THE LOST ART OF LETTER-WRITING ......

...... or is it a lost art? Today it is pouring down with rain as it has been for the past two days. My grandchildren - Alex who is ten, and Emily, who had her sixth birthday yesterday - are staying for the weekend. The trip to the beach has been cancelled so what are they doing to entertain themselves? Well, they've built a post box out of giant Lego, that's what. Emily has taken a fancy to a hessian bag I was given for my birthday and is postman. We are all writing letters to one another. They go something like this. 'Dear Grandma, what is for supper tonight? Love Granddad.' (I'm tempted to say whatever it is he fancies cooking, but that's another blogpost!) 'Dear Granddad, I love you. Emily' 'Alex, can I have some of your Haribos? Emily' 'Grandma, I do not need a bath tonight. Alex' They are getting through rainforests of paper! But then, they are young and are yet to embrace emails and texts and Twitter and Facebook for sending messages. And thank goodness for that, I say. And besides, they are getting excellent writing practice. And those letters are going into their 'treasures' box as fast as they write and receive them. I have a friend who lives just six streets away from me and has taken up the pen again - a Schaeffer fountain pen which she fills with black ink. She likes to cut articles from newspapers and send them to me with a handwritten note - 'Saw this, and thought of you'. She has the most beautiful handwriting and I can tell it gives her as much pleasure to write these little notes as it does me to receive them.

On my birthday this year (a rather significant one!) I had a card from a friend in Dundowran, Queensland, Australia. There was a handwritten letter in with the card - just two sides of paper but it was full of news; her mother's sudden death, her son's marriage, a grandchild on the way - which was totally unexpected and it brought a lump to my throat to think she had sat down and thought to write to me about things which were affecting her life. I Googled where she lives and for a few moments it felt as though I was with her, sharing her loss, sharing her joy.

There are, of course, many historic letters written by famous (and infamous) people that we can now all look at. If I just think of two famous writers - say, William Shakespeare and Jane Austen - it gets me thinking ... will well-known and much-published and lauded writers of today have any handwritten letters kept for posterity? Will there be any handwritten book manuscripts of today's authors kept in museums? I am hardly famous and my handwriting leaves a lot to be desired (I blame having learned shorthand which I had to write at great speed way back then!) and I think I'd be too afraid to take one of those 'What your handwriting says about you' tests! So, I leave you with some very classy handwriting - not mine! How does your handwriting shape up? And do you hand-write letters?

P.S. Back in the day I wrote, and received, love-letters which I certainly hope haven't been kept for posterity! Too embarrassing!

A Few of our Favourite Bookshops...

They say there's no friend as loyal as a book, and I'm not going to argue. The best thing about friends, I think, is that they understand you as an individual -- and all of the Novel Points of View team have their favourites. Here they are.

Gill 

‘The choice of my favourite bookshop has been made very easy because a) there is only one bookshop close to where I live and b) it’s an absolutely fabulous one! It’s the Argyll Book Centre in Lochgilphead, which is just off the (quiet) main street of this small Argyll town. What I like most about it is the broad selection of books, from local history to geology, from literary fiction to romance, and from serious biographies to children’s picture books. It has what a good independent bookshop should have – a feeling of welcome. It is also impossible to walk in there and walk back out without buying a book … or three. For anyone holidaying in this lovely part of the world I would thoroughly recommend it.’

Victoria

Wadebridge Bookshop

My favourite bookshop would have to be Wadebridge Bookshop in Cornwall. It has been a bookshop for as long as I can remember, although it has changed owners over the years. Small and perfectly formed, you can purchase any book from them as they are happy to order it in if it is not on their shelves. They are such a dab hand at hunting down books that they even run an out of print service and pride themselves on being able to locate most out of print books. 

Wadebridge Bookshop also offers excellent discounts for teachers, students, reading groups and their regular customers. They have an extensive range of Cornish titles – including those from local artists, Cornish language poetry and study books, maps, walking guides and Cornish culture and history. I am happy to say that they are also very supportive of local writers. In a time when most shops look the same in every town, Wadebridge Bookshop remains a unique jewel, where they have more books at their fingertips than their mere bookshelves can hold.

