A time to CELEBRATE Fairy Tales & Hell Hounds!

A TIME TO CELEBRATE FAIRY TALES!

So last week Richard Dawkins, managed to upset almost everyone I know by doing a talk at the Cheltenham Science fair where he allegedly (and now stringently denies) said that ‘fairy tales are harmful to children’. What Mr Dawkins exactly said or implied make little difference the real thing of note to me was the masses of people jumping in to defend the centuries old tales. What more of testament and validation can fairy tales have? The sheer quantity of people who came forward to defend them proved that Fairy Tales are love adored by millions of people. Millions of sane people, who know that they are factious, yet are happy to defend them against any slander.

Maria Warner defends fairy tales, equating them to Wonder Tales, that promote thought experiments read more press here:

Of head over to the BBC News for a interesting debate with many professors who discuss the merits of all things Once upon a time, press here.

Then Philippa Francis talks about the love of fairy tales over on her blog in way of celebration and support to visit press here.

All in all whether Richard Dawkins intended to or not, he unleashed a wide spread debate about fair tales, and a mass declaration of love for them. This I think should be celebrated!

A TIME TO CELEBRATE HELL HOUNDS!

Hell Hounds, and my most favourite of the un-dead critters, there’s something rather wonderful about the Jungian primeval fear that wolves evoke in human kind, whether they are actual wolves, werewolves or dog-headed-people but Hell Hounds are the Daddy of wolf like critters.

Hell hounds, seem to be less unitised in fiction though, after racking my brain the only one I can think of is Miss Lupescu in Neil Gaiman’s, The Graveyard Book. But Hell Hound stories are plentiful and far stranger than fiction in history. One of the most fascinating is that of Thiess who in his werewolf trial in 1692 Livonian, admitted to being a werewolf, who descended into Hell to take back and release God’s Harvest that had been stolen by Saturn’s sorcerer Skeistan. Theiss’s own evidence that he was detested by the Devil, and that he was working with his fellow brotherhood of werewolves on god missions was enough to secure the old man life. to read more about Thiess, and translations of the trial read, Witches Werewolves and Fairies by Claude Lecoutex.

Large black wolves with burning fire-like eyes, pop up all over Europe in the Middle Ages, one of the most famous being The Beast of Gavaudin, who In the summer of 1764 terrorized the region in France slaughtering many people. After many attempts to kill or capture the beast, on orders from the King Louis XV a troop of his cavalry was sent to help with the mission. Eventually in June 1767 on a hunt involving 300 men the beast was shot. The body was displayed in the Versailles and was described as being; the size of a donkey and wolf-like, with ears that looked like pointed horns, long fangs it’s paws were larger than a man’s head and it eyes glowed red. Eventually the beast corpse was buried and lost. In fact all of the bodies of these immense creatures have been lost and so their existence relegated to myth. To find out more about The Beast of Gavaudin read Werewolves by Nigel Suckling.

The UK also had its share of Hell Hounds, including one that in a storm on 4th August, 1577 at the Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh, broke in to the church and killed a man and boy before fleeing into the night. Now this is why I’m celebrating the Hell Hound, because every other Hell Hound corpse has been lost, all evidence of the huge creatures gone EXCEPT that archaeologist working in Suffolk have found the skeleton of a huge dog that on its hind legs would have been 7 foot long, and would have weighed over 200 pounds! The dog’s remains were found in a shallow grave close to The Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh and date from about the same time. To find out more visit and see photo’s of the skeleton visit the Ancient Origins site press here.

So, although I never want to meet a living Hell Hound in the flesh, the fact that there existence is proven and they can be restored for myth, is in my view a cause for celebration.

Always the Bridesmaid?!

Today, The Times/ Chicken House Children’s Fiction shortlist is announced both in the paper and on the Chicken House site [Press Here], and I'm not on it.

So here is a little blog about NOT making the shortlist.

