Welcome to Veronica Bright’s website
Hi. I have written all kinds of stories, some short, some long. I used to publish a monthly blog too, with the aim of inspiring myself and other writers to never give up our wildest dreams. Perhaps it’s time to take up that gauntlet again.
DECEMBER 2023
Talented author Jenny Sanders has written a delightful book of stories for children aged aged 8 to 11, but actually they will be enjoyed by lots of us who love a well-told, humorous tale with very likeable characters. It’s a pleasure to introduce Jenny’s new book on my blog for December.
NOVEMBER 2023
We all know that the world is in a fragile state. In November we mourn for soldiers killed in battle, for the wars that still go on, for the victims of floods and famines and wild-fires. Maybe we can allow ourselves a few minutes to watch the children gathering conkers, to inhale the smell of burnt out fireworks and damp earth. Maybe we can enjoy the promise of cosy winter nights by the fire. Life has crept on since June 2022, when I abandoned my blog and my website. But now… I would like to give it another go.
Please follow the link to my blog. Writing even if…
JUNE 2022
I’m writing this on 3rd June, the Friday of HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Today I’m helping to wave the flag for Her Majesty in our local park, where as part of our town’s Jubilee Festival, I’ll be singing on-stage with a local choir.
I’m flying another flag today, too, on my blog, for a book of short stories written by fellow author, Jenny Sanders. It’s called The Marvellous Moustache, and is a very entertaining read for anyone who loves a good story. Please click on the link and read all about it.
Photo by Mike Bright. Thank you.
MAY 2022
Queen Elizabeth has been part of my life for a very long time. When I was 6 years old my Grandma gave me a little doll which I took to show my teacher in the village school. Grandma had told me she was called Princess Alice Louise, after the new little Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. My teacher said firmly, ‘A doll can’t be a princess,’ leaving me upset and confused, but Grandma said, ‘Of course she can,’ and I was sure she was right. Imagination is a wonderful thing, and I’m celebrating it along with our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month in my latest blog
Photo credit: Queen Elizabeth the second on her 90th birthday. PRESS ASSOCIATION / Danny Lawson.
APRIL 2022
A five-year-old once asked me what was my favourite flower. I didn’t have to think about it. ‘Cow parsley,’ I said.
‘But that’s a weed,’ she declared.
‘I know,’ I said, ‘but it’s absolutely beautiful.’
Every April I marvel at the tiny petals, the way the florets work quietly together to form exquisite flower heads, the way whole banks of this delightful plant dance in the breeze, or single specimens sit modestly in a sunny spot.
On the blog: The importance of small things
MARCH 2022
This March has seen the terror and trauma of conflict in Ukraine, and the contrast of spring , unfolding in English gardens, meadows, woods and lanes, bringing a longing for peace, and the end, for ever, of war.
Today’s blog is called The Long Road.
FEBRUARY 2022
I’m writing this after Storm Eunice has ravaged her way across the UK. At least 4 people have lost their lives, buildings have been severely damaged, and trees have been uprooted. In Ukraine people worry about a possible invasion from Russia. The plight of refugees threatens to fill us with despair. And Covid is still here, also leaving a trail of destruction.
This is February 2022. Spring is on its way, and writers are always ready to distract, amuse, explain, entertain, mystify, and teach. What kind of writer are you seeking to be this year?
Please hop over to my blog where writers may find a bit of encouragement on their own writing journeys.
JANUARY 2022
Today a January sky is surely encouraging us all towards positive thinking and a fresh start.
If, like me, you’ve marvelled at life in an ant colony (and even if you haven’t) do have a look at my blog? There’s a lot to be learned from these small but powerful creatures.
Here’s the link: Ants and their message.
I wish all my friends a productive and successful year.
DECEMBER 2021
May the spirit of Christmas encourage us and bring us hope in these unstable times.
NOVEMBER 2021
November’s such an unpredictable month. Already we’ve lost a pane from our greenhouse to a gale. Some of the leaves on this silver birch didn’t even have time to change colour before the wind wrenched them away.
Yet here, in a quiet corner of the garden, a vigorous clump of nerines refuses to believe the show’s over for this year.
In spite of these cheerful pink flowers, the dark time of the year is fast approaching. Maybe that’s why I chose to write OVERCOMING THE MONSTER in this month’s blog.
OCTOBER 2021
This is the month when huge spiders stretch their webs across the path from one bush to another in the hope of snaring a few flies. And small ones make a bid for our porch, in the hope of a friendly welcome. We don’t mind, but we draw the line at draping webs in corners of the living room ceiling. Shades of Miss Havisham perhaps?
On the blog today the subject is ‘From Rags to Riches’. Everyone welcome!
SEPTEMBER 2021
I’m writing this on one of those early September days when the warmth of the the sun and the stillness of the air suggest that summer is not going to end , not soon, not ever.
Recently a rather fearsome-looking moth had me hurrying to search the web for his identity: an elephant hawk-moth.
At the other end of the scale of beauty, perhaps, I managed to capture a turquoise dragonfly inspecting our pond.
This was the closest I could get! And he didn’t really want anyone to see his beautiful open wings.
Exposing vulnerability is something heroes and heroines often do. This month on my blog I’m talking about a real hero and a fictional heroine, and trying to find the qualities which set both on their own particular quests.
It’s called HEROES ON A QUEST
AUGUST 2021
In 2006 my husband and I went to Kenya, and one of the exciting things we did was to ride in a hot air balloon. It was still dark when we received our wake-up call. After a cup of coffee, our party was transported by jeep to the starting point of out adventure. Stars shone brightly and a planet showed us its place in the sky.
A team of Africans began to inflate the balloons—two were due to take off that day. We met our pilot, Dan, an Australian, who explained the procedures to us. Three French people were joining us, and since I was the only one who (rather foolishly, I thought afterwards) admitted to having some French, I had to translate the pilot’s safety instructions as best I could.
We prepared for take-off. The basket was on its side, and the three French people climbed to the top layer and lay down in the sitting position. Then it was our turn. When everyone was on board, the pilot burnt some gas to inflate the balloon. The noise was terrific, the heat intense, and the bits of ash dropping on us were scary in the extreme! We had a difficult take-off. Bumping along the ground in a reclining but seated position is not fun! Suddenly we were tilting and then upright, and sailing into the sky.
The sun rose slowly behind us, too bright to take a photo of the second balloon which had experienced a bit of trouble taking off. We rose higher, though Dan had to keep the balloon low for much of the time. The wind was too strong for the heights, and in any case was threatening to carry us over the border to Tanzania. Would that be a problem, someone asked. No, said Dan, we’d have a bed and a free meal… in prison!
Sometimes there was the intense roar of the flames; sometimes there was total peace as we floated over the plain watching for animals—mostly zebras, and a baby elephant with her mother.
The shadow of the balloon travelled over the hill in front of us. We approached a ridge, and suddenly the grass was greener, and there were hundreds of wildebeests grazing. Zebras and antelopes darted away from us. A single warthog broke into a trot. Startled hartebeests and wildebeests united, a flow of animals running and running.
Soon, oh so soon it was time to take up our landing positions, and a bumpy, rough landing it was, too. Heads were banged relentlessly on the harsh sides of the balloon. We gripped the rope handles as hard as we could. Then we were down, the silence and stillness of Africa around us, my mind lingering on one of the most exciting adventures I’d ever had.
Today’s blog is about creating adventures for readers.
Let the fun begin!
JULY 2021
First important thought for the month. The scarlet pimpernel is not a weed. I recommend giving it the freedom of the garden.
