Walking
Walking definitely helps my writing. I get many ideas when I’m out walking. I also find a spell away from my desk doing some sort of physical activity actually increases my output and improves its quality.
Did you know that Charles Dickens often walked for ten or more miles a day? This on top of quite rigid writing routine. And one other great advantage of going out for a walk: you can see what’s going on in the world and get ideas for your writing. If it’s good enough for my mate CD, it’s good enough for me.
I’ve taken the Trussell Trust challenge this month to walk for thirty minutes a day and cover more than 42 km in the month of September. So far so good!
This will raise money for the Trussell Trust https://trusselltrust.enthuse.com/pf/gill-james If you’d like to sponsor me you can here. But don’t feel you have to.
Writing news
A few little successes this month. The Best of CafeLit 12 is out now. I edited this and I have a few stories in there. Read all about it at: http://www.thebridgetowncafebooksshop.co.uk/2023/07/the-best-of-cafelit-12.html
There is a write up about the event I mentioned last month at: https://talkingaboutmygeneration.co.uk/falinge-high-creative-writing-group-launch-new-book
Reedsy has published my story ‘Catbo’. This is a spinoff of my Peace Child series and quite topically is about artificial intelligence. Take a look here: https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/hkfje6/?utm_source=mandrill&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=writing_prompts
I have made Clara’s Story (book two in my Schellberg series) available on Kofi. Find it here: https://ko-fi.com/s/0ef169c528 Pay what you like.
Meanwhile, I continue with Peace Child 6. I’m now on the second draft which has meant adding a few more chapters. This is nearly always the most demanding of the rewrites. I’m continuing with my set of Tip Sheets for creative writing teachers to use with new writers. New writers will also be able to use them on their own. I’ve created thirty-five so far and I’m aiming for fifty. I’ve covered amongst other topics, character, story structure, poetic forms, turning your work into gifts, a submission strategy and some about formatting scripts.
On My Blog
There are quite a few posts on my blog this month.
I introduce you to some of my non-fiction writing: https://www.gilljameswriter.com/2023/08/take-look-at-soem-of-my-non-ficiton.html
I have interviews with several of our The Best of CafeLit 12 Contributors: Dawn Knox, Jim Bates, Rosemary Johnson, Fleur Lind, Sharon Zajdman and Stacie Eirich. I also talk to Jim Bates about being our first fast track author.
I offer some insights to my WIP which has been one of the most difficult projects for me.
I also take a look at another writer’s blog: https://www.gilljameswriter.com/2023/08/some-other-writers-blogs-allison-symes.html
A busy month indeed.
The Young Person’s Library
I have added just one book this month:
Mermaid Academy, Cora and Sparkle, by Julie Sykes and Linda Chapman
- A nice easy read for early fluent readers. All about mermaids.
Recommended read
This month I’m recommending Dawn Knox’s A Folly in Plotlands
A heart-warming story of romance and survival.
Dismissed from a school where she was neve really that happy but that had been home for her for a long time, Samira Stewart cultivates an unlikely relationship with her estranged grandmother. She has to grow up quickly. She takes care of the ailing old lady who doesn’t deserve the attention that is now lavished on her. Then her brother and uncle really start to make life difficult. She falls in love and a childhood illness almost stops her beloved from staying with her.
Expert story-teller Dawn Knox’s A Folly in Plotland is an uplifting read. Enjoy!
Giveaway
Note: these are usually mobi-files to be downloaded to a Kindle. Occasionally there are PDFs.
This month I’m offering Fibbin’ Archie, a YA romance that is also a writing experiment.
Archie has problems with his ears every time he lies.
Archie’s life is full of care: one girlfriend dumps him and then he realises he is actually in love with a girl he had formally despised. Life at home is difficult. He is sympathetic to his grandmother and her new romantic life but the rest of his family disagrees. Then he finds he has a penchant for mathematics … and his maths teacher has a penchant for him.
Fibbin’ Archie will make you laugh, cry ….and count. It is all written according to the Fibonacci series.
Grab your free stuff here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/c5k72h7y2731t9wz51f6y/h?rlkey=edyj63vvzj2hisql0u1jpm02v&dl=0 You may have to copy and paste the link.
And please, please, please leave a review, perhaps on Amazon, Good Reads and / or Story Graph, when you’ve finished.
Note: Normally my books and the books supplied by the imprints I manage sell for anything from £0.99 to £10.99. Most on Kindle are about £2.99 and the average price for paperback is £8.00. Writers have to make a living. But I’m offering these free samples so that you can try before you buy.
The Schellberg Project
The posts may be helpful for teachers who are familiar with the Schellberg stories or who are teaching about the Holocaust. They may also be interesting for other readers of historical fiction.
Sometimes I also write about what might be useful to other writers.
This month I’ve written about the Lebensborn initiative started by the Nazis. It is terrifying. Read all about it here.
Some notes about my newsletters and blogs
They do overlap a little but here is a summary of what they all do.
Bridge House Authors For all those published by Bridge House, CaféLit, Chapeltown or The Red Telephone or interested in being published by us. General news about the imprints. News for writers. Links to book performance. Sign up here.
The Bridgetown Café Bookshop where you can buy my books and books published by Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books and The Red Telephone. Visit us here.
Chapeltown Books News about our books. Sign up here.
The Creative Café Project News about the project and CaféLit – for the consumer rather than for the producer. Sign up here.
Gill’s News: News about my writing, The Schellberg Project, School Visits and Events. Book recommendations and giveaways. Find it here.
Pushing Boundaries, Flying Higher News about conferences and workshops to do with the young adult novel. (infrequent postings) Sign up here.
Red Telephone Books News about our books and our authors. Sign up here.
A Publisher’s Perspective Here I and some other editors blog as a publisher. Access this here.
The Creative Café Project Listings and reviews of creative cafés. See them here.
CaféLit Stories Find these here
Gill James Writer All about writing and about my books. View this here.
Gill’s Recommended Reads Find information here about books that have taken me out of my editor’s head and a reminder of the ones I’ve highlighted in this newsletter.
Gill’s Sample Fiction Read some of my fiction here.
The House on Schellberg Street All about my Schellberg project. Read it here.
Writing Teacher All about teaching creative writing. Some creative writing exercises. Access this here. I also invite other writers to provide prompts and work for critique.
Books Books Books Weekly offers on our books and news of new books. Find them here.
The Young Person’s Library The children’s book catalogue. Access it here.
Fair Submissions Find it here.
Opportunities for writers are added several times a day. Roughly once a month I send it out to a list. If you would like to be on that list, sign up here.
Happy reading and writing.
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