Exeter Writers

  Elizabeth Wins International Publishing Award Elizabeth Ducie has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 9th Annual Women in Publishing Summit. The award was presented at the closing session on Wednesday 11 th March. Elizabeth spent more than thirty years as an international manufacturing consultant and technical writer before turning to creative fiction in 2006—and what followed is a masterclass in what indie publishing, done with intention, can look like. Under her own imprint, Chudleigh Phoenix Publications, she has published more than twenty titles including the  Jones Sisters  international thriller series, the  Coombesford Chronicles  cozy mystery series, and six collections of short stories. Her debut novel,  Gorgito's Ice Rink , was runner-up in  Writing Magazine ‘s Self-Published Book of the Year Awards in 2015. But the achievement that defines Elizabeth's legacy is arguably her  Business of Writing  series—a prac...

 That time of year is approaching.... ...and Exeter Writer,  Sarah Bonner may just have the perfect Christmas gift for lovers of psychological thrillers!   The BRAND NEW deliciously dark, festive comic thriller from bestseller Sarah Bonner, perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Katy Brent and Amy Tintera! 🩸🔪🎄 She’s making a list, she’s checking it twice… Jessica Williams loves Christmas: the food, the drink, the fairy lights, the opportunities to take out all the miserable people who ruin the festive season for others. And what better cover for her murderous intentions than taking a job as Mrs Claus at the Ellsbury Christmas Market grotto? After all, who would possibly think Mrs Claus could stab a man through the eye with a Phillips-head screwdriver? Fearne Dixon hates Christmas. As the long-suffering wife of the Ellsbury Christmas Market’s manager, she’s sick to the back teeth of it and it’s still only November. But then the bodies start piling up, an old rival arrives b...

An extraordinary true story of a fisherman’s daughter who devoted her life to sea rescues after seeing her father and three brothers die in a summer storm has inspired a new novel by a member of Exeter Writers.   In 1874, Margaret Brown (later Armstrong) stood helplessly on a windswept beach as rough seas claimed the lives of her loved ones. She was left with the heartbreaking task of pulling their bodies from the waves. But out of grief came courage. Margaret helped to establish her community’s first lifeboat and took part in rescues for more than 50 years, often hauling the vessel into the surf and recovering it after missions.   This remarkable legacy sparked  The Silver Tide , the third novel by Westcountry journalist and author Jason Mann, who writes as J.H.Mann. “I heard about Margaret Brown’s tragic and brave story while acting as a shore-based volunteer for the lifeboat service and was immediately captivated,” said Jason. “I realised it could form the he...

 New Short Story Collection from Angela Wooldridge Welcome to the Merewoods is a collection of 16 Science Fiction and Fantasy short stories. Welcome to the Merewoods... and a few other places that have been brewed up from the imagination of Angela Wooldridge. Meet Skye as, with the dubious help of her familiar, Poggitt, she does her best to convince Granny that she has the makings of a good witch. Up in space an unexpected ally is on hand to foil a bunch of invading aliens. A forest god wakes up several hundred years late to discover that neither humans nor squirrels turned out as planned. How do you adjust to a ghost for a housemate? And what do the tea leaves have in store..? Come and find out... Welcome... However, if your preference is for contemporary stories then you may like to try her other collection, Witches' Knickers . Martha is tidying the hedgerows while she tries to ignore what a mess her life is in. Molly and her sisters are uncovering a family secret. Kelly is begi...

 The Fair Folk by Su Bristow Su's second novel, The Fair Folk was published on 23rd January by  Europa Editions in the US. We've asked her to tell us a bit about it. What was your inspiration? My first novel, Sealskin, is a retelling of one of the selkie myths. For The Fair Folk I went to the multitude of fairy stories that were told all over the British Isles; not the ones you read in the Brothers Grimm or Perrault, but the homespun tales repeated over hundreds of years around fires and at feasts. Wherever country folk lived, it seems, there were fairies making mischief, striking bargains, and - sometimes - doing favours.  What is The Fair Folk about? My story begins with a lonely child meeting the fairies in the nearby woods, and it’s set in the 1950s and 60s, at a time when farming in Britain was changing after centuries of tradition, and sightings of fairies were beginning to dwindle. Most children grow up and forget these magical encounters, but Felicity cannot. She...

