Libertine will be making her first public appearance at the Verulam Writers’ Circle’s Open Mic Night on Thursday 25th November 2010. We will be at The Goat in St Albans from 7pm, readings starting at 7.30pm.http://www.goatinn.co.uk/default.aspxThis event is part of the National Short Story week, to find other events, check out the website.http://www.nationalshortstoryweek.org.uk/See you there!
The soldiers I never knew
November 14th, 2010I have not suffered a personal loss through war. So why do I shed so many tears for the soldiers I never knew?
Let me tell you.
Every day we are bombarded with images of new atrocities and old.
The holocaust; Al Queda; Tiananmen Square; Rwanda; Kosovo; Burma
Each and every one of these should be in our minds every time we make a free choice in our lives. For thousands of people affected by the situations listed and countless others not listed such free choice was not readily available as it is to us.
Every time I speak out for the environment, every time I open up my laptop and use my freedom to write, every time I shop and reel at the price of anything; all these things I can do because soldiers I never met and will never meet fought for me to be able to.
Many gave their lives. I thank them. Today I honour them, like I do and will always do throughout the year every time I speak my mind and every time I use my freedom to walk through a field where poppies grow.
God bless them all.
On love, life and Libertine
March 1st, 2010Ok, I might have lied about the love bit. Well, I definitely lied about the love bit but the rest…
I am a serial volunteer. For some reason I’m always offering to do stuff. For free. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing it, after all what’s not to like. It’s a brilliant way to get to know new people, learn new things, network and all those other great things. For instance, I just helped out with Get Writing 2010 (Brought to you by the wonderful people at Verulam Writers’ Circle) and am dead chuffed to be able to say I’ve been promoted to Operations Manager for this year. (#GetWriting2011 or #GW11 on twitter).
I’m currently helping to judge a short story competition too, which is proving challenging as they’re all good!
Add to that all the wildlife volunteering I’ve got lined up over the summer and you are starting to see the ‘life’ picture.
‘But!’ I hear you cry, ‘where does that leave Libertine? (And, of course, the other backburner novel you keep teasing us with)’
You’re right too. I’m almost done with the judging bit, the wildlife stuff fits into a schedule (which I am planning) and Get Writing 2011 is just starting out. So I’ve made a decision.
I am not going to volunteer for anything new until Libertine is complete.
No, really, I mean it.
I am fully committed to the jobs I’ve taken on, as everyone knows I’m a multi-tasking grafter.
But.
For once in my life I’m putting my project at the top of the list. Let’s face it, Libertine’s got wings so if I don’t do it she’ll probably fly there anyway.
So, if I haven’t already said I’ll do it, well, I won’t do it. Honest.
Inspiration, networking and friendship at Get Writing 2010
February 21st, 2010After such meticulous planning and high hopes Get Writing 2010 proved to be a sparkling success! All day long smiling faces and hearty conversation were plain evidence that everyone was having a great time, surely the best any organisers can hope for.
Two glowing reports from Helen J Beal, a delegate and Vanessa Gebbie, who ran a workshop summarise the day beautifully:
http://www.helenjbeal.com/?p=1042
http://vanessagebbiesnews.blogspot.com/2010/02/reading-writing-arithmetic-poets-on.html
There is no greater kick than seeing people enjoy something you have helped to organise, I’m proud to say that I was part of it. Even better, I will be a bigger part of it next year, (oh yes, we are starting to discuss it already!) as I’ve been asked to adopt the role of Operations Manager. Exciting but scary at the same time!
Meanwhile, I’m happy to report that one of the questions asked was ‘What is the next big thing in fiction?’ The answer? Angels! Go Libertine!
So, if you are a writer and seek inspiration, information, instruction, networking, the company of similar minds, or just a cracking day out with a tasty lunch book early for Get Writing 2011. I’ll keep you posted on when bookings open…
A whirlwind couple of months!
February 17th, 2010Phew! What a busy couple of months I’ve had. After the great response to the VWC tree at the Festival of Trees I was invited to help out with the organisation of the group’s Get Writing 2010 conference. Naturally I jumped at the chance.
