Happy New Year - and plans

One of my 'new year tasks' is to update my calendars and diaries putting in the details of the events coming up n this year of 2020. It's always a delight to be able to note down the dates of one of my favourite events of the year - the first writing weekend planned -

Since the Writers' Holiday in the summer closed, there always seems to be such along gap between the last time I was in lovely Fishguard and the date that I'm heading there again - but now there's just over a month to go before I'll be back there with my friends and waking up to the sight and sound of the sea outside my bedroom every morning. I can't wait. You know that feeling with real friends when you haven't seen each other for too long - but when you meet up again it's as if you only parted yesterday. Well, that's one of the very special parts of the atmosphere at  Writers Holiday - and that's why I love it so much.

February 21st - 23rd 2020 - Advanced Romance Writing Course with the fabulous Writers Holiday 

Courses also with poet Alison Chisholm, Simon Whaley,  Short story writer Della Galton, novelist Janet Laurence  and   drawing and painting tutor  Susan Allison.

Numbers on this course are strictly limited so if you're interested, get your booking in while there's still spaces. The course also includes a one to one critique on your writing.

There are a couple of other weekends planned with Lois Maddox- one a course and one a writing retreat - I need to check on the details and dates and places then get back to you.

Lincoln Library talk

Thank you to everyone who came to my talk at Lincoln Library yesterday. The weather was so awful - cold and wet - that I was grateful to see anyone turn up. But - unlike the weather - the welcome was warm and the session went more than 30 minutes over time.

Thank you too to Tina and Louise - and all the other members of the library staff who made me so welcome and provided plenty of cups of tea to warm everyone through after the miserable day.

I h

ad a great time.

Because I was asked about the teaching of Writing Romantic Fiction that I do - here, specially for Michelle and Kim at the Lincoln Library event, and anyone else who might be interested - are the details of the next 'Relax and Write' course - organised by Lois Maddox -

16-18 November 2018
Write That Romantic Novel –
One-to-one guidance, advice on your writing and in-class discussions on important topics:
Creating realistic characters.
Sustaining pace and conflict.
Packing emotional punch.
Writing sex scenes.
Crafting a satisfactory ending.
Lilleshall Conference Centre
Nr. Newport Shropshire
All inclusive fee £255

The next one coming up will be in February 2019 when I will be back at the fabulous Writers' Holiday event at Fishguard. This is the Advanced Romance Writing Course - so you need some experience of my courses before signing up,. Though I think it might actually be already fully signed up - or close to it!

I'll check on that and post more details of other courses planned asap

There and back again

Finally catching up with things after a long and lovely weekend in  Fishguard,  teaching the Advance Romance  Writing Course,  getting to see and talk with fellow  tutors and students  - established and new ones. 

This year everyone seems to have been even more enthusiastic and involved  than  usual - and there had been really enthusiastic groups  in the past.   We didn't want to leave, we were enjoying ourselves so much,  but  the weekend seemed to pass in  a flash and  before we knew it we were packing the car ready to travel home.  And that was when life got interesting . . .

This country has a strange climate. Spent a wonderful wonderful weekend in Fishguard in bright sunshine then set off home in sunshine and blue skies. Halfway home we got stuck in a raging blizzard which was not fun but eventually we made it home safely . . . to find none of the threatened snow here at all!

Overnight this changed and we are now snow-bound in deep deep snow and whirling winds! Oh well,I have cases to unpack, books to sort out, course teaching papers  to file away . . . and the presents . . . .

Every year I try to point out to my students that I have as much fun teaching them as I hope they have in doing the course with me - add in a stay at the Fishguard Bay Hotel - and the fabulous company of the Fishguard 'Family' -   Gerry  and Anne Hobbs, Alison  Chisholm,  Simon Whaley.  Della  Galton  and Susan Alison . . . and everyone else. So there is no need to do anything else. But every year they ignore me and I came home with this lovely bundle of 'excess baggage'! Thank you all for your kindness and warmth - and specially for your company over a great weekend.

