Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Festival, Fiction, Review

Felixstowe Book Festival and My White Knight

Sometimes in life people surprise you and this is a true story about a stranger paying it forward.

Ferry Car Park

I arrived at the Ferry Car Park for Phoebe Morgan’s talk on The Publishing Industry. I made sure I had change on me to pay for my car park ticket. But, the machine was more expensive than I anticipated. I was short by a pound.

I searched the car for any stray coins but came up empty. I tried following the instructions to pay by phone but the automated message kept asking me for a code from a fine letter. I started to contemplate whether I should risk buying a ticket knowing it would run out before the talk is over or if I should leave and return late to the talk but have a fully paid ticket.

A stranger noticed my distress and asked what what was going on? I explained my dilemma and he kindly offered me the money I was short by without expecting anything in return. He was gone before I could ask his name or how to pay him back.

Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club

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Quite like these #oldboats #boat #closeup #ferry

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Due to the car park drama, I was one of the last to take a seat in the Sailing Club conference room. As luck would have it, I found myself sitting next to my white knight. We didn’t get much opportunity to talk but I found out he is an author and he was going to The Scribblers & OWL event in the afternoon. The same event I was booked on to.

The Orwell Hotel

In the afternoon, I arrived at the Orwell Hotel for the event being hosted by the local writers group Felixstowe Scriblers and Orwell League Writers. Once again, I found myself sitting next to my hero.

This time, we got the opportunity to talk and I learned that his name is David F Burrows and he has two books published. We chatted about his books and I was entertained by the Jack the Flasher book (book 2). I was taking note of the titles as I wanted to support him as he was such a wonderful man. Then, David offered to sign them for me.

I have read the first chapter of Fish Bone Alley (book 1) and flew through it. I easily could have carried on but stopped myself as I am midway through another novel at the moment. These books will hold a special place in my heart due to the kindness of the man that wrote them.

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There will be a blog post coming soon to explain how I became the owner of these two #crimecomedy books. These are not my usual read but I've already read the first chapter of Fish Bone Alley and flew through it – very entertaining. I need to finish my other books first – lol. Does anyone else find themselves reading multiple books at once? #TBR #toberead #localauthor #indieauthor #supportingindieauthors #wiw #worldindiewarriors #fishbonealley #felixstowebookfestival #felixstowebookfestival2019 #blogpost #blogpostcomingsoon #bookstagram #books #toomanybooks #bookdistraction #comedynovel #satire #crimenovel #everystoryhasahome #indieauthorsofinstagram #jacktheripper #jacktheflasher #readersheart #bookreview #bookblogger

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If you enjoy dark comedy go check these novels out (click here). Not only will they make you laugh (or smirk) but you will also be supporting a writer with a heart of gold. In addition, visit his website and follow his blog here.

Don’t you love it when you meet an author that is easy to talk to and a truly lovely person? Tell me about an amazing author you have met?

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Reflecting on Camp NaNo July 2019

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Ally Aldridge Goals, Novel, Writing

Reflecting on Camp NaNo July 2019

July has been a challenging month for my writing goals. For Camp NaNo I decided to make a start on book 2, Diamond in the Sky but it has been full of distractions! I’m hoping August will be more productive for my writing.

Distraction 1: Course Work

I needed to finish my coursework for the Working Together Community Course. I must admit I had been putting off the assignments to work on my writing and as the deadline to submit approached I had to prioritise it and get it done. I have really enjoyed volunteering and everyone at the school has been lovely. On my last day, I got a card from the teachers and signed by all the children and chocolates.

Distraction 2: Blog

I didn’t make any progress on my Camp NaNo project until day 7 and I quickly realised that I needed to do some more planning. Not only that but my blog was also in need of some attention. I need to write up about all the fun I had at Felixstowe Book Festival. I then spent the next few evenings prepping some posts.

After a little plotting and scheduling, I was ready to write and decided to sign up to Mandi Lynn’s #10kWritingChallenge. I knew there was no chance I could write 10k in one day with my other commitments but I knew if I aimed high, I would achieve something great. I wrote 2,792 new words for Diamond in the Sky. I was back on track for my Camp NaNo goal.

Turns out Mandi Lynn didn’t make 10k either. She vlogged about her struggles and celebrated the words she did achieve. She encourages people to sign up to next months 10k challenge and win a pin.

