Members' news
Kevin Brooke Publishes new book - The Roman Citizens from Class 6B Worcester Writers Circle member Kevin Brooke says, I'm a keen writer of children's fiction, who after attempting a first novel some five years ago, then took a Children's writing course to show me where I'd gone badly wrong! Since the course, my highlights include a short story about a Spring Fairy called Lottie for children with an approximate reading age of 5-7 years, a number of childrens poems about school days aimed at approx 8-11 as well as the recently published The Roman Citizens From Class 6B. I am currently working on a book called Jimmy Cricket, which is aimed at early teens. With the main character Ben being ten years old, The Roman Citizens From Class 6B is aimed a reading age of 6-10. Roman History has always fascinated me and though the story is not meant as an educational piece, it does cover some of the aspects studied by children at Key Stage 2. It includes a battle scene, a chariot race in the Circus Maximus, a day in the Roman Senate and a daring rescue of a slave girl called Phina from the lions in the Colosseum. After hiding in the Catacombs, Ben draws one last picture. Moments later, he, Calum, Maisie and Phina are transported back to England - 61AD England to be precise where they are soon charging towards the Roman Army alongside Boudicca, the Iceni Queen. Kevin's book is available from InkSlingers here, or from Amazon. Andy Kirk wins flash fiction prize (posted 15/3/11) "Dying to Meet the Stars" is a short (150 Word) piece of Flash Fiction, and also my first attempt at this sort of writing. I decided to enter the story into an on-line flash fiction competition judged by local author, Sue Johnson, at www.writer-toolkit.co.uk. I was surprised and very pleased to find out that out of 150 entries I had attained 2nd position and a prize of £25.00 plus 0n-line publication. Congratulations to Andy! Angela Lanyon's new novel will be available from mid-March (posted 2/3/11) IMAGES OF ELSEWHERE Book 1 THE SWORDSMAN’S REEL The Swordsman’s Reel IBSN 978-07552-1300-9 9/99 Available from Amazon. or as ebook from www.authorsonline.co.uk This is what Angela has to say on the inspiration for her trilogy, Images of Elsewhere: `Far away is close at hand in images of elsewhere'. This graffiti from outside Paddington Station has haunted me for years. Every time the train pulled in or out of the station it was there, prodding me to take notice. Photographs, maps, travel books all kept niggling me. I didn't set out to write a trilogy, just the story of a boy, ejected from his home and going off in search of an unknown father. Slowly it grew; things I had read, objects in museums, with somehow Central Asia predominating. Perhaps because of my love of China. The book took ten years to write and was finished just short of my 70th birthday. Made redundant, I had felt exiled - and needed to reinvent myself. My hero, Per is forced to use his skills and self reliance, as I was, and not expect a magic wand to solve his problems. He also has to look within himself for answers and learn how to control himself if he is to save others and achieve his quest. When I read it now I am surprised by what I wrote. Attempts at main stream publication failed. `Lovely’ `Neat ideas’ but always: `not for us’. In the end, like Per, I had to go it alone (with a little help from my friends) And now, at eighty, this is the right time. There are plenty of young boys who don’t know their fathers, we all need to look within to find self mastery and we all need a good story that comes to a satisfactory conclusion as a result of the hero’s own effort. Not `One bound and he was out’ but achievement as a result of perseverance, ingenuity and courage. I have drawn on many philosophies and belief systems as Per uses his skills as a smith and a ropemaker to fulfil his quest. Book 2 and 3 THE ROPEMAN’S WALK and THE WEAVER’S CLEW complete the story in which he learns the unity of all things and realises that this is the thread which has run through all his experiences and that `In his end in his beginning.’ Angela Lanyon. `A fascinating narrative’ Lionel Fanthorpe Angela Lanyon publishes her new novel (posted 27/1/11) THE SWORDSMAN'S REEL by Angela Lanyon is Book One of a trilogy IMAGES OF ELSEWHERE (ISBN 976-07552-1300-9). The book is published by Bright Pen and will be available from Amazon and also as an eBook and on Kindle. Available also from www.authorsonline.co.uk . Price £9.99. There is no magic only laws. Exiled from The Place as a Wolfling and with only a map and his skill as a smith, Perr sets off to find his father. On the way he meets treachery and friendship and as he learns about the world and himself the map becomes clearer. Is his destiny fulfilled when he reaches The Citadel or must he look further? Quote from Lynne Hackles - Author of Writing From Life. “Mysterious maps, lakes that look like mirrors, a character who has a quest, is on a journey and has lots to learn before he reaches his goal, I accompanied Perr, willing him on and turning the pages to discover how his life unfolded, A memorable read.” Also in the series: Book 2 - The Ropemaker's Walk Book 3 - The Weaver's Clew Angela Lanyon's recent successes (posted 22/9/2010) Angela has signed a contract with Stagescripts Ltd. for four murder
mysteries:
Her HORSE SHAPED STORY will be published in My Weekly's 2011
annual.