Second important thought for the month. I am one writer among thousands, bearing a resemblance to that small plant often hidden away underneath rose bushes, crouching near the ground looking up at foxgloves, hassled by bossy daisies, with scarcely a nod from the rampant feverfew.
A very un-famous writer, that’s me. Yet I won’t give up. I’ve closed the folder on novels for adults. I wrote three and had a wonderful agent who tried so hard to place them. They weren’t quite what people wanted, if you know what I mean. My agent was sorry but she had to say goodbye. Perhaps this was a good thing for me, because now I’m writing for children, and loving it. I’ve editing a novel for 8-12-year-olds at the moment, and I’m looking up agents online and in the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. I remain positive and confident. I keep on keeping on.
There’s always a scarlet pimpernel somewhere making it through the ranks, breaking into the sunshine. And once they bloom, they’re very long-lasting.
This month’s blog has some concise advice which many writers will endorse. Indeed they may wish to add their own experiences in the comment box, and that would probably make my day! Three things you should never say…
JUNE 2021
Coffee time. 1st June. I finished writing my blog two minutes ago, and my July copy of Writing Magazine has just arrived. I’ve turned to Amy Sparkes’ article on ‘BIG ISSUES FOR SMALL PEOPLE’. She’s talking about all kinds of issues that may worry or concern children, and some of them, as you may guess, are global issues like climate change and the loss of habitats. She writes that,’ By exploring these crucial, global issues through stories, children can find hope, passion, resilience, inspiration and determination. But only if the stories exist to fuel them.’
Amy includes a recommended reading list at the foot of her article, and amongst this is The Last Bear, a debut novel for middle grade readers by the talented Hannah Gold. That’s the book I’ve been reviewing in my blog this morning. So please, hurry along and see what I have to say!
Photo: Foxgloves are a welcome stop for bumble bees.
MAY 2021
Apple blossom in spring is something I shall never tire of seeing and sniffing!
It starts with buds that are almost red, and then slowly unfolds to show off pink flowers which slowly pale into white.
It’s an inspiration to save the bees if ever there was one!
I can remember a time when dozens of sparrows had joyful dust baths in the garden, and moths battered themselves against the windows on warm summer evenings.
Capturing memories in words enables us to pass on our stories to our children and grandchildren.
Today’s blog is an introduction to writing memoir.
APRIL 2021
Easter is always a time for asking questions. Perhaps it’s something to do with courageous shoots emerging from the soil, sparrows picking soft bits off the pampas grass to line their nests, the first bumble bee buzzing around the rosemary.
Perhaps it’s something to do with the different interpretations of the Christian Easter story.
I sometimes think I’m not going to live long enough to find all the answers I’m seeking.
‘Why am I me?’ is one of those interesting questions that a wide-eyed child might ask.
I sometimes ask it myself. Today I’ll be searching for answers as I write my blog, once again delving into my past.
It’s is all about Plasticine.
MARCH 2021
FIVE REASONS TO CELEBRATE THIS MARCH
1 It’s Saint David’s Day on the 1st. For those who want to walk in the footsteps of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, please note that he kept to a regime of strict austerity, in other words, ate mostly vegetables and a little fish, and wine did not pass his lips.
2. It’s Saint Piran’s Day on 5th. He’s the patron saint of Cornwall and of tinners, who apparently celebrated in the old days with much feasting and beer. Perhaps that’s more up your street, though for children of course it’ll be much feasting and copious Coca Cola.
3. The catkins are out in Cornwall, and may be where you are too. A great sign that spring is on its way.
4. English children will soon be back at school, with friends to chat to or play football and netball with. No more home-schooling.
5. We are nearing the end of Lockdown (she said with her fingers crossed). Please let it be true!
On the blog this month, there’s a story from the past. It’s called Snapper-jaws. Follow the link and find out more.
FEBRUARY 2021
I spent the last two days of January in front of my computer screen. Why? I was taking part in the ‘Honkference’, a totally FREE conference for children’s writers run by the Golden Egg Academy. There were some superb workshops, and though it was hard to choose which ones to attend, it didn’t really matter, because participants now have access to replays of every single one, as many times as they like. There was detailed advice about how to improve both plotting and editing skills, and there was plenty to boost a writer’s enthusiasm.
One session that was a bit out of the ordinary was
Building a #NeuroNinja Writer with Andrew Wright, Founder of Action Your Potential
Andrew spent 25 years teaching in secondary schools, before setting up his innovative company. He now runs courses for pupils, teachers, parents and others on how to make the most of your potential.
In Saturday’s workshop Andrew emphasised that physical and mental health are linked, and he gave us his TWELVE ROCKS OF WELL-BEING.
Interested? Go straight to https://www.actionyourpotential.org
My blog this month continues my memories from childhood. Riding my bike is not for the faint-hearted, but it’s nothing to do with the bike!
JANUARY 2021
A big thank you
to everyone
who visited my website
during the past year.
In 1939, as the country faced the fears and upheavals of war, King George the sixth made a live radio broadcast which contained the following words:
‘A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle we shall remain undaunted.’
It seems very relevant to the start of 2021, as we continue to face a different sort of enemy. Covid19.
It will pass. One day oldies like me will be able to hug our grandchildren and get together INDOORS with our friends.
Good luck everyone and as Vera Lynn sang, ‘Keep smiling through…’
My blog this week is another childhood memory. It’s about someone I knew when I was at the Luton High School for Girls.
For me, it links then with now. It’s called MADELEINE LA CROIX.
DECEMBER 2020
Funny isn’t it? When you’re under eighteen, Christmas takes such a long time to come. When you’re over er… fifty two, Christmas puts on its skates and comes hurtling at you faster than you can write your cards, buy and wrap the presents and make the mince pies. As it’s the season of kindness and goodwill, I’m posting a comic poem on the blog this month. A sort of memoir. A sort of narrative non-fiction. Hope you like it anyway!
It’s called MY BROTHER!
NOVEMBER 2020
During lockdown I’ve been writing for children, and my website is evolving. Today I’m talking to anyone interested, and that includes anyone who loves stories and is able to read.
There is always room for more stories in the world. They can cheer us up when we’re sad, they can entertain us when we’re tired, they can scare us so we can hardly get to sleep with the light off! On the blog today I have another story for you. It will give you a glimpse of what it was like being a child seventy years ago. It’s called The Crawleys’ Dog and it’s on my blog page.
PS Can you spot an insect in my photo? He sat there patiently while I fetched my camera.
OCTOBER 2020
Pebbles on the beach. Each one interesting and different.
Bit like people really… and books.
There’s a short story on the blog today.
Part fiction and part memoir.
Suitable for adults and children too.
It’s called We came from the sea. (I promise it’s not creepy.)
SEPTEMBER 2020
Super-pleased to have won first prize in the Association of Christian Writers’ flash fiction competition.
My story, ‘Beyond Imagining’, is published in the summer edition of the magazine Christian Writer.
The Association of Christian Writers is a great place to find encouragement and inspiration for Christian writers of all abilities and all persuasions
If you’re interested, they can be found at christianwriters.org.uk
This month’s blog is called A QUESTION OF TRUTH.
Is there such a thing as truth?
Do the best stories and myths have truth at their core?
AUGUST 2020
I’m into haikus this month. Seventeen syllables, three lines of 5, 7, 5.
Pebbles on the beach
Carrying a history
That has shaped the world.
So many people
Torn apart by the virus
Where do we go now?
Before you try one of your own, please take a look at my blog which asks, ‘How do you begin?’
Plot or characters? Where do they take you?
The land of make-believe or a journey inside yourself?
Be good to hear from you. Do leave a comment.
JULY 2020
Hurray! My copy has arrived.
