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.

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.

Penny Legg at the Royal Garden Party, Buckingham Palace, 19th July 2011

The Queen looked lovely in emerald green, Princess Anne was very fine in a dull gold coat dress and Prince Philip came up and had a chat with my husband, Joe, about his South Atlantic Medal Association tie. This made Joe's day and he and the prince had a laugh together, which was lovely. Other Royals attending were Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall (in a cream dress with square box pleats to her skirt - ver smart), the Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Countess of Wessex (with very tall feathers in her hat!). I was not expecting so many Royals to be present. It really was a family affair!

The weather let everyone down as it repeatedly showered heavily. I had had the forethought to buy a couple of the tiny umbrellas you can get nowadays that fold down into an unobtrusive size. These were invaluable but disappeared into trouser pocket and handbag respectively between downpours. Their covers were waterproof, so that was useful.

The lady guests were very splendid, particularly those from overseas, whose outfits were very colourful. There were some very fine hats to be seen but a bigger array of fascinators than I was expecting. Mine fitted in perfectly.

We walked around the lake - one mother duck had a brood of 7 tiny fluffy ducklings trying to keep up with her, which was sweet to see. The rose garden was particularly fragrant because of the good soaking it was receiving.

The queues for the tea were not too long and the afternoon tea itself was splendid. I have never thought of putting mint into cucumber sandwiches. This was both refreshing and very tasty. The mini scones (the size of a 10p piece) were delicious with their generous spreading of clotted cream and jam. I love Dundee cake and was pleased to see that was on the menu too! Other items included salmon bites, ham and tomato and egg and cress sandwiches, slices of Victoria sponge and chocolate ganache squares. The ice cream, which came around later on large trays carried by the uniformed staff, was super. We had strawberry and it was full of whole frozen fruit.

The palace itself was interesting. I have never taken a tour but would be tempted to do so now I have been inside. The few rooms we were allowed to see were very nicely decorated, with fine china on display as well as some very good portraits. 

In all, it was a super afternoon. The organisation is very well practiced and if anything had gone wrong, well, we did not notice. 

Our thanks, Your Majesty, for the kind and very welcome invitation.

Penny Legg at the London Book Fair

I was disappointed with the London Book Fair this year.  Usually I go there for the first two days but this year I had other commitments and so found myself amongst a lesser throng on the last day for the first time.

What a difference.  The buzz was non-existent.  It was as if all the important deals and excitement had happened and the last day was a day too much for most exhibitors.  Yes, I know the publishing names were there, but the decision makers were gone.  By early afternoon some of the stalls were packing up.  This short changed those who could only make the event on its last day.

Still, saying all that, I did enjoy being there.  I always learn a lot from the LBF and come away with huge amounts of information, both printed and verbal.  It is a useful event for all in the writing and publishing business, but, in future, I will make a point of being there on the first day, not the last!

The next London Book Fair is the 16th - 18th April 2012, at Earl's Court, London.

Penny Legg at Lordshill and Lordswood History Society

A few months ago, my publisher forwarded to me a letter sent by the secretary of the about-to-be-launched Lordshill History Society.  The sender had seen my book Southampton Then and Now and wanted to know if he could use some of the information inside it for some of the talks at the society.

I contacted John Gurney, the secretary, and we have since become good friends.  On Monday 13th April, I was the guest speaker at the second meeting of the society.  A goodly sprinkle of local people turned up, which was gratifying, and I talked about some of the things I had come across in my writing about Hampshire.  John had produced some super colour acetates, which he projected on a screen for me.

I had a good time at the Lordshill History Society.  This is a growing group and they have now launched a blog site, which is full of  a growing number of interesting blogs posts, in particular the list of forthcoming talks and outings.  Have a look at the new site and consider following it.  I think it will be one to whet the appetite for history in this part of the world.

I will be speaking there again in October.

My thanks to John and the Lordshill History Society for making me feel so welcome.

Penny Legg book signing ...

Sometimes, it is nice to be able to help someone out.  When Waterstones in West Quay, Southampton, contacted me at short notice to see if I could come along for an off-the-cuff book signing event there on Saturday April 9th, I was happy to help.

They were lucky I was free.  I am a volunteer tutor on a Friday morning at the U3A and was running my writing group, Writing Buddies, on Friday afternoon.  On the Sunday my husband and I were invited to a friend's home for the day and I was the guest speaker at the newly-formed Lordshill Historical Society on the Monday.  Saturday was my only free day.

I have found both branches of Waterstones in Southampton (Above Bar and West Quay) incredibly supportive since I began to publish books and it was nice that it was to me they turned when they needed help.  I had an interesting few hours signing copies of my books and meeting my readers.

The York Festival of Writing

Catching up with what I have been working on lately, I am going back to the end of March and the York Festival of Writing.  

This was a weekend-long fest of useful workshops, talks, networking and information for writers of all ages.  Top agents, publishers and those in the business were there and some of the delegates have since been signed coveted books deals and gained agent representation - wonderful!

I went along to sit on a panel about useful writing groups and I presented a workshop on the covering letter and synopsis.

My thanks to Harry Bingham and the whole organising crew.