Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award Part 3

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Over the last two weeks we’ve highlighted First and Second Place in the recent WforW Independent Author Book Award. Today we have the final winner, Eric Sinclair who achieved Third Place.

As I keep saying to people, The Independent Author Book Award has been a revelation. There are just so many good writers out there, which made our task hugely enjoyable, if difficult. At last we decided on those who were to be commended, highly commended, and then – the winners. In the end, our decision was unanimous. Great books all of them. Thank you all so much for entering – rest assured that 100% of the entry fees go to the wounded.

Thank you, Palamedes PR for sponsoring a professional press release for the winner, and the opportunity of a discounted press release for 2^nd and 3^rd. Thank you Frost Magazine for publishing a review of the top three

The great good news is that Felicity Trew, of the highly respected Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency, is now representing the winner, Jane Cable.

Felicity Trew will also be our final judge for the 2015 Independent Author Book Award. The excitement is immense.

3^rd place

Man, Dog, Stroke by Eric Sinclair

This is the story of one man’s experience of the devastating effects of a major stroke, and his attempts to recover from it. It is also the story of a dog’s experience of life with unpredictable, irrational human beings.

Judges’ comments: Man, Dog, Stroke is a beautifully written and moving memoir of a stroke victim, with a chapter from time to time from his whippet’s point of view. This is a whippet who sees life, and events, from his side ‘of the pond’ and is a fantastic idea.

We laughed out loud, held our breath, and longed for Eric Sinclair to survive, and to thrive. Man, Dog, Stroke brought out the isolation experienced by stroke victims, the powerlessness when their lives are changed in just a few seconds, in of all things, a strange hotel room. The fear, the long fight back. ‘…The trouble was I didn’t seem able to move my legs or arms at all. With growing fright and disbelief I tried to roll over.’

It made us understand what a patient needs, and how absolutely crucial is good post stroke therapy.

It could happen to any of us. Read this. Laugh, and learn. It’s beautifully written.

Proceeds from the book will be donated to The Stroke Association.

Biog.

Eric Sinclair is a writer and education consultant living in Aberdeenshire who has worked in schools and colleges in West Africa, Turkey and Germany, as well as the UK. For ten years he was Head Teacher of Kirkwall Grammar School in Orkney, and subsequently was Head of Aboyne Academy, Aberdeenshire, before setting up his own education consultancy and training business in 2000. He was a part-time selector with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Assessment Team in London from 1989 – 2004.

Since suffering a major stroke in 2004, he has undertaken voluntary work for the Stroke Association, and is vice-chair of their Scotland Committee. In December 2011, he published – Man, Dog, Stroke – describing his experience of recovering from stroke in Oslo and Aberdeen. The sequel to this book is a blog of the same name. He has also published a number of articles in The Scottish Review.

Eric has been a public partner with NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland and has extensive experience of managing change in a variety of settings, as well as the lived experience of dealing with a chronic health condition. In January 2015, he was appointed by the Scottish Government to the Board of NHS Grampian, which provides health and social care for Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland.

Eric relaxes by walking and communing with his whippet, Archie, and by singing in a local choir.

Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award Part 2

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Margaret Graham

As I said last week, The Independent Author Book Award has been a revelation. There are just so many good writers out there, which made our task hugely enjoyable, if difficult. At last we decided on commended, highly commended, and then – the winners. In the end, our decision was unanimous. Great books all three of them. Thank you all so much for entering – rest assured that 100% of the entry fees go to the wounded.

Last week we highlighted First Place achieved by Jane Cable with The Cheesemaker’s House, in the recent competition. Today we have the second place winner, Janet O’Kane.

The great good news is that Felicity Trew, of the highly respected Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency, is now representing the winner, Jane Cable.

We’re totally delighted to reveal that Felicity Trew will also be our final judge for the 2015 Independent Author Book Award. The WforW team is so excited.

2^nd Place.

