Signed Books I Bought - three very different books

 At the Writers' Summer School I bought signed copies of books by authors who spoke or performed in the evening or gave writing courses in the daytime.

Books Bought

Returning home, I have been reading three signed books I bought at the Hayes Conference Centre, in Swanwick, Derbyshire.

1 The Full English by Melanie Branton.

We had watched her perform on stage with hats and helmets at breathtaking speed. Exhausting for her and us. A crazy mixture of research and rap style performance with long word rhymes like Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. 

The explanation for all that research is that she studied languages at university. the title of the book is a pun on the modern description of an English breakfast.

2 The Chemist by A A Dhand.

The book is set in the Midlands of England. 

My husband put this book down because he read one sentence without a verb. But I was hooked. It is all about drug addicts and violence. Makes you glad to live far away. If the reality is one tenth of as bad as the scenes in the book. And it is convincing.

The plot has twist and turns. The baddies do a good thing for a friend. The goodies do a bad thing to an enemy. Gripping. Who will kill who first? How will they escape? Will they get caught?

3 A Blonde Bengali Wife by Anne Hamilton.

The action takes place on a trip to Bangladesh by a voluntary worker. A true story.

 Full of amusing alliteration. For example, Prologue - craving for Cola. Cuffing a couple of people (Page 4)

 the chemist's shop described as a hypochondriac's heaven. battered boxes and bottles (P 172), late lunch (173), spookily similar stories (173), money does not matter (173). Adjectives abound, and metaphors. Blushing sun. Silent inky night. (174)

So many characters at times I was confused. Bemused. I would have loved to see a photo of the author, and her friend. And a cast of characters. Maybe I should make my own list.

But enthralled. Like watching an orchestra, or a ballet with dozens of dancers. The people and the words surge around you.

I now know I would not want to go there. The country, countryside and city, have more mosquitos than Singapore. Instead, I have travelled around through the pages of this book.

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Writers' Summer School - what I learned about seating in dining rooms

 

The Hayes Conference Centre. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The Writers' Summer School was originally set up to bring together writing circles from around Britain so they could share their knowledge and writing and books. It is still the case that some people from writing circles arrive in cars in pairs, or in groups.

The net result is that a newcomer is a loner. So is an old timer who is not part of a writing circle. (Mine in Harrow disbanded, after some people moved overseas, others went too professional to need other amateurs when they had publishers to give feedback. Others grew ill, retired, died.

In a large group at a table, the pairs or foursomes are people who already know each from back home. 

Pairs Of People

One pair is a mother and daughter. Another are father and son. Another pair is a husband and wife team. Two others work together. 

Two more are a same sex couple. The talkative one eventually tells me proudly that they are 'partners'. They were very nice and friendly. The larger, chatty, dominant one, instantly talked to me. But her thinner partner never took her eyes off the partner, never looked at me. So the large women was the pivot between us. 

On another occasion, I went up to join a woman who had been very friendly to me in the comedy group. But she was now with another person who she worked with. They were engrossed in the practical arrangements for their next event, another conference overseas, the hotels, travel arrangement. I was left out. For me, the end of that arrangement, what had seemed like a potential friendship.

I have been thinking about the etiquette of joining groups. It is better to select who you will sit with before entering the dining room. Even if it means jumping the queue for food in order to get served at the same time looking for a seat. 

An alternative is to sit in the same place, the same table, with the same people, every meal. But I like to change tables and meet new people. I sometimes walk through the dining room, glancing at each table, until somebody smiles welcomingly. I sit next to them.

Sometimes I sit alone. I look around at those walking in. If somebody stands, hesitating, looking at me, I smile and beckon.  

Writers' Summer School and the gorgeous gardens of The Hayes Conference Centre

 

Angela Lansbury in the gardens of the Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire, for the Writers' Summer School held every August.

The blocks behind are the accommodation blocks.

Reverse of Chesshire cat top.

Riotous roses in the gardens of The Hayes.

Super to have a summer day and blue sky.

Blue sky, above topiary at the Hayes, entrance from the central garden to the covered corridor leading back to the bar, lounge, and the dining room. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Angela was promoting her book Improve Your English Add alliteration, assonance and rhyme.

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Useful Websites

The Hayes

thehayes.org.uk

Writers Summer School

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk

What I learned about best-selling books at Writers' Summer School, Saturday Start at Swanwick in Derbyshire, August 2022

 

The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, England, UK.
 