Linda

Here's Linda with Matthew and her first Choc Lit publication
TO TURN FULL CIRCLE

The Torbay Bookshop here in Paignton gets my vote for favourite bookshop. It’s been a winner in Best Independent Bookseller lists more than a few times. Over the years – about twenty or so – I’ve got to know the owners Matthew and Sarah Clarke very well. I knew them as a reading customer long before I ever became a writer. But when I did, they very generously offered me a launch evening and a Saturday book-signing as each book came out (I’ve had six, or it might be seven, such evening and daytime events there now) and even provided wine and chocolate for my guests. Did I say they are also a chocolate franchise? How good can you get – books and chocolate! And then there is the guest list of other people the Torbay Bookshop has held book-signings for – Kate Adie, Sir Patrick Moore, Lesley Pearse, Micahel Morpurgo, Marcia Willett, Colin Dexter, Kate Furnivall, Brian May, and Francesco da Mosto amongst many, many, others ..... and then there was me!

Rae -  
Choosing a favourite local bookshop would be much like choosing a favourite child – 

x

impossible - and so instead I’ve picked a bookshop, or perhaps I should say bookstore, that I’d dreamt of visiting for a long time. Last year, I was lucky enough to find myself browsing the 18 miles of shelving (heaven for any booklover!) of the independent bookstore, TheStrand, in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City.

Here’s Rae, browsing some of the trolleys of discounted books
parked beneath the famous strawberry red canopy.

Opened in 1927, The Strand was named after the London street where writers like Thackeray and Dickens once gathered and book publishers thrived. Selling new, used and rare books, with over 200 employees, The Strand is also a popular spot for shooting movies, having appeared in Six Degrees of Separation, Julie & Julia and Remember Me – starring Robert Pattinson, who played a Strand employee.

My first glimpse of the delights to come was when I spotted cute little kiosks, selling second-hand books, located on the edge of Central Park. But it was the main store I really wanted to see.

Spread over three floors, The Strand is a wonderful rabbit warren of a bookstore, with books literally filling shelves from ceiling to floor. It offers interesting quiet nooks, where, even in New York City, it’s possible to find a little hiding corner to enjoy discovering a new read. One of my favourite sections was the Banned Books table, a sobering reminder of the importance of freedom of speech.

And finally, a book recommendation from one of the books I purchased (I’ve no intention of confessing how many I actually bought!) - A Land More Kind than Home by Wiley Cash.

Jennie

Here in France, bookshops where I can browse and buy English language books are few and far between. Sad to say without Amazon I’d be in a book desert. So I’m going back in time again with my choice! My favourite bookshop was without question the much missed Harbour Bookshop in Dartmouth.

Not sure how to describe the ambience this particular bookshop had and why it was so special to a lot of people. It wasn’t particularly big unlike the mammoth Waterstones etc that we’re used to these days but it was well laid out with a separate room for children’s books (which I was thrilled to be involved in organising and in charge of at one stage). Christopher, the owner, was not a fan of the ‘pile them high, sell them cheap’ school of thought so there would be a couple of copies of the latest ‘must have‘ novel out on the shelves and the rest would be in a nearby pile behind the scenes, ready to replace sold copies.  

Upstairs, open wooden steps which I’m sure Health and Safety would ban these days was a  - I was going to describe it as modest gift shop - but it was more than that. Tapestries, cards, local pottery etc etc it was a real treasure trove of different things from around the world - not just China! If I remember correctly the local history books were up there too at one stage.

The whole shop was very much part of the community at the time and was always busy. The outcry when it closed was huge. Petitions were signed but to no avail and it was Dartmouth’s loss when it closed. 

Happily there are now two bookshops in the town - the Community Bookshop which keeps the premise of the Harbour Bookshop alive with links to Christopher, and  the Dartmouth Bookseller a small independent bookshop in the centre of town. I shall be visiting both in August - can’t wait!

Jennifer

The wonderful window of Penrith's Hedgehog Bookshop

I've had many a long chat with the proprietress of the Hedgehog Bookshop in Penrith, and I've confided more than one secret - but I don't think I've ever told her that she's twice saved my bacon. My husband is a difficult man to buy for, and when asked what he wants for his birthday he always says: 'nothing'. Which is fine, except that I like to give him something, so I always give him books.

The past couple of years, we've been in Penrith, in Cumbria, for his birthday. On both occasions I've arrived presentless and been forced into an emergency dash to the good old Hedgehog. The first time I was completely hopeless. I rushed in, described to the owner (I don't know her name, but let's call her 'Jane') my husband's peculiar and catholic interests, and within minutes she'd rounded up a perfect selection. Last year I was a bit more organised and at least had an idea of what I wanted. I went in with a list of books, one of them published that very day -- and Jane had them all. 

