Rosemary offers 5 different talks –
1/ Researching a historical fiction novel – Have you ever wondered how much research an author does or what sources they use? How important is it that historical fiction is factually correct and what does an author do if they cannot find the answer to a key piece of research? All these and more are covered as we look at the author’s novels based in the 1800s and early 1900s covering the UK, Ireland and the USA.
2/ Where do ideas come from? – This is one of the most often asked questions of an author. I will take you on a journey through the snippets of life which have led to novels covering everything from a switch of a birth certificate, women’s football during WW1, orphans being transported across America by The Orphan Train movement, the framework knitting industry in the English Midlands, to a death threat on a countdown clock.
3/ Writing an award winning blog – From moving abroad and planning to keep friends back home updated on what we were doing, to becoming one of the UK’s top ten pet blogs, Alfie’s Diary has run every day but one since 2006. It has been an accidental success story for each of the dogs who have been behind the keyboard over the years.
4/ Establishing a dog breed in the UK – Alfie was the 10th Entlebucher Mountain Dog in the UK in 2008. An odd and emotional set of circumstances led to me being determined to develop the breed here. Join me on a journey of heartache, encouragement, tears, laughter, bonds of friendship which cross country borders and success in growing our breed in an ethical manner, which places considerable emphasis on the long-term health of the breed.
5/ Mind Mapping – a practical workshop of how to generate and develop story ideas. If you have ever wanted to write a story and can’t think what to write about, whether for fun, or a competition, then this is for you. I will take you through how to produce a mind map for a story idea, step by step.