No Stranger to Death by Janet O’Kane

Zoe Moreland is a GP who stumbles upon a corpse. Set in the Scottish Borders, her own life experience is revealed, alongside the unfolding crime story.

No Stranger to Death Janet O’Kane

Judges’ comments. A crime novel must grab you from the first sentence. This one does: “Zoe Moreland saw her first dead body at the age of twelve … “ You also need a reason for the person to be consulted or somehow involved with a dead body, especially if you want to keep open the possibility of a series. Tick number two: she’s a GP. This sets everything up well for a crime novel and the other necessities for any novel, including interesting setting described with a vivid sense of place (the Scottish Borders) and rounded characters with distinctive personalities and back stories which appear gradually, are all here. Tick, tick, tick. We particularly liked the way Janet O’Kane lets facts and personalities emerge naturally, by incremental details rather than through the dreaded information download. She credits the reader with the ability to put details together. This crime novel has a well-constructed plot with interesting characters and we look forward to reading the next one in the series. Well done.

When Janet O’Kane outgrew Enid Blyton’s books she moved on to what her Mum liked reading: crime novels. And despite occasional dalliances with other types of fiction, that’s where she has happily stayed.

Her career before turning to writing full-time included selling underpants to Roger Moore in Harrods of Knightsbridge and marketing nappies for Boots the Chemist. It was when she helped run a GP surgery that she decided a doctor would make an excellent main character for a series of crime novels.

Janet lives in the Scottish Borders with her stonemason husband, a cat, two dogs and far too many chickens. She is now writing the sequel to No Stranger to Death and learning to tap-dance. She’s delighted to have been placed second in a competition which raises money for such a good cause.

Month 5 of my Reading Challenge by Frances Colville

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Margaret Graham

When I first started out on this project, I rather naively thought I was being original. Of course I wasn’t and it has since become apparent that not only have others done the same thing, but they have also gone on to write books from the experience. So this month I’ve looked at a couple of those books. The first, Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill, was the result of the author’s decision not to buy books for a year but to read from her existing library. Many of the books she read turned out to be books I have already enjoyed, but I was also able to compile a long list to add to my ‘to read soon’ pile. I was bewildered by a throwaway comment disparaging Khaled Hosseni (author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and And The Mountains Echoed) but on the whole her choice of books and her commentary on them and on her life as a reader worked well for me. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson (similar theme of focusing on a year of reading) was less interesting to me because as an American her book experiences were very different from mine. But I enjoyed her writing style and the way in which she wove comments about her life into her discussion of books and authors. I have yet to read The Year of Reading Dangerously: How Fifty Great Books Saved my Life by Andy Miller but it is definitely on my list.

I don’t know whether Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote counts as a short novel or a long story. Either way it seems to me to be a brilliantly crafted piece of writing, with no words wasted, and perfectly located in time and place. My copy has the added benefit of including three short stories. There is an obvious connection between this and my next read To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. The two authors were childhood friends and in fact Lee bases Dill, one of the characters in her book, on Capote. I’ve read To Kill a Mocking Bird before (who of my generation hasn’t?) but was very happy to have the opportunity to re-read when it came up as a book group choice this month. One of my top ten of all time books, it’s a beautifully written portrayal of life in the southern USA during the 1930s depression, told from the point of view of the unforgettable 8 year old Scout, and focusing on a court case in which a white lawyer (Scout’s father Atticus) defends a black man charged with rape. It is of course the 50^th anniversary of the book’s publication this year and there is a new edition available for anyone who can’t get hold of one of the original copies. The only other book ever published by this author Go Set A Watchman is about to be released. One more for my list.

