Painting myself into a corner

I hear a lot about writer's block! Luckily I haven't suffered from it yet...or maybe I haven't noticed it? I am in fact suffering from exactly the opposite-I have loads of ideas which arrive in my brain too quickly, causing a massive backlog and bulging notebook!

Problem is I find everything around me a stimulus! I catch myself collecting characters like stamps and I do think I won't have enough time to write about them all! Time is of the essence as they say and its something that I seem to have no control of. Strange that the book series is called "out of time"-because its what I seem to be frequently!

Guy and Grumpy behind

For instance I went to Furness Abbey yesterday, which is not uncommon and there I spotted more carvings which unbelievably I had not seen before. Immediately I returned home I jotted some ideas down and looked at the photos. Great source stuff but rather distracting because I am already in the middle of Cistercian Conspiracy. This is me though...butterfly brain...if I write solidly every day for the next twenty years I won't be able to write all of these stories I am sure!

However, I have removed myself from the corner I had painted myself into-which is good. I really DO envisage completing by new year if I have to shut myself into a room for a week. So watch this space...coming soon-Out of Time 3

Back to the old days...

Had a lovely signing today at Crooklands Garden Centre at Dalton. Read the "Guy and the Christmas Gargoyle" book to some children and made some sales which was nice. The staff kept me plied with drinks and it was all very cosy sitting close to the stove.

A dear old friend arrived to have a natter and a coffee and we were soon chatting away. Inevitably, we talked about children-both being ex-teachers...not quite in the Monty Python "ex-parrot" sense but close enough! I commented on the interest of some of the children who came to get books today and how nice it was to see children keen on reading. My friend said she had encountered a number of children with parents in a local Pound shop-on a half term outing! She could not believe how unruly and rude they were and compared them to how we were when we were young. I am not advocating returning to the halcyon days of the 70s with its left over remnant of post war discipline-but really...what is wrong with a bit of respect?

I am sure there is a difference, certainly in what is permissible these days-it seems to be a grab all, I want sort of society, in which nobody wants to wait for anything even for a minute! I know it sounds old fashioned but what are the parents doing? As a teacher I was sometimes astonished at parent's attitudes-and had to end up by defending my decision for punishing their child for the poor behaviour.

A lot is said about respect these days and it reminds me of when I was at the Grammar school-which had a strict hierarchy and regime-with prefects and the like. As timid first years we were in awe of the Sixth forms and prefects and looked forward to the days when we were able to take on that responsibility. However, by we reached Sixth form Prefects had been eradicated and we all had "equal responsibility"-this was the 70s-and it became an ineffective wishy washy sort of power. Indeed one day the door to the Sixth Form study crashed open and two first years stood there demanding attention for something-shouting aggressively across the room-quite intimidating us. I don't know if we were especially wimpy-but we all mused about how tough and bolshie the kids were today!

By the time I began teaching children seemed to have taken on a radical defiance and many bore no respect for grown ups. This is commonplace now-there is little respect for anyone in authority-teachers, police...adults...in fact the lack of respect translates through many adults too. It seems that many people appear to have little empathy for their fellow man and are more concerned in "things" and status. It matters not that you reach the sage old age of 56- frequently you are dismissed as irrelevant and considered over weaning and ridiculous when you share your life experience and knowledge. Disappointing really- seem to be back in the Sixth Form-your experience is not required, your opinions rubbished and worse still they smile, cajole and patronisingly call you "hun".

Must be getting old...starting to sound like a grumpy old woman!

Furness Hidden Heritage: An Anti-Aircraft Gun, A Dog Carving and A Doctor -...

Furness Hidden Heritage: An Anti-Aircraft Gun, A Dog Carving and A Doctor -...: Dalton, nestled amongst a valley to the south of the Furness peninsula, may be a small town today but once it was the capital of Furness! Th...

A Woman's Wisdom: Out of Time II: A Raven's Hoard by Gill Jepson

A Woman's Wisdom: Out of Time II: A Raven's Hoard by Gill Jepson: I really enjoyed this children's fiction and was particularly interested in the historical aspect. The author has done her research ...

Exciting times ahead and feeling just a bit smug!

Feeling quite pleased with myself today...picked up 100 copies of the new book from the printers! This is essentially a limited edition-arising from my lack of organisation-too late to get it out via my usual publishers-Matador Books/Troubador before Christmas. I needed a new book to take with me to fairs so I took the decision to go for it with a local printer-HSP Milner and I have to say they've done me proud! The quality is excellent and although its smaller than expected I love it! However, when they're gone they're gone! And if by chance you have one of these when I am as famous as JKRowling then you will be able to sell it for mega bucks on ebay!!!