  And it's  a lovely reminder of  a fabulous weekend in Wales while  I  try to catch up with everything, write revisions, send out critiques and letters.   And it's  so sad that it will be  next Febraury (2019) before we're back in Fishguard again.

Oh well,  it's warmer and safer inside right now, when my garden looks like  this  with the birds queing at the door for extra mealworms and  seedcake to get them through the freeze.

Keep warm and safe everyone!

PS Re the Advanced Romance Writing Course weekend - that's back again in February  2019 with Writers Holiday   I saw  lots of my students   booking ahead to ensure a place on  this popular course next year  - so if you're interested, register that fact now!   I'm  told there are 'a few' places left but as I've talked with two people who wanted to book  a place in 2019  -  those don't look like  they're going to hang around!

Just got back from Harrogate ( PA duties for the other writer in the family ) but before that spent Thursday night absolutely entranced and mind-blown watching Paapa Essiedu in the tour of RSC's Hamlet in Hull.

 3 hours of totally absorbing magnificent magic. The big soliloquies were presented as real thoughts not - this is the moment when I do the 'to be or not to be' speech. Brilliant. DH and I are still talking about it. If you get a chance to see this production - grab it. I already want to see it again.

The next couple of days will be spent finalising the details of the Writers' Holiday Advance Romance Writing Course for Fishguard  next weekend. 

Can't wait to be back in Wales and reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

Started planning my next course - Advanced Romance Writing at Fishguard Writing Weekend with

Writer's Holiday. Also collected some of the 'treats' that are needed to help inspire and sustain the writers on this course.

An interesting fact - whenever I go to get the chocolate (for inspiration!) the local supermarket has set up a lovely discount price on it. Do you think they keep an eye on my blog/facebook page? 'If it's February she'll be coming in for supplies for Writers' Holiday.' So maybe they have a note in their diary - April means she'll need supplies for Relax & Write' Weekend Coursesx .

.

The  Writer's Holiday course is absolutely over-full right now - but as they say 'Other courses are available.'

The next  one will be a Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction Retreat at  Royal Agricultural University  in Cirencester - dates   6th - 8th April.

If you'd rather just have a library talk - with Valentine's Day coming up I have one of those too -  The ABC of Love in Doncaster library on February 14th

I'm sharing this with another author, Lynda Stacey  - from 11am to 12.30 in the Central Library Doncaster

Great weekend in Keele.

What a fantastic weekend - even though I was officially 'working' - running the Writing Fiction that Sells weekend for Relax and Write at Keele, I had so much fun that the weekend just flashed past in learning, laughter, friendship, enjoyment and fascinating discussions. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us and made the weekend a real delight. The only flaw was that sadly Lois Maddox couldn't be with us. She was missed.

So that's it for my teaching for this year. I need to draw breath and look at my own work now! Next course will be at Fishguard in February with WritersHoliday - the Advanced Romance Writing course but that is already booked up!

So the one after that will be a Focus on Writing Romance - a Writing Retreat at Cirencester in April . Again, numbers on this course are strictly limited - and I know  4 or 5  places are already booked. So if you're interested please get in touch with Relax and Write to get your name on the list.

One of the best parts of summer.

As you probably already know, I spent a  fabulous week in  July at Writers Holiday in Fishguard. Yes,

I was teaching a course - and so was my husband - but there is so much more to Fishguard than the teaching and the courses, there's the friendship, the laughter, the after-dinner speakers, the food, the massages (yes - we have a lovely lady who gives fabulous back and shoulder massages - just what you need after a day's teaching!) the music - the Cwmbach Male Choir - perhaps a little bit of wine - the conversations, the new friends,. . the husbands.  (yes husbandS)

Sadly, this summer's event was the last on in Fishguard in July - though, thankfully, the February Writing Weekends are still continuing - thank heaven or I'd pine away completely.

