the writer is a lonely hunter

writing by Gail Aldwin and other authors

Apr 17

Writing retreat at Ty Newydd

by gailaldwin

I spent last week with members of the National Association for Writers in Education (NAWE) at Ty Newydd, the writers’ centre in Wales. The set up is rather like an Arvon Foundation course, where you are required to help prepare one meal during the week and you’re free to attend workshops/concentrate on your writing project, depending on the programme you’ve chosen. (The courses at Ty Newydd are well worth considering, if you’re interested in training to develop your writing.)  My week in Wales was a delightful retreat, hosted by NAWE’s Anne Caldwell. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 3

Launch of Dorset Voices

by gailaldwin

Dorset Voices is a wonderful showcase of literary talent and new photography in Dorset.  The editorial team (Jim Potts OBE, Maria Strani-Potts and Louisa Adjoa Parker) selected prose, poetry and photography submissions from across the county and with local publisher Roving Press, this makes the anthology and all-Dorset production. 

The launch of Dorset Voices will take place on 23 April as part of Bournemouth Festival of Words. Please come to Bournemouth Library, 22 The Triangle, BH2 5RQ from 6-8pm to meet the editors and publisher and purchase copies of the book.  I’ve offered to read ‘Dusting off the Memories’ my piece of flash fiction from the anthology and there will be other contributors sharing their work.  The event falls on World Book Night and the library will be busy with a number of events including a live theatre performance of scenes from ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’. I think it will be a great occasion and I hope to see some of you there.

authors Dorset events flash fiction poetry Reading writing

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Mar 27

And I always thought writing was hard work…

by gailaldwin

On one the most beautiful days of this year, I was in Waterstones, Dorchester selling copies of The Rosemary Project. The anthology comprises poetry and prose by writers from across Dorset and all money raised goes towards  Alzheimer’s Research and Mindful (which supports a memory cafe in North Dorset). Although The Rosemary Project was the branch best-seller for the day, I only managed to sell eleven copies. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mar 23

#fridayflash: fishpond

by gailaldwin

There’s splashing in the fishpond when I put out the rubbish and I guess the frogs are at it again. I find a torch and shine it over. Some of them are riding piggy back like double headed beasts. There’s at least a dozen in there – that must make it an orgy. A toad sits on the edge, winking at me. His ungainly body becomes lithe when he springs into the water. I watch the activity like a voyeur then I scuttle back to the kitchen. Read the rest of this entry »

flash fiction writing

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Mar 13

Flash Fiction at a Readers’ and Writers’ event in Dorset

by gailaldwin

The Exchange at Sturminster Newton was a busy place on Saturday with workshops and talks by authors and a good chance to meet and chat with other readers and writers. I finally got to meet fellow blogger Patsy Collins who has recently won a competition to have her first novel published.  Watch this space for more details of her book titled ‘Escape to the Country’.

Patrick Gale

I loved reading Notes from an exhibition by Patrick Gale and opted to join his workshop on flash fiction. I was interested when he said that a character’s back story from a novel can make an excellent piece of flash. This was reassuring as several of my latest attempts have been just that.

Patrick was also keen to promote entry into the Bridport Prize ( he is the judge for the flash fiction and short story categories) and

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Mar 9

#fridayflash: yearning

by gailaldwin

Yearning

Holding the phone to his ear, he counts the rings.  Claire answers on the fourth.

            ‘Is your mother still there?’ He doesn’t wait for a greeting.

            ‘She’s taken the kids into town.’

            ‘So that’s more free childcare for you.’

            ‘She offered,’ Claire draws a breath.

            ‘I’d look after your children anytime.You know I would. I’ve asked often enough.’

            ‘Yeah, yeah.’ Claire exhales and he guesses she’s taken up smoking again.

            ‘When your mother gets back, can you give me a call?’

            ‘Fine.’ The line goes dead.

            ‘Fine.’ He returns the handset to its cradle.

            Sitting in the armchair, he stretches his legs. Settled for the afternoon, he watches the grey belly of sky through the window and he gropes behind the curtain. Finding the bottle he swirls it, watching the whisky lick the sides. There’s enough to keep him going, for the rest of the day at least. In the tumbler grimy with fingerprints, he pours a large one. Titling the glass, he savours the peaty smell and his nose tweaks at the prospect of a good, steady slug. There’s a nub of anaesthesia as he swallows and his shoulders relax. Smacking his lips as he downs the last drop, he nurses the glass between his fingers.With his eyelids sagging, the tension drifts.

            The trill of the telephone wakes him but he doesn’t answer. Instead he talks to the darkened room.

            ‘Call yourself my daughter? You’re a bloody bitch – you’ve been one since the day you were born.’