My next book – Daughter by Jane Shemilt – was a good read and a fast-paced one. Having once started it, I found it hard to put down. Both a family story and a crime novel, it is narrated by a GP working full time in a pressured job, while trying to be a good mother to her three teenage children, a good wife and at the same time keep her own identity and free up time to indulge her love of painting. It seems inevitable from the beginning that something will go wrong and of course it does. But this is not a predictable story; there are several twists and turns in the plot and I was kept guessing until the end.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion has been on my pile for some time, having been recommended by my daughters. Another good read. Again I didn’t want to put it down, and I found myself willing the narrator (an undiagnosed Asperger’s sufferer) on to success in his endeavours. It’s funny, insightful and interesting. And yet it left me feeling a bit uncomfortable. I’m not quite sure why, but I think perhaps it’s because the view of autism it portrays is over-simplistic and too generalised. Still well worth reading though, and if you enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night-time by Mark Haddon, I think you will enjoy this too. There is also a follow-up entitled The Rosie Effect.

© Frances Colville

Words for the Wounded Fiction/Memoir/Poetry Prize Results

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Words for the Wounded Fiction/Memoir/Poetry Prize Results by Margaret Graham

Words for the Wounded have had a wonderful time reading all the entries for the Fiction/Memoir/Poetry Prize – 400 word maximum 2015.

It was a tough call because as always the entries were many and varied. In the end our decision was unanimous, and we thank everyone who entered, as every penny raised goes to where it should because the organisers absorb all the costs of the charity.

1st: Next of Kin. Sue Hawkins
2nd Worms Hannah Froggatt
3rd A Soldier’s dream of glory. G. Mortensen

Highly Commended

The Call of the Merman. F. Colville
The Factory Machine J. Elford
Heart’s-ease. C. Elstow
Adeline on Tuesday Morning C. Givern
Colour K. Hood
The Undressing J. Moran Neil
Piano Legs and Loose Knickers. M.Rowan.
Lost and Found. A. Taplin
One Day D. Waite.
The Solicitor’s Letter M. Wright

Commended

Under the Hen’s Bottom W. Breckon
Clipped Wings A. Campbell Kearsley
Ephraim Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro P. Heath
Two little faces C. Hewitt
Mr Percy Flint T. Loader
No Secrets T. Oswick
Pickled Turnips M. Pieris
Ronald Dawe J. Pollinger
The Beatles: My part in their rise to fame C. Tolson

The great good news is that Felicity Trew, of the highly respected Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency, is now representing the winner of WforW Independent Author Book Award Jane Cable run at the same time.

Further: Felicity Trew will be judging next year’s Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award – open for entries on 11th November 2015.

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk to read the short prize entries and judges’ comments.

Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award By WforW Founder Margaret Graham

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Margaret Graham

The Independent Author Book Award has been a revelation. There are just so many good writers out there, which made our task hugely enjoyable, if difficult. At last we decided on commended, highly commended, and then – the three winners. In the end, our decision was unanimous. Great books all three winners. Thank you all so much for entering – rest assured that 100% of the entry fees go to the wounded.

Roll of drums for the list of winners, highly commended and commended.

1^st The Cheesemaker’s House. Jane Cable

2^nd No Stranger to Death Janet O’Kane

3^rd Man, Dog, Stroke Eric Sinclair

Highly Commended

Alphabetical order

The Grown-ups Wouldn’t Like it. Diane Kay

Callum Fox and the Mousehole Ghost. A. C. Hatter

Commended

Alphabetical order

The Roman Citizens from Class 6B Kevin Brooke

Run fast, keep low Eleanor Broaders

Ruby’s New Coat Jane Carling

Chasing the Dark Clouds Courtney Hulbert (Guy Mortenson)

Brandy Row Shelagh Mazey

Orange Juice and Codliver Oil. Peter Morley

Pegasus to Paradise Michael Tappenden

The Unorthodox Arrival of Pumplin Allan Susie Twine

The Labyrinth Year Clare Weiner

The great good news is that Felicity Trew, of the highly respected Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency, is now representing the winner, Jane Cable.

Also we are honoured to announce that Felicity Trew will be our final judge for the 2015 Independent Author Book Award.

Let’s have a closer look at our winner, Jane Cable, with The Cheesemakers’ House that achieved First Place in the inaugural WforW Independent Author Book Award. Congratulations!

