It has been my privilege to work with two groups lately. They are both 'Friends of' local libraries, in a trend that is set to continue as library budgets are squeezed. Local libraries are hubs of activity and if the council cannot afford to run services from them, friends of the library step in.
On Saturday 14 June I was delighted to be the first guest speaker of the new Friends of Bitterne Library group in Southampton. They seem to be a lively group, so I hope that things go well for them.
I was invited to speak about my book, Under the Queen's Colours and I showed images and read extracts from the book to bring the characters inside alive. I was delighted when one of the audience was able to describe how he was 'persuaded' (i.e. tricked into going to a certain point on the ship and then bundled unceremoniously along thereafter) to join in the Crossing The Line ceremony, when King Nepture anoints the sea farer who has not crossed the equator before, in this gentleman's case with condensed milk that took days to wash out of his hair!
I like talking to small groups. They are usually interested and eager and that is infectious.
I have been also been working with the Friends of Portswood Library, also in Southampton, and have given talks there recently. I will shortly be speaking there again and, indeed, opening an exhibition for them, on 28 June, to mark Armed Forces Day.
Showing posts with label Under the Queen's Colours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Under the Queen's Colours. Show all posts
Monday, 16 June 2014
Monday, 25 March 2013
My First Blog of 2013
I have not blogged for ages. There was no review of 2012 because it was a pretty grotty year in many respects. I was tired and working too hard, which did not seem a problem at the time, but looking back on the year it was clear that things were not well.
True, I had some great highs. My book Under the Queen's Colours came out and lots of friends, colleagues and supporters helped to make the launch successful. This book is dear to my heart as it raises funds for UK military charities. I also had a local history published, Eastleigh Then and Now, which was well received, even if the local newspaper, which kindly ran a double page spread on the book, misquoted from it. I know now who has read the book and who has merely read the newspaper coverage, as the mistake often comes up!
The lows though were almost overwhelming. Suffice to say that professionally, the year was not good and privately, ill health in the family impacted on my working life to an extent I had not anticipated. This last has carried over into 2013 and it is a sad Penny who sits writing this.
Today is the first time for a while I have felt like writing on this blog and I am sorry if I sound a little down. My next post will be more spring-like, I promise!
True, I had some great highs. My book Under the Queen's Colours came out and lots of friends, colleagues and supporters helped to make the launch successful. This book is dear to my heart as it raises funds for UK military charities. I also had a local history published, Eastleigh Then and Now, which was well received, even if the local newspaper, which kindly ran a double page spread on the book, misquoted from it. I know now who has read the book and who has merely read the newspaper coverage, as the mistake often comes up!
The lows though were almost overwhelming. Suffice to say that professionally, the year was not good and privately, ill health in the family impacted on my working life to an extent I had not anticipated. This last has carried over into 2013 and it is a sad Penny who sits writing this.
Today is the first time for a while I have felt like writing on this blog and I am sorry if I sound a little down. My next post will be more spring-like, I promise!
Monday, 30 April 2012
Under the Queen's Colours - National Servicemen
Time flies, doesn't it? I am sure it has for the contributors of my latest book, Under the Queen's Colours out this week (The History Press). They all served in the Armed Forces in the sixty years of Her Majesty the Queen's reign and their stories showcase the range of experience in this commemorative Diamond Jubilee publication.
In the 1950s Britain still had conscription and so, when lads hit 18, they were shipped off all over the world, to serve their country. As Dave Hart, Royal Hampshire Regiment, recalls,
I didn’t feel too bad being called up. We used to go to the Guildhall dances every week when we were that age. Everyone in Southampton used to queue to get in there Saturday and Wednesday evening and everyone was going off to the Hampshire’s to do their bit. I think it came as a bit of a shock when you actually got there because at 18 I hadn't done anything. Not like my grandson, who was a man of the world at 18. I hadn’t been further than Winchester (13 miles), where we did our ten weeks basic training. Suddenly, I found myself 8,000 miles away, in a completely different place. There was no mum there! I thought, I’m in the army. I’m with all these other people. I’ve got to get on and do it. We all buckled down and did it. I was frightened more than anything else because I got shouted at a lot.