  Thrill Never Wears Off   Exeter Writers member Elizabeth Ducie launched her umpteenth book this week (and yes, she has lost count!) but found that the thrill was as great this time around as when she brought out her first book of short stories back in 2011.  Calamity at Coombesford Church  is the third in the  Coombesford Chronicles  series of cosy crime set in a fictional English village.   Isabella Street is a talented composer and musical director with a passion for her craft and the drive to create something truly unique. In  The Hero’s Return , she embarks on her greatest triumph yet: celebrating the tercentenary of a local boy made good. But not everyone is happy with Isabella's plans and one night in Coombesford Church, her preparations and rehearsals are brought to an abrupt conclusion. Amateur sleuths, Charlie, Annie, and Rohan work together to uncover the truth behind the shocking events.   The ebook is available to download ...

 The Thursday Book Club on Phonic FM Join host, Jonathan Posner and various members of Exeter Writers on the 3rd Thursday of every month as we talk books on phonic FM radio! The very first episode is next Thursday, 21st September, from 2-3pm and Jonathan will be joined by Angie Wooldridge and Cathie Hartigan. You can tune in on 106.8 FM or digital radio, and don't forget to visit the facebook page and have your say too!

Indie Author Week runs this year from 11th to 18th June. While the traditional route to publication has for a long time been via an agent and a publishing house, technology now provides a number of different options, including small publishing houses; hybrid deals; or the fully independent route. Publishing as an indie involves exactly the same processes as the traditional route: writing an excellent story; getting it professionally edited and proof-read; designing a professional cover; using the appropriate technology to produce a quality product in a variety of formats; selling and distribution; and most important (and difficult) of all, marketing. The only difference is that an indie author takes responsibility for ensuring everything is done, even if they don’t do it all themselves. And the indie route is one chosen with great enthusiasm by a number of members of Exeter Writers, as you can see below. Dianne Bown-Wilson Multi-award winning short story writer, Dianne Bown-Wilson ...

 Thank you to everyone who came to our various events at Exeter Literary Festival, we loved meeting you and hope that you enjoyed it too. Here are a few photos from our networking day...

Exeter Literary Festival continues to bring you more events hosted by Exeter Writers. Get your tickets quickly before they're sold out!!   Simon Kettlewell joins the Unmumsy Mum in the Library: Friday 5th November 9.30am. The two local authors bring very different perspectives to a topic close to everyone's heart: Families and how to survive them! Simon discusses his memoir style novel, Eternity Leave with Sarah Turner, author of the Unmumsy Mum Blog and books.       Preparing your Submission: With Cathie Hartigan and Margaret James in the Customs House. Friday 5th November As part of the Writers Networking Day at the Custom House, Cathie and Margaret will share their hints and tips (and over 30 years of combined teaching experience) for giving your work the best possible chance of success. Ask them anything abo ut writing and how to prepare your submission, and they’ll do their best to help you. (This event is now sold out!)     Stories For Mag...

OBITUARY – ENA DOAK 27 th July 1932 - 23 rd April 2021 We are sorry to announce the unexpected death of former member of Exeter Writers, Ena Doak, on 23 rd  April, at the age of 88.  Ena Penn was born in 1932 in Friern Barnet, the youngest of seven children, and grew up in London.  On leaving Finchley County School at the age of sixteen, she went on to work in a number of different roles, from the scarf hall at Liberty’s to various secretarial jobs.  She met Loel Doak at a party when she was twenty seven, and they married in 1962. They had two children, Andrew and Euan, and moved to Exeter in 1974, where she lived for the next 40 years.  Loel sadly died of cancer in 1999.  As well as her enjoyment of reading and writing, she was an enthusiastic classical music fan, a member of the Devon Archaeological Society, local book and film clubs, a skilled knitter and cross-stitcher, and an excellent baker. Ena was a long-time member of Exeter Writers, from around ...

Hi Simon , is it bad that I’ve known you for eighteen months as an Exeter Writer but I didn’t realise you already had four other books under your belt? But I suppose we’re always talking about our current news that we don’t really mention our past achievements in meetings! Hi Jess, I don’t think writers make a big thing about their past work. I think you’re only as good as your present material and that only stands up if people like it when they read it. I have also been a ‘stay-at-home-dad’ for 4 children for 20 years. Writing has always been a secondary occupation, if you want to call it that.  The reason I am talking about my new book Eternity Leave  is because it embraces the highs and lows of that experience. I like to think it’s my best book in terms of the standard of writing and that anything preceding it is part of an apprenticeship.   Well it’s great to have this time to talk to you about your new novel, Eternity Leave. First off, the cover is very attracti...