Here are two quotes from the section ‘What are children’s publishers looking for? by Rebecca Hill, fiction editorial director at Usborne Books.
‘Great stories will always find readers, because stories make us who we are, and help us become what we want to be.’
‘All I want is a story that won’t let me stop reading.’
OK. The challenge is on!
JUNE 2020
The garden grows and plants in the greenhouse flourish.
Writing is still a passion.
This month on the blog I’m investigating novels for children.
They seem to get better and better as the months pass.
Click on blog and see what I’ve been reading lately.
Then if you have a moment, please let me know some books you recommend.
MAY 2020
The tide is turning.
We are all on a steep learning curve.
What is the worst thing about lockdown?
What is the best?
I have a very simple blog this month. It’s called Worst and Best.
Keep safe and well, everyone.
APRIL 2020
St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall is linked to the mainland at low tide by the causeway.
Many of us are becoming like islands, especially those of us who are extremely vulnerable, or living with someone who is, but looking on the bright side most of us have a phone, and lots of us have access to emails and messages, FaceTime and Skype, etc..
Choosing words and deciding on the best way of saying something is an on-going skill for writers.
For any of you with children of 11 to 17, I have news of a poetry competition they might like to try.
Also there’s a free book available, of last year’s winning entries.
Details are on my April blog. It’s called FREE BOOK AND A FREE COMPETITION
MARCH 2020
Lockdown is a place where the imagination can set you free.
My blog this month is not only for children learning at home.
It’s to encourage the poet inside each of us.
http://www.veronicabright.co.uk/2020/03/30/poetry-for-children/
FEBRUARY 2020
The news today is of further gales and more rain; of flooded homes and lost businesses.
But in spite of all this trouble in the UK, today I am celebrating the winners of the Bath Flash Fiction Award.
I don’t know them personally, but reading their entries and what the judge Santino Prinzi says, is so helpful to those of us who want to improve our own writing, whether it’s flash fiction or much longer works.
There’s more on my blog and lots more at https://bathflashfictionaward.com/news/ where you can read the complete report and also the stories.
JANUARY 2020
Life’s not a magic carpet ride, but let us face the future with hope and courage.
This month’s blog celebrates a friend’s debut novel. Fancy being on board the Mayflower in 1620? Let Dionne Haynes take you there in your imagination.
DECEMBER 2019
Manning my bookstall at the Old Cornwall Society’s Winter Festival, on 23rd November.
There’s more about the festival on my blog this month, and how digging into the past can lead to a wealth of ideas for stories.
The rosette? No, I haven’t won a prize. It’s to show I’m a member of the committee running the festival.
NOVEMBER 2019
Samhain. The beginning of the year for the ancient Celtic people. The coming of the dark.
Deep down I empathise with the Celtic tribes who settled across Europe in and beyond the Iron Age. The people felt very connected to nature, and as their culture developed, they embraced a trust in a loving and Christian God.
For the Celts, November was the beginning of the year. They called this season Samhain — traditional Irish pronunciation sow-in, with the sow rhyming with cow. It was acknowledged as the thinnest part of the year, the time when the veil between time and eternity is almost transparent.
Samhain was a time of mixed blessings. The cattle could not all be over-wintered, and so some were slaughtered. There were bone-fires where the inedible parts of the carcasses were burnt. There was warmth and plenty to eat, but also sorrow, because not everyone would survive the winter. I can imagine people gathered around the fire, and with shadows flickering and children snuggled on laps, the story-tellers would weave spell-binding tales.
The evening of All Hallows is still associated with scary things, with the malign forces of darkness threaten to overcome good.
I love the very simple prayers in the Celtic tradition that have been passed down the ages to us, simple in some ways, but beautiful, too, prayers which connect with what is important.
This month on my blog I’m interviewing Tony Ingleby about his debut book NOTES FOR PSALMS AND PSALMS FOR NOTES, which highlights the light and dark of psalms 1 – 50. The appeal of this book is wide — drawing in those new to the psalms, as well as offering a challenge to those well acquainted with them.
OCTOBER 2019
I am often inspired by encounters with nature, and when this sparrowhawk visited our garden, I dashed for the camera. It was difficult to get a good shot, because he looked up and then down at what seemed like the speed of light. I was able to persevere however, because his main focus was finishing off his meal.
I’m not very keen on raptors, but couldn’t stop admiring this amazing and beautiful bird.
This month on the blog I’m investigating creative nonfiction, and I’ve found a competition you might like to enter.
SEPTEMBER 2019
A quiet track beside a tiny stream.
Sunshine and shadows on the grass.
A peaceful spot in the grounds of Belle Tents Camping in North Cornwall, where my husband and I had planned to be in early August, enjoying a family holiday. Instead we were in a city hospital.
My husband suffered a stroke a few days before we were due to go. He spent the next three weeks in hospital.
You never know what is just around the corner.
That’s why I’m writing my blog a little late this month. It’s called Just Write.
AUGUST 2019
Summer’s a great time to be a writer.
Watching the world go by.
Toying with how to put the magic of summer into words.
Discovering the extraordinary when we least expect it.
Trying to think of new ways to describe the colour of an insect’s body
or the scent drifting from a tub full of lilies.
This month on the blog, more thoughts on powerful images.How can we make our characters live vividly in our readers’ minds?
As I’m finding, there’s always something new to learn.
JULY 2019
Summer. Scarlet pimpernels defy their status as weeds.
Self-sown violas blink innocently at me from the lawn.
The feverfew flowers put on a carnival of their own.
Weeds like these seem to know they’re welcome in our garden.
If only the slugs and snails realised we’re not a wildlife allotment where they can help themselves!
This month on the blog, I’m thinking about creating powerful images in our readers’ heads. Putting pictures into words, and words into pictures.
Anyone else having trouble with blue sky thinking?
JUNE 2019
You can never have too many trees.
Especially in spring when the leaves are soft and new.
I love this little character. Black-headed gull setting sail perhaps?
I have characters on my mind this month, thinking about how to make mine and yours realistic and interesting.
So in June I’m asking:
Have you heard of the Enneagram? It’s a useful and interesting tool for developing the characters in our stories.
Refresh your knowledge or find out more here.
MAY 2019
In April I was invited to a ‘Meet the Author’ evening run by the Plymouth Pi Society. It was to be held at Boringdon Hall, from 7.30pm, and I was to meet the presenter, Dee, in the secret bar. How exciting was that! The day before the event I had an email saying that only four people had signed up for the event, but it was still going ahead. Well four is better than none, I thought. My husband came along to boost numbers a bit, and he didn’t much like the sound of his wife venturing alone into this secret bar. This turned out to be hidden behind a wall of books, and there was… is… a secret way of getting in and out of it.
So far, so good. The secret bar is a comfortable room with a leather sofa and leather armchairs. A lovely venue for a writer and her stories. By 7.45 only one other person, a man, had arrived. We began. I talked a bit about writing, and being encouraged by the children I used to teach, read a couple of You couldn’t make it up stories I’d had published in Reader’s Digest, and then read some of my stories. We chatted a bit here and there, and we had a good evening. Audience of two plus husband. Even so I count it among my successes.
The next evening, I gave a similar talk, but with stories set in or inspired by Cornwall, to a roomful of members of the Torpoint Old Cornwall Society, and the audience was exceptionally kind and wonderful. (In other words, they laughed in the funny bits and almost cried in the sad bits.
It’s fun being a writer, but I’m determined to be a better writer!
On the blog this month, I’m celebrating the success of two writers who are fun, kind, and hard-working, and they both have their debut novels published in the first week of May.