The shop is a sequence of Aladdin's caves, each one filled with treasures. The collection of local interest is particularly fascinating, and I never leave the place without a new book on a subject I didn't know was so fascinating. (Ley lines. Stone circles. The drowned village of Mardale Green. The secret places of Cumbria. that sort of thing.)

Jane loves books so much that she won't let them out of the shop unless they're wrapped in brown paper, to protect them on the perilous journey to their forever home. I've adopted dozens of her pets - and I'll be acquiring many more.  

It's that time of year again

The summer weather has finally arrived in fits and starts this year on the East coast although as I write this there have been some heavy showers of rain today. But the weather can't dampen my excitement  as I have only a week left to work before my holidays. 

The beautiful North West coast of Scotland where the days gone on forever (when the sun is shining). 

Split Rock at Sunset 

Although I have only been visiting the area for 4 years or so it is an area that captures your heart and draws you back.

Audrey doesn't like to admit how long she has been visiting the area but her girls have been going up there since they were babies. They adore their summer holidays of freedom and fun with friends old and new.

Stoer Beach

This beautiful area is currently on the North Coast 500, Scotland's answer to Route 66. People will complete the route in 3 days but I feel they are missing out on the hidden treasures, only catching the highlights of the scenery. Regardless of the increase in tourists which is only a positive, you still feel that you could be the only person in the world. 

Looking over Fishermans Bay to Split Rock

 

Two of these photos have been borrowed from Audrey's phone because on occasion I have been known to focus to much on the perfect lighting , composition of a photo and sometimes it can be liberating to just point and shoot. 

So although I will be chasing the light and no doubt setting my alarm for a ridiculous hour, I plan to also be more present in the holiday and take photos that capture the moment as what is a photo if not a memory frozen in time.

Meeting Christopher Robin in Dartmouth

I'm afraid I'm cheating a little bit this week. The last couple of weeks have been manic and today when I intended to write this week's blog, we had a 3 hour power cut! So, I recently did a weekend blitz blog tour for the paperback publication of my book The Little Kiosk By The Sea which is set in Dartmouth, South Devon. For one of the blogs I was asked to write for, https://everywhere-and-nowhere.com I talked about inspiration.  For those that missed it on the blog tour I thought I'd post it here.

Dartmouth is an inspirational place - it inspires me anyway, even though I rarely get to visit these days. Writers, artists, actors, film makers have all come to Dartmouth for one reason or another. 

Down the years there have been many famous people born or associated with the town. My favourite ‘celebrity’ (how he’d hate me using that word) was my boss who became a friend, Christopher Robin.

When we first moved to Dartmouth I was thrilled to get a job in The Harbour Bookshop owned and run by Christopher and his wife Lesley. For a bookworm and aspiring writer it was the perfect job for me.

For many years The Harbour Bookshop was at the hub of all things Dartmouth and Christopher himself was a major tourist draw. Something which he loathed, being essentially a very private and shy man. Many is the time I saw him making for the back stairs and escaping from the shop when the clamouring of tourists for his attention became too much. He never minded signing tattered copies of the ‘Pooh’ books clutched by wide eyed children as their grandmothers/mothers hovered anxiously in the background, but he was never entirely happy having to make small talk with strangers. But however much he hated being in the limelight he was always unfailing polite to those demanding his attention and autograph. 

The above is the frontispiece of one of his acclaimed autobiography volumes - he wrote three in all after he gave up running the bookshop. He kindly signed and gave me all three. Sadly one of the three, The Enchanted Places was lent to a friend and never returned.

Christopher and Lesley ran the bookshop for 30 years and during the Sixties and Seventies were heavily involved with the School Libraries Association, helping to instil a love of books in all children. The great sadness of Christopher’s life was that his beloved daughter Clare suffered from cerebral palsy and he was never able to give her the childhood he wanted. A keen environmentalist he loved the countryside and was never happier than when at home in the countryside outside Dartmouth.

I learnt a lot about books, the world of publishing and about life in general whilst working for Christopher all those years ago. One of the disappointments of my life is that he’d died before my first novel was published and his iconic Harbour Bookshop had closed its doors, thus deny me the opportunity of seeing any of my novels on the shelves.  

                                                               * * * * * * * * * *

The Luxury of Language

View from (well, near) the corpse road at Mardale

I have a new addiction, one I recommend for any writer. It’s Robert Macfarlane’s Twitter feed.

You may not have heard of Robert Macfarlane, and I’m not quite sure how to describe him — and when you’ve finished this blog, you’ll understand how important choosing the right words is. Put most simply, he’s a writer and an academic whose subject is related to the landscape. (I’m sure there’s a word for that, and one far more specific than the obvious ‘geography’). I’m halfway through his book The Old Ways and am enjoying it, though i have to confess I’ve ground to a halt. There’s only so much word-richness a girl can digest at once.