First Place: The Cheesemaker’s House by Jane Cable.

Alice Hart’s husband runs off with his secretary, she runs off with his dog to lick

her wounds in a North Yorkshire village. Soon she decides to start renovating the barn next to her house and opens a whole can o’ worms.

Judges’ comments: The Cheesemakers’ House by Jane Cable was the only possible winner. The clarity, structure and story line was immediately inviting, the characters interesting. They weave, twist and develop towards the denouement, always keeping us with them. Cable is adept at peeling back the layers; the writing is snappy, the tension implicit. She holds back, and you have to keep turning the pages unable to work things out until she wants you too.

There is a paranormal flicker, which can be clumsy, but in this case we found it believable, and in keeping with the book. Alice is the main character, a survivor of a marital breakup, but unembittered. Owen is the secondary character and is complicated; infuriating, almost fey. All this set against a rural village setting, which Cable ‘gets’ perfectly.

The Cheesemaker’s House is Jane Cables’ first published novel, but it is the work of an experienced writer. Has she many discarded novels in a drawer? Or has she worked with writing groups and really learned her craft? We do wish this is the case with more writers, because until clarity, organization and structure is achieved, fiction won’t work. It is only then that characters haul you into their world.

Jane Cable’s biog.

I have lost count of the number of stories I have started over the years but my first breakthrough came when I actually finished one. It was a romance about cricket and completely unpublishable. But it made me a much better writer. A few more followed, before I started The Cheesemaker’s House. I changed to writing in the first person and it felt different – it felt as though I had found my voice.

In May 2011 The Alan Titchmarsh Show announced a competition to find a new author – a People’s Novelist – and my mother persuaded me to enter The Cheesemaker’s House. I did and was shortlisted, and then made it through to the final. Though I didn’t win, it gave me confidence.

Mainstream publishing was becoming so risk-averse it was harder than ever to get a contract unless you were already famous and this was making many very talented writers go it alone. I had already come across Matador at a self publishing conference organised by The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. I like them because they are selective about the books they take and very, very professional.

The Cheesemaker’s House was really well received by book bloggers and readers and at the time of writing has sold around a 1,000 copies. I am absolutely thrilled to have won the Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award (such a good cause) and a professional press release from Palamedes, and publicity in Frost Magazine. My next novel, The Faerie Tree is now finished. Life is good.

Just for Bread – Sailing Adventures by Manda Bear

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Margaret Graham

We were at anchor, under canvas, (not a tent, but our sailing boat). It was 4am in the morning and the mosquitoes were on the attack, so discretion being the better part of valour, we gave in and sailed 20 miles to a area called Cap Bear ( good name I thought) We went into a harbour and anchored outside a town called Port Vendres in Spain just to get some supplies and bread for lunch.

After making sure the anchor was settled Dave, Arthur and Adria took the dingy with the outboard engine, and left Lorenzo and myself on the boat listening to music and tidying, After about 15 minutes a small snorkeling vessel came over with a group of people on it, yelling that I needed to leave this area as a big cargo ship was coming into harbour.

‘Where am I supposed to go without my Captain and crew? I’ve never moved her on my own,’ I shouted back, panic stirring.

‘Move it over towards the beach area just for a while.’ It seemed simple but I could see there were rocks under the water there. However, there was nothing else to do but pull up the anchor on my own, fire up the engine, and carefully edge towards the shore.

Lady Bear helped me, by moving gently and like a dream. I radioed my partner, Dave, but the connection wasn’t good.

‘Return to Lady Bear, need you,’ Short and sweet and to the point, I thought.

The man in charge of the snorkeling vessel stayed by for a few minutes because of the underwater rocks. And I watched him leave, with regret.

There Lorenzo, my eldest son, and I stayed, but as time went by there was still no sign of our dinghy with the others on board. Where was he? Then I got a garbled radio message from the harbour master saying ‘Dinghy engine is broken down’.