Writers' Summer School takes place every year in August at the Hayes Conference Centre, in Swanwick Derbyshire. It starts at tea-time on Saturday and continues until breakfast on the following Friday.  This year it was August 13 to 19th.  I drove from London up the M1 motorway towards the exit 28 after Derby, my car with a suitcase packed, crammed, with 7 daytime and 7 evening outfits, fancy dress, a glamorous outfit for the last night party, and several of my books to sell in the bookroom. I was anxiously watching my speed, and the distances, hoping to reach the Hayes in time for tea, when they serve cakes. Coffee and hot chocolate and drinking water are available all day, free, from machines. I made it in time for tea and enjoyed lemon drizzle cake.

Splendid Saturday - Meeting Other Authors

Book Room Sales

I placed my books in the book room, using a small stand to raise a couple of the books. I was very pleased to sell two books, and sign one of them, Quick Quotations for a new friend, Steve, who bought my book on quotations because he collects books of quotations. 

My friend, Carolyn Street, who I know from Toastmasters International in Singapore, had displayed six of her books. She sold them all, and I had written chapters in two of the books. I had a chapter on Authentic Writing For Your Audience in Authenticity & Us, and a chapter called How To Unblock Writer's Block in Fear & Us. 

Ambassadors

At the first night's dinner ,Carolyn was with the newcomers on a table with a couple of the old timers who volunteered to be Ambassadors. Next year I shall be an ambassador. One thing I discovered for Carolyn was that the Lakeside bedroom block has a guest laundry room with washing machines and dryers.

Who Was Our Opening Speaker - and What was her best-seller book title?

Our after dinner speaker was the author, Erin Kelly, author of a crime novel, The Poison Tree. I had looked that up earlier and found she had cleverly copied the oxymoron title from a chilling, short poem by William Blake. 

Which Books Pay Most?

She entertained us, telling us how her book, the Crime Novel, The Poisoned Tree resulted from her being told by her agent that crime books sell most and pay most to the author. She got a laugh with the contrast of how she had no interest in writing crime novels, but when told how well they paid, declared she had always wanted to write a crime novel.

Another interesting fact she told us was that she took two years to write a book. I aim to write a book a year in order to have something new on the table in the Swanwick book room each year.

Romance Writers

After a brief refreshment and bathroom break, I joined the Get to know you group session. I sat at the romance writers' table for a photo. But ended up with the short story writers.

Angela Lansbury at the table for writers of Romance at Writers' Summer School, Swanwick. Photo by Angela Lasnbury.

Next year's Writers' Summer School will be in August 2023. 

Next year, Saturday 5th - Friday 11th August  2023.

Amateurs and Professionals welcome. The bookings will be available from November.

Angela Lansbury has blogs on travel, dress, speeches and more.

Books by Angela Lansbury and Carolyn Street are on Amazon.

Useful Websites

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Improve-Your-English-alliteration-assonance-ebook/dp/B082PZXQLQ

Garden Chess, Flowers and Food - Highlights Of The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire, England - The Minimum group size is 12

I stayed at the Hayes conference Centre on a Writers Summer School. The cost of accommodation varies according to the building. 

Grounds with trees and benches and flowers.

Flowers

Beautiful flowers near the house by the back lawn and the main conference hall.

Hidden in an inner courtyard in the main house were chess and draught pieces. 

A good place if you have an Alice in Wonderland outfit. And a rabbit puppet.

Outdoor chess and draughts. An indoor gym.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

The room had wifi and other instructions readily visible.

Very thick absorbent towels and bath mat by the brand Richard Haworth.

The smaller of the two dining rooms. Our conference of 200 people used both. It was handy to be flexible or follow the advice of staff to switch rooms if you were in the room with  longer queue. Pop next door and join a shorter queue.

A double room with shower room. Rooms vary in size.

This lovely sign made us feel happy every day. A great backdrop for a photo, saying where you are, and the double positive message.

 I wondered about booking the Hayes conference centre at Swanwick in Derbyshire. Do they hire out odd leftover rooms like a hotel? No.

However, you can book for a minimum group size of 12. The Hayes is slightly dearer, about ten pounds dearer, than their accommodation further south nearer London, in Hertfordshire. However, Derbyshire is more accessible for visitors from the north and from Scotland.

