NEW TITLE FROM SWWJ'S SCRIPTORA PUBLISHING TEAM : HER ALMOST PERFECT HUSBAND

As a member of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists, I often enjoy reading and reviewing some of the books that our assisted publishing arm - SCRIPTORA have published.

SCRIPTORA, which was originally created by one of our Vice Presidents, Mary Rensten, helps our Full and Associate members to branch out and enjoy seeing their books published in a genre that perhaps is new to them. It has since successfully continued, producing titles which have been well received.  A selection of our members’ books published via SCRIPTORA over the last few years can be viewed and ordered via our website www.swwj.co.uk.

 

The latest title in the SCRIPTORA PUBLISHING catalogue, newly released, has been written by Mary Rensten herself and is entitled HER ALMOST PERFECT HUSBAND.

 

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HER ALMOST PERFECT HUSBAND

by Mary Rensten

 

Money, lies, love, mystery and revenge form a fascinating backdrop to this enigmatic novel written pre-pandemic.

 

From the first page we sense tension between Emma and her handsome dark-eyed husband Andrew Raven. They appear to live a seemingly contented, perhaps dull life in their lovely home, much as their well-off families and contemporaries enjoy. The Ravens had celebrated their Silver Wedding anniversary a year earlier. They have known each other since childhood. Their only son, twenty-one year old Jacob, lives and works in South Africa.

 

Andrew’s business partner and best friend from university days, Bernie Silver, a divorce invites the couple to the funeral of Rose, his beloved mother. Everyone loved Rose.  For some reason, Andrew is uncomfortable and ill at ease during the funeral reception. Despite his wife’s concern and questioning, Andrew remains irritable and uncommunicative. A week later, he suffers a stroke and is hospitalised until a suitable nursing home is found for him.  Andrew’s absence from his home sets off a change of family situation which leads to unhappy and puzzling circumstances. We learn how the other half of society lives and contrasts so incredibly with the Ravens’ fortunate middleclass lifestyle.

 

Mary Rensten’s page-turner is set in Hertfordshire and Essex fictitious villages of 2015. The author’s descriptions of each of her main protagonists and family members, are sharp, well-observed and memorable. You simply can’t forget Emma’s dreary, but kind-hearted older sister, Constance!    

 

The little red notebook hidden away in the back of Andrew’s desk holds the secret the reader needs to know, and is the intriguing catalyst from we realise that something very strange had occurred in decades’ past. I found this novel a great read and and the denouemont is well worth the waiting. 

ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LAST ESSEX BOOK FESTIVAL - MARCH 2020

 

Can it really be a year since we all gathered in Chelmsford University to celebrate the launch of our 20th Essex Book Festival. 

With Val McDermid opening the proceedings, we enjoyed a fabulous evening with so many other famous writers and people involved.  

Unfortunately, within a week, all those best laid plans had to be cancelled, due to the increasing pandemic situation, but already, our amazing festival organiser is already putting together the next EBF. 

REMEMBERING LYNFA PHILLIPS AND HER WONDERFUL WORK WITH JAPAN

 

Thank goodness, the  world is at last being vaccinated in the midst of this  horrible pandemic and many journalists in all countries are working with their young people, I am revisiting my trail around the world by paying a visit to Lynfa Phillips' work in Japan just one decade ago.  This wonderful Welsh woman came to mind as we celebrate St David's Day tomorrow. This  wonderful Welsh business woman from Pontyclun, South Wales deserves a mention. She has been awarded all kinds of prestigious awards, including Welsh Business Woman of the Year.

Lynfa was a board member of Groundwork Merthyr, Rhondda, Cynon, and Taff which is twinned with Groundwork Fukuoka Japan. Lynfa’s success in the private sector with her own Japanese firm and her special knowledge of her business and culture have given her a special insight into Japanese life.

The Executive Director, Mr Taeto-Otani requested help from their Welsh colleagues, to which Lynfa,as chair of the Groundwork Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Taff Fund Raising Team mmediately responded, hoping to raise £10,000. Lynfa commented: “The date of the launch is Saturday, 21 May and Roy Noble, the well known BBC broadcaster, will perform the ceremony. The congregation of St Paul’s church in Pontyclun have been very supportive, a collection was made and I have a three figure sum to take to Groundwork next week. On behalf of, the committee of our community shop, the Chair person David Allen of our community shop brought a cheque to my home yesterday for £2,000.00 and a special “prize” is a hosted tea for two and a tour of The House of Lords. My heart is heavy with the devastation along the North East Pacific coast area of Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and damage to the nuclear plant at Fukushima. Groundwork trusts in the UK in harmony and total support for Groundwork Associations in Japan along with many other Non Governmental Agencies are helping the Japanese Government and peoples.