Her article on the Axbridge Pageant will appear in the summer issue of
THIS ENGLAND. Framed with Love - Word Count 2756 Published in August 2009 in First Edition Magazine, which is a national mag sold in WHSmiths and all good stockiest. This was the second short story I sent out for publication and the first to be published.
The Funeral Car – Word Count 1500 Runner-up in The Evesham Volunteer Centre's Short Story Competition. With a 1500 words maximum limit and with a theme of a ghost story, I thought I’d have a go – I’m so glad I did. The winner received £100.00 prize and Runners-up received a £20.00, WHSmiths gift Card. Winners were published in - A Ghostly Gathering; An Anthology of Ghost Stories which was published and went on sale in February 2010 (£5.00 a copy). Tony Judge's novel, Sirocco Express, reviewed by www.gap-year.com (posted 21/1/2010) www.gap-year.com, the website for people taking a travelling break from education or their career, has been kind enough to review my first novel, Sirocco Express. Here is what the Gap-Year.com reviewer had to say: "Here’s an unusual travel tale. A young Nigerian student sets out from Lagos to travel by truck across the desert towards Europe.Initially naïve, Adebayo soon realises that his “escorts” Odion and Dele are not quite what they seemed. He has paid a fortune for a ride in a truck operated as a business by people smugglers transporting people desperate to escape the poverty of their various homelands. Adebayo is plunged into a brutal, callous and selfish world as the truck makes its way from Lagos through Benin, Mali and on northwards till, two days away from Marrakech Adebayo is attacked and abandoned by Dele and left for dead. He is rescued and cared for by an elderly couple then, walking through forest for a week and sleeping rough, finally he makes it to the Spanish enclave of Ceuto, Morocco, - and the high, double security fence designed to prevent would-be migrants into Europe from reaching their destination. We won’t spoil the ending – you’ll have to read it for yourselves if you want to find out whether Adebayo reaches his goal. This is a vivid account of the extreme ordeal many migrants undergo in their search for a better, more secure life. Sarah Ganderton's Writing Success (posted 21/9/09) Angela Lanyon's article on The Malverns was published in the May/June 2009 edition of Kindred Spirit magazine. (Posted 12/05/2009) Angela Lanyon's article on Elder Trees will be published in the June 09 edition of the Countryman magazine. (Posted 04/05/2009) Sarah Ganderton has had several articles published in the local housing association residents' magazine: Rooftop. Go to http://www.rooftopgroup.org/article.asp?id=38 and follow the links. (Posted 02/4/2009) Sarah Ganderton has articles in an employer's magazine for staff and healthcare residents: Craegmoor Life. Go to http://www.craegmoor.co.uk/downloads/craegmoor_life.aspx and follow the links. (Posted 02/4/2009) Sarah Ganderton has written articles for a local driving school, on the subject of driving and driving tests. Go to http://www.coopers-driving-school.com/articles.html and follow the links. (Posted 02/4/2009)
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