Back in 2011 I submitted my first ever piece of writing to my first ever –ANYTHING – the SCBWI Undiscovered Voice Anthology. To my absolute shock and joy, my entry (an extract from my first novel a YA fantasy Fairy Tale yarn ‘Through Mortal Eyes), was longlisted. Then after an agonising wait I found, not unsurprisingly, that I didn't make the anthology, however I did receive an Honorary Mention, which was great. The Honorary Mention really helped my confidence giving me the assurance I needed to persevere, but also gave me something to put in covering letters having a positive impact in various slush piles.

In 2012 after several re-writes with the input of both my great writer buddies and professionals (you know who you are and a BIG thank you to you if you’re reading this) I submitted the same story to The Times/ Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, and to my amazement and jubilation it was long-listed for the 2013 competition. Sadly, Through Mortal Eyes, didn't make the shortlist. This got me worrying that maybe I was a 'not quite' one book wonder. A One Horned Unicorn!

However, having fabulous friends and a supportive family, I started writing again, and produced in ten months another YA manuscript, this time a SCI-FI adventure called 'Journey to the Bone Factory', which I sent it off for the 2014 The Times/ Chicken House Children’s Fiction competition.  As the book was written so much quicker than my first book, I wasn't expecting it to do well. Then I received the an unexpected and gleeful news that Journey to the Bone Factory, had made it on to the longlist. Overjoyed, and much relieved, I saw this as a sign that I can stop worrying about being a one horned unicorn, and promptly gave myself that second horn.

So this brings us around to today, and The Times/ Chicken House Children’s Fiction 2014 shortlist announcement, which I’m not in. What does this mean? Well this obviously is disappointing, (anyone who has had a rejection will know just how much of an understatement that is) but it's more than that! Three long-listings; UV 2012, Chicken House 2013 and Chicken House 2014. No improvement?! No escalation?! Stagnation?!

So, what does that make me? A Two horned unicorn, that’s destined to always be the bridesmaid, never the bride? How do I take my craft from the bridesmaid level, to being the bride?

So after sometime licking my wounds, it’ll be back to writing, planning and plotting with a new goal; how I make the jump from bridesmaid to bride? Fortunately I've been accepted into the much praised Golden Egg Academy, so here’s hoping that out of a golden egg, a phoenix-multi-horned-unicorn-bride will be born.

Oh, and one last thing, to everyone who made it on to the shortlist; 

Congratulations and Good Luck!

Never Judge a Book by it's Movie? But Trust the Movie to Help Kid's Stretch their Reading Abilities to Read the Book!

I'm really pleased to see the news article this week about the impact of movie adaptations of books on children reading. Using my best finely honed craft, revered usually for one line pitches, I’ll give you the summery; that watching movie adaptations of books, inspires children to read books above their reading age thereby challenging, improving and expanding their reading abilities. To read the full article press here.

I personally welcome the research, as there is always an argument that movies and television are some way in conflict with reading which I stringently disagree with. You see as any of you who have read my blog before will know I’m dyslexic.

My dyslexia was horrendous as a child, and reading was a hard heart breaking and potentially volatile endeavour, and reading despite me LOVING it (and hating it in equal measure) took a great deal of commitment and investment. I read slowly, one word at a time, and usually ended up in an emotional mess because I couldn't read the words, and couldn't look them up in a dictionary either (dictionaries are quite frankly hell for dyslexics!). So reading was a gamble, when I was sacrificing so much time, and investing so much, I was reluctant to read a book if I was unsure that it would pay off. The pay-off, that the story was good enough to make the endurance worthwhile.

Movies, however I watched lots of (still do), and if I really liked a movie then I’d read the book, and even if they were way beyond my reading capabilities, as I knew that there'd be a pay-off. I knew I’d like the story, so the risk factor was removed.

Here’s a few…

When The Whales Came, was an amazing English production starring Dame Helen Mirren, released in 1989, adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s novel. Again, I fell hook line and sinker for the film, and watched it until the VHS tape started getting lines and going all crinkly, and then I watched it more. This inspired me so much I actually spent my heard earned pocket money (a blog for another time) on a copy of the book with the movie tie-in cover; I read this book many times as a consequence of watching the film.

