News - Page 4 of 5 - Myfanwy Cook

Local History and Community month – A 19th century self-isolation story from Tavistock a Devon market town

Local history and community month in the UK. <https://www.history.org.uk/historian/resource/1567/local-and-community-history-month> Local history is an excellent source of inspiration for writers of historical fiction. They are able to uncover a wealth of stories about real people which can provide them with characters, events and details of life that can transform a fading photo into an engrossing… Read more »

Bluebells, a children’s game and a flower fairy

This year the gardens, hedgerows and Devon lanes have been covered with an abundance of bluebells. Not all of them have been native bluebells (or harebells as they are known in Scotland), <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta> but their stained glass window bright blue has added a dash of vibrant colour to many ‘lock down’ walks. St. Eustachius, Tavistock,… Read more »

Primrose Wine, Poetry and Primrose Day the 19th of April

In Devon and Cornwall children used to collect primroses to make primrose wine and cordial. Primroses were also boiled with sugar to make cough syrup. Primroses have featured in poems and literature. They are to be found in the works of Shakespeare, Robert Bridges, Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth, John Milton, Oliver Goldsmith, Jean… Read more »

A literary challenge to keep creative minds busy while in self-isolation

Literary Mysteries associated with Tavistock and the surrounding area Whenever I visit a second-hand bookshop, I can’t resist trying to find writers from the past (including novelists and poets), who have either written about Tavistock (Devon, England) or who came from Tavistock. Then I love to try to find out more about them and why… Read more »

The Forgotten Women Writers of Tavistock a Market Town in Devon

During the 19th and early 20th century Tavistock and the surrounding area provided women writers with inspiration. Their literary legacy is very much a part of the heritage of the town. Elizabeth Rundle – Mrs Charles Rundle (January 2nd1828 – 28th March 1896) Elizabeth was the only child of John Rundle, M.P. for Tavistock. Born… Read more »

A New Year thought for writers of crime fiction – Do crime fiction writers have a responsibility to eliminate medical inaccuracies?

It has been my privilege over the past years to lead an SSU for Medical students in Exeter and Plymouth (UK) on the theme of Medical Facts and Myths into Historical Crime Fiction. Khalid Hasssan, one of the students has kindly offered to share his thought provoking essay with the crime writing fraternity (and sisterhood)…. Read more »

Go Gothic Prize Winners

‘Go Gothic’ Writing and Film Competition Winners Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who was inspired to enter the competition. Entries were received from places such as the USA, Greece and Poland as well as from all over the UK. More details, examples of the winning entries, and photos will follow over the… Read more »

‘A New Year’ and ‘A New Opportunity’ for Authors

Go Gothic – Tavistock’s Gothic and Steampunk Market in Tavstock’s Butchers’ Hall on Saturday October the 19th, 2019 are offering tables free of charge at the market to 5 fiction writers, whose novels contain a Gothic or Steampunk element (adult, young adult and children’s fiction) and an additional 2 tables for non-fiction authors whose works are… Read more »

For those whose lives did not have a happy ending

The Secret Soldier John sipped his free, but bitter tasting acorn coffee from the thick china cup. He’d also filled his canteen with milk for his journey. Icy gusts of wind blew the fine rain onto the Exeter St. David’s railway station platform, but he didn’t mind because the pretty girl with her fair hair… Read more »