Congratulations to Wendy Clarke and Hazel Prior
APRIL 2019
Meet Rananculus Maché. No it’s not my new pen-name. She’s a beautiful member of the buttercup family, (definitely a ‘she’) and she’s holding court in my garden.
The sun’s shining outside, but this morning I’ve been indoors working on my new blog, called Harvest in April.
Yes, that’s the title.
If you don’t belong to a writers’ group, I might inspire you to explore the possibilities in your area.
If you do belong to a writers’ group, take a look, and compare notes. We’re all in this game together, and we all want to make our writing better.
http://www.veronicabright.co.uk/blog
On the right: Every year our white camellia has one pink flower. This year the rogue flower is a bit different. Like I said last month, to get our work noticed, we must think outside the box!
MARCH 2019
Whoever built this summerhouse was surely thinking outside the box. It’s an amazing legacy for National Trust members to enjoy at Coleton Fishacre.
To get our work noticed, we writers must think outside the box, too.
Writing memorable flash fiction isn’t anything like a doddle.
This month on my blog I’m concentrating on five tips for flash fiction.
It’s National Flash Fiction Day on 15th June, and the organisers are running two competitions well worth entering.
See https://nationalflashfictionday.co.uk/for more details.
FEBRUARY 2019
Some people love creating flash fiction. Some would rather write a novel the size of War and Peace.
However you feel about it, it’s worth having a go (or several goes) for an anthology being compiled for National Flash Fiction Day (15th June), to be submitted by 15th March.
Have a look at my February blog for more.
May inspiration be with you!
JANUARY 2019
If the wish fairy arrived today, smiled sweetly, and granted you three wishes, what would you ask for?
Today on my blog I’m aiming to set you thinking.
Once you’ve recovered from the euphoria of endless possibilities, what would you really really wish for?
What would you need to make your wishes come true?
Perhaps this isn’t all fantasy after all.
You have three wishes. Use them wisely, and maybe dreams really can come true.
DECEMBER 2018
This is the latest book from the members of the Association of Christian Writers. Good to dip into when you need five minutes away from the planning and shopping. It contains a myriad of thoughts and mini-stories to help you enjoy the Christmas season. Look out for my story about an Abbot who was worrying about his negligent monks.
Merry Christmas Everyone may be purchased at Amazon books and from many bookstores in the UK.
On my blog this month, I ask a question. Who are you meant to be? Intrigued? Click here to find out more.
NOVEMBER 2018
Gorran Haven is tucked into the shelter of a valley on the south coast of Cornwall. Two miles south of Mevagissey, it’s an excellent place to begin a walk along the cliff path, to breathe the sea air, and admire the fox-coloured bracken. There’s a timelessness about it all. The seasons roll in and out again, like the tide. Autumn has crept in now, and winter is coming, but after that spring must return. However dark the days, we have to trust that spring will return.
In my blog this month I am thinking about the dark times that writers sometimes have to face. The winter of creativity, commonly known as Writer’s Block.
OCTOBER 2018
‘Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.’ Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest
On 30th September there was a feature in the popular programme Countryfile about Josh, a boy of twelve who has a childhood dementia called Niemann-Pick type C. He wants to climb a mountain, and Matt Baker is going to help him do just that. The biggest mountain in his life, and in the lives of his family, is this terrible disease which is beginning to rob him of his memory. He has begun to make a memory book, because he knows that one day he won’t remember all the happy times he’s had, and all the joy he’s brought to his parents and sister. The book contains drawings and photos that they can look at together. Behind the hope and courage Josh and his family showed the viewers, we also glimpsed the sadness and the stress.
Stories are a way of connecting with people, of understanding them. This is one of a writer’s privileges – trying to get right into the thought processes and motives of somebody else. Not easy. Might take some of us a long time. But we keep going. Just like Josh in Countryfile.
On the blog this month I’m thinking about future stories, and about trees, looking to them for imaginative links with inspiring people like Josh and his family.
It’s called Looking ahead but…
SEPTEMBER 2018
At the end of August I went to the theatre to see War Horse. An amazing and totally gripping performance.
Did you know that at first it was almost a flop?
This is how The Sunday Times described War Horse on April 23 2017
‘It became the National Theatre’s biggest hit. But when the curtain first went up on War Horse, a poignant drama featuring a life-size mechanical puppet, it was so slow and rambling only ruthless surgery saved it from the slaughterhouse.
The difficult birth of a show that went on to win awards, international acclaim and huge audiences has been revealed by Nicholas Hytner, the National’s former artistic director.
War Horse, which tells the story of Joey, a young horse serving in the cavalry in France during the First World War, had its preview in 2007 after three months of training for the puppeteers, seven weeks’ rehearsal and an investment of hundreds of thousands of pounds. But the result left the audience cold.’
What happened? Someone ‘changed the narrative’.
This month, in my blog, I’m sharing something I learnt from Amit Dhand at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School. It’s something he learnt from his dad, and it’s called Change the Narrative.
AUGUST 2018
Have you ever read a book where the characters seem like puppets, waiting obediently for the puppet-master (the writer) to pull their strings?
The whole thing doesn’t ring true, does it? The plot may be fantastic, the setting amazing. But above all, we want to read about characters we believe in, characters we care about.
My latest book is for writers who want to make their characters as real as possible.
I’ve studied the Enneagram for several years, and I’ve found it invaluable for helping me understand what makes people respond and behave in the ways they do.
The Enneagram is based on ancient wisdoms, and has changed and grown over many years to become a well-respected tool for understanding human nature. I talk about it a bit more in this month’s blog If you like writing…
I’m also singing the praises of the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School. It’s fully-booked for this year, it’s seventieth anniversary, but well worth thinking about for 2019. It’s for all adults who love writing and who want to spend a week learning new skills, brushing up old ones, and meeting friendly, caring people in a relaxed atmosphere.
Here’s hoping you’ll find inspiration in whatever you’re doing this August.
JULY 2018
This beautiful insect came into our dining room last week, and sat obligingly on the wall still while we fetched cameras and held up phones.
No-one knew what it was. (A butterfly, surely? Maybe a moth?)
My son was the first to identify it. A common emerald moth.
We had never seen one before.
It makes you think, doesn’t it? This little creature was once classed as common. There must have been hundreds of them.
We have a pair of bats that flitter around our garden at dusk.
I hope this not-so-common emerald moth escaped into the night unharmed.
My blog for July is for writers who enter competitions. I’ve been judging short stories for the South Hams Writers’ Group.
What kind of thing do you think I looked for? Go to www.veronicabright.co.uk/blog/ to find out.
JUNE 2018
The Royal wedding was celebrated in style in our local church, with a big screen viewing of events and a feast to follow.
Did you, like me feel that the bishop’s address, passionate and animated, was an important message for our troubled world?
I probably don’t have to tell you it was mostly ladies who attended the event! Some sported their posh hats, fascinators, or tiaras.
All present toasted Harry and Meghan’s future together, and in true wedding tradition, sampled the amazing cake made by churchwarden Bev.
On my blog this month, I take time to face my own shortcomings. I’ve called it Notes from a failed novelist. If you too have been in this place, please make a comment. Together we can pick ourselves up and start all over again. Even if this morning it seems impossible, perhaps this afternoon we’ll see things differently. http://www.veronicabright.co.uk/blog/
MAY 2018
Just back from a long weekend in Brittany with our local twinning association. The picture doesn’t tell the whole story about the weather, but we were made very welcome, as always, and were given a wonderful time, and taken to interesting places, including the Distillerie des Menhirs. The Lambig is a Bretagne liquor produced by distilling cider, and aged in oak barrels for a minimum of four years.
The day out included the Aquashow at Audierne, too – thoughtfully designed aquariums with a variety of fish and the ‘bird show’, where we were given a close encounter with birds of prey.