One of the unexpected delights of teaching with Gerald P Hobbs Writers' Holiday every year is that some years back I unexpectedly acquired another 'husband' !😉😮 (It's a long story - and a case of mistaken identity!) Interestingly both husbands have the initials SW - Stephen Wade and Simon Whaley. Not only is Simon (Husband 2) great company and an inspiring teacher, he's also a very talented photographer and he's responsible for a wonderful assortment of photos of the last night of the last summer holiday at Fishguard (sob!😪 )  - if you can see them on his Facebook page

So many times I'm asked why I travel all that way to Wales for this week in the summer - and again in February - well, take a look at these photos of that last night - the friendship, warmth, affection and sheer family atmosphere of Gerald P Hobbs Writers' Holiday shines out of them. More than worth a few (OK - a lot) of hours' driving, and besides that I get to spend a week by the sea with a whole group of friends. I'm only sorry I won't be doing that next summer - but there will be February 2018 (and Husband 2 is teaching a course there.)

Behind every great event there has to be someone who has worked tirelessly and non-stop to make it right. In the case of Writers'Holiday - those people are Gerald  Hobbs and his lovely wife Anne. This photo will be special to so many  Writers' Holiday visitors, past and present. over the 32 years they have been running this lovely event. You arrive as a stranger, not knowing anyone, and leave as a member of a warm and welcoming family. I should know, the Babe Magnet and I have been part of that family for well over half the time it's been in existence. Without Anne and Gerry planning Writers' Holiday and making sure it was one of the most giving and welcoming writers' events in the country, I'd never have enjoyed some of the most special times of my life. (And as I said   it has to be special to make it worth making the l-o-n-g journey from

Lincolnshire to Wales twice a year)

I (and many many others) am so sad that the summer event has now become unworkable - but there are still the February Weekends, and the Babe Magnet and I will be there as long as we can manage it. Caerleon/Fishguard regulars will know that this is a rare photo - getting Gerry centre stage has been a near-impossibility over the years. We managed it once on the 25th anniversary and now, thankfully, managed it again for this special bittersweet evening.

(and thank you Husband2 for the photo)

To Anne and Gerry - from all the Fishguard regulars - so many thanks for all you've done over the years, and thank goodness you're carrying on with the February weekends or I think we'd all pine away without you and all the friends you've helped us make over the year.

RNA Conference weekend

So here’s how the statistics for the weekend stack up:

First and foremost  - people to thank for a wonderful, fantastically well organised and stimulating conference once again  - Jan Jones and Roger Sanderson

Hours spent getting lost en route to Telford 2

Minutes left to prepare/change clothing/brush hair before Wellington Library panel 5

People attending Wellington library  panel  30

Wedding anniversary celebrated 1

Old friends met up with again  100- maybe more

New friends made – 30

Talks/workshops attended 20

Quiz won  - 1 (by ½ point!)

Bottles of wine consumed . . . err – lost count

RNA ex-virgins (from when I ran the first-timers group)and writers now published after my courses/12 Point Guide – Janet Gover Rachael Thomas Brigid Cody Iona Garrett Cathy Mansell

Discussions with past course students after one to ones -   10

Books added to my TBR pile – 15 – with special thanks to Janet Gover, Lara Temple (see above)

Person to thank for all the photographs – 1-   John Jackson

Late nights in the kitchen with wonderful friends – 4

Cats to appease after abandoning them for 4 days – surprisingly, none. The wonderful cat-sitter we  asked to look after them did the job so well we actually had no complaints, no sulks, no retribution when we came home. 

Except – number of mice sacrificed to cats’ need to bring presents for cat sitter – 3

Hedgehogs to feed in the evening after we got back – 4  - that’s including one brand-new half-grown Heck who is currently eating his/her way through everything we put out for it.

Bundles of washing to dump in the machine and get dry before we head out to Writers’ Holiday- 4

Days to go before I have to turn round and head out again towards Fishguard and teaching on this summer’s Writers’ Holiday – 3 ….

Eeek – thank heaven I planned the course well in advance and had only to pack my handouts etc.

