Today I am off to York to attend the York Festival of Writing. This promises to be an action-packed weekend, with lots of learning and networking opportunities.
Friday, 9 April 2010
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
The latest news
I finally finished my latest book, Southampton Then and Now, on Ash Wednesday and rushed it up to Stroud, to the headquarters of The History Press. I then allowed myself a small sigh of relief and the delights of a picnic on the common behind the THP's impressive water mill buildings.
Things had got a bit hectic in the week or so leading up to the deadline. The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Girl Guides, the Sea Rangers, The Art House and the Hampshire Constabulary Band had all found it more convenient to have me over to take photographs in the week before the deadline. I am very grateful that all of these groups thought my project was worthwhile enough to participate in. A full week meant that yours truly was busily occupied sorting out all that needed to be done to get the resulting images and their captions ready for the book by the deadline. I had little time for the real world, which was a pity as it was my brother's birthday three days before deadline and, when the family met up to celebrate, I was a bit preoccupied.
In the meantime, it was also deadline time for the April edition of The Woman Writer magazine, which I edit for The Society of Women Writers and Journalists (SWWJ). This edition was characterised by the lack of a suitable photograph for the front cover. Society members usually send in something suitable but this edition that was not the case. In the end, as the magazine is celebrating its centenary, I took the front cover of the November 1915 edition as my front cover. This featured an advertisement for 'Hampers from a Norfolk farm'. A hamper containing a chicken or a duck, a boiling fowl, eggs, 2 vegetables and herbs could be had for 7/6. If you wanted the bird plucked and trussed it was 3d extra. Super! In an age when the advertising revenue for the magazine is almost non-existent, it was nice to see that the magazine had such delights on its pages in years past. My thanks for the 1915 edition go to the indefatigable Sylvia Kent, whose two years of research went into making her history of the SWWJ, The Woman Writer, such an enjoyable read.
Two days before my book deadline BBC Radio Solent called me at home to ask if I still wanted some help finding archive photographs for my book. I had sent them a request for assistance a few months ago. As the book in question was Southampton Then and Now and by the time they called it was nearly finished, I said that now I was fine but thanked them for contacting me. The call then proceeded to a chat about the other books I am writing. One thing led to another and, hey presto, a reporter was sent around later that same day to interview me. If you fancy listening to the resulting conversation, it will be broadcast tomorrow, Thursday 8th April, on the mid morning show, at about 10.15. Radio Solent is 96.1FM, 103.8FM & DAB or online here.
My friend and colleague, Simon Whaley, has listed one of my blogs in his top ten favourite blogsites. Writing Buddies comes in at No.8! Great! Thanks Simon.
Talking of Writing Buddies, I was pleased to see the group featured in the May edition of Writers' News.
Still talking of Writing Buddies, I was so pleased to hear that James Marsh, a Writing Buddy from the beginning, has just heard that his book, Someone Else's Trousers, has been accepted for publication by The History Press. A blog is imminent, so I will bring you this when it happens.
After all this excitement, it is time to slow down and get on with some other work. Since Christmas new writers have been taking to the pen in large numbers, as they take their first steps towards putting their New Year 'must write something' resolutions to the test. This is refreshing to see. I love reading their work and helping them on the path to publication.
Whilst I do this I am preparing for the York Festival of Writing over the weekend 9th - 11th April. I am assisting, with colleagues from the SWWJ and other professional writers, agents and publishers, on an informal advice session, 'Afternoon Tea with ...' and then co-hosting a workshop, 'Writing Groups To Get You Published' with Silja Swaby and Jay Cole. I am looking forward to being back in York, a place that I love visiting.
Next on the agenda is my book, Haunted Southampton. If you have any ghostly tales to tell, about things that go bump in the night in or around the city, let me know!
Things had got a bit hectic in the week or so leading up to the deadline. The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Girl Guides, the Sea Rangers, The Art House and the Hampshire Constabulary Band had all found it more convenient to have me over to take photographs in the week before the deadline. I am very grateful that all of these groups thought my project was worthwhile enough to participate in. A full week meant that yours truly was busily occupied sorting out all that needed to be done to get the resulting images and their captions ready for the book by the deadline. I had little time for the real world, which was a pity as it was my brother's birthday three days before deadline and, when the family met up to celebrate, I was a bit preoccupied.
In the meantime, it was also deadline time for the April edition of The Woman Writer magazine, which I edit for The Society of Women Writers and Journalists (SWWJ). This edition was characterised by the lack of a suitable photograph for the front cover. Society members usually send in something suitable but this edition that was not the case. In the end, as the magazine is celebrating its centenary, I took the front cover of the November 1915 edition as my front cover. This featured an advertisement for 'Hampers from a Norfolk farm'. A hamper containing a chicken or a duck, a boiling fowl, eggs, 2 vegetables and herbs could be had for 7/6. If you wanted the bird plucked and trussed it was 3d extra. Super! In an age when the advertising revenue for the magazine is almost non-existent, it was nice to see that the magazine had such delights on its pages in years past. My thanks for the 1915 edition go to the indefatigable Sylvia Kent, whose two years of research went into making her history of the SWWJ, The Woman Writer, such an enjoyable read.