Lots of good food and wine are of course part of a twinning trip.
Back at home, we’re fighting lily beetles, which are the inspiration behind this month’s blog
Follow the link and find out more about SCARLET LILY BEETLES OF THE WRITING WORLD
APRIL 2018
A robin sits on a metal gate where local people leave seeds. He’s within touching distance, and unlike most birds, he doesn’t flinch when I point my camera lens at him. I’m sure he’s ready to flit away if we do anything dodgy, but right now he’s a symbol of hope, a portrait of patience.
It was a cold breezy day. Exhilarating, we said. A breath of fresh air, we said, secretly wishing the sun would shine. Then we spotted this little fellow on the beach at Carbis Bay. The job involved a wagging tail and total concentration. Joy and commitment.
Messages for creative people everywhere, perhaps. Stick at it. Believe. Give it your best shot. Do it as long as you enjoy it.
Away from the beach, the gardening year is underway, in spite of Cornish gales and Cornish rain. I’ve called this month’s blog DEADHEADING YOUR DAFFODILS. In other words, gardening tips for writers. Yes, really.
Follow the link and find out more. http://www.veronicabright.co.uk/blog
MARCH 2018
Snow in Cornwall is so unusual, but it brings back memories of the late seventies, early eighties, when we lived in the Peak District in Derbyshire. Snow drifts that hung around for months. Slipping and sliding on icy pavements. Snowmen in residence in the garden. Sledging down the hills. Soggy gloves, and wellies that were wet inside and out.
It’s the right sort of weather for staying indoors and working on the latest story.
This month on the blog I’m turning to Writing Magazine’s Subscriber Spotlight, and investigating the blogs of six successful writers. Well worth a look, and I hope everyone thinking about blogging will be inspired to have a go.
I’m delighted to have a story included in a new anthology published by the Association of Christian Writers. Contributions from writers bring stories, poems and reflective thoughts to the forty days of Lent and beyond to Easter.
FEBRUARY 2018
The blue supermoon yesterday was not to be missed, if at all possible. And here it is, as viewed at 23.20 hrs from a garden in Cornwall. It made the writer in me want to rush indoors and begin a melodramatic tale of smugglers and intrigue.
On the blog this month, things are less dramatic. Danica wants to start blogging. She’s running some ideas past her friend, Katya. They’d be happy for you to join them at DANICA’S BOOK BLOG
JANUARY 2018
This is Dartmoor in December. A bit like a bad day’s writing. The plot’s disappearing and we can’t see where we’re going.
On this particular day, we began to wonder why we ever ventured out. Surely there were more worthwhile things to be doing? The Warren House Inn beckoned. Yes, a hot lunch and a log fire would dispel the seeping damp.
But… before we had walked up the hill to the inn, something wonderful happened. The mist rolled away, and there it was, a whole new world. Colour and light and a feeling of WOW!
This is what a good day’s writing is like. That big problem we’ve been facing is solved. An idea has indeed arrived. We can’t wait to get it all down.
LET THE WRITER OUT – On the blog this month
START HERE: CREATE A BLOG THAT PEOPLE WANT TO READ
Let’s go for it – a happy, inspired, and successful 2018.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
DECEMBER 2017
A big thank you to everyone who has called at my website this year. I wish you all a very happy Christmas, and a healthy, successful and fulfilling 2018.
On the blog this month –
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Not sure if that’s
WHAT do you want?
What DO you want?
What do YOU want? or
What do you WANT?
There’s only one way to find out!
Photos taken at the local Christmas Tree Festival
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
NOVEMBER 2017
This month, when the trees are beautiful, and there’s the call of the great outdoors to distract us, hundreds of keen writers take part in NaNoWriMo (the National Novel Writing Month). Can they produce 50,000 words in 30 days? There’s plenty of support and encouragement for those who go for it. Could you do it, or does the thought make you want to… well, just disappear into the countryside for a while? Maybe my blog will help you decide. It’s called KEEPING UP WITH THE HARES. I’ve also found some good advice about editing from writer Julian Gough.
I had a story chosen for the Spelk flash fiction website on 25th October. Trying to get into someone’s head again! If you’re interested, you can click here to read it.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
OCTOBER 2017
Do you have a wonky pile of books, waiting to be read? I certainly do!
This month on my blog I’m looking at how books can inspire us, and I’ll be pointing at a website that sets out to help writers everywhere.
For me a recent highlight was receiving What was Left, published by Retreat West Books. My story Ten Things I Can Tell You About Abraham Lincoln won third prize in their 2016 short story competition. This anthology of short stories and flash fiction (winners and runners-up) has been well worth the wait!
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
SEPTEMBER 2017
This month I’m looking forward to reading three new novels written by some friends of mine.
Elizabeth Ducie’s third novel Deception! is the second in the series of Suzanne Jones thrillers, set in the sometimes murky world of pharmaceuticals. It is the follow-up to the prize-winning Counterfeit! The official launch is 19th September.
Charles Becker is making his debut with a crime thriller, Murder at the Royal William Yard, set in the winter of 2015 in Plymouth − the Ocean City.
LM D’Mello’s first novel, Mary Darling, is aimed at 12 to 16 years olds, but is proving popular with older readers, including adults. In it the author explores animal welfare, a subject close to the author’s heart.
I’d like to add a request, eloquently expressed by Elizabeth in her newsletter, slightly changed to incorporate all writers.
‘In the spirit of “if you don’t ask, you won’t get…” this is an appeal for any support you can give us as we continue our writing journeys.
If you have read any of our books, please consider posting a review on Amazon, Goodreads or your preferred platform. Reviews are so important to all writers, but especially those of us who are self-published.’
On the blog this month… anecdotes can earn you money!
Lastly, in the spirit of the late Bruce Forsyth, as we support each other, let’s
Keeeeeeeeeeeeeep writing!
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
AUGUST 2017
There’s a lot to inspire new writers into action on my blog this month. Plenty of name-dropping, too – Della Galton, Vanda Inman, Linda Lewis, the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School, and more.
Photo left: Hard at work beside the lake at Swanwick.
Plus, added excitement in the air, for me at least. Not only because am I heading to Swanwick, but also I’m launching a brand new collection of prize-winning short stories.
RAINBOW LAUGHTER
Wrong place? Wrong time? Or both? You’ve only got one life, haven’t you? Rainbow Laughter is a collection of insightful and powerful short stories about ordinary people, growing and changing, searching for hope when all seems lost. The long-forgotten actress sitting in the park, feeding the birds. The boy, eighteen today, carrying a bundle of broken dreams beside a city river. The woman lying on her back, gazing up at the starry Exmoor sky. Memorable and thought-provoking (I hope), Rainbow Laughter is my third collection of prize-winning stories.
Rainbow Laughter is available from the Amazon book store.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JULY 2017
I first met Tracy Fells in 2012, when we’d both won places at the Swanwick Writers Summer School in 2012. Since then Tracy has achieved an MA with distinction in creative writing at the University of Chichester. Her novel is currently seeking representation. This month I want to celebrate her latest success – she’s one of only five regional winners in the auspicious Commonwealth Short Story Prize. www.commonwealthwriters.org/cssp-2017/
I am pleased to welcome Tracy to my BLOG this month, where she answers an important question about short story writing.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JUNE 2017
Summer – the ideal time to take a few minutes to sit and watch the world and his dog go by. Far from being a time-waster, it’s a valuable opportunity for a writer to learn more about people, to store away small details which might give our own characters an individuality that will make them more believable to our readers. Carry a notebook if your memory is anything like mine!