Distraction 3: Important dates

The end of July and start of August have some important dates for me.

Husband distractions: It is my husband’s birthday month. I needed to sort out his gift and I wanted to take him out somewhere child free. I arranged for his sister to babysit. I also got Aria to print her feet in his card and Noah to write a personal message.

Valerie Patisserie

Also, last month, my hubby got a little neglected as the end of Jewel of the Sea got closer, so I promised to watch Stranger Things with him – which was awesome.

Noah distractions: My son was finishing his first year of school (Reception class).

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Wow! Seeing Noah’s first day of school and his last day in Reception, I can see how much he has grown. . The months have flown by. I’ve been fortunate that the other parents help me figure out what I am doing and save Noah from my mistakes (like no uniform day – Thanks @helenling27 ). Being on maternity leave has enabled me to take advantage of the support offered by the school and I’ve even passed a course. We couldn’t have wished for a better teacher. She has helped him settle into school and has done a tremendous job of developing him and preparing him for Y1. Most of all, I’m incredibly proud of Noah. He has achieved so much in a short time. ? . #receptionclass #receptionclass2019 #nowandthen #finishingreception #growinguptoofast #growinguptooquick #whatadifferenceayearmakes #schoollife #proudmummy #proudmum #mygorgeousboy #lovehimsomuch #receptionlife #5yearsold #schooluniform

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I think it is nice for kids to make their teacher a card or gift so I had to come up with an idea and organise the craft.

We got to go to Noah’s first sports day. I also decided to arrange a night out with the playground mums and get the ball rolling on some summer play dates.

Aria’s distractions: Aria’s first birthday is at the start of August. I have been busy arranging her cake smash and splash and worked with the photographer to create a very personal experience (more coming soon).

I’ve also been planning her parties. Yes! That was ‘party’ as a plural. She is a very lucky girl.

Distraction 4: Pitching

SFFpip was this month. It was my first time taking part in this Twitter pitch event and I got a like by a publisher! Naturally, I have then had to research them to decided if the feeling is mutual.

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How exciting! I dared to take part and pitch in the #SFFpit event on Twitter. Swipe to see my pitch. Swipe again to see the Publisher that like it. ?? . I'm not going to rush my submission. I will research them to check the love is mutual and work hard on making sure cover letter, etc, is perfect. I'm so excited and happy. . Let me know if you've heard of this publisher or any tips for submitting. Many thanks ?✍️ . #SFFpit #pitch #pitchevent #novelpitch #novelpitching #twitterpitch #publisher #publisherrequest #submission #query #querying #queryletter #happywriter #happyauthor #debutnovel #debutnovelist #yafiction #yafantasy #contemporaryfantasy #cf #ya #writersofinstagram #aspiringauthor #aspiringauthorsofig #aspiringauthorsofinstagram #aspiringauthauthorslife

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If writing up about Felixstowe Book Festival was my distraction at the start of the month, then YALC was my distraction at the end. The closer the date got, the more excited I became. I went to bed early the night before and barely slept a wink. I can’t believe it, I pitched to two agents – one of them I have stalked on Twitter for years – and they both asked me to send them Jewel of the Sea – Aghhh!

Now, my distraction is trying to write the perfect query letter. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I’m pretty sure my letter stinks and is why I get rejected. I feel like an excited puppy chasing my own tail and equally terrified that when I bite, I am going to get hurt. I need to conquer my fear and be brave.

Conclusion

I was in two minds whether or not to do Camp NaNo as I knew I had a lot on already this month.

With a grand total of 9,886 words, I think it is pretty impressive what I achieved despite all the distractions. If I hadn’t given it a go, I may not have written anything this month.

I also feel the challenge has kept me in touch with my novel so when things calm down in a few weeks, I can dive straight back in.

How did your July writing goals go? Did you do Camp Nano?

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#PitMad June 2019 Summary

YALC Prep

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival, Personal

YALC Prep

I am getting so excited about my upcoming date with YALC! I can’t wait to be surrounded by all those wonderful books, authors and influential people in the industry.

But London is expensive and a long day out for me so I’ve thought about what to take and wear.

What I’ll wear

I want to be comfortable so I will be wearing flat shoes. Not only will this trip involve a lot of travelling for me but also book festivals involve a lot of walking around visiting the stands. I couldn’t believe me luck when I discovered this cute T-Shirt in a sale at NewLook with the slogan “Don’t judge a book by its cover!”