Two days before my book deadline BBC Radio Solent called me at home to ask if I still wanted some help finding archive photographs for my book. I had sent them a request for assistance a few months ago. As the book in question was Southampton Then and Now and by the time they called it was nearly finished, I said that now I was fine but thanked them for contacting me. The call then proceeded to a chat about the other books I am writing. One thing led to another and, hey presto, a reporter was sent around later that same day to interview me. If you fancy listening to the resulting conversation, it will be broadcast tomorrow, Thursday 8th April, on the mid morning show, at about 10.15. Radio Solent is 96.1FM, 103.8FM & DAB or online here.
My friend and colleague, Simon Whaley, has listed one of my blogs in his top ten favourite blogsites. Writing Buddies comes in at No.8! Great! Thanks Simon.
Talking of Writing Buddies, I was pleased to see the group featured in the May edition of Writers' News.
Still talking of Writing Buddies, I was so pleased to hear that James Marsh, a Writing Buddy from the beginning, has just heard that his book, Someone Else's Trousers, has been accepted for publication by The History Press. A blog is imminent, so I will bring you this when it happens.
After all this excitement, it is time to slow down and get on with some other work. Since Christmas new writers have been taking to the pen in large numbers, as they take their first steps towards putting their New Year 'must write something' resolutions to the test. This is refreshing to see. I love reading their work and helping them on the path to publication.
Whilst I do this I am preparing for the York Festival of Writing over the weekend 9th - 11th April. I am assisting, with colleagues from the SWWJ and other professional writers, agents and publishers, on an informal advice session, 'Afternoon Tea with ...' and then co-hosting a workshop, 'Writing Groups To Get You Published' with Silja Swaby and Jay Cole. I am looking forward to being back in York, a place that I love visiting.
Next on the agenda is my book, Haunted Southampton. If you have any ghostly tales to tell, about things that go bump in the night in or around the city, let me know!
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Penny's Website
After messing up my website the other day, I took the plunge and revamped the whole thing this week. I felt that the old sandy coloured background was out of date now, so have changed the whole thing to a more up-to-date, off-white coloured background with elegant swirly buttons. Anyway, if you fancy having a peek, here is the address: www.pennylegg.com Feedback is welcome!
Borders Bookshop, Australia
I was absolutely delighted to find that, although we have lost Borders bookshop here in the UK, overseas it is still a going concern. Even more importantly from my point of view, my book, Folklore of Hampshire, is on sale in Borders Australia.
Good, eh?
Good, eh?
Thursday, 18 March 2010
folklore of Hampshire by Penny Legg - Unveiled!
Saturday, 13 March 2010
It seemed like a good idea...
Yes, last night it seemed like a good idea to update my website - www.pennylegg.com. I had neglected it for ages and it was about time it got a facelift. The only trouble is that I thought I would do it on my husband's laptop, whilst watching TV with him. Big mistake.
I downloaded the site builder software and transferred my site on to it but it did not pick up some of the photographs and the presentation was all to pot. I spent hours last night trying to put it right and will have to do the same today to bring it back up to scratch. Rats!
Morale of the tale: work on your own computer, so you don't have to download anything, and don't do it while distracted by scary spider films late at night!
I downloaded the site builder software and transferred my site on to it but it did not pick up some of the photographs and the presentation was all to pot. I spent hours last night trying to put it right and will have to do the same today to bring it back up to scratch. Rats!
Morale of the tale: work on your own computer, so you don't have to download anything, and don't do it while distracted by scary spider films late at night!
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
A morning in the life of Penny Legg...
Bright and early this morning - 06.15 to be precise - I was camera in hand for a photoshoot at the Bitterne police station in Southampton. I am working on my next book, Southampton Then and Now, and was re-creating a 1960s image of a line of police cars coming out of the station, being directed by a uniformed policeman in the street.
As times have changed and health and safety regulations have come into force, we had to recreate the shot in the early morning, before there were too many cars about, as we needed to shut the road briefly. I had taken along a reflective jacket, which managed to make me look ten times my usual bulky self, but did do the trick as it was still getting light when we started to set up the shot. My husband, on his way to work, stopped to watch and took the shot above of me in action.
I have to say a big thank you to Sgt Ashthorpe and Sgt Selby at the Bitterne station for their cheerful co-operation, and to the Police Constables behind the wheels of the four cars involved. A big thank you too to Derek Stevens and Paul Stickler at the Hampshire Constabulary Historical Society for setting up this and other such photography opportunities for me, for this and other books.
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