The event is on Saturday February 20th, just a couple of days away now, and promises to be a fantastic day. We have several guest speakers, ranging from published writers such as Adele Geras (with over 90 titles to her name!), to editors and agents. There will be a range of workshops for delegates to nurture their skills, some delegates will be pitching their work to the editors and agents and there will even be a book signing area at lunch time. I can’t wait, it’s going to be hard work but great fun.
Meanwhile I have started some badger surveying, sadly delayed due to the snow. We found a fantastic sett which is so perfect that I will be using it to train the Stevenage Tree Wardens on how to identify badger signs. The site will also be used as a Field Studies Centre so I will be helping out with some other survey work soon.
Talking of the Tree Wardens, I will be starting the Whomerley and Monks Wood survey in the next couple of weeks, which I am very excited about. There will also be a Big Bio Event in June which I will be getting involved with, watch out for more details about that soon!
The big personal news was my graduation. I will get the photo’s downloaded soon, but what a fabulous day I had. All my life had built to that moment, and I honestly thought at one stage that it wasn’t going to happen but I kept fighting. The author Philip Pullman was awarded an honorary degree at the ceremony and gave a very inspiring speech. Me being me, whilst I was on stage I went up to him and shook his hand, I feel very proud to be able to say I graduated on that day.
So, what about the writing? Well, Libertine is coming along beautifully and proving very popular. I have written up to chapter 12 and am now rewriting those first chapters, to get them absolutely right before I press on. The plot is planned and I have researched several locations. I will be getting a personal behind the scenes tour very soon at Forty Hall in Enfield, which I’m really looking forward to.
As well as Libertine I have decided to rewrite Alex’s story completely. The theme will be similar, Alex will be getting a new name and the setting will be very Steampunk. There’s a lot of research to be done, but I’m starting to get my teeth into it and I have written an opening scene, starting to get to know my new female lead and male support character. It will be very different to Libertine, that much is certain!
Just this week I had a new idea which is developing nicely, but I’m not giving anything away on that one for now.
I think that sums things up for now, I should be able to blog more often again, having got the busy period out of the way!
Branching out – VWC at the HMWT Festival of Trees
November 29th, 2009I’ve just spent a lovely afternoon putting up a Christmas Tree. No, it’s not in my front room, nor is it covered in tinsel.
It’s one of around 50 trees being decorated by community groups local to St Albans for the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust ‘Festival of Trees’. This particular tree represents the Verulam Writers’ Circle (VWC to those of us ‘in the know’!).
I haven’t decorated a tree for several years, mainly due to piles of text books in my lounge whilst studying my degree, so I’m a little out of practice. Thankfully a flash of non-writing inspiration struck just at the right moment. I’ve used pens and pencils along with the expected baubles and bells and topped it all off with a parchment scroll and quill. The tags either show details of VWC or book covers of our published writers.
Loads of people were there decorating their own trees and already the feedback has been brilliant! The other trees are all gorgeous too, lots of wonderful ideas and such a lovely way to find out more about what is going on in the area.
So, a couple of pictures are attached, hopefully you’ll agree the results were rather pleasing!
If you are interested in writing, VWC is the circle of choice and Get Writing 2010 is the perfect place to learn how to develop your skills.
If you fancy spending a couple of hours browsing around these wonderful trees the Festival will be open to the public on December 5th and December 6th between 10am and 4pm. There is also the opportunity to meet the HMWT Badger who will be in his festive sett, taking a break from his winter hibernation!
Check out the poster attached: Festival of Trees poster
A Halloween Hallo to bats
November 1st, 2009Yesterday I spent an amazing day at the Knebworth House Halloween Pumpkin Trail event.
I was helping out on a stall with the Herts & Middlesex Bat Group providing information on Hertfordshire’s bats. We were even able to introduce the public to some real live bats.
Before anyone panics, they are captive because they wouldn’t survive in the wild and are only handled by experienced bat experts with licences. Any bats that have a chance of fending for themselves are released as soon as they are fit enough, that’s just one of the functions of the Bat Group.
