Last week I taught, for the tenth time, a summer school in novel writing for Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education. As usual, my students came from a variety of backgrounds and locations, from an 18 year old Australian on a gap year to a Vietnam veteran from Las Vegas. The mix this year was particularly good and I very much enjoyed their amazing company and their fascinating stories!
This ends what is always a very busy section of my year, pretty much from Easter onwards, a period filled with A level exam preparations, fictionfire courses, Winchester and OUSSA (the summer school). Now it's time to step back and take stock. My next creative writing gig will be in Halifax, giving a talk during the Calderdale Writers' Roadshow. Fictionfire courses will resume - and I'll post more details of this in late August. I was going to announce on my website that I'm not accepting editing/critiquing/mentoring commissions from now until 15th August - but, with the usual incredible sense of timing technology exhibits, the website is down and the host is experiencing 'technical difficulties' - so I'm announcing it here instead. I'll also be out of email contact, though you can still call me on 07827 455723 if you have any fictionfire enquiries. If you're off on holiday, I wish you a wonderful, relaxing time, time to take stock as well, time to recharge your batteries, time to observe and absorb the material that will go towards making new stories. Have a wonderful break - you deserve it! We all deserve it!
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