Click on BLOG in the header to find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
MAY 2017
New to writing?
Looking for inspiration?
This is a website especially for new and fledgling writers.
The scent of apple blossom, a cluster of marguerites, a blackbird’s song. May is a beautiful month, full of inspirational scents, sights, and sounds.
But don’t become too distracted. There are stories and poems to write. If you need a helping hand, please click on BLOG in the header to find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
APRIL 2017
The magnolia is quietly spectacular, and the pittosporum fills the evening air with a delicious fragrance. We have a white camellia in our garden which always bears one pink flower – in a different place each spring.
As writers, we look for the unusual, or maybe a way of making the ordinary into something extraordinary. A friend recently directed me to the following website, where well-known writers describe their writing day.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/series/my-writing-day
This is so interesting, because even very successful, competent, and gifted writers fight procrastination, they struggle with plot and character, they wonder whether the book will ever be finished. They have moments when they doubt their own ability.
So I’ve turned my thoughts this month to WRITERS’ BLOCK. Please click on BLOG at the top of this page to find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
MARCH 2017
The Avalon Marshes, Somerset. A great place to be on a dreary February evening. We felt privileged to witness the murmuration as hundreds and hundreds of starlings swirled in huge flocks around the sky, and eventually headed to distant trees to roost.
It’s been a good month in more ways than one. I heard I’ve come third in Retreat West’s 2016 short story competition, judged by writer and creative writing tutor Vanessa Gebbie. I’d swirl around the sky too, if only I had wings!
Naming characters – easy, or a challenge? Does a Geraldine look like a Geraldine? What about a Cyril, or a Frannie? Click on BLOG at the top of this page to find out more.
The 2016 RW Short Story Prize & RW Flash Fiction Prize Winners
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency
FEBRUARY 2017
Lee Abbey is home to an international Christian community gathered from more than twenty nations. Its 280 acre estate is part of the stunning and dramatic Exmoor National Park. It is peaceful and beautiful. The community hosts courses, retreats, and holidays throughout the year, and when I heard that there was to be a course for writers in January, I signed up straight away.
What was fantastic for me was learning from the talented Ali Hull, commissioning editor for Lion Hudson, and gifted storyteller Bob Hartman; exchanging views with other keen writers; and recharging my batteries in some of England’s most beautiful countryside.
In my February blog I’m determined to keep the enthusiasm for writing going. Please click on BLOG at the top of this page to find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency
JANUARY 2017
A happy new year to everyone who calls in at my website.
My aim is to celebrate creative writing, and to encourage new or not-very-confident writers.
Whatever adjectives you care to describe, or hurl at, 2016, however you feel about those national or personal successes, disappointments, excitements, or tragedies, those fifty two weeks are over.
Ring out wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out wild bells, and let him die.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
It’s time to start gathering new ideas, to revive old ones, to take courage and submit that piece of work. Want to know more about how to focus on the way forward? Go ahead and click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency
DECEMBER 2016
Today I welcome the talented and gifted writer Della Parker to my blog.
A prolific short story writer, novelist, and creative writing teacher, Della is a source of inspiration to writers wherever they are on the success ladder.
Want to find out more about Della Parker’s new novellas, and read some of her top tips? Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
My own story continues with a runner-up prize (£5) in the annual Arkbound writing competition, and a story and a poem in the 2017 desk diary sold in aid of Iain Rennie Hospice Care. The novel tumbles along – the plot falls over and then picks itself up, reluctant to continue!
I had the exciting experience of being one of the judges for the Devon round of Debating Matters, a national competition of debate for sixth formers. The event, hosted by Plymouth University on 28th November, brought together pupils from four different schools or colleges, and designed by the Institute of Ideas, to develop the skill of presenting a given point of view, and also of listening to and challenging the ideas of other people in a non-aggressive way. It’s worth having a look at the website www.debatingmatters.com
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency
NOVEMBER 2016
THE BLENDS CAFÉ EXPERIENCE
As part of the Plymouth Literature Festival I was invited along to Blend’s Café on Wednesday 26th October to take part in an indie book fair. Blends is run by Maggie Parker, who makes and sells her own hand-made books for children. Maggie always extends a warm welcome to local writers and artists. Her walls are full of paintings, and there are displays of books by local writers.
What made this particular day special was meeting other writers, and what I came away with, was a feeling that they all have a quiet passion for what they write.
Sally Newton’s books were displayed next to mine. Sally has ‘a life-long love of all things ancient.’ She studied archaeology at university, and later she set off on a month’s camping trip around Ireland. It rained. Hard. And often. In fact she had to go to the launderette every four days to dry out all her stuff!
THE CARADOC SERIES
So far Sally has written two books, published by Pendown Publishing. She says the first book, The Defiant Prince, was kicking about in her head for a long time before she started writing it. It’s set in AD 25, and tells of Caradoc, the youngest son of the strongest king of Britain, and reluctantly training to be a Druid…….
The Druid Heir, the second book in the series, moves us on to AD 34. Caradoc is now a warrior, as he always wanted to be. However he has many enemies…….
Sally is now working on the third book in the series, The Rebel King. Her passion for ‘all things ancient’ has inspired her to write the stories of Caradoc.
Let’s take a leaf out of Sally’s book, and write about the things we really care about, the things we really want to say.
Interested in writing memoir? Or simply sneaking bits of your own life into your work? Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
OCTOBER 2016
This month I’m helping to organise two events as part of the Plymouth Literature Festival, which runs from 22nd October until 2nd November. The first is this:
When: Friday, 28th October 10.30am –12noon
Where: Plymouth Methodist Central Hall
Meet at the reception desk
Cost: £1 at the door
Fun. Relaxing. Ideal for anyone interested in writing memoir.
I’ll be introducing members of the Plymouth Christian Writers group, and they’re polishing up stories poems, and memories to read aloud. The session is guaranteed to get people thinking about their own unique experiences.
If you live in or near Plymouth, do come along and be inspired to pass on your own memories to your children and grandchildren.
The second event is:
16 AND ALL THAT with the Plymouth Writers’ Group
When: Saturday 29th October 10 am –1 pm
Where: Central Library, Plymouth (167 – 171 Armada Way, opposite the Armada Centre)
This event is free
Members of the Plymouth Writers’ Group invite you to drop in and hear selection of their poetry and stories. Stay as long as you like, be it five minutes, half an hour, or all the morning.
Some of today’s creative writing will be from the group’s new anthology,
16 AND ALL THAT
Authors’ books on sale at both events.
To Boldly Go… Want to know more? Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
SEPTEMBER 2016
Yorkshire is amazing. It carries a lingering sense of the past, majestic landscape, and a great pride in all things local.
After a fortnight here I was very sad to leave, but I had the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School to look forward to. A week of meeting old friends and making new ones, taking part in challenging and interesting courses, being inspired by speakers, and entertained by the many talented Swanwickers at the poetry open mic, at the buskers’ night, in the Page to Stage plays, and the gloriously funny pantomime.
Now it’s September. Summer is easing itself away. Time to take up a new challenge perhaps.
I’m throwing down the gauntlet. To find out more, please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JULY/AUGUST 2016
STORIES FOR A SUMMER AFTERNOON
Being a big kid at heart, I am ridiculously excited about my twin collections of prize-winning short stories. Launched together in July, may I present, firstly
CLOUD PAINTINGS
A celebration of perseverance in the face of adversity
Douglas sees the world from a wheelchair, and he hates it. Thomas has always resented being an unwanted child. Fiona walks a tightrope in her new life. And what about the woman who takes her children to visit their father in prison?
Short stories….. People battling with life
And now, may I introduce
A GIFT FROM THE HORSE CHESTNUT TREE.