I’ll also want my makeup to last all day so I’ll be wearing Pacifica waterproof mascara and Ere Perez lip stain in Joy. I’ll take my rose facial spritz in case it is sticky hot and sun lotion in case I am out in the sun.

What I’ll pack

I haven’t decided what bag to take yet but I plan to pack a notepad, and a reusable shopping bag for all the books I buy.

I will also pack my water bottle, snacks and, if I’m organised enough, a pack lunch.

And finally…

My last bit of prep will be to check my travel details and time with my friend. We’ll likely drive part of the way and the train/underground the rest. I’ll also double check I’ve got my tickets.

Also, someone I connected with on Instagram is going too. We are hoping to meet up. I’m super excited as I’ve never met an online friend before.

I don’t travel to London very often. What tips do you have for me to ensure my trip is a success? Are you going to YALC?

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival, Fiction

Felixstowe Book Festival – Children’s Events

There was plenty of choice for kids this year with many events being free of charge and no need to get a ticket. This is great for parents with young kids who have no idea how their kids will be feeling on the day or even awake at the scheduled time. My biggest challenge was how to fit in activities for my children when there were so many events I wanted to go to for me!

Story Walk in the Woods

The first event we attended was at the Grove, out local woodlands.  The event was run by Elly Crichton Stuart who led the children (or get them to lead us) through the forest and hunt out spots for story telling.  During our walk she shared a total of ten stories.  She was animated in her story telling which appealed to the children and often got them involved.

Sitting on a log, the first story she shared was the Grufflao that she recalled from memory.  The children were all familiar with this one.  Later, sitting by a large oak tree, she shared a Scottish tale about a White Stag and  a girls trip to fairyland.  Next, the children sat on a tree stump whilst she shared with them a fable about a pigeon and an ant.  Finally, on the field she told a story about the Loneliest Giant and how the salt water shrank him.  She encouraged the children to not forget the stories she shared with them and to tell them to others.

You can find out more about Elly by clicking here.

Bread Babies

I had not planned to go to this event, but whilst at an event of my own, I was told about it and when I asked my son if he would like to go, he did.

This event was run by author Richard O’Neil and took place at The Bakery which was a very fitting venue considering the story being shared.  The children all sat beautifully at the back of the bakery, listening to a very imaginative tale of a Baker that decided to make bread babies for their customers but there was enough dough left over to make a life size baby. Once baked the big baby vanished only to turn up in the home of a couple that desperately wanted a baby of their own but never had such luch. Now the bread baby is alive and they adopt it.

It was a very entertaining story and Richard shared it in a way that engaged the children.  I was very impressed with how Noah paid attention and even whispered “Our baby isn’t made of bread?”

At the end, the owner of the bakery kindly shared some bread babies that she had baked for all the children – there were even some little redhead (jam) ones.  My compliments to the Baker – they were so delicious and didn’t make it home.

To learn more about Richard O’Neill and his books, you can follow him on Twitter or visit his website.

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Ally Aldridge Festival

A local girls guide to Felixstowe Book Festival

If you have decided to attend Felixstowe Book Festival then you are sure to have a great time. The program will tell you about all the events taking place and ticket costs but I am going to tell you about how to make the most of your visit to Felixstowe!

Where to stay

There is a variety of accommodation in Felixstowe.

We have two caravan parks (Beach Holiday Park and Suffolk Sands). Look out for Sun Holiday deals to make your visit a very cheap holiday.

There is a large Premier Inn a few yards from the beach, pier and hill that leads into town. It’s a great budget option for short stays.

For Bed & Breakfast you may like to stay at Castle Lodge. This hotel starred in the TV Show Four in a Bed and was once home to award winning crime writer Ruth Dugdall. It is still owned by her mother.

If you want to be in the heart of the action then The Orwell Hotel will be your first choice as many of the events are split between here and the library. The next closest hotel to town is the Brook Hotel (Best Western).

If you want sea views then The Fludyers Hotel is an excellent choice. This Edwardian building has been beautifully renovated with modern amnesties.

 

Where to eat

All the places to stay serve food, with the best for sea views being The Fludyers.  In addition, both the Library & Orwell Hotel serve food so you could eat right where the action is taking place. However, here are some more worth checking out:

My first choice has got to be The Mad House (caters for vegan and gluten free diets). This is new to Felixstowe but  literary fans will adore The Alice in Wonderland themed decor and being so close to the library.