Busy July

July is always a hectic month for me. So the coming week is going to need me to have my head down, nose to the grindstone - in theory this will mean finishing the book I've been wrestling with, for ever it seems.

The there will be the RNA Conference - where I have the appearance on the fantastic panel on Thursday evening 13th July, it's a free event at the local Wellington Library, from 7-8pm, so if you're in the area, and you'd like to come along, everyone's welcome - other fabulous writers on this panel are : Freda Lightfoot, Sarah Morgan, Nicola Cornick, Bernardine Kennedy.

At the RNA - as always - the Babe Magnet and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary of many, many years but as the conference is always so busy and so much fun, we'll have our private, personal celebrations once we're home.

T

hen the next week (we have 3 days to turn around, get clean clothes and head out again we're heading for lovely Fishguard in Wales and the fabulous Gerald P Hobbs Writers' Holidays where I'm teaching The Complete Romance Writing course and one Stephen Wade is running a course called 'Make 'em Laugh' - writing humour. (Note to self - must find out if there are any places still availab

le on this year's Writers' Holiday in case anyone's interested.)

So as I know I shall be very busy (understatement ) in the rest of the month - I'm going to be doing something a bit special for the next few days - and introducing you to a new writer. Someone who writes very different sort of books from mine but they're fascinating and great reads - well, I'm partial because I know her! But if you have young readers in your family specially those who love books of fantasy and darkness, magic, menace and a truly terrifying foe - then come along - and there will be a giveaway to enter as well.

So that's coming up soon.  I hope you'll come by and meet this writer.

Preparing writing course

I've been spending the weekend preparing The Complete Romance Writing Course for the wonderful Writers' Holiday in Fishguard in July - so now I'm keyed up with anticipation and can't wait to go back to one of my favourite places ever - with a lot of my special friends - and making new ones I hope!

There are still some places on the week/the course that are available if you want to join us. If you'll be a new first timer do let us know so that we can make sure to welcome you. (I needed to add this as the story has got out that I have the nickname Ms Whiplash for Writers' Holiday! It's a joke, honest!)

This course is intended to provide information and advice for anyone who wants to learn how to write a popular romance genre novel. It gives an introduction to all the skills needed for success, from creating realistic characters, sustaining pace and conflict, packing emotional punch, writing sex scenes and crafting a satisfying ending. While the focus may be on romance novels, the techniques – dialogue, characters, tension, pacing, settings, hooks etc. will also be relevant to all forms of popular fiction.

Don't forget there are also great courses run by Carol Fenlon, Simon Whaley, Della Galton, James Morgan Nash, Susan Moody, Janet Laurence, Alison Chisholm, Susan Alison and Stephen Wade on writing humour

Oh, now I really can't wait

VERY special weekend

Many many thanks to every kind person who sent me  fabulous birthday wishes.  I  was away in the countryside in Derbyshire enjoying a wonderful birthday weekend in a lovely cottage, with some very special friends. We shared so much fun and laughter, writing discussions, walks in the bluebell woods, fabulous food courtesy of Sallyann, a glass of prosecco or two - so much happiness and the joy of sharing friendship. The best birthday present (and there were a couple of wonderful gifts to unwrap too!!)

I've managed to get some photos to share - the lovely cottage and the bluebell wood - and a rather special cake! Once upon a time the fabulous organisers of Writers' Holiday let slip the WH nickname of Ms Whiplash for me on-air for a radio broadcast - and the nickname stuck. So now, Gerald P Hobbs

 - and Anne - I am coming prepared for this summer - July 24th-29th - can't wait!!  ;-)

Thank you to everyone who posted birthday wishes - and to

my lovely friends who shared a fabulous birthday weekend - and gave me this cake!

Special weekend

I'm not at all sure where time  has gone - but somehow it's almost the weekend and I've been so looking forward to this weekend.