On holiday in the Lakes recently, I popped into Wordsworth’s birthplace, where the National Trust had an excellent exhibition curated by Dr Macfarlane. It was on the theme of what he (I presume) calls ‘word-hoarding’ — gathering descriptive words for the landscape and for the weather and so on. Each word was accompanied by some sumptuous photos. It’s right up my street — words and the landscape, two things I love.

A 'moon road'

I’d have loved to have a book about the exhibition, but there wasn’t one, so I headed for Twitter. And here we go. Each day Dr Macfarlane posts a word or phrase and a picture to go with it. 

Some of the words I know and use — fluting, for example, or corpse road or Helm wind. Others I know but don’t use — the simmer dim (for the midsummer dusk/dawn in the Northern Isles) or siege for the place from which a heron launches itself on unsuspecting fish. Others are completely new to me — summer geese, which he describes as “steam that shimmers up from the land when hot sun follows brief rain”, or today’s offering, stubble-stag — a folk name for a hare.

Best of all, his many followers join in, with their own experiences, their local or remembered dialect words, their photographs. Long threads of word-magic spring onto my computer screen, punctuated by pictures of woods, or summer evenings, of silver lakes and cloud-shadowed mountains. 

Twitter can be a grim place, pitted with elephant traps for the unwary, but the daily threads I find here are as wholesome as home-made apple pie. Go and follow @RobGMacfarlane. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Jennifer Young

WANT TO PITCH TO A PUBLISHING PANEL?

As a debut novelist, I’ve quickly learned that one of the key skills required, as well as writing a darned good read, is the ability to pitch a novel, both in writing and, perhaps more dauntingly, in person.

I’ve read self-help books, blog posts, writing magazine articles, all designed to teach writers how best to develop a pitch. But although there’s loads of help out there, it still feels tricky to do!

THE OPPORTUNITY

So imagine my apprehension when my writing friends from the Aberdeen Writers’ Studio, suggested that I pitch to a panel of publishers and agents at XPO North.

I already had experience of pitching work on a one-to-one basis (at a Romantic Novelists’ Association conference – but that’s another blog post!), which was, to say the least, butterfly inducing. But would I have the confidence required to pitch to a panel of industry experts?

I’d never know, it I didn’t try. So I followed the guidelines, forwarding a synopsis and first five chapters of my debut novel, Food Bank Baby, and anxiously waited for a reply.

Emily Utter (front left) and me (front right) with our
Aberdeen Writers' Studio friends on the bus to Inverness

Within days I’d been invited to pitch at XPO North!

 XPO NORTH

XPO North, held on Wednesday 7^th and Thursday 8^th June this year, is billed as Scotland’s leading creative industries festival; a two-day event in the picturesque highland city of Inverness, in northern Scotland, on the banks of the River Ness, where it’s fun to keep a look out for the famous Loch Ness Monster.

Held at the Eden Court Theatre and Arts' centre, entry to the event is free – always attractive to Scots!

As well as the opportunity to pitch to publishers and agents, XPO North also offered such varied workshops as:

The BBC Writers Room: Starting Your Television Writing Career 

The Birth of a Book: Dream, Plan, Do - How To Crowdfund Your Novel with Patricia van den Akker 

Discover How To Make The Most of Instagram... and more…

But my attention at XPO North was firmly focused on the literary pitching sessions.

THE PANEL

Chaired by world-renowned literary agent Jenny Brown, of Jenny Brown Associates - one of the leading literary agencies in the UK - the panel was extremely supportive and encouraging of all the writers pitching. Jenny explained that after receiving a whooping 120 submissions, the shortlist was then narrowed to 18, in the panel’s hunt for best new fiction and non-fiction.

The highly experienced publishing panel members included:

Francine Toon - literary fiction editor at Sceptre Books, also representing Hodder & Stoughton

Vikki Reilly – literary fiction editor at independent publisher, Birlinn Books, also representing Polygon Books.

Andrea Johnstone – literary fiction editor at independent publisher, Canongate Books. 

Moira Forsyth  - author of The Treacle Well and editorial Director of Sandstone Press. 

THE SESSIONS

Pitching was broken up into three sessions – non-fiction, literary fiction and commercial fiction (including crime).

I write commercial women’s fiction but attended all three pitching sessions, which were both hugely interesting (remember I LOVE books!) but also extremely helpful, in terms of learning from the suggestions offered and advice given by panel members.