We got lucky with the weather and despite a heavy downpour the night before by 12 noon we had calm mild conditions and the public turned up in their droves. And their Halloween costumes, of course!
Each of the kids had a passport to collect stamps to earn a goody bag so they had to do at least six activities, Meet a Bat was just one of them.
There is a common connection between bats and Halloween mainly as a direct result of the vampire link. In actual fact our bats are tiny insectivores with a cute factor of 11/10. OK, I’m biased but if you ever get the opportunity to meet a bat yourself, take it. I’ll be amazed if you don’t end up agreeing with me.
There is something magical about the moment that a person sees a bat up close for the first time. The eyes widen and sparkle, the mouth drops open with an audible gasp followed by an exclamation of “Oh it’s so tiny!” or “Oh my God! It’s so cute!”. Then come the questions and we know we have a new Batfan.
So, if you didn’t know, our most common bat is the Common Pipistrelle (latin name Pipistrellus pipistrellus). It feeds on mosquitoes and midges, so it’s really important that we preserve our bugs. Our little Pip comes out around dusk and roosts in all kinds of nooks and crannies, under tiles, behind soffits, almost anywhere. With it’s wings folded it’ll fit into a matchbox and weighs the same as a sheet of A4 paper. It is small but it really is perfectly formed.
At dusk we also ran a bat walk which attracted quite a crowd and happily the Knebworth House bats performed beautifully. We picked them up on the bat detectors, could hear that they were feeding and could even see them silhouetted against the darkening sky as they flitted past us.
Well, we wowed our audience yesterday and all had a great time. I would especially like to say that Hazel Makepeace from the Bat Group did a fantastic job, running the stall from Thursday to Saturday.
If you would like to know more about the Group their website is here:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/kimthomas/hmbgsite/mainpage.htm
You can also follow them on twitter: @HMBatGroup
The Bat Conservation Trust website has details on all species of bats(including photographs of the Common Pipistrelle:
And for information on supporting bugs to help our bats find food, Buglife’s website is here:
Knebworth House also runs other events throughout the year, or you can just explore the house and grounds. Their website is here:
Balloon Releases – Time to let go
September 26th, 2009I recently was at an event where hundreds of school children were each given a balloon to release. As they drifted up into the sky the crowd clapped and everyone ooh’d and aah’d and told each other how wonderful a moment this was. My heart sank. I stood there wondering how much damage these balloons would cause to the environment. I refused to applaud such irresponsibility.
A couple of days later I received a link on twitter which showed pictures of the most polluted place on Earth. Among that list was the North Pacific Gyre, where a garbage island has gathered as a result of natural wind and water movement. The island is building, but it isn’t a perfect desert island, it’s a grotesque opposite causing the death of wildlife and the destruction of the ecological balance in the area. This is how ‘wonderful’ our actions are.
I wonder if there are labels from balloons somewhere in there. I wonder if they can be read at all. I wonder how the people on those labels would react if they were taken there and realised that we have all played a part in this. That carrier bag that you just couldn’t catch as it blew away, the condom you flushed, the lilo that burst and you allowed to float away and yes, even that balloon you released in the 70’s as a child (and yes, that includes me).
Between us we can do something about it. We can stop adding to it, we can volunteer to collect other people’s rubbish, we can support campaigns to change attitudes. It would take hours and money to remove what’s there, even then, where on Earth would we put it? I would love to think that Governments would unite to address such a problem but that would take a miracle.
Meanwhile, if I can just ask you to think. Have a look at these links. Let them seep into your mind and hopefully you’ll remember to refuse that carrier bag, hang on to your litter and refuse to support the next balloon release you come across.
Article on Environmental Graffiti.com about the North Pacific Gyre
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/north-pacific-gyre-million-tons-garbage-growing/14477
Marine Conservation Society (MCS) – Dont Let Go Campaign – action against balloon release
http://www.mcsuk.org/mcsaction/pollution/b alloons
UK Rivers network includes text of MCS leaflet
http://www.ukrivers.net/balloon_fact.html
Herts Canoe Club – Litter Pickers Extraordinaire!