The NeverEnding Story I saw the film which was made in 1984 probably two years later when I was eight, (and was still reading the equivalent of Biff and Chip starter readers) I LOVED the film, and watch it again, again, and again. When I found a copy of Michael Ende’s, original book a few years later (1990 ish), I read it despite the fact that half the print is in green and other in red, and it’s the size of a brick, and that it’s adapted from German so it is a tad trickier to read than something that has not been translated, I struggled through and LOVED it even more than the movie.

My first ever adult book, was as a result of watching the epic ground breaking CGI masterpiece movie adaptation. Cast your mind back twenty years ago, guest it yet? Back before the invention of contemporary YA novels, all my friends were reading Virginia Andrews's Flowers in the Attic or Stephen King, or The Interview with a Vampire series, and I had nothing the right reading age or anything that inspired me enough to consider tackling adult novels. Then at aged fourteen, I went to the tiny cinema and watched Jurassic Park. The effects, the story, everything about it blew me away, so I brought the book and struggled through it, loving every hurdle, and the pay-off was major. This was the book where I realised just HOW MUCH BETTER, book were than there adaptations. I then went through a brief phases of reading every Michael Crichton novel I could. 

The same thing happened with my children most notably with Percy Jackson, which has not only inspired my daughter to read the Rick Riordan’s novels, but also anything and everything that feature Greek mythology, thereby stretching her reading capabilities and improving them. I sometime help out at a fantastic Indy Book shop Mostly Book’s Abingdon, and whenever a movie adaptation is realised there is always a notable increasing in people coming in to buy the books.

So this little blog is essentially just to say that movies and books aren't in direct competition, but in a misunderstood partnership, helping one another to boost kids reading abilities and love of story, or at least that’s my take on it!

  

The Times / Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2014 Long-List - I'm on it!

What a GREAT start to the weekend, The Times / Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition Long-List has been announced, and I've made it on again this year! 

Ever so slightly shaking with excitement!

The Times / Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition Shortlist

Today the, The Times / Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition Shortlist, was announced, sadly I’ve not made the top five, but I'm still extremely pleased to have got on the longlist!  So I’d like to send big, congratulations to the lucky six authors who make the shortlist - and wish you all the best of luck for the next round.

Here are the Shortlisters 

The Boy With the Golden Balls by Michael Byrne

Like a Brother by Wendy E. Constance

Born Losers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Moon Boy by D. M. Macphail

Zach in the Making by Kelly McCaughrain

Good luck to you all!

It’s About to Get Cold; Here Comes the Snow Queen

It’s About to Get Cold; Here Comes the Snow Queen

The temperature is about dive in 2013 as Hans Christian-Anderson’s terrifying villain is making an appearance in not one but TWO animated adventures.

The first to hits screen will be the Russian made CGI Snow Queen, made by the up and coming Wizart Animation that was founded in 2007.  The Trailer has been realised and it look quite frankly amazing, visually stunning and dark too. Click here tosee Trailer

The next Snow Queen, animation adaptation is coming from the giant Disney corporation. Their project had a name change to FROZEN as Wizart had already pegged Snow queen. The project is further behind with a release date yet to be set but the stills look well stunning. Click here to go to theFROZEN blog

Usually the thought of snow makes me miserable, but I can make an exception here; bring on the snow!

Hollywood’s Fairy Tale Romance; Rom-com or Tragedy?

Hollywood’s Fairy Tale Romance; Rom-com or Tragedy? 

Hollywood is still romancing fairy tale’s buts it’s an up and down relationship, which leaves me asking if this were a film, would it be a Rom-Com or a Tragedy? 

