Half Term and Bank Holiday

During half term and the bank holiday weekend, I've continued to write and deal with 'writerly' matters and keep up with mundane chores, cleaning, tidying the house, shopping etc. I've also enjoyed time with my grandchildren.

On Bank Holiday Monday, my daughter's children stayed for the night at my house. In the morning, I made a packed lunch and we went to Cassiobury Park. My granddaughter played on the swings slide etc., in the playground while the boys played football. After lunch my granddaughter played football with the boys. Before we went home I had a latte and the children had ice creams.

 On Tuesday I looked after the children while my daughter had an appointment. The younger two and I played snakes and ladders and Rummy Cub. Granddaughter has learned to cheat so she won't have to go down the snakes. Lots of fun and laughter!

 On Wednesday we went to the Aqua Pool in Aylesbury. There's a whirlpool that sweeps swimmers around an artificial island, an outdoor swimming pool, indoor pools suitable for everyone from toddlers to adults, jacuzzis around the pools and flumes. My five year-old granddaughter hurtles down them with her Mum behind her. She's very confident. All of us enjoyed the visit and our picnic lunch in the café which we enjoyed with an addition of potato wedges followed by treats for the children.

 Tomorrow, weather permitting I shall work in the garden, if not I shall cook and freeze some meals. The children will stay with me for the night. If the weather is good we shall have a picnic at Rickmansworth Aquadrome on Sunday morning. After a walk around the lake with granddaughter using her scooter, we will have our picnic and then enjoy drinks and treats in the café.

 

Cassiobury The Ancient Seat of the Earls of Essex

On Monday evening, at Café Cha Cha, in Cassiobury Park, I attended an interesting talk by Paul Rabbits, Head of Parks and Open Spaces for Watford Borough Council and Sarah Kerenza Priestly, Heritage and Arts Manager of Watford Museum.

The subject of the talk was Cassiobury, The Ancient Seat of the Earls of Essex.

"In 1916 the 7th Earl of Essex, aged only fifty-eight, died after being run down by a taxi. Six years later, his widow and his heir, the 8th Earl, put the house and the park up for sale."

Today, Cassiobury Park, is a 300 hectare site twice the size of Hyde Park. It is much loved by local people.

I have been considering setting a novel in or around Cassiobury House for a long time, so I was delighted by the talk, and am looking forward to reading Peter Rabbits and Sarah Kerenza Priestley's beautifully illustrated book Cassiobury The Ancient Seat of the Earls of Essex published by Amberley Publishing, www.amberley-books.com.

Time Off & Writing

My new novel was progressing too slowly so I stopped posting for a little while in order to catch up with my schedule. I also took time off to take my daughter's children out during half-term. On Thursday we went to the local museum, which the three of them enjoyed; and I was fascinated by flotsam woven into brightly coloured threads. The artist collects small items from beaches - lobster pot tags,  tiny toys, bottle tops and many other items. Afterwards we had lunch at Café Cha Cha Cha in Cassiobury Park. Next the boys played football and their sister played on the slide etc., in the playground. Tired but happy we went home to have dinner.

On Friday, we visited Butterfly World near St Albans. There are three glasshouses one for butterflies, one for insects and a another for leaf-cutter ants. In the third, one display cabinet was empty. It is thought  ants chewed through the electric cable and the queen, the size of a small mouse, died. The colony was thrown into chaos and most of them died. However there was a second display case and my four and a half year-old granddaughter was fascinated. After a picnic lunch they played in a large children's area before we visited a series of small gardens with different themes. All in all a very enjoyable day out.

Yesterday we celebrated another grandson's forthcoming thirteenth birthday. A very happy get together in my younger son and his wife's house with a large garden where the children could run around.

Writers Groups

Writers Groups

I spend eight hours or more writing and dealing with matters related to writing.

While writing there is no one to metaphorically hold my hand, encourage me and help me to improve my work in progress.

From my first draft of a novel or article I try to write to the best of my ability and avoid the many pitfalls which plague authors. By the time I have written several drafts, revised and edited my work I know it inside out, upside down and back to front, and that is the problem. I reach the stage when I no longer see typing errors and other mistakes because I am so familiar with my typescript – faulty punctuation, writing from the author’s point of view instead of the character’s and telling the character’s story instead of showing the character’s actions. No matter how interesting my novel or article is these unprofessional mistakes might result in an agent or publisher rejecting my submission.

Fortunately, there is help available. I belong to Watford Writers, which meets every Monday evening with the exception of Bank Holidays.

On manuscript evenings I read approximately 2,000 words from my work in progress and receive helpful comments. Someone might point out a weak spot in the plot, an awkward phrase or something unnecessary for which I am very grateful. After all, to achieve my goal of having more work published I need to constantly improve my craft.

Apart from manuscript evenings Watford Writers invites guest speakers or guests who conduct workshops. Last year I handed in my non-fiction article titled Baroness Orczy and Her Muse at a workshop. The feedback was invaluable. The article needed to be divided into two. I accepted the advice and used the material to write two articles, the first titled Baroness Orczy and the second titled The Scarlet Pimpernel.

At Watford Writers I heard about Vintage Script, a small press magazine devoted to past times. I submitted Baroness Orczy and the article has been published in the magazine’s first edition.

I’m so busy researching my novels and articles that I rarely venture into other fields. However, Watford Writers holds flash fiction competitions in which I have recently participated. So far, I haven’t won anything but writing something very different to my chosen field challenges me to ‘think outside my box’.

Recently, Watford Writers invited its members to submit a 500 word competition story. The theme is The Blue Door. To enter it I had to dig deep into my imagination to find what I hope is an original plot. My entry is called Paradise Lost and even if it is not placed I will still be pleased to have taken part.

Last week was one of the four social evenings held every year. A member organised a quiz – which dismayed me because I know so little about some subjects – for example sport and pop music.

Somewhat nervous I arrived at Café Cha Cha in Cassiobury Park on the quiz evening. It was a hot with a hint of thunder so we sat outside the café looking out over the beautiful park with drinks and plates of food from the buffet to which we all contributed.

I was pleased when I knew the answers to questions relating to gardening and literature but dismayed by the 25 questions about pop music.

Our group lagged behind but we had a stroke of luck. The organiser did not know that one of the ladies in our group had been a disc jockey in South Africa. We scored 50 out of 50 on that final round and won prizes. Mine was a writing magazine and a very useful computer dictionary.

So, if you can find a constructive writers circle that will welcome you, I suggest you visit it and amongst other things make new friends. If you live in or near Watford, Hertfordshire, do drop in at one of out meetings at 7.30. p.m. on Monday evenings. You will be very welcome,

All the best,

Rosemary

Tangled Love set in Queen Anne’s reign 1702-1714 to be published by Muse It Up on the 27.01.2012 (Previously published as Tangled Hearts.)

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk
http://rosemarymorris.blogspot.com