It was at that point a huge cargo ship came through the small harbour entrance, shadowing and dwarfing our boat. Lorenzo, my son and I were beyond scared. It was then I saw Dave with the others, bobbing about on our tiny dingy with no engine in the path of this huge vessel.

I could do nothing as I had my hands full continuing to keep the Lady Bear clear of the rocks. But in the nick of time our guardian angel, the snorkelling vessel returned. Within minutes he had set up a tow, and at last our family was together again, on board, and the Lady Bear was in Dave’s safe hands. Many lessons learned, we decided as our thanks followed the snorkelling skipper as he went on to no doubt help someone else.

‘Is it always this exciting getting bread?’ our friend Adria asked.

Well. That was just one of the complications and adventures we experienced while we sailed on our small 37ft classic wooden hillyard boat.

For several years we have spend long periods on her and she has been good to us. Arthur, our youngest son, was only five years old when we travelled all the way to Turkey to buy the vessel, before sailing her back to Italy where we live in Le Marche. Lorenzo our eldest was seven years old then, and even though he is totally blind from birth, took to her really well and she helped his confidence enormously.

Together we have all experienced amazing events. We’ve had an engine falling off into a busy harbour, we have rescued other sailors during storms, as well as surviving them ourselves. We have met wonderful people, but also thieves who stole vital possessions. Next time I would love to tell you how we actually bought the vessel in Turkey, which involved Dave diving into the water to rescue – well, what? I’ll tell you next time.

But don’t forget, that there are of course, the most wonderful quiet and peaceful times.

http://casacasali6.weebly.com

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro by Patricia Heath

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Margaret Graham

‘We’ll go at the pace of the slowest and I’ll get you all up.’ Damon shouted encouragement, as we climbed the steep rainforest path.

‘Pole pole’ (slowly) porters instructed us in Swahili, as they hurried past with their heavy loads. Monkeys played, birds serenaded, the sun warmed us, but where was the white-peaked icon we’d come to climb?

Eventually we reached camp. The porters cheered and sang. Whilst we’d ambled, they’d carried our kit up on their heads, then erected our tents and prepared supper.

My tent-mate, Tracy and I crawled into our tiny haven, unfolded sleeping bags, then had a ‘let’s pretend’ shower – a bowl of water and bio-wipes. Days blended in a mesmerising dream. Rainforest merged into moorland, then moonscape, with huge succulents and white-necked ravens.

Kilimanjaro revealed herself on Day 2 – beautiful, inspiring, crowned by snowy glaciers.

We coped differently with maintaining appearance – Tracy applied mascara and lip-gloss – I just didn’t pack a mirror.

On Day 4 we scaled the Barranco wall – a thousand feet of solidified lava. By now, we were all feeling the altitude – headaches, breathless, our bodies ejecting breakfast (from both ends), dizziness. But we scrambled up the rock face, with help from Damon, Dawa (a real Nepalese Sherpa) and our Tanzanian Guides.

Day 5 was Summit night. 11pm, wrapped in down jackets and woolly hats, we munched sweet biscuits and drank tea. High-pitched voices and silly jokes betrayed our nerves. Dr Claire cradled her mug as she checked us – Everyone OK? Headaches? Any nausea?

Thirty-three strangers just five days ago – now firmly bonded. One person’s failure was everyone’s failure – we’d make it together, or not.

At midnight the sky was a mass of stars. We lined up outside.

‘Slowly, don’t talk. Get in the zone.’ Damon checked us.

Breathing heavily, I walked with my new friends, my head-torch lighting the lava path – steep but do-able. After an hour we rested, sitting on rocks. I drank water, bit into an energy bar – but my stomach resisted. Cold penetrated my jacket.

The way got steeper, black, inhospitable, but we pressed on – ‘pole pole’.

Then I hit the wall, couldn’t move, ‘Julius, help me.’

My guide silently offered his arm. Using his strength, I walked again.