On the upside after the success of, Snow White and the Huntsman, Universal has signed off two sequels. The first is currently in pre-production. Another indication that things are going well for this courtship is that 78 year old, Oscar winner, Shirley MacLaine is rumoured to be playing the title role in the TV Motive adaption of Mother Goose, due out in 2014.

However the signs that fairy tales are falling from favour in the eyes of Hollywood are showing. Within weeks of each other both Paramount and Warner Bros have pushed back their big Fairy Tale movies from dates in 2012 to 2013.

The Bryan Singer directed, Jack The Giant Killer, had realised trailers and posters but then had the release dated pushed back by Warner Bros from June 2012 to March 2013. The rumours and reports on the web is that there are issues with the script.

This comes after Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters had the same treatment from Paramount. The Film starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Atherton was due to be realised in March 2012 but has been pushed back almost a year to February 2013.

What does this mean? Although Snow White and the Huntsman, is set for a happily ever after, the other fairy tale adaptions are rife with rumours of bad scripting and fuzzy plots. It may be an indication that Hollywood hasn’t quite got the essence of fairy tales. Yet tragedy may still be adverted, as we are still to see the Guillermo del Torro’s, Pinocchio and Beauty and Beast, and if any one can make a good fairy tale movie it’s going to be the writer /director of Pans labyrinth.

Wheather this current Hollywood fascination with fairy tale and folk lore is set to become tradgy or rom-com is unclear, but what is known is that there are still lots of tinsel-town fairy tale make-overs set to come.

Personally I think that the studio should take a step back, give the scriptwriters a rest and read, find a good fairy tale inspired novel, and adapt that! If they are looking for suggestions, I nominate John Connell’s, Book of lost Things, which was on IMDB for a while as in pre-production but it dropped off.

The House of Books: Books in the house is good for children. Is your a home a book house?

I read a disturbing article the other day which said that 9 year olds in the UK are more likely to own a mobile phone than their own book press here for link. This was a completely bizarre notion to me. I have an eight year old, and I have never entertained the idea of giving her a mobile. However I was flawed by the prospect of kid’s not having books.

When we recently built a house and moved in, we had three priorities for furniture, 1) Beds, 2) Sofa and 3) Bookcases for the kids’ books. Now having just spent every bean on the house we had to make the shelves out of begged, borrowed and stolen wood. The kids helped and we made a reading corner for each of them in their rooms.

The children have books. Lots of books. That’s not to say we spend a fortune on them, they have my old book from when I was a child, books we buy in charity shops (one local one has five books for £1 for adult books, and kids’ books at 10p each.) Then we have the books that are gifts or brought new. The kids love books and from tiny children would look at picture books for hours. But then there have always been books in the house.

I’ve just had a quick count; we have 6 bookcases, one for each child. One for YA and my TBR (to be read pile) one that houses reference and non-fiction books, one that’s mostly fairy tales and folklore, and one of DVD’s (well come on). Ophs; I forgot, another for sheet music, and a further one for writing guides. That’s a lot of books!

So why so many? Well I love them as objects, they are much more interesting to me then ornaments, plus they reflect who you are as a person. I have some book that are just fabulous because, they are outdated but beautiful like my 1950’s sex education guide, or some obscure picture books, all sourced in jumble sales.  

So with the new kindle revolution I have been thinking; are we antiquated? Are we obsessive? Well in all honesty; probably, but yesterday there was an article in the daily telegraph that made me feel much better about our book collection.

The article states that the amount of books in a childs home has an impact on their education saying that ‘A child raised in a household with a 500-book library would result in a child remaining in education for an average of three years longer than those with little access to literature.’ It also went on to say that the number of books can impact the child’s earning potential as an adult and  that research ‘suggests that filling homes with a range of novels and reference books may be the difference between leaving school at 18 and going to university, which can be worth up to £200,000 more in lifetime earnings.’

You may say that the amount of books is related to income and earnings, and that fewer books or no books, as sign or poverty. That is of course partly (sadly) true, but there are still library’s, Book Crossing, and as I said bargain books to be found in charity shops, and not to mention associations like Book Trust that give every child books in their early years.