This piece of flash fiction currently appears on the National Flash Fiction Day website.  National Flash Fiction Day is held on 16 May 2012.

flash fiction writing

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Mar 6

Write it like a recipe, write it like a three course meal

by gailaldwin

As part of my work for the local authority, I am frequently invited into schools to observe pupils who are learning English as an additional language.  As an advisory teacher, joining a lesson is part of my job that I really enjoy and this week I was lucky to be present during an English and a history lesson.  It was a coincidence that both lessons required the pupils to write recipes. The English class were studying the three witches scene in Macbeth, and using the second witch’s speech as a model, they created their own cauldron recipes. In the history lesson, the students were learning about the plague and were asked to invent a potion to cure the disease.  As you can imagine, some gruesome recipes were produced but it did start me wondering about using food as a  stimulus  for writing a short story or a piece of flash fiction. 

In Dorchester we have a Michelin star restaurant called Sienna and it’s within walking distance from my house.  As a special treat I was taken there on Friday and I’ve inserted photos of my lunch for anyone who would like to take up the challenge of writing a story around a three course meal. 

starter

Slow-cooked pork belly and apple terrine with sweet onion relish and crispy prosciutto.   

main course

Roast fillet of Cornish hake with bourguignon sauce and parsley dumplings.  

dessert

Saffron-poached pear with pistachio and marzipan cake, honeycomb ice cream.  

I needed an afternoon nap after that lot! Let me know how you get on if you decide to take up the three course challenge.

Dorset writing

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Feb 24

#fridayflash: waiting

by gailaldwin

Fiona paces the kitchen, keeping her feet inside the flagstone squares, then she stops and stares through the French windows into the garden. The flowerbeds are bedraggled, the winter frost has killed off any growth and only the potted Christmas tree, discarded on the patio, sprouts a few green needles. Sitting at the kitchen table, Liz snorts at the photographs of fashion mishaps in a magazine. Read the rest of this entry »

flash fiction writing

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Feb 7

Thomas Hardy and Dorchester

by gailaldwin
In Thomas Hardy’s tragic novel, Michael Henchard is the eponymous Mayor of Casterbridge who lives in the fictional town (based upon Dorchester). When I moved to the county five years ago, this was the first book I read as a Dorset resident. The narrative follows the actions of Henchard, who sells his wife and young daughter after drinking too much at a fair. Years later, when his wife tracks him down, she sees him at the hotel, through the ‘spacious bow-window projected onto the street over the main portico’ and learns that he is being entertained as the Mayor.

The King's Arms

 
This is a photograph of the hotel today and it’s just one of the buildings of the town, described by Hardy.
 
 

Plaque on Barclays Bank

 
 
 
 
 
Barclays Bank bears this plaque indicating its connection to the novel. And below is a photo of the building.
 

Henchard's House

 
Henchard’s house was ‘one of the best, faced with dull red-and-grey brick. The front door was open, and, as in other houses, she could see through the passage to the end of the garden nearly a quarter of a mile off.’
 
Chapter 9, The Mayor of Casterbridge
 
 
 

Statue of Thomas Hardy

 
In 1931 the statue of Thomas Hardy was unveiled by James Barrie, author of Peter Pan. Each year wreaths are laid here on the Saturday nearest to the anniversary of Hardy’s birth on 2 June. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When the weather improves, I’ll cycle over to Stinsford to take photographs of the church where Hardy’s family are buried and visit the National Trust property that is the home of his birth.
 
If this focus on Dorchester has inspired you to share your stories about  places in the UK that have a literary link, please think about joining a new project called ‘Literary UK’. You can become involved by posting information through writing, photography or painting. For further information, please contact Victoria Bantock (editor, What the Dickens? Magazine): victoria@wtd-magazine.com
 
 

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Feb 1

New Writers’ Scheme

by gailaldwin

TS Manipulation

I was at my desk during the early hours of 2 January to ensure that my email application for a place on the New Writers’ Scheme run by the Romantic Novelists’ Association was accepted. The scheme is oversubscribed every year, so now that I have my confirmation pack, I finally feel like a member. My task until the end of August is to redraft the manuscript of my first novel ready for assessment.

Manipulation has been languishing in a drawer while I’ve been occupied with other writing and it’s been reassuring to return to the characters I first created in 2009. (Further details of the story can be found under the ‘manuscripts’ tab.) I have much work to do as feedback from critical friends has identified weaknesses:

  • the language of the novel needs to be more adventurous
  • the characters and the romance require sympathetic attention
  • the location (Outback Australia) should be fully explored

When the RNA receive my manuscript, a reader will be appointed to review the entire work and it may be referred to a second reader, as a possible pathway to publication. However, it’s more likely that the work will be returned with suggestions for further improvements. Should this happen, Katie Fforde, President of the RNA, advises against feeling downcast for too long and to make the most of the guidance offered. She says, ‘a rule of thumb is, if your reader thinks something needs changing it probably does’.

Criticism is sometimes hard to accept and tenacity is required to remain focused and confident that you have the skills to improve the work to a publishable standard. Gruelling though it may be, critical reviews often provide the right advice to move your writing onto the next level. If you’re interested in receiving support for a novel that you’re working on, (it doesn’t have to be romance, as with the RNA scheme) it may be worth entering the Adventures in Fiction competition where the winner of the Spotlight First Page will be offered a mentoring package and other input and support. You’ll have to be quick as the deadline is 14 February 2012 and the cost is £16.

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