S.C Newland - Writer

Hooray! Yesterday, I attended the first session of the Tavistock Writers Group in the library after the group's summer break. It was wonderful to catch up with old friends: Bob, Roger, Hannah and Alex. We usually number around half-a-dozen or so, and were pleased when two new prospective writers appeared: Carol and Giles. Bob leads the session with each of us reading out our latest work. It runs from 2pm to 4pm, fortnightly on Saturdays. My 100-word micro-fiction story: 'Lifecycle of the Lyonesse Moth' was well received, and everyone enjoyed Roger's 'Autumn Leaves'. Each one of us follows our own choice of writing, from short stories', to poetry and even memoirs. Comments are positive with helpful suggestions for improvement. Bob ends the session with a prompt often referred to as 'homework' to inspire creativity for the following meeting. It's wonderful to be a part of a creative atmosphere.

  Well, never expected to find inspiration in the life of Thomas Hardy on a visit to his home Max Gate at Dorchester today. Free entry to the Nat Trust property brought an interesting morning. Stories brought to life by the guides and info on the walls were quite enlightening and often amusing, From annoying peeping toms loitering outside his home eager for a glimpse of the less-than-reclusive author to his belief, allowing plants to grow without pruning and his love for this dog 'Wessex' painted a very interesting portrait of the man. Already have several ideas running through my head. Look out for them soon.