But one thing this article shows is that books have a positive influence on children just by simply being part of the environment that they live in. (kick that kindle!)

My children's bookcases and mine, that my Dad made when I was a child.

Notes from The Slushpile let me lose; Procrastination Tools for Writers #1: Recycling Your Old Manuscripts

The folks over at Notes from The Slushpile, let me do a guest blog. They're so brave and so lovely. If you ever wondered what to do with old copies of your manuscripts look no further...

Procrastination Tools for Writers #1: Recycling Your Old Manuscripts

New Oxford Writers Community Oxford-2012, Second Meeting - a review of the evening

 On Thursday evening the newly formed Oxford 2012 writer’scommunity convened for its second meeting at the Friends’ Meeting Room in St Giles.  With a turnout of thirty five budding writers (guestimate) the meet was started by Zool, (the event’s organiser of Blackwells) who outlined the format for the evening, which was to be split into two halves. He explained that the first half was to be talk, by Author James Atterly and the second half was to comprise of a discussion about OXFORD 2012 and a mock critique.

The First Half - The Talk

James Atterly then spoke about publishing and his remarkable writing journey that he embarked upon whist penning Nocturne.  Nocturne: A Journey in Search of Moonlight was written by James about his fascination and awe for the moon, and his quest to see the moon and the night sky in its raw honest beauty, away from the light pollution of the western world.

His journey took him through time, as he looked at the way the moon has influenced arts, culture and religions throughout history. In addition to this, his journey took a geographical turn as he travelled the world to experience the moon in different locations and cultures.  Atterly’s anecdotes and readings were both engaging and engrossing, and made me (a dyslexic whose reading mostly comprises of YA and kids book) want to read the book. So there’s another welcome addition to my ever growing “To Be Read pile”.

After his talk he spoke more generally about writing; about grants and the difficulties of the transition to a full time author.

Atterly’s Top Writing Tip;

“A brain is like a dog. If you feed it a 5’O Clock every day, then it’ll be by its bowl at 5’O Clock every day.  Your brain can be trained to write in the same way.”

The Interval

After the inspiring talk by James, we stopped for an interval, a chance to wine and mingle.  This small informal element of the evening gave all there the chance to meet other writers.

The Second half – Everything Else!

The second half of the evening started with a general discussion on the way that OXFORD 2012 is going to be run.  And  finally a mock critique where Zool read out an extract from an already publish novel and the critique was panelled by Cherry. This was an interesting and insightful experience, with much of the comments relating to writing style, and interesting all highlighting the same points.  It also sparked a debate about the nature of critiquing itself, and that it can become a rather negative experience for the author. The answer to this was eloquently summarised by Dennis Hamley who said this…

“A good critique is always on the writers’ side.”

And Finally - An unexpected highlight of the evening…

We were treated to an impromptu recital of poetry by Dennis Hamley, who shared with us part of Browning's, Fra Lippo Lippi…

For, don't you mark, we're made so that we love

First when we see them painted, things we have passed

Perhaps a hundred times nor cared to see;

And so they are better painted, better to us,

Which is the same thing.   Art was given for that.

God uses us to help each other so,

Lending our minds out .

Writers on The Radio: Jo Wyton and Me (Sally Poyton) on BBC Radio Oxford

Here is a piccy of Jo and I before the interview!

So yesterday, Monday 20th February 2012, Jo Wyton and I were interviewed by the lovely Jo Thoenes on her afternoon show on BBC Radio Oxford.  It was a great experience, despite having wound ourselves up to the point where we were both actually vibrating with anticipation whilst also shaking with nerves, we managed to get through the interview, and what’s more really enjoy it.