 Can't think of any way better to celebrate a special day than to meet with special friends - people who care about you - and have a long weekend in a farm cottage in the countryside. I expect there will be a lot of laughter, great food and a really relaxing time . Just what I need to help me ignore getting older . ..

After I posted the great news about Rachael Thomas's brilliant success people have been enquiring about courses and I meant to post details of the ones coming up but time has just s-l-i- p-p-e-d away from me. And now I'm busy packing for that weekend - but I will post more details when I get back - or you can check out Writers' Holiday for the next summer course - Writing Romantic Fiction - if you can't wait. I will be in Derbyshire. . . 

Celebrating a student's success

Years ago, I taught my very first Writing Romance course at Fishguard Writing Weekends with  Writers Holiday





In that class was lovely Rachael Thomas who had a dream of becoming a writer of romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon. She was one of the hardest working people in pursuit of her dreams that I have ever met. She tried and submitted, got knocked back, tried again . . . Once she even thought about giving up - but she didn't. 


 What's that they say about... success being able to get up one more time than you've been knocked down - well, Rachael proved that. She never gave up on her dream. And now, today she is celebrating the publication of her 10th Romance - Di Marcello's Secret Son. That's definitely worth celebrating. Dreams really can come true - specially if you work as hard at them as Rachael!


I'm so so pleased for you Rachael - and so proud of all you've achieved since you were in that very first class (though I miss having you as one of my student!)

Back home from Wales

Back home  after the wonderful Writers And Artists weekend in Fishguard with everyone there.  I had such a good time with all my friends and making new ones - plus fellow tutors Alison Chisholm Della Galton Susan Alison  and of course my own former student and now multi-published author - and tutor on  the Novel Course - Rachael Thomas.  I had a fabulous time.

So many of my students have been on other courses before that they are affectionately known as

  Walker's Stalkers - they wanted to thank me for the course and  I came home laden down with gifts! (There was another bottle of Walkers' Bay wine, but that was enjoyed on the last night before I left Wales!)  

So very generous - but the real truth is that the fun and laughter - and the great discussions we shared was more than gift enough.  But a huge thank you to everyone who was there and who contributed.  I really enjoy these weekends - and can't wait to do it again!

I'm also so looking forward to teaching the  Writing Romantic Fiction course at Fishguard in July.

What happened to January

 January seems to have got lost  somewhere along the way.   I sort of blinked and they  realised that I hadn't posted in  this blog - and it was  no longer January  - but February!

What happened?  A damaged shoulder for  one thing - after a fall I had I thought I was mended but then it turned out that  my shoulder was still  affected  - and guess was the worst possible thing  for it?
Typing - working at the keyboard - that's what made it even worse than before.

So I have been trying to rest it and keep away from the keyboard. Not an easy matter when I need to be working on so much - like the next new book . . .and then there's the important preparations for the next course I'm teaching.

I'm about to head for Wales and Fishguard Bay Hotel where I'll be teaching the Advance Romance Writers' Holidays.  I can't wait - I always have so much fun with the wonderful people who run Writers' Holidays - and the great students who join us beside the sea in beautiful Wales.

Writing Course with

And  one good thing is that while I'm teaching then hopefully I can give this sore shoulder a rest - and just wear out my voice  instead.

Recently one of my usual blogging spots - The Pink Heart Society  Blog - has changed and it will be

appearing in a different format very soon. So my regular posts there won;t be appearing in the same way any more.

But the other regular postings I do - over on the Tote Bags N Blogs site  will still continue - on the 12th of every month.  And as it's the 12th of February today - really?! How did it get to February 12th!  -  so that's where my blog will be today.

And I'll try to post here more often  . . .though I will be in Wales for most of next week

Meet Della - Della Ga er . . . . Della Parker

Every year I go to Fishguard  - well, I go twice a year actually.  Every February and July.   I go for the wonderful conferences run bu  fabulous Writers' Holidays - a weekend in February and a week in the summer, in July. I always look forward to it so much. 