Another cafe by the Library is The Oaks Tearoom. This little cafe has a sweet country decor and often full of fresh flowers.

A lovely restaurant near The Orwell Hotel is Cafe Bencotto for sit down food or if you are in a rush get a healthy take away at Spud Hut (serves vegan food).

Whenever you visit a British seaside town you must eat ice-cream and chips on the beach and in Felixstowe you will find plenty of choice. For homemade ice-cream my favourite is The Little Icecream Co and for chips is The Regal Fish Bar and Restaurant.

For sea views you can’t rival Boardwalk Cafe on the pier with outdoor seating. Other hot spots is The Alex Cafe Bar & Brasserie that sells great food but also has an upstairs restaurant.

Or for a cafe on the sea front try One29 Bar at the bottom of Bent Hill. If you venture into the spa gardens you may find Cliff Top Cafe which is a hidden gem.

Where to eat your lunch

If you brought a packed lunch or bought a take away then you’ll be pleased to know there are some lovely spots close by to town to eat your lunch other than a bench at the Triangle (the island in the middle of town).

A short walk from the Orwell Hotel is the Grove. This is a little woodland area with paths through the forest or a big field to sit and eat your lunch.

Another option is the Spa gardens. At the end of town (towards the sea) turn left and go through the gardens. There are lots of steps but it is possible to avoid them if you have a pushchair or wheelchair, etc.

Of course, there is the beach with benches along the promenade or just find a spot on the beach. If you have transport, you may wish to go to Landguard Fort or the Ferry for a different experience.

Book Shops

You can buy books from Charity Shops, WHSmith or The Works but why not check out these local independent book shops:

Richards Books: Sells secondhand books.

Treasure Chest Books: Sells secondhand and antiquarian books

Stillwater Books: Sells new books and some are signed by the author.

Don’t forget the festival will be selling books. These are usually sold at The Orwell Hotel or after author talks (where they sign them).

Stationery shops

You can buy stationery from WHSmith, The Works or Poundland but I would encourage you to check out Pierrot, a small local stationery supplier.

A little maps of where to find these shops on the high street:

The Orwell Hotel

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival, Tips, Writing

Spotlight on Summer Literary Dates calendar

Summer Spotlight

Summer is definitely the season for book and literary festivals.  These are taking place up and down the country.

This year, I am fortunate enough to have tickets to Felixstowe Book Festival (June) and YALC (July).  You can look forward to seeing my blog posts shortly following my return. 

Are you going to any book festivals?  

I’m going to take this opportunity to remind you about the calendar I have been updating with literary dates and made accessible to all.

Please feel free to let me know of any competitions or events you feel I should add to the calendar.

Google calendar

I created a public Google calendar so you can see everything I have added. If you want to copy an event then you too will need a google calendar (it is free with a free Google email account).

[googleapps domain=”calendar” dir=”calendar/b/3/embed” query=”height=600&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=redfae7%40googlemail.com&color=%232952A3&ctz=Europe%2FLondon” width=”800″ height=”600″ /]

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival, Tips, Writing

Spotlight on Spring Literary Dates calendar

Spring Spotlight

Spring is when the calendar starts to get busier.  As we get closer to the summer there are more festivals.  Now is a good time to enter competitions.

In April #WriteMentor will open for potential mentees to apply for mentors.  In May, there is The Bath Festival.  If you prefer online events, be ready for #PitMad on 6 June.

I’m going to take this opportunity to remind you about the calendar I have been updating with literary dates and made accessible to all.

Google calendar

I created a public Google calendar so you can see everything I have added. If you want to copy an event then you too will need a google calendar (it is free with a free Google email account).

[googleapps domain=”calendar” dir=”calendar/b/3/embed” query=”height=600&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=redfae7%40googlemail.com&color=%232952A3&ctz=Europe%2FLondon” width=”800″ height=”600″ /]

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival, Tips, Writing

Literary dates calendar

As a writer, I wish there was a resource with links to literary competitions, online events and festivals where I can copy the content to my own diary. But, I’m yet to find one.

So, I created my own. And, I am going to share this with you.

Google calendar

I created a public Google calendar so you can see everything I have added. If you want to copy an event then you too will need a google calendar (it is free with a free Google email account).