“With my friends in Japan whom I regard as my “Made in Japan” families, in the past, I visited the Sendai area. We visited Matsushima which along with Miyajima and Amanohashidate are considered three places of outstanding scenic beauty. Now, towns and villages washed away, no agriculture or fisheries, the major employment in that area and even more serious and long term, radio activity. My thoughts and prayers go out to the nation who are sharing each other’s grief and standing firm in their support.

“In 1996 when I inherited Import Agencies Ltd from Mr Taichi Nishio, I knew little about sake or beer and absolutely nothing about importing. As a somewhat mature, teetotal, Welsh widow, I had tremendous help from Japanese business people. I felt I was building bridges of friendship between east and west, respecting cross cultural issues in this great multi cultural world we live in. Those bridges have withstood the test of time. 

LIMELIGHT: FOLKLORE OF ESSEX - NEW GLIMPSES OF A FASCINATING COUNTY

Even though the writing and publication of this book occurred some years back, I still collect folkloric tales of Essex. During my travels, I collected many intriguing stories that I felt belonged under the folkloric umbrella. The Oxford English Dictionary defines folklore as the ‘traditional beliefs customs, songs and stories, preserved in oral tradition among people; the branch of knowledge that deals with these; popular fantasy or belief.’ Well, the material I gathered certainly fell within this remit. 

Along the way, I met so many people who kindly gave me their thoughts and stories on my topic and met Darren Mann from the Paranormal Society who passed on numerous ghost stories connected with Essex. Many people with knowledge of witches were obliging in supplying fascinating background material and the Witch Museum staff in Boscastle, Cornwall were also helpful. The Folklore Society staff kindly arranged for me to view some of their huge collection of books on folklore which is held at University College London.

I also appreciated help from the British Library, Colindale Library, English Folk Dance and Song Society and Essex Museums and Libraries. Readers will learn about our ancient Dunmow Flitch ceremony, Fairlop Fair that so intrigued Charles Dickens; the Whispering Court at Rochford and dozens of other traditions peculiar only to Essex. Dr Ralph Vaughan Williams and Cecil Sharp - two important luminaries responsible for the growth of folk song and dance in 1903 - have several pages dedicated to their work in England. The book’s cover personifies William Shakespeare’s contemporary, Will Kemp, whose agile, distinctive figure appears on the book’s front cover, ‘ dancing the Morris’ on his way from London to Norwich through Essex during his ‘Nine Days Wonder’ during Lent 1599.

I'm still signing books and meeting (on line) people who seem to enjoy reading about their county’s traditions, superstitions, legends, dialect and stories that have been handed down through generations. Extracts from the book have been included within BBC Radio Essex, Phoenix FM Radio and BBC Radio 2 productions.Publisher: Tempus Publications ISBN 0-7524-36777   www.sylviakent.blogspot.com  

VOLUNTEERS KEEP PATIENTS INFORMED AND CONNECTED - COURTESY OF BHR 87.7 HOSPITAL RADIO

 

A carefully organised delivery of a sanitised box of this magazine was delivered today by the masked Chairman of Basildon Hospital, Jacqui James and husband David. Our friends and neighbours will receive  their copy soon. The magazine contains cheery information and photographs of numerous colleagues, mainly members from Brentwood Writers' Circle and Basildon Writers' Group, plus profiles of essential workers and presenters who give their time and energy to bring entertaining music and programmes to patients and staff of this well-known University Hospital in the heart of Essex. More images to come!   

SPOTLIGHT ON KEN PORTER'S NEW BOOK - LAINDON & SURROUNDING DISTRICT

 

Ken Porter

With so many writers using this third lockdown to take an unexpected opportunity of writing the book they have been thinking about for many years, it has been a pleasure to read the latest book by Essex author Ken Porter in this his tenth publication. His topics are very similar to my own; research and love of local history and he has been aided by his superb private collection of wonderful photographs of Essex, in particular Langdon Hills, Lee Chapel, Dunton, and Little Burstead, but above all - Laindon.  