It's by the sea for one thing - what's not to like about waking up every morning with the sound of the sea lapping against the beach outside my window? And then there are the people I meet there - the students - and of course  fantastic Gerry and Anne who run the holidays each time.

And then there are my fellow tutors - a great bunch of people who have become dear and special friends over the year.    They're all great writers too - very successful in their own fields.  I try not to envy them but there's one lady I have to admit I do feel envious  of! And that's Della -  I know her as Della - but  she's recently have a name change -  check out the rest of this blog for details.

I envy her because of her ability to write and sell short stories.   You'd think that having published 65 books, I might be able to manage a short story or two - but the thing is that writing short is a very special skill. I find my ideas naturally grow and  fill a novel - I have sold precisely 3 short stories in my writing life.    Della recently  sold . .  .  her 1500th short story!!

Yes that's right - 1500th!

Perhaps I should go on Della's short story course at Fishguard - but there's just one small problem - I'm usually teaching my own course  when she'd teaching! But I know how much everyone  who does attend any course of hers  enjoys it - and how much they learn from Della in her own area of expertise.   

And now Della is branching out. She's become Della Parker - and she's writing something new too -  a series of novellas called . . .but no, I'll let Della tell you all about them -

Welcome to my blog, Della  . . .Parker or Galton - whichever you are!

My New Name – Della Parker

2016 was the year I changed my name to Della Parker! Or rather my new publisher did.  A new name for my new series of novellas, which is called The Reading Group.  I have had the best fun writing them and the first few are now out so Kate has kindly agreed to me coming along to her blog to talk about them. Thank you so much, Kate.

My New Novellas - The Reading Group. 

The Reading Group focuses on five women who meet monthly to drink wine, have nibbles, gossip and – oh yes – discuss the classics.

In December they are reading A Christmas Carol and Grace’s life seems to be taking a curious parallel to Dickens’ classic story! Spooky! 

In January they are reading Jane Austen’s Emma – and this time it’s Anne Marie who’s the focus of the story. Like Emma, Anne Marie fancies giving Cupid a run for his money. But matchmaking isn’t really her forte!

In February they are reading Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Oh and Kate has a handsome gamekeeper (I mean builder) in renovating her kitchen. Hold on to your hats, ladies.

In March, Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is the book of the month. Jojo has a new man in her life. She is starting to worry that there may be certain parallels between her life and Daphne Du Maurier’s heroine. Age gap romance and ancestral homes spring to mind.

The Reading Group series is published by Quercus Books.

January, February and March are out now. They are novellas and are 99p each (ebook only)

December, which is a short story, is free for your kindle. I would be eternally grateful if you would download it.  I’m hoping that lots of downloads will catapult me to writing fame and fortune! I’ll report back on this at some later date, possibly from a Hawaiian beach!

But seriously... Having the chance to write a contemporary version of these classics has been an absolute privilege and a joy.  

Della Galton

www.dellagalton.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter

Friend me on Facebook

If you fancy coming on any of Della's short story courses at Fishguard - then check out   Writers' Holiday  for more details  of the courses there in February and July 

The joy of dedications . . .

I came home to a lovely reminder of one of the special joys of being an author. Publishing a book gives me the happy moment of sharing the publication day with a dedication to people I care a lot about. (Or, sadly, sometimes people I used to care a lot about, but thankfully there are few of them.) Today a lovely card let me know how pleased the special friends to whom Indebted to Moreno is dedicated made me smile with happiness at the thought that I have such fabulous friends in my life and that they are happy to discover that I shared the book with them. Regular readers will see that several of the dedications have resulted from the many happy times I've spent at Writers' Holiday - and I hope to share many more.

The 'Mal' half of Malison is also the major support behind the self-pubbed paperback new edition of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. Luckily, both these friends know I love cats - as do they - so the card (see to the side) made me smile for other reasons

Catching up - trying to!

I've been missing for ages! I couldn't believe it when I looked at my blog and found that I hadn't posted since the beginning of July - my apologies for my absence but there are reasons for it.