Sometimes love hurts
Children. They don’t always have an easy life. Susan is caught up in her mother’s grief. Jessica has been very ill, and now she has another problem. A fourteen-year-old inner-city boy goes on holiday for the first time.
Short stories to challenge your perception of childhood
Available now on Amazon, in paperback or for Kindle
Please have a look, and do visit my author page as well.
On the blog in August:
Elizabeth Ducie talks about her new book Counterfeit!
Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JULY 2016
SUMMER READINGS AND A SWANWICK PRIZE
Flying high this month!
I was privileged to be one of four members of the Plymouth Writers’ Group to be invited to read a short story at a reception following a course for lecturers/facilitators in creative writing at Plymouth University. Greatly enjoyed by the readers, and the listeners too, I hope!
Next week I’m scheduled to read a flash story at an open mic session at the Chudleigh Literary Festival https://chudleighwriterscircle.wordpress.com/chudleigh-literary-festival/
This promises to be an exciting event with opportunities to meet other writers, and to hear successful novelists Veronica Henry, Fanny Blake, and Damien Boyd talk about their work.
I’m looking forward to going to the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School again next month, and am delighted to have been placed third in this year’s short story competition, and well as being shortlisted in the writing for children comp. I achieved another shortlisting in the Greenacre Writers comp in June, too. They say good things come in threes!
And last but not least, my excitement mounts as publication of two short story collections nears completion.
Coming soon, to an Amazon site near you.
On the blog today:
Not dreaming, but planning.
Last in the series about Flash Fiction, and some comps for you to enter.
Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JUNE 2016
THE SEVEN DAY NATURE PHOTO CHALLENGE
That’s what caught my imagination in May. Tracy Fells, a friend and fellow writer, was nominated by her friend and fellow-writer, Wendy Clarke, to post one nature photo (past or present) on Facebook every day for a week. Tracy began with a shot of an amazing rock she found on Charmouth beach. It contains the cross section of an ammonite fossil. Tracy, having a degree in zoology, included interesting information about ammonites.
On Day Two of Tracy’s challenge she posted a beautiful photo of a dragonfly. I couldn’t resist posting a dragonfly of my own, and hey presto, Tracy invited me to join the challenge.
I’m writing this on Day Seven of my own challenge. I’ve enjoyed trawling through my photos, choosing small moments which I’d almost forgotten. I invite you to join the challenge. Seven days. Nature photos. Past or present. Seven examples from our wonderful world.
On the blog today: Fifteen minute flash dash; a way to practise your skill.
Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
MAY 2016
STORIES FOR A SPRING EVENING
I was lucky enough to be asked to read some of my stories to the Torpoint Wives Group at the end of April. I was delighted to find that a few of the ladies had written poetry and stories themselves.
I am of the generation that grew up …. years ago, and like me, the ladies in the Torpoint Wives Group have seen an amazing number of changes in their lifetimes. Stories, spoken or written, are such a good way of passing on to the next generations a taste of life as you found it as a child. Growing up listening to the wireless. Going out on your bike and your mum didn’t know exactly where you were until you puffed in for the next meal. I lived in a small village and my mum had to chop wood to light the range. She probably did it the day before, but it still meant a considerable time between her getting up and drinking her first cup of tea. No central heating, and Bedfordshire could be very cold, believe me.
You don’t need to write reams. A page will be fine. A bit like flash fiction really.
On the blog today, I’m encouraging YOU to enter a flash fiction competition. Take courage. You have to be in it to win it!
Please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
APRIL 2016
FISHING FOR STORIES
Part of my mind is still in Kerala, South India, where I spent a fortnight at the beginning of February.
In Kochi we watched the fishermen at work. They climb up huge bamboo and teak structures to lower their nets into the sea. When they have a catch, they walk down again, almost nonchalantly.
Another part of my mind is back home, in south west England, where spring has arrived in Dunsford Wood. Fields of wild daffodils bloom alongside the River Teign. There is something nonchalant about them, too. 
Beautiful places. Inspirational ideas. All I need is the patience and perseverance to capture some of them one by one, and turn them into stories people want to read.
My short series on flash fiction continues, so please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
MARCH 2016
A VISIT TO INDIA
I spent two weeks in Kerala in South West India at the beginning of February, walking where Vasco de Gama, the Portuguese explorer, trod at the end of the fifteenth century. It’s a country to fall in love with – full of a myriad of colours, sights, sounds and tastes. Full of stories waiting to be told.
How beautifully peaceful the tea plantations looked as the coach took us higher into the hills. Then we stopped to watch the women sorting their leaves, great bundles of them, carried on the their heads from the fields. They work, we were told, from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. Nowadays they are lucky – there are medical centres if they fall ill, créches to care for their children. 
They no longer have to pluck the tea leaves by hand – they have special tools which are a bit like semi-closed-in dustpans attached to shears. I understand that the pay is enough to live on.
Fairtrade Fortnight began yesterday. Every time I drink a cup of tea I shall think of the tea workers toiling away for 9 hours a day, 6 days a week. Every time I shop for tea, I shall continue to seek out the Fairtrade section. This is one way I can make a difference.
This month my short series on flash fiction continues, so please click on BLOG at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
FEBRUARY 2016
SHORT AND AS SWEET AS YOU LIKE
Wikipedia is one of a writer’s favourite tools.
I love the way Wiki can sum up ideas in a few words.
For example:
‘Flash fiction is a style of literature of extreme brevity.’
This month I’m starting a short series on flash fiction.
Click on BLOG at the top of the page, and find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
JANUARY 2016
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO BLOGGERS AND THEIR READERS EVERYWHERE
I’m starting the new year with Oscar Wilde. He is endlessly entertaining, and his words of wisdom are second to none.
‘I always pass on good advice,’ he wrote, in his play An Ideal Husband. ‘It is the only thing to do with it. It is never any use to oneself.’
Well, Oscar, it’s useful to me, and possibly to my blog readers.
Click on BLOG at the top of the page, and find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
DECEMBER 2015
2015 is drawing to a close. The rejection slips may keep coming in. The targets we set ourselves may not have been met. The goals we aimed for may be on hold. BUT…
It’s time to celebrate the progress we’ve made, the steps we’ve taken towards fulfilling our ambitions.
Time to start thinking about that list of goals for next year.
Happy Christmas everyone, and may an amazingly successful 2016 be in store for us all.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
ON THE BLOG THIS MONTH
Can you write a story with a happy ending?
The challenge is on.
Click on Blog in the heading at the top of the page to find out more.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
NOVEMBER 2015
New writers beware. It’s November, and to determined writers, who are willing to take up the gauntlet of producing 50,000 words in 30 days, it’s NaNoWriMo. (National Novel Writing Month to those innocents you thought my spellchecker had gone berserk!) Indomitable and focussed writers love it. Their fingers dance/bleed over their keyboards. They encourage each other via the internet. There may well be screaming involved. Certainly there’s a resolve to get the whole thing down. Good luck to everyone taking part.
ON THE BLOG THIS MONTH
Show not tell. What is this all about?
Click on Blog in the heading at the top of the page to find out.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
OCTOBER 2015
ON THE BLOG THIS MONTH
Inner conflict. Outer conflict. Go for it.
Bring on the challenges!
Click on Blog in the heading at the top of the page.
WORK IN PROGRESS
I belong to two writers’ groups, and both have been super-busy during September.
Veronica Heley, author of 76 books, led the September meeting of the Plymouth Christian Writers’ Group, advising them on how to approach an agent, and giving them the opportunity of one-to-one sessions, where she commented on work already submitted to her.
