What kind of things do we dream of doing when we’re small? I guess travelling through the Wardrobe and meeting Aslan was high on my list. I also loved reading and writing and learning about new things. I won a prize at my primary school for writing an adventure story about being marooned on a desert island (nod to Daniel Defoe), and my headmistress told me she confidently expected to read my books one day. For the next couple of decades I spent time as a theatrical agent, mum, reflexologist and alumni officer, and was generally busy in other ways, always thinking about writing, but not yet ready to get down to it, apart from the odd article at work.
A workshop offered at my work-place with Lynne Rees got me started on writing poetry again (discontinued in my teenage years) and I have kept this up ever since. Joining the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society has been a fantastic resource, with their monthly readings and peer-led workshops, and I have also been really grateful for the mentoring help I’ve received from Cornwall-based poet Caroline Carver.
My husband and I have arrived at a similar point now in our lives, where writing has flowered into a fully formed and active passion. We have supported each other in researching, editing and completing our own separate first books – mine a local history non-fiction book, Southborough War Memorial, his a novel, Niedermayer & Hart. We worked together to set up Odd Dog Press, our own independent publishing enterprise, and put together our own websites. Our son Tom has generously given us beautiful artwork, and recently a fantastic comic animation to promote N&H. Good friends have also supported us in this endeavour, making helpful suggestions, proofreading, offering their expertise and generally encouraging us with their enthusiasm.
We have given a lot of time and savings to our joint venture, and there are days when it can seem a bit scary to go out on this limb, but hey – I always loved climbing trees! Maybe one of these days I’ll achieve another long-standing ambition, and get to climb the Californian Redwoods! In the meantime, there’s nothing quite as exciting as getting an order, and despatching a book to an eager new reader.
And when someone genuinely loves your work and takes the time and trouble to tell you so … wow! It’s like Christmas in Narnia!
A workshop offered at my work-place with Lynne Rees got me started on writing poetry again (discontinued in my teenage years) and I have kept this up ever since. Joining the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society has been a fantastic resource, with their monthly readings and peer-led workshops, and I have also been really grateful for the mentoring help I’ve received from Cornwall-based poet Caroline Carver.
My husband and I have arrived at a similar point now in our lives, where writing has flowered into a fully formed and active passion. We have supported each other in researching, editing and completing our own separate first books – mine a local history non-fiction book, Southborough War Memorial, his a novel, Niedermayer & Hart. We worked together to set up Odd Dog Press, our own independent publishing enterprise, and put together our own websites. Our son Tom has generously given us beautiful artwork, and recently a fantastic comic animation to promote N&H. Good friends have also supported us in this endeavour, making helpful suggestions, proofreading, offering their expertise and generally encouraging us with their enthusiasm.
We have given a lot of time and savings to our joint venture, and there are days when it can seem a bit scary to go out on this limb, but hey – I always loved climbing trees! Maybe one of these days I’ll achieve another long-standing ambition, and get to climb the Californian Redwoods! In the meantime, there’s nothing quite as exciting as getting an order, and despatching a book to an eager new reader.
And when someone genuinely loves your work and takes the time and trouble to tell you so … wow! It’s like Christmas in Narnia!
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