FEEDBACK

Not only was I thrilled to have bagged a much-sought after place on the pitching short-list, but was

Moral support from Aberdeen Writers' Studio friends

equally delighted that my good friends Rachelle Atalla and Emily Utter from the Aberdeen Writers’ Studio each received highly encouraging praise for their wonderful literary fiction writing.

Rachelle’s debut novel, Shedding Skin, offers ‘an unsettling glimpse into a father-daughter bond as they embark on a curious trip across the Southern Hemisphere’.

Whilst, Emily’s debut, Wedgewood, explores the question ‘is the biggest lie a family can tell itself is that it is perfect?’

And so it came to my turn.

Me - mid pitch!

Although nervous, I was also buoyed by the excellent quality of pitches delivered by Emily and Rachelle, and felt determined not to let them down.

‘Two hungry little girls. One violent father.

How far would you go to save a stranger’s family from danger?’

And so began my pitch for Food Bank Baby…

I gave it my best shot and was overjoyed with the feedback received from both the publishers and Jenny Brown.

Will my pitch to lead to anything further? – Only time will tell.

Was I glad I quashed my fears and accepted the opportunity to pitch? – you bet!

YOUR PITCHING STORIES

Pitching at XPO North was a fantastic experience and one I’d strongly recommend, particularly for debut writers. So, if you’ve yet to pitch to a panel and would like feedback on your work, then why not enter next year?

And if you already have experience of pitching to a panel, or simply have a fab pitching tale to share, then I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.

Rae

P.S. - and I promise to let you know if my pitching to a panel story has a happy ending!

WELLIES AND SHAUN THE SHEEP by Victoria Cornwall

This photo is not what it seems. Yes, it is Shaun the Sheep, but what may not be so clear is that it is made of vegetables. The bricks of his house are potatoes, his wool is cauliflower and the path to his front door is made from rows of onions. To give an idea of the scale, Shaun is the same height as a man. The display was at the entrance of the Royal Cornwall Show's flower tent and provided a bright and joyful way to greet visitors as they came in out of the rain. 

The display gathered a lot of attention, which was just as good at the back as it was in the front.

As a writer, it is easy to get stuck in the creative bubble of fiction, so I was glad to slip away from my edits, put on my welllies and make my annual pilgrimage to the Royal Cornwall Show this week. I have attended the show since the day I could walk (minus the odd year here and there). Although the format rarely changes, there is always something new and interesting to see and experience. This was their 223rd year and if you have never experienced an agricultural show before then I recommend you give it a try as they are a hive of creative talent which is wide ranging, entertaining and, at times, pretty amazing.

The Royal Cornwall Show is the largest annual event in Cornwall, but it originated from humble beginnings. The first event, staged in September 1793 (yes, the Poldark era), consisted of a ploughing match near the Red Lion Inn in Truro. The following year prizes for livestock were added to the awards on offer.

Over the years the show has grown. Local radio and television stations broadcast live from the event every year, while musical entertainment, dancing and the sounds of a thriving fair fill the air. Members of the royal family are regular attenders and can usually be found sampling the local produce in the Food and Farming Pavilion. From show jumping and dog and falcon displays, to parachute jumps and army displays, there is something for everyone. At its heart is the creative talents of the human race, so I took my camera along with me to take some photos, because despite the difficult times we live in, there is still beauty and wondrous things in this world to find pleasure in.

There was a vast array of flower displays and competitions.

Local artists demonstrated their skills and displayed their products. Wood carving and whittling changed natural wood into beautiful designs.

Local traders displayed their handmade crafts.

Individuals and groups worked hard to create eye-catching displays and decorations.

Besides the competitions, demonstrations and trade stalls, there were also a lot of fun displays, music and dancing. 

There are similar events all over the country, so if you have never been to one, why not give it a try? Here are just a few events:-

Devon County Show

Royal Bath and West Show

Dorset County Show

Mid Somerset Show

Balmoral Show (Royal Ulster)

Great Yorkshire Show

Kent County Show

Monmouthshire Show

Moreton in Marsh Show

New Forest & Hampshire County Show

Royal Highland Show

Royal Norfolk Show

Royal Smithfield Club

Royal Welsh Show

South of England Show

Suffolk Show

Royal Three Counties Show

So until next year, thank you organisers, volunteers, traders and  everyone else who took part in the Royal Cornwall Show this year. I had a great time - despite the rain.

Victoria Cornwall

Author of The Thief's Daughter