It's July - the busiest month in the year for me most years and this year was no different. There was The RNA Conference in Lancaster,  a visit to dear friend and great writer Michelle Reid  - then home, unpacking, repacking and heading to Wales for the wonderful Writers' Holiday.

I've been meaning to write about my travels and the fabulous month I've had  but never found a moment for it -until now. Today is August 3rd which means that it's the day for my regular monthly post over on the Pink Heart Society Blog  so that's where I'm blogging today - and where you'll find my post about the highlights of the past month  as I've travelled up and down the country  and over to Wales.

Hopefully I'll now stay in the same place long enough to finish my latest book - and to find a way to lose  the extra pounds I've put on after the amazing food at Writers' Holiday last week. I keep saying I'll avoid the desserts  but . .  . they're  just too tempting.

Writers' Holiday in Wales

I recently had some enquiries about  any courses I have coming up  so I thought I’d just remind you that as it’s July  I’ll be spending my usual wonderful week by the sea in Fishguard in Wales  with the fabulous Writers’ Holiday.

I’ll be  teaching  The Complete Romance Writing Course

 This course is intended to provide information and advice for anyone who wants to learn how to write a popular romance genre novel. It gives an introduction to all the skills needed for success, from creating realistic characters, sustaining pace and conflict, packing emotional punch, writing sex scenes and crafting a satisfying ending. While the focus may be on romance novels, the techniques – dialogue, characters, tension, pacing, settings, hooks etc. will also be relevant to all forms of popular fiction.

So looking forward to the week by the sea, meeting old friends , making new ones. A week  of enjoying the company of other writers – eating good food (lots of it!)  sharing laughter and  lots of interesting ‘main’ talks.

Oh – and I almost forgot the very special  Friday Night  Welsh Night – how could I forget that?

  Friday evening only, after dinner, gives delegates the opportunity of sampling a little of the singing reserved normally for the communities of Wales. This private concert will start at 8.00pm and the excellent Cwmbach Male Voice Choir will also adjourn to the bar after - an evening not to be missed.

I’m only sorry that I can’t do all of the other courses on offer . . .perhaps if I snuck out and  joined one of them, no one would notice?

FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK:

1 IDEAS ON YOUR DOORSTEP: FIND THEM, WRITE THEM – AND PROFIT FROM THEM

  STEPHEN WADE

2 SHORT STORY MAGIC - HOW TO WRITE EMOTION

DELLA GALTON

3  THE COMPLETE  ROMANCE WRITING COURSE

KATE WALKER  

4    POETRY FOR ALL!    

ALISON CHISHOLM

5   Painting and Drawing  

SUSAN ALISON

SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK:

  6    WHAT'S YOUR DREAM?   MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW!

 SOLANGE HANDO     

7   WRITE A NON-FICTION BEST-SELLER

SIMON WHALEY

 8    E&P-I-Y YOUR BOOK – LEAVE OUT THE MIDDLE MAN AND KEEP ALL THE PROFIT!

 MALCOLM CHISHOLM

 9   THE SERENDIPITOUS WRITER   

CAROL FENLON

  10   Painting and Drawing

   SUSAN ALISON

Or you can just stare at the sea

 And all for only £499    - for that you get two 8 session writing courses as well.

Partners welcome any time. 

If you’re with the family, or staying somewhere else nearby, you can always become a Day Delegate

  DAY DELEGATE RATE INCLUDES EVERYTHING except a bed! For just £299

Full English breakfast, all morning coffees/lunches/afternoon teas/dinners

together with all courses/workshops from breakfast until late evening each day.

Full details  from Writers' Holiday

I can't wait!

Pink Hearts Day

For anyone who wants an update on Charlie - he is so much better he's eating like a pig, and now has gone out to chase magpies off his lawn!

Today is the 3rd of the month which means that it's my day to blog at the Pink Hearts Society - where I'm looking forward to the events coming up - RNA - Writers Holiday - Relax and Write and all the fun I'll have there.

Have a great weekend. I know Charlie will!