Our Writers Conference before Covid-19 booked all 400 rooms in advance, for the following year, paying a non-refundable deposit, and books five years ahead to be sure of continuity. You don't have to spend half the year hunting for a venue and leaving potential delegates and one day guests wondering whether they can afford the fare and travel time.

Plants indoors as well as outdoors. A cactus in flower on a corridor window ledge in the main house. 

And hot coffee or hot chocolate all day long from a help yourself machine.

Useful Websites

richardhaworth.co.uk

https://www.cct.org.uk/offers/late-availability-offer

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/

https://www.cct.org.uk/the-hayes/the-hayes-conference-centre

How the Hayes Conference Centre Coped With Covid-19

 

Sign on the bedroom desk

We were amazed and delighted to be back at the Hayes conference centre which coped so well and made us feel welcome. Sanitizers for hands were either side of the door, foot-operated. With numbers down from the high of about 400 in one or two previous years to 200 the rooms were spacious and it was easier to sit one seat away from anybody else when you chose to do so. 

Masks

The Hayes had a supply of disposable blue masks. However, most people had masks of fabric. One of two people had special matching masks. I admired the orange satin mask matching the orange outfit. The sequined mask matching the sequined tote bag. The red tartan mask matching the red tartan shirt (from Amazon).

Gloves

Some of the catering and cleaning staff were wearing masks. Others were not.

The bedroom doors were sealed with a sign saying they had been sanitized.

I like the sign on the bedroom desk: Hello and Welcome. It's great to see you.

Downstairs in the crossroad corridor by the bar was a wonderful huge sign saying Hello we've missed you. What great marketing.

At morning and afternoon tea instead of the home made cakes we had wrapped cakes and biscuits. I was partial to the local bakewell tart. Mrs Crimble's Bakewell slice.  Other choices were muffins with blueberry or chocolate chip. 

At lunch and dinner time we had a buffet on some days for both lunch and dinner. At other times we had a choice of sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, and plain salads. I saw a friend who was on a gluten free diet had a baked potato so I asked for the same and got it. I rejected the offered ham as being processed meat and was very happy to have grated cheese.

I can't speak to highly of the staff at the Hayes. They were so friendly and helpful. If you are arranging a conference, lovely place. Rooms of all sizes. Bedrooms. Meeting rooms. For quiet, choose the main house. For conviviality, or overlooking your car, Maybe Lakeside. But I understood from our AGM held on the last afternoon that we have the writers conference booked up to five years in advance, with a deposit paid and have to take and pay for the number of rooms the organizers book. This year, because of the uncertainty, anxiety and restrictions on travel from overseas, the numbers attending our conference were down from about 400 to about 200. A delicate guessing game and calculation. 

In previous years, I am going back twenty years now to the earliest days, the place was like a school. The motto seemed to be, find out what people are doing and stop them. If you took a piece of fruit and hadn't ordered a vegetarian meal, there were announcements about how annoyed other guests were at non vegetarians who had unfairly taken fruit.

However, nowadays there were copious supplies of fruit. If you were early you might get a banana. If you got to the fruit bowl late you might get an apple or orange instead. If you were late you might get a chocolatine instead of a croissant. But if you asked for something  they would immediately go and look. Once I saw that a vegan had asked for a baked potato instead of the lunchtime ham and cheese sandwiches. So I asked for a baked potato. I got baked potatoes twice. The third time they were very apologetic that there were no potatoes because of the village wide power cut. But they apologized to me, instead of making me feel I had been unreasonable. So I felt good all week.

Sweet Surprises

My last discovery in the dining room was on the last day. No croissants. Staff immediately run to find me a croissant. 

They had cleared away breakfast. I looked at two plastic bottles which I had previously ignored. One was honey. Just the thing to go on toast.And they made brown bread toast for me. No shrug that they'd cleared away, too late, all gone.   Later, another of my friends said she had put honey in her tea. 

The second bottle was maple syrup, which we used to have at home on our porridge. So if I get back to the Hayes and they still have the maple syrup, next time I shall take the porridge and add maple syrup.

There is always something unhealthy, or over healthy, which you don't want. But there's always so much that you are bound to get something you like if you are willing to ask and look on the bright side. 

Cash or Card?