‘Nearly there.’ he murmured.

We clambered up large rocks, and there it was, Stella Point – not the summit, but nearly. The steepest climb was done.

Cups of warm apple juice appeared. The sweet liquid pervaded and revived me.

‘Get moving.’ Damon coaxed us, before we were tempted to sit, fall asleep – and freeze.

The air was very thin now. My body screamed, but we trudged on. Then we saw the legendary wooden sign – ‘Uhura Peak’. The dawning sun threw rainbows on the pure white glaciers. We’d done it.

Elated, we took photos and hugged.

‘Right, get down, don’t linger.’ Damon again.

Dazed, amazed, relieved, we stepped onto the steep shale slope. Some raced down, some walked.

Kilimanjaro – you changed us – for ever.

To climb Kilimanjaro or similar mountain adventures, I would recommend:

http://www.actionforcharity.co.uk

http://impadventures.com

http://www.adventurethamserku.com

Following the recent earthquakes in Nepal, I am collecting for a charity run by Dawa, one of the leaders on the Kilimanjaro climb. It provides schools and teachers for some of the poorest children in the world. Their schools have suffered damage from the earthquakes and they desperately need funds. If you wish to donate: https://www.justgiving.com/Patricia-Heath2

Havoc Dyed Ink: Hockney by Adam Birtwistle

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Margaret Graham

by Margaret Graham.

Piano Nobile, 129 Portland Road, London W11 4LW Friday 8th May – Saturday 13th June 2015

Havoc Dyed Ink presents David Hockney by Adam Birtwistle: Pop Art’s foremost icon seen through the eyes of Britain’s pre-eminent portraitist.

I wasn’t altogether sure what to expect, but Birtwistle’s drawings are excellent.

I choose that word – excellent – carefully. With drawings the faint hearted are spotted immediately: all those feathery strokes and light pencil marks. Not here though – Adam Birtwistle whacks in, his work giving the impression of effortless talent. Here you could think is someone who picks up a pencil and ‘just does it’. The lines flow, the red braces draw you in.

It’s not as simple as that, though. There’s that other thing, talent. And what about the sheer hard graft, and perception? What about the ability to see the nuances of expression, and the ability to convey them? Birtwistle captures Hockney. We see the humour, the thoughtfulness of the man. We collude with the artist and the sitter, joining in and recognizing the joke, the thoughts, the body language.

We see the pre-occupation, and sometimes the look of ‘What, really?

The roots of Havoc Dyed Ink began with a fortuitous meeting in 2001 when Adam Birtwistle visited David Hockney in his studio. The following year Birtwistle painted two portraits of Hockney using studies made during this meeting.

Havoc Dyed Ink unites Birtwistle’s studies from 2002 and 2014 with a new painting of Hockney from 2015. Throughout his career, Birtwistle has painted many other icons, such as Jeremy Irons, and Elvis Costello. But it is to David Hockney that Birtwistle keeps returning.

Hockney’s status as a national treasure has continued to grow, yet Birtwistle strips away the noise of fame, recognising Hockney as a kindred creative spirit. Candid, playful and revealing, these studies and one painting give the sensation of sustained time in the company of Hockney. Birtwistle captures shifting poses and attitudes.

Downstairs at Piano Nobile are his – well what? Hogarthian paintings, with witty, or scathing commentary ditties? Some will love them, some won’t. Not my bag. I’ll stick with Hockney, but interesting nonetheless. Good for Birtwistle. I like artists who experiment.

Go and see it all. A feast, it is.

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Author Archives: Margaret Graham

Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award Part 3

Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award Part 2

Month 5 of my Reading Challenge by Frances Colville

Words for the Wounded Fiction/Memoir/Poetry Prize Results

Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award By WforW Founder Margaret Graham

Just for Bread – Sailing Adventures by Manda Bear

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro by Patricia Heath

Havoc Dyed Ink: Hockney by Adam Birtwistle