Ken's new book is called POEMS AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF LAINDON & SURROUNDING DISTRICT.  For anyone who comes from this part of Essex, there are some wonderful stories and verse relating to the earliest days of some of the families who lived there -  in some cases going back over 150 years.  Unfortunately, much of this area is now unrecognisable; such a lot of our beautiful countryside is now under concrete, but there are photographs and lovely stories and snippets which will bring nostalgic pleasure to those who lived before and through the tremendous changes that were wrought in this undulating rural pocket of Essex. 

I like Ken's research into the origin of Laindon and Langdon  Hills. The two areas regarded as neighbourhoods within the district of Basildon; the people of Laindon and Langdon Hills still see themselves as living in separate parishes. In his book, Ken endeavours to explain the difference between the sister parishes and origin of their names. Both are mentioned in the Domesday Book.  

With more than sixty poems from some of Essex's well known poets, alongside numerous authors' tales, Ken's 175-page book, will certainly bring back memories to many and perhaps encourage our younger generation to appreciate their green and pleasant land. 

To obtain a signed copy of Poems and a Brief History of Laindon & Surrounding District  published by Littoral Press ISBN 978-1-912412-25-9 £13.99  Order  through Kenneth.f.porter@gmail.com 07968 313614

LOOKING AHEAD TO OUR 2021 BILLERICAY BASED ANNUAL FUN WALK

 We may currently be down in the dumps in the midst of this continuing pandemic, but today we have such good news from the team that, for twenty years, has raised money for our local community in the form of our Charitable Fun Walk. 

 The Fun Walk Stays Virtual for 2021 John Baron MP: We look forward to another great event! Given the success of last year’s virtual fun walk and the continuing pandemic, the Event Coordinators have announced that the 2021 Fun Walk will again be a virtual event running through September.

Last year’s event had 86 local charities and good causes register with an estimated 1,400 people taking part and raised over £103,000. Participants raised sponsorship money for their individual causes and a Bonus pot from local businesses helped to increase the total raised. 

John Baron MP and his team started The Fun Walk to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and the event has raised more than £1.2 Million for charity since 2002. John said: 

“We know the importance of the event to local charities and saw the impact that the event had helping charities engage with their supporters and raise funds to continue to provide services through the pandemic. We thank Swan Housing Association, Anisha Grange Care Home, IFE Global Logistics, Leonardo MW, Butyl Products Group, McDonald’s Restaurants Basildon and others for their generous contribution to the bonus pot and look forward to another great event in 2021” Local organisations are encouraged to register at www.thefunwalktrust.co.uk

AN AUSPICIOUS DAY FOR THIS LITTLE CRITTER ON GROUNDHOG DAY!

TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY YES, GROUNDHOG DAY AGAIN! 

February 2nd - I love this time of year and usually think about this little creature. I'm quite fond of him (or her?)  Although I've written much about English folklore in the past, I am fond of this  American/Canadian tradition which has given its name to a film, a book and a play. Groundhog Day is an unofficial holiday that everyone knows is absurd, and yet can't stop observing. So why does a small furry animal that looks like an overstuffed rat hold such sway every February 2nd?

The answer lies shrouded in the shadows of history. Most experts suggest the tradition began when German settlers brought their tradition of Candelmas to North America in the 1700s.

February 2nd is supposed to be the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. According to legend, if the weather was good on that day, the rest of the winter would be stormy and cold. If not, the coldest season of the year would be over soon and farmers could start to think about planting their crops. Eventually a hedgehog - not the more traditional creature used today - was added, and the story of seeing his shadow began.

But Groundhog Day owes its current status not to superstition, but to - what else - commercial reality. A newspaper editor named Clymer Freas came up with the idea in the Punxsutawney Spirit in 1886. It wound up being so popular, the legendary Punxsutawney Phil was born, in an event that's been marked ever since. Knowing a good thing when they saw one, the town of Wiarton, Canada, decided to get in on the act, launching its own prognosticating furball, Willie in 1956. It's been the largest tourist event in the area ever since, and has only overshadowed its more famous American cousin once - in 1999, when Willie was discovered dead minutes before his annual prediction was to be delivered.

Groundhog Day received worldwide attention as a result of the 1993 film of the same name starring Bill Murray which was set in Punxsutawney, Take a look for yourself on the GD website.