[googleapps domain=”calendar” dir=”calendar/b/3/embed” query=”height=600&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=redfae7%40googlemail.com&color=%232952A3&ctz=Europe%2FLondon” width=”800″ height=”600″ /]

I hope you find this resource useful.  If you notice my calendar is missing any events that you feel ought to be included, please comment with the link.  I’ll then check it out and add it to the calendar to help other writers out. 

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Ally Aldridge Books, Festival

Winter literary festivals

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post listing literary festivals taking place in the UK throughout the UK that have caught my eye.  To read the full list, please click here.

This post is to remind you of those taking place this Winter.

It looks like December and January are a downtime for book festivals so this list starts and ends with February.

February

Verve Poetry Festival

  • Date: 14-17 February 2019
  • Location:  Birmingham
  • Tickets:  Fee (£4 to £35)

“A four day festival of world class poetry and spoken word, with readings, performances, and workshops taking place in the heart of Birmingham.”

Faversham Literary Festival 

  • Date: 21 to 24 February 2019
  • Location:  Faversham
  • Tickets:  Various

“Our inaugural festival in 2018 was a great success with a line-up including Man Booker-shortlisted author Deborah Levy, journalist Martin Bell, psychogeographer Iain Sinclair and performance poet John Hegley. We featured over thirty events with writers from Kent and further afield, as well as writing workshops, poetry events, and more.

We hope you will join us again in February 2019. We have another exciting programme of events and activities planned for book lovers of all ages and persuasions, featuring author talks, discussions, creative workshops and spoken word events.”

Limerick Literary Festival

  • Date: 22 to 24 February 2019
  • Location:  Limerick
  • Tickets:  TBC

“The Festival, formerly known as Kate O’Brien Weekend, is this year celebrating its 35th edition. The event continues to honour the life and works of the Limerick author, while attracting prominent participants from all over the world. Building on this significant history, the Limerick Literary Festival seeks to promote Limerick nationally as a place of literary excellence and to provide a platform where readers can meet their favourite authors and other readers.”  

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Ally Aldridge Festival, Writing

Making Books

Making Books with Emily Rowe and Jeni Smith.

Originally, I hadn’t bought a ticket to this event, at Felixstowe Book Festival 2018, as I thought it was only for children and accompanying adults. When I discovered I could attend, I bought a last minute ticket and I am so glad I did.

This workshop covered different techniques for making books. We were given paper, pens, needle and thread.

We were shown three different techniques. First we created a simple folded book and they showed us how to use this technique to create a thin long book or a short wide book.

Then, we made a shaped book. The design they taught us was in the shape of a house. Inside we cut out doors.

We were encouraged to fill in our books. I choose to turn the ‘house’ book into Noah’s home with easy words for my son to read. Another attendee theirs into a row of beach huts, someone else had the house changing through the seasons and a girl drew each house belonging to her best friends. It was great to see how universal the design was for each person.

For the folded book, we were asked what our favourite word was. Mine is “banana”. We were then challenged to fill our books based on our favourite word. I decided to write about different colour bananas to the tune of “one potato”. Later, I gave the book to Noah to colour in. He was able to read the colours and word banana easily. As a minion fan, he found it funny that it was about bananas.

The final technique we were shown was a stitched book. They taught us how to gather a suitable number of pages and the right size cover. We were shown how to safely make the holes for binding and the pattern to use for the stitch using a waxed thread.

We then had time afterwards to try making any of the methods again or to continue decorating and filling in our books. I made another stitched book and used floral paper from their scraps box. I plan to use this as a notebook to records ideas for a best selling novel!

The scraps box was full of all sorts of different bits of paper ranging from left over card/paper to gift wrap and gift bags to wallpaper. For the cover you need something thicker than the paper used inside. It really demonstrates how creating your own books is very sustainable as you are repurposing stuff you may have otherwise thrown away.

Around the room were several books for anyone wanting to learn more about making books. They recommended:

The event was brilliant. Emily and Jeni worked well together to deliver an engaging and interactive workshop. I hope they continue to return to Felixstowe Book Festival to share their knowledge and enthusiasm of making books.

*****

I had planned to create a video to illustrate how to make these but haven’t had the time. Hopefully, I will one day.

Have you ever made a book – what style do you make and what did you use your creation for? I am hoping to do this with my son to encourage his writing. Please let me know if you’ve got any tips.