In the 1950s Britain still had conscription and so, when lads hit 18, they were shipped off all over the world, to serve their country. As Dave Hart, Royal Hampshire Regiment, recalls,
I didn’t feel too bad being called up. We used to go to the Guildhall dances every week when we were that age. Everyone in Southampton used to queue to get in there Saturday and Wednesday evening and everyone was going off to the Hampshire’s to do their bit. I think it came as a bit of a shock when you actually got there because at 18 I hadn't done anything. Not like my grandson, who was a man of the world at 18. I hadn’t been further than Winchester (13 miles), where we did our ten weeks basic training. Suddenly, I found myself 8,000 miles away, in a completely different place. There was no mum there! I thought, I’m in the army. I’m with all these other people. I’ve got to get on and do it. We all buckled down and did it. I was frightened more than anything else because I got shouted at a lot.
In January, I went along to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, to take pictures for the book. I was really pleased to see a memorial there for National Servicemen. They are often overlooked and their experiences thought of little account. I hope the National Servicemen's stories in Under the Queen's Colours go some way to redress this.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
I've had a spot of trouble ...
I've had a spot of trouble with my blog. Regular readers must have given up on me and I would not blame them. The trouble is that I am getting old and I could not remember the passwords for this blog - even though I have been writing it since 2006! Blogger could not help as to get assistance I had a series of security questions to answer - and I could not remember the answers! So, no blogs on this site for five months - until now when, with a flash of inspiration, all came back to me and here I am!
Hello and welcome, belatedly, to 2012.
I usually do a recap of the year at the end of each year. 2011's round up will have to be brief as there is so much to say about 2012 all ready.
January saw me working on my book of reminiscences from the people of Southampton (what a super bunch!); still working at the Diplomatic Service Families Association (DSFA), where I am the Publications and Communications Officer and eagerly awaiting my book of ghost stories, Haunted Southampton, to be published. The Writing Buddies came back from their Christmas break full of writing enthusiasm.
February dawned and I started teaching a creative writing class for Age Concern Southampton and met a lovely set of septuagenarians in the process. I held a small launch party for Haunted Southampton. I joined in a ghost hunt with Haunted Southampton Ltd , a group I have now worked with several times and look forward to doing so again in the not so distant future. I finished my Southampton reminiscences book and, later in the month, spent some time book signing at Waterstones.
March saw me at more bookshops signing books; teaching at the York Festival of Writing and enjoying an evening of ghostly encounters with 120 fans of ghost stories at Waterstones Above Bar, Southampton.
April came and with it a talk at the Lordshill History Society. More books signings were interspersed with a visit to the London Book Fair, which proved very useful and was to ensure I was a busy writer for the rest of the year. Winchester: History You Can See came out. This is my favourite book so far. Attending the Bitterne Historical Society History Fair was useful.
May came and I was beginning to start work on my biggest project to date - Under the Queen's Colours - a commemorative Diamond Jubilee book of service personnel's reminiscences. It was very busy at the DSFA.
June saw me giving interviews, interviewing for Under the Queen's Colours and stopping respectable men and women on Weymouth sea front in the quest for service personnel to contribute to the book. Great fun!
July passed by in a blur. Interviewing, book signings, more interviewing and writing, which all stopped when my husband and I went to Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Garden Party. This was delightful, despite the rain.
August saw me on BBC Radio Solent as a guest on the Katie Martin show. I joined the lovely ladies of the Wordwrights of Titchfield as I guided them through a day-long workshop. I met some more super (ex)servicemen and women for Under the Queen's Colours.
September saw the launch of Life to the Full magazine for Age Concern Southampton. This was a vehicle for my students' work. They learnt all aspects of writing for publication and slowly understood the concepts of word counts, layout, content etc. They are a lovely bunch and I loved every minute working with them. This month also saw the publication of Voices of Southampton, my fifth book.
October soon came along and I recorded a 'Spooky Solent' slot for Katie Martin at BBC Radio Solent. The Age Concern Southampton magazine gained momentum and I was busy at the DSFA.
November was busy. Wordfall, the Writing Buddies's anthology, my lovely group of writers, came out in the middle of the month and the Mayor and Mayoress came to the launch at Waterstones, Above Bar, Southampton. I edited this book, which is the work of the group.
December, end of the year, and I was scrabbling to hit deadline for Under the Queen's Colours. It had to be at the publisher at the beginning of the month. I was so happy when it was ready! It was the biggest of my projects and the one that I have had least time to complete. I can't wait until I see it on the bookshelves. It is full of super stories from a range of fantastic men and women. It really has been a privilege to work with them. The book will raise money for service charities.