 

And its that time again folks...waiting with great anticipation for our donation from Keswick to Barrow Walk after our hard work completing the 40 mile hike last May. We had seven teams walking for dystonia-which if you don't know is a horrible neurological condition affecting 75000 in the UK. We raised an awful lot of sponsorship this year so looking forward to the awards night. We are also expecting some funds for Furness Abbey Fellowship as well-which will go to the crosier appeal.

Which also means...the teams for next year are open! SO if YOU think you can do this crazy walk with us in all horrible kinds of weather-let me know and I will add you in!

Living in the past

I am a master of self doubt, procrastination and indecision. These are the three things which probably propel me into the fantasy worlds I create with the books I write. That isn't necessarily a bad thing...but I reach overdrive quite quickly and rush to hide in my fantasy world to avoid the "real" things that worry or concern me.

I have been troubled for months about the books for instance. I want them to be accepted, enjoyed and to reach a much wider audience. However, this is proving very difficult and I become quite frustrated. So I retreat to avoid looking at marketing strategies-which I hate!

My children say I live in the past and am too absorbed with history and the "olden days", but I don't see this as a bad thing, because it is a wonderful diversion. Today we were at Eskdale Show, which is held in one of my favourite places. I was first introduced to it on Sunday Schools trips in the 1960s. We used to catch a train from Barrow station to Ravenglass, walk across the bridge to the station for L'ile Ratty-the miniature narrow gauge railway to Boot in Eskdale. At the terminus-Dale Garth we alighted and went down into the field behind the station-which is much reduced these days to accommodate the motor cars which inundate the place. When we went, there were no cars usually, because everyone went via the Ratty-which is surely the whole point? We all had picnics on the grass, paddled in the river and played communal games until it was time to pack up and make the return journey home again. This went on for many years as it seemed to be the preferred venue for St Perran's church and it was wonderful...except for one year!

Mum and Dad got us ready, packed the picnic and we raced down to Roose station to catch the train-with my baby sister in the pram (they would travel in the guards van)...we reached the platform to find....the train had left...without us! Dad swore, Mum looked deflated and I cried (I was 7). We trudged home again and as a treat we had the picnic on the floor in the lounge...which didn't actually have a settee at this time as we had just moved and it hadn't been delivered yet! We cheered a little and then something terrible happened! My secret prayer had been answered...it began to rain! By 3 o' clock it was torrential. We all knew what it would be like at Eskdale....wet...wet...wet! I commiserated with my parents about the trip being ruined...but a little tiny-if guilty part of me, was just a little bit pleased!

I remembered this today and mused about past Eskdale Shows-which I knew my great Granny Elizabeth Hodgson from Penny Hill Farm, Boot has experienced. My dad told me many tales about the short rather plump little woman I had seen in photos (so -we know where I got those genes from!). She had been born and bred in Boot and had told her grandson-my dad tales of the Shows and Meets when she was allowed to help. Apparently in return for the help at the King of Prussia pub-now the George IV -(the name change at the start of the Great War) she and the other young people were allowed to riddle the sawdust on the floor for dropped change. This story has fallen into family folklore-and I don't know how accurate it was-but one year she was lucky enough to find a sovereign for her trouble!

I smiled to myself whilst I was standing at my book stall today when I thought of these memories and stories. I wondered what she would have thought of her great granddaughter selling her own books-and it made me think. Even if the range of the books remains "local"-does it really matter? While I am waiting to be "discovered" by a mega publisher, or Melvyn Bragg tweets about my "Cumbrian" stories I can still enjoy sharing them, writing them and talking to children about them. Perhaps, that's all I need to do...enjoy? After all, it has provided a very different and varied life style since I took up the life of an "author"-so I will do what I can and stop being paralysed by the necessity for marketing and the anxiety of promotion and instead I will reach the audience I can, and start to enjoy the fantasy, the writing and the pure escapism it all provides. 

What a fantastic day

Iron Shepherds

Ace Puppets aka Sian Hunter performing Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle at the Furness Abbey Fair

 

We did it! We had THE most amazing Medieval Fair at Furness Abbey and the weather was perfect...I wont go into too much detail here because I really ought to blog on the FAF blog...but cant not mention what a great day we had. The best thing was that we must have had 1200 plus visitors and the families who came really enjoyed it. We passed muster with English Heritage and I believe they will allow us to make this an annual event. Iron Shepherds who did the historical re-enactments were fantastic...well researched, thorough and exciting. The other highlights included Patrick Corbett as a scribe-creating beautiful illuminated letters, Iain McNichol as Brother John explaining the use of herbs and Owen Jones making swill baskets. Helen Elvin weaving traditional baskets and Ralf Bidder doing wood turning and finally the Dorian Players providing a musical interlude.

 

We had a lot of fun and if you go to the FAF blog you can read more....meanwhile back to routine! We are back to work and this will include a mega attempt at some promotion for the books! At least there is some down time for now from FAF...but watch this space more will follow!