3 December, Advent 3, Ian Charles Douglas, "Cooper's Croc"

“What ya doing?”
The words caught Jana by surprise. She wheeled round. It was the Aboriginal boy, coming down from the guesthouse. Jana had seen him before, running errands for the landlady. Jana’s mother didn’t approve of her talking to the Aboriginal children. Still, Mum wasn’t there now.
“I’m waiting,” she said grandly.
“Waiting for what?” the boy asked, scratching his thick mop of hair.
“Waiting for Mum to come back. Waiting to go home to Sydney. Waiting for the world to end. Waiting-”
“Alright. I getcha Missy. Where’s your Ma?”
“At the Observatory, she’s important.” Jana was talking in her queenly voice.

Mum said she had a gift for it.

2 December, Advent 2, Sally Angell "Ramini's Eyes"

Uncle was leaning against a rock half way up the hillside. He didn’t seem surprised to see Ramani, and nodded quietly. His flock were roaming, or standing in the sheltered place. The shepherd boys, Aman and Rajive were sitting under a tree.
“Greetings Uncle. Greetings Rajive, Aman.”
Ramani knelt down by a small sheep that wasn’t standing up.
“Hello, little one,” she murmured.
The sheep was black and frizzy and not like the others. Ramani remembered helping with the birthing, back in the spring. She loved to see the tiny creatures fall out and wake up to life, and she never minded the blood and strange smells and the wetness. She had named this lamb Night, fed it with milk and took it home with her to keep it warm. Night had been so weak they didn’t think she would live. She was still much smaller than the others. Ramani held out her finger and the little sheep nuzzled it.
“Ramani, will you watch the flock. We are needed down in the village.” Uncle looked at her as if not wanting to frighten her. “A babe has died. They need all the men down there.”

1 December, Advent 1, D A Hobbs-Wyatt, Jigsaw

"I haven’t seen Dad since that day but I know he is somewhere because everyone is somewhere.
I saw Grandad after he died. He died in Bognor Regis but he was born in Germany. He was struck by lightning when he was trying to fix the satellite dish.
Rule Number 1: Nothing totally disappears.
So I’ve been trying to find Dad. I’ve been thinking if we’d finished the jigsaw would there still have been a fire? That’s when I got the idea that if I could change one thing maybe Dad would still be here. But that means I have to figure out what really happened."
Did you enjoy that snippet? Read more in "Making Changes". Click the button on the right to order.

Noreen and Pam at Leek Library

Our Media Presence

Pam Pottinger appeared in The Herald on 15th December.

Nurgish Watkins has been in the Thame Gazette - quote: "The pen is mightier than the sword in most cases, but for one Thame woman the pen is mightier than the scissors.'

BOOK LAUNCH for ‘MAKING CHANGES’

14th November 2008









































Last Friday there was a very successful event at the Museum in Bangor to launch Making Changes, an anthology of stories, three of which had been contributed by members of the Cellar Writers Group.
There were about 60 people in all, and we had a great time: lots of friends, lots of new friends, wine and fantastic cakes (from the cellar!), music and a lovely atmosphere. Everyone was a writer or was interested in writing.
Gill James (who used to be a member of this group herself), was both editor and publisher of the book, and she began by describing what had led her to call for submissions for the book; she received nearly 500 from all parts of the world from which to choose 24. Her own story, ‘Mantek’s Journey’, is the final one in the book.
Debz Hobb-Wyatt was the first reader. Her story, ‘Jigsaw’ opens the book and was the inspiration for its title and the book’s cover. Debz had also negotiated with Esther at the Museum, and told half of Gwynedd about the book!
Phil Thomas (who has been responsible for all the press coverage we have had) read the first part of his story, ‘Dancing Man’.
Jean Lyon concluded the readings with the first half of her story ‘Before Twilight’. She had arranged the catering.

Annie Bates

What inspired me to write this story?

As a child my mother used to say to me 'but of course that is only your story,' whenever I had a spat with my sister or brother. I guess it has grown from there. Now I read something or hear a tale and can't help wondering...these days we hear a lot of negative stuff about people coming into this country, taking our jobs, living off benefits. It's good for us to turn it round and ask the question - How do they feel?


What other material do you normally write?

Anything. I write all the time. On my computer, on little bits of paper when I'm out of the house, in my head when I'm busy with other things. Always fiction, for young people and adults. Recently I have written a poem about dating at sixty for a local writing group, a story about a heart-red balloon getting caught in a bush and have a longer project going with a working title of 'Girl in a Silver Dress' which is a story for all, young and old alike.


What inspired you to become a writer?

All sorts of things. Watching my father create pictures about things he cared about - he was an artist. A love of reading. When I was in primary school I read every single book in the school library by the time I was nine years old and the headmaster used to take me to the town library once a week to choose more books.


Which writers do you admire?

Too numerous to mention, but here are a few; Michael Morpurgo for the ability to write simplistically without losing integrity or emotional impact. David Almond for his clever stories that map the everyday lives of children with an almost mystical air. Jostein Gaarder, a philosopher who writes lovely stories...Phillip Pulman, Ann Fine, Margaret Atwood, Tracy Chevalier, Sebastian Faulkes.


Tell us somehting about your writing routine?

Not as regularly or as frequent as I would like. This is where writing in my head comes in handy; it can give one the air of being a little distracted or even 'dippy' as a friend of mine once described me, but it helps to satisfy the need to create stories.


Whaere is your favourite writing place?

In my dreams I have this little space dedicated to nothing other than writing. No one else is allowed in; it is reasonably tidy and has all the accoutrements of a well equipped office. It is sunny, warm has a lovely view...possibly from an attic window, overlooking a valley with a river, some deciduous woodland. In reality I write at a small table in a corner of my bedroom, sharing my computer with my three children. Today, as I write this the dog is sitting on my feet snoring, which keeps my feet warm but is a little distracting. Out of the window I can see several mature trees, birch, oak, beech. The autumn sun is painting the leaves golden.