Veronica Heley’s books include two series of what is affectionately known as ‘cosy crime’ – namely the Ellie Quicke series and the Abbot Agency series. Veronica has a considerable following both in the UK and the US. More info at www.veronicaheley.com
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The Plymouth Writers’ Group is all set to publish its 2nd anthology TIDE AND TIME. This has given all the members the opportunity to be published. The group’s second short story competition is to be launched on 19th October, at the Plymouth International Book Festival.
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Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Late summer colours the garden. The azalea leaves have a definite tinge of burnt orange. The crab apple tree is laden with scarlet fruit. On a less idealistic note, the eating apples were tugged by a strong wind, and all dropped off, bruised, to be nibbled by slugs before we noticed!
The memory of the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School lingers. The sound of laughter, voices chatting over tea, discussions over dinner (and even breakfast, to the amazement of the owls among us!). The soaking up of new ideas, the ripples in the lake.
A year’s worth of inspiration.
Tide and Time, the second anthology of the Plymouth Writers’ Group, is making its way towards daylight. It’s a good time to be an emerging writer. Speaking of which……..
BLOG FOR NEW WRITERS
Want a tip on how to make an impressive start?
Click on Blog in the heading at the top of the page.
Veronica Bright is represented by Kiran Kataria of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.
AUGUST 2015
This month has been a busy one for the Plymouth Writers’ Group. We’ve been preparing pieces for our second anthology, Tide and Time. Elaine and I have been busy editing the submissions, and by the beginning of September the production team will take over. It’s been exciting and interesting to read such a variety of poems and stories. Without a doubt all the writers who submitted last year have improved their writing over the past twelve months, and our new writers are so enthusiastic, it is a pleasure to work with them.
The Swanwick Writers’ Summer School begins on Saturday, 8th August. This will be my 4th Swanwick, and it feels really special to be going as winner of the short story competition.
I know there will be plenty of challenges, learning experiences, wonderful speakers, amazing entertainment, brilliant food, and plenty of time, too, for moments of quiet, of reflection. If you want to know more, see http://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/
BLOG FOR NEW WRITERS
This month I’m looking at Five things writers do on the bus. You can probably add a lot more, but please take a look. Click on Blog in the heading at the top of the page.
JULY 2015:
Feeling excited today. I’ve won the Swanwick Summer School short story competition. The prize is a whole week at the 
Swanwick Writers’ Summer School in August. Soon this lawn will be dotted with groups of writers catching up with old friends or chatting to new ones. Lots of interesting courses to choose from, delicious meals, entertaining speakers, walks round the lake, and more.
Also came joint second in the Felixstowe Book Festival short story competition, with a less glamorous but equally welcome prize of £10.
Now, back to work……….
There’s tension on the blog today. Why not have a quick look?
JUNE 2015:
Back from a twinning visit to Bénodet with memories to make me smile.
However, this month on the
BLOG FOR NEW WRITERS
we’re trying to affect our readers in a different kind of way. In other words…
make ’em cry.
Follow the heading Blog above, and when you’ve planned your own story, consider the following competitions. One may be just right for you.
DORIS GOODERSON SHORT STORY
1200 words, any theme
1st prize £150; 2nd £70; 3rd £40
Entry fee £3
Full details on the Wrekin Writers website
Closing date: 13.7.15
ST MARTIN’S SHORT STORY
1700 words, church or St Martin related setting or theme
Prizes £100 plus web publication (Web publ for 3 shortlisted)
Entry fee £5
Full details http://www.duntonbucks.org/competition/
Closing date: 30.6.15
NATIONAL POETRY ANTHOLOGY
No more than 25 lines and 160 words each poem. Send up to 3
Prize: Overall winner £1000. 250 poems published. Writers of those included receive free book
Entry free
Full details http://www.unitedpress.co.uk/free-poetry-competitions/
Closing date: 30.6.15
MAY 2015:
My CV extended itself a little in April (hooray), when I won third prize in the Chudleigh Phoenix short story competition. Winning stories may be read at
www.chudleighphoenix.co.uk/2015comp.html
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I had a super morning on Thursday 30th April, reading some of my stories to a group of 20 or so members of a Co-op Bereavement Group in Plymstock, Plymouth. Such a lovely group — very cheerful and supportive of each other. They laughed in all the right places, too!
BLOG FOR NEW WRITERS
Writing humour is more than a joke. Want to make ’em laugh? Fran Hill, author of Being Miss, knows how.
Follow the heading BLOG above for a few concise tips.
HERE ARE SOME COMPETITIONS TO CHALLENGE YOU IN MAY
NAWG 100 WORD MINI TALE
1st prize £75; 2nd £25
Entry fee £3 for one. £5.50 for two; £8 for three
Full details on the NAWG website http://www.nawg.co.uk/3805/
No specified closing date. Runs till 100 entries received.
FROME FESTIVAL SHORT STORY
1000-2200 words, any theme
Prizes £300; £150; £75
Winning entries may be sent to Woman’s Weekly for consideration
Closing date: 31.5.15
http://www.fromeshortstorycompetition.co.uk/
FLASH 500
500 words Prizes £300; £100; £50 (Entry £5; £8 for two)
Also Humorous verse from limerick to 32 lines Prizes £150; £100; £50 (Entry £3; £2.50 each for more)
Closing date: 30 June; 30 Sept; 31 Dec
APRIL 2015:
On the blog from 1st April: Making a list of ‘what is really important’ 
can help you to write better stories and poems.
Why not try your hand at these two free-to-enter competitions?
Anecdote Competition with Maggie Cobbett
Closes: Thursday 16th April 2015
Words: 250 maximum Your brief is to come up with an anecdote suitable for a mainstream magazine and told in a maximum of 250 words. Maggie will award her book to the one she finds the most entertaining and believable, i.e. it doesn’t have to be absolutely true but must sound convincing. Prizes: One copy of Maggie’s book Easy Money for Writers and Wannabes, one free entry to Open Short Story Competition, online publication Judged by Maggie Cobbett www.maggiecobbett.co.uk
For more details and how to enter, go to http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2015-anecdote-comp-with-maggie-cobbett.html
Divine Chocolate Poetry Comp
Closes: 1st May 2015
For poems on the theme ‘When I grow up I want to be a cocoa farmer’
3 age groups: 7-11; 12-16; 17+
Prizes: Divine chocolate, goodies, book tokens
For more details and how to enter, go to
www.divinechocolate.com/uk/poetry
MARCH 2015:
A query from Christine. About entering writing competitions. A tiny click on my blog will reveal all.
FEBRUARY 2015:
This month on the blog we’re thinking about our readers. 
After all, they’re the important ones.
And meanwhile here are some competitions to give you a challenge.
Exeter Writers’ Short Story Competition
Prizes £500 £250 £100 £100 for a Devon writer
Entry fee £6 Closing date 28 Feb
Windsor Fringe Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing
30 mins or less, no more than 6 actors
Prize £500. Three winning scripts to be performed at the Windsor Fringe Festival Oct 2015
Entry fee £5 Closing date 5 March
Words for The Wounded Prize
Fiction, memoir, and poetry (up to 400 words)
Prizes: £250 £100 £50
Entry fee £4.50 Closing date 11 March
2015 NEW WRITER COMPETITION
Only New Writers can enter. First prize £40 First and second prize winners each receive online publication, free entry to EWG’s annual Open comp with free critique Entry fee: £3.00 entry although if you have previously entered our Open Comp as a New Writer, entry fee is £2.00. A free critique is included in the entry fee Closes: Thursday 26th March 2015 http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2015-new-writer-comp.html Entry form for 2015 NEW WRITER COMPETITION http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2015-entry-form-new-writer-competition.html