December also saw the launch of the first edition of Life to the Full. The Mayor and Mayoress came along to help launch it, which was great. The year ended with a deadbeat Penny enjoying a quiet Christmas and New Year with her family. Phew!
Now I have the blog back, more blogs will follow.
Hello and welcome, belatedly, to 2012.
I usually do a recap of the year at the end of each year. 2011's round up will have to be brief as there is so much to say about 2012 all ready.
January saw me working on my book of reminiscences from the people of Southampton (what a super bunch!); still working at the Diplomatic Service Families Association (DSFA), where I am the Publications and Communications Officer and eagerly awaiting my book of ghost stories, Haunted Southampton, to be published. The Writing Buddies came back from their Christmas break full of writing enthusiasm.
February dawned and I started teaching a creative writing class for Age Concern Southampton and met a lovely set of septuagenarians in the process. I held a small launch party for Haunted Southampton. I joined in a ghost hunt with Haunted Southampton Ltd , a group I have now worked with several times and look forward to doing so again in the not so distant future. I finished my Southampton reminiscences book and, later in the month, spent some time book signing at Waterstones.
March saw me at more bookshops signing books; teaching at the York Festival of Writing and enjoying an evening of ghostly encounters with 120 fans of ghost stories at Waterstones Above Bar, Southampton.
April came and with it a talk at the Lordshill History Society. More books signings were interspersed with a visit to the London Book Fair, which proved very useful and was to ensure I was a busy writer for the rest of the year. Winchester: History You Can See came out. This is my favourite book so far. Attending the Bitterne Historical Society History Fair was useful.
May came and I was beginning to start work on my biggest project to date - Under the Queen's Colours - a commemorative Diamond Jubilee book of service personnel's reminiscences. It was very busy at the DSFA.
June saw me giving interviews, interviewing for Under the Queen's Colours and stopping respectable men and women on Weymouth sea front in the quest for service personnel to contribute to the book. Great fun!
July passed by in a blur. Interviewing, book signings, more interviewing and writing, which all stopped when my husband and I went to Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Garden Party. This was delightful, despite the rain.
August saw me on BBC Radio Solent as a guest on the Katie Martin show. I joined the lovely ladies of the Wordwrights of Titchfield as I guided them through a day-long workshop. I met some more super (ex)servicemen and women for Under the Queen's Colours.
September saw the launch of Life to the Full magazine for Age Concern Southampton. This was a vehicle for my students' work. They learnt all aspects of writing for publication and slowly understood the concepts of word counts, layout, content etc. They are a lovely bunch and I loved every minute working with them. This month also saw the publication of Voices of Southampton, my fifth book.
October soon came along and I recorded a 'Spooky Solent' slot for Katie Martin at BBC Radio Solent. The Age Concern Southampton magazine gained momentum and I was busy at the DSFA.
November was busy. Wordfall, the Writing Buddies's anthology, my lovely group of writers, came out in the middle of the month and the Mayor and Mayoress came to the launch at Waterstones, Above Bar, Southampton. I edited this book, which is the work of the group.
December, end of the year, and I was scrabbling to hit deadline for Under the Queen's Colours. It had to be at the publisher at the beginning of the month. I was so happy when it was ready! It was the biggest of my projects and the one that I have had least time to complete. I can't wait until I see it on the bookshelves. It is full of super stories from a range of fantastic men and women. It really has been a privilege to work with them. The book will raise money for service charities.
December also saw the launch of the first edition of Life to the Full. The Mayor and Mayoress came along to help launch it, which was great. The year ended with a deadbeat Penny enjoying a quiet Christmas and New Year with her family. Phew!
Now I have the blog back, more blogs will follow.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Penny Legg's Travels
I have covered a few miles recently. Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire and London - all to talk to people for my commemorative Diamond Jubilee book, due out in May 2012.
This book, Under the Queen's Colours, a collection of memories from serving and former forces personnel, showcases the wealth of experience from those who have served their country in the sixty years of HM the Queen's reign. I have been busy talking to wonderful men and women, who have trusted me with their stories, happy and sad, and let me into their lives for a short time. The resulting book will, I hope, be worthy of commemorating Queen Elizabeth's milestone.
This book, Under the Queen's Colours, a collection of memories from serving and former forces personnel, showcases the wealth of experience from those who have served their country in the sixty years of HM the Queen's reign. I have been busy talking to wonderful men and women, who have trusted me with their stories, happy and sad, and let me into their lives for a short time. The resulting book will, I hope, be worthy of commemorating Queen Elizabeth's milestone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)