Summer of the Eagles and The Jigsaw Puzzle are published with MuseItUp and I'll be joining in the fun over the next few days, where you can win a download of either book.

Rosemary (or Ros for these books!)

Let the Spring Cleaning Begin

 Despite the awful weather we're having, in between fleeting spots of sunshine (blink and you'll miss it), I seem to be in spring cleaning and clearing out mode. Maybe it's my new form of procrastination, or I'm hyper from the large milk chocolate Easter egg my friend gave me - what you didn't think it would last until Easter did you? Whatever the reason, I've been making inroads into the ridiculous number of books lining my long work room from top to bottom right along one wall. And there are more books in the other room. Husband is overjoyed I've taken the initiative at last.

I kept thinking I could never decide which to keep and which must go but it's been a bit easier to part with some of them, especially those enormous tomes I can hardly even lift, and never get around to opening these days. I've refused to get rid of my OU study material and books and I'm compromising on the number of paperbacks I keep. It helps that those with too small writing have to go - I have good close-up sight without the need for specs but can't be bothered making the effort to read tiny writing now when I can get them on the e-reader.


Some books need to stay, however, and we all have old favourites that are irreplaceable. Mine include the several old Bunty and Judy annuals and an assortment of other children's books. Then there are all the wonderful old reference and history books that are a pleasure to use for research since most are illustrated. So far, only one tall bookcase from the nine is almost emptied - if I can find space for the row of cookery books I can't part with. Not because I use them all, but some have been with me all through marriage and other newer recipe books call hopefully to me every now and then.

Today, it's back to spring cleaning the writing as well. I've been sending out lots of poetry this year (my first type of writing many moons ago) and having some success, which is making me look at the whole file I've gathered over the years. Then it's the articles - have had great success with those over the years, so three more are away at the moment. Several short stories have been rewritten and sent on their way, with more to finish or rewrite. Two younger children's stories are out and another is almost ready to send and I've a new middle grade novel to finish. My new novella, The Adonis Touch, is due for publication in late May and I'm waiting for the edits to arrive any day now, and I'm trying to finish a contemporary novel before getting on with the Victorian crime novel.

You might see me online every now and then, if I haven't suffocated under the weight and dust of the books still to be gone through!

Rosemary

Inspiring Writing Books

I still have far too many writing books on my shelves, many of which date to when I first started writing and most of which remain largely unread. I've already given away several over the years and I expect a few more can go at some point. Apart from Stephen King's On Writing (which is still with daughter!), there is one print book that will always have a place on my shelf and in my heart - Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande.


Becoming a Writer

Dorothea Brande's famous book, first published in 1934, has stood the test of time and was greatly influential in making me begin to think like a writer. Both inspirational and practical, her psychological approach to being a writer and her methods have been copied and modernised by others over the years, but Brande's book is still one I like to dip into now and then. I'm still trying to follow her advice to harness the unconscious and to write anything at all before starting the day properly.

Two very different e-books have come to my attention recently and I downloaded both as I was intrigued by their premise - and promise! I've dipped into them and certainly intend reading from start to finish as I can see they will be very useful in helping me move on with novels in a more organised fashion (hopefully).

Write your Novel from the Middle

Written by James Scott Bell, Write Your Novel from the Middle promises a new approach for pantsters and plotters. So far, it's making sense and I'm aiming to put some of his ideas into action to help me move on with my current novel. I like the fact it applies to every kind of writer and the examples he uses from books and films appear to bear out his theory.

2K to 10K

The title of this e-book, 2000 to 10000 (or 2K to 10K) by Rachel Aaron, was intriguing enough to make me download it and I had previously read a little of Rachel's discovery on her blog. Subtitled 'How to write faster, write better and more of what you love' grabbed me at once and the reviews are good on Amazon. The figures in the title depict the increase in Rachel's output once she followed a certain way of working and of approaching her writing. Even the couple of chapters I've read have made me reassess a few things and I look forward to reading it right through.

I'm sure all writers have their favourite 'go-to' books when needing inspiration and there are countless numbers of them these days. Normally, I can't be bothered reading more than a few chapters, if that, but these two e-books contain ideas I haven't come across before. Must admit, this is when I like a print book - nothing beats marking a page when wanting to return to a specific point, but e-books have the advantage of being more affordable!

Do you have a favourite writing book you'll always keep?

Rosemary

Inspiring Writing Conference

Well, it's all over for another year - the Scottish Association of Writers weekend conference. We had a fabulous new venue, at a hotel and conference centre just north of Glasgow in the countryside, where members of writing groups from all over Scotland renewed old acquaintances and made new friends.

Taking part in the SketchIt was a full-on weekend from dinner on the Friday to departure on the Sunday afternoon and I wasn't the only one coming home exhausted! I did adjudicate the Romance Novel comp this year, delivering the results after the dinner, then gave a workshop on the Saturday. I'm pretty sure the lovely winning novel I chose will find a publisher. I also took part in a friend's powerful, winning sketch on the Sunday about two Romanian sisters and the awful choice my character had to make. Then there was all the chatting and eating in between the work. I was delighted when daughter Vikki was third in the poetry competition, judged by Nalini Paul, from over 60 entries.
We had two interesting after dinner speakers this year, in Allan Guthrie and Jean Rafferty, and some great adjudicators and speakers. It was a pleasure to chat to Shirley Blair, editor of The People's Friend at the welcome drinks for judges and speakers. Poor Shirley had a record number of short stories to judge and critique in the Women's Short Story Competition and her workshop on the Saturday was overflowing - as you might expect! But she stayed the whole weekend and was charming throughout.

One of the best innovations this year was the final session - the Dragon's Pen. Eight finalists had to deliver their three minute pitch for a book to a panel of three publishers: Allan Guthrie from Blasted Heath, Sara Hunt from Saraband and Jan Mullen from Black and White Publishing. The quality of the pitches and proposed books were superb and it's no wonder the panel had difficulty choosing. We all reckon at least one of those books will soon be published.

Now it's catching up time and looking forward to another year. The conference is a major calendar event here as it offers so many opportunities for writers to share and learn from each other, as well as newer writers receiving written critiques for their precious work. This was where I got my first break many moons ago, after winning the short story competition judged by the late Ian Sommerville of My Weekly who then published the story. Many have gone on to become novelists and some are household names. So if you get the chance to go to writing conferences, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Rosemary