REMEMBERING A GREAT WRITER, THE WONDERFUL FRANCES CLAMP
It's with great sadness, that we learn of the passing, last week. of our good friend and former President of Brentwood Writers' Circle, Frances Clamp. Frances was a wonderful writer who produced at least fourteen books with leading publishers. She wrote about all aspects of life and her children's books were delightful. She also loved history and was a discerning teacher and inspired adults and children to enter writing competitions, winning many trophies in our often difficult industry. Frances wrote and saw hundreds of short stories published in women's magazines.
As far back as 2000, Frances was part of the Essex Book Festival and appeared on Phoenix FM giving interviews and publicising her own and our members' books, always attending our individual book signing events in the town. Frances also wrote short stories for popular magazines and won many literary prizes. As a member of the international writers' association, The Society of Women Writers and Journalists, she won several awards and, in 2008, she and I both won SWWJ scholarships (she for children's fiction - and me for journalism) We were presented with our silver trophies at Chester University in 2010.
posted by Sylvia Kent @ 9:19 AM
2 Comments:
Rest in peace Frances and thanks for your help early on. Lisa Horner x
If it had not been for Frances, I doubt we would ever have had the Basildon Heritage Trail. When we first met on a bright summer's day in her garden she convinced me that it was worth doing, although at this time I had very little response from Basildon Council itself. It was councillor Malcolm Buckley of Wickford who gave me the courage to proceed, say that it was my heritage trail and to go ahead and raise the necessary money and he would back it.
Frances and I would often meet up to discuss what progress was being made but, more importantly, Frances agreed the write the accompanying book which proved to be great success.
So, I have a lot to be thank full in knowing Frances Clamp and her years of experience in writing about local affairs, and in particular about local history. Frances in her talks to the junior schoolchildren, gave them just right amount of local knowledge about their particular environment, so much so that many children were asking for more. I will always remember when Frances was describing Basildon as being a modern town, on little boy piped up saying he knows were Basildon came from: it an from outer space, was his reply.
Rest in peace Frances, and long may the people of Essex remember your contribution to this great culture of ours.
Vin Harrop
of Billericay
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