Jo Thoenoes made us feel really relaxed and the whole experience was just like having a friendly chat, abet in a pillar-box-red room, with lots of flashing lights, switches, and big microphones before our faces.  We covered subjects such as writing groups and how we met at Abingdon Writers. The importance of having writing friends, (from the likes of Abingdon Writers and SCBWI) for both the writer sanity and the mental health of their loved ones. Jo also asked about our books, I explained a little about Through Mortal Eyes, and Jo about her YA contemporary novel Magpie, about three teenage girls who have been separated by a secret. We also discussed writing in general and of course the Undiscovered Voices competition and its impact on our writing since being picked as Honorary Mention (in my case) and Winner (in Jo’s case).

Yes it would appear that I'm Jo's plus one!

The interview lasted about 45 minutes, yet seemed much less whilst in the studio. After we left BBC Radio Oxford HQ in Summertown, we felt a buzz of excitement; we actually did it, talked whilst on air, without too much stumbling or thankfully swearing! And with a bit of luck we both made sense.

If you want to listen to the interview, it’s on the BBC Radio Oxford's web-site listen again page until 27^th February or just press link here  to BBC RADIO OXFORD. The interview is about an hour into the show, so you may have to skip at bit.

So I at least feel rather pleased as I can say that I’ve done something new this week, (as it doesn’t happen very often,) and I greatly enjoyed it too. 

Jo Wyton and Me (Sally Poyton) on BBC Radio Oxford; Talking Writing and More -20th February 2pm

Ok yes, we’re on the radio being interviewed about writing, the importance of writing buddies, and critique groups, plus entering competitions like Undiscovered Voices.  I am so nervous I’m worried the microphone may pick up the sound of my teeth chattering.  But if you’d like to tune in to hear us then here is the link so you can listen via the web BBC Radio Oxford. 

Wish us luck...

Undiscovered Voices Anthology 2012 –The Wait is Over

Undiscovered Voices Anthology 2012 –The Wait is Over

The wait is over, Undiscovered Voices 2012 Anthology is out and about, winging it’s way over to agents and editors the breadth of the British Isles. 

So, from an Honorary Mention, (oh yes page ten of the book! Big Smiles when I saw my name - in print – in a book – an actual book with ISBN and everything!), I would just like to send my best regards to all the Winners, and I hope you have great success out of your extraordinary achievement and opportunity.

Of course, I also send my best’ist wishes and good luck, to all my fellow honorary mentions too – we’ll be next (fingers crossed)!

And then cheekily, if you’re an agent or an editor who has looked me up after seeing my name in the honorary mention’s; Firstly, THANK-YOU, it’s much appreciated; And secondly if you are interested in knowing more about ‘Through Mortal Eyes’ please click below to e-mail me, and I’d gladly send you over the synopsis and an extract from the novel.

But just to whet your appetite, here is a blurb and information about ‘Through Mortal Eyes’…

Through Mortal Eyes · YA Fantasy/Romance with a Fairy Tale Theme· 88,000 words

Ruby's life consists of studying, working, and looking after her incompetent stepmother and infant half-brother. All this changes when she find a book, 'The Hunters Tale' where the hunter is on the trail of the dangerous Little Red Riding Hood. Ruby starts to see a resemblance between a plague of baby death in a book and an epidemic that is killing infants in real life. She needs to work out whether they are related, are the deaths caused by disease or the work of a fairytale villain? 

Can Ruby find the answers in time to save her baby brother, and her strange assortment of new friends, including talking crows, fleshing eating sorcerers and, her multi-species boyfriend and not forgetting her best friend, who dreams people’s deaths?

For more information e-mail me click here or check out my Through Mortal Eyes page

Great Day, Undiscovered Voices

Today is a great day!

I’m really excited as I’ve made the long list with, ‘Through Mortal Eyes’, as part of the SCBWI British Isles ‘Undiscovered Voices 2012’ competition.

Yesterday – undiscovered

Today – nearly discovered

Tomorrow – who knows? But very, very excited!

Anyway, check out the link…

Undiscovered Voices

Congratulations to all the other writers and illustrators who have been longlisted and especially to my writing buddy Jo Wyton!