- Winter
Even highly accomplished writers need to have their work proofed. Basil Ransome-Davies asked me to do just that. Basil is extraordinarily literate yet he said, "As is well known, you can't successfully proof your own work. I feel in need of the professional touch."
Basil's story, 'An Illegal Smile', set in Spain, had few proofing errors but a trained eye was needed to spot any inconsistencies in style, missing words or typos.
My profile of septuagenarian entrepreneur Isobel Hamid appeared in the Jan-Feb 2011 issue of Business Matters. Isobel's life story is the stuff of novels so I called the piece 'A Woman of Substance', after the Barbara Taylor-Bradford saga. Copies of the magazine can be viewed at the Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce's website. See my 'Contacts and Links' page.
- Spring
Edited the 'blurb' (publisher-speak for info about a book) for Motorcycle Yoga, by Miles Davis. Miles, a former motorcycle journalist, spent around 30 years living in India. While there he studied Hinduism and yoga and travelled the country on a Royal Enfield motorcycle. Along the way he was put into a trance by an 'evil yogi', caught up in riots and thrown into jail for murder! (Innocent, of course!)
The book is available via Royal Enfield Books at £8.95.
Have continued to work with Litfest and Wyre Borough Council on the Mythic Coast project. Recently I wrote the website words. I also proofed the book The Sea Swallow by critically-acclaimed children's author, Gareth Thompson, and illustrated by Mythic Coast Competition winner Hannah Megee. This is a gorgeous book and I am excited at the public artworks that will line the Wyre coast, designed by award-winning public art studio, Broadbent.
- Summer
I am working with Lancaster-based professional artist, Graham Lowe. Graham has a very strong reputation locally. He has achieved what many arts graduates dream of: to work as a professional exhibiting artist who sells his work while also gaining many commissions in his role as a community and a public artist and teaching a diverse array of groups. We will be working on new text for his website among other publicity-related materials. See a selection of his work at:
http://originalartworkforsale.co.uk
- Autumn
Achieved good press coverage for flynnthedog's recent adventures: Katie Jenkins, ftd founder, met retail guru Mary Portas, Queen of Shops, in London recently. Katie had won a place on a Mary Portas masterclass and was able to talk to her heroine about her business. The third annual flynnthedog Pet 'Pawtrait' competition went well too and we secured some pleasing press coverage for that.
I also worked with Richard Mason who travelled to Hawaii to compete in the World Ironman Competition, the toughest triathlon in the world. I got good press coverage for Richard and his business, Inspired Personal Training, as well as an appearance on BBC Radio Lancashire.
And not forgetting my longstanding client Fiona Frank at Hannah Frank Art. I continue to write newsletters and press releases for this 'mission' which is ever evolving.
- Winter
The Mythic Coast website, for which I wrote all the words, is now live! I am absolutely delighted to see this project come to fruition. Details about the book, The Sea Swallow, are listed above but I must add that the project brought about an exciting development. While working with Gareth Thompson, the author, we discovered that we had been at the London College of Printing around the same time, both on the Periodical Journalism course. Only when I met up with him at The Sea Swallow book signing did we both realise that we had sat in the same classroom for a whole year! That was almost, ahem, 29 years ago. http://www.wyreway.org/mythic-coast/