At the end of the week at the Writers' Holiday, a collection is made of or the staff. Remember to take some cash. In case the bar or the shop are taking cash for small sums. This year the bar was taking cards and the shop was supposedly taking cash. In the writers holiday area, the main book area was taking cards. They wanted your bank transfer number if you wanted to be paid for sold books by bank transfer. But the second hand book table had a box for cash donations. I bought notebooks in both the Hayes shop and the Writers' Conference shop. If you make sure you have cash left over for the staff tips, or a charity collection, depending on your type of conference, then you can be as generous as you like, then you won't risk feeling, I wish I had given a little more. 

Subtle socially distanced seating.

Useful Websites

https://www.cct.org.uk/the-hayes/the-hayes-conference-centre

https://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/

mrscrimbles.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Biscuits-Mrs-Crimbles-Crackers

Meet Authors. Writers and Would be Writers Win a Place At Swanwick Writers' Summer School in England

This is the main historic building of The Hayes Conference Centre. A cabinet inside displays items and stories about WWII and the great escape. Some bedrooms are in the main building.

To the right is the modern dining room and the conference hall. More meeting rooms are in other buildings, mostly linked by covered walkways or internal corridors. Visitors and speakers come from as far away as Singapore, Australia and the USA.


Flag of the USA



Flag of the UK

Do you want to learn how to write poetry, plays, novels, short stories? Or maybe you can do one but not the others. Have a go.

The cost varies. to encourage students and those on a low budget, sponsored places are provided, given to those who win various competitions.

Win a Place - Swanwick Writers' Summer School: Find out how you can win your way to Swanwick Writers' Summer School. Known for short simply as Swanwick.

Activities go on all day. Everything from exercise of the mind and body, yoga and dance and prayers to start the day, organized workshops all day, an outing mid-week, or a walk, performing a play, reading your poems, busking and sing alongs, quizzes, talking about your work in progress, meetups with Facebook friends, members of the Romantic Novelists' association, talks and workshops on copywright and writing blogs and marketing and spelling and grammar - until 11 pm or midnight every night. 

Forthcoming dates:
8-14 August 2020.
Pack your poems to read out at the open mic (microphone) night, or write more on the course. bring or buy a bottle of wine or soft drink to share, with some to spare for the last night pre-dinner party on the lawn.

It starts Saturday tea-time and ends after breakfast on Friday. I have gone there on the train, paid for the seat on the coach from the station to The Hayes Conference Centre. When I had heavy books, or preferred to drive, and leave home when ready, also I have driven up from London on the Saturday and back on the Friday.

You can see me in the front row on stage in one of the pictures on the Swanwick website. On the last night there's a party on the lawn.

I am on the far right.

Venue
The Hayes is a conference centre surrounded by flowerbeds, fields and a lake, for those who wish to contemplate nature and get away from it all.

Accommodation is at various prices. Food is included, tea on the Saturday of arrival and dinner, breakfasts until the last morning. Free parking on site. One year we drove on north to Scotland and spent time at the Edinburgh Festival.

For a budget alternative, or if you cannot spare the time, if you have friends and family in the area or are touring, drop in just for the day or one or two days and overnight elsewhere on just a day pass overnight one or two nights at the conference centre. Write to ask if they have a room free at a reduced price for a shorter stay.

Where
The Hayes Conference Centre
Swanwick
Derbyshire
England

Useful websites
https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/
visitbritain.com

 About the author
Angela Lansbury
Author of 20 books. travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Beautiful Flowers At Hayes Conference Centre

Flowers at The Hayes conference centre in Derbyshire. THis year seems to be the best ever. Photos by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What's New At The Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire, for Swanwick Writers Summer School Where You Can Stay For a Week Or A Day

You may go to the Hayes conference centre for the annual Writers Summer School or for other events held throughout the year including religious and secular groups.

Problem
What's the food and accommodation like? Some people say it's dire. Other say it's wonderful.

I say it's wonderful. But with these provisions:

Accommodation
Steadily upgraded over the years, from basic to motel style. This year I saw and stayed in the Main House which has a range of accommodation. The standard accommodation is likely to be upgraded.

I was allocated a room on an upper floor with a sloping ceiling which I found oppressive. I swapped rooms with a friend in order to gain her downstairs room. It has a wash basin. The toilets and showers are along the corridor and around the corner. Upstairs my room looked outside. Downstairs I had a room overlooking an inner courtyard.

Water, juice and coffee or tea were available from the moment we arrived.

The food is now served from self-service buffet stations which is a great improvement. Faster. More choice of food. The breakfast hot chocolatines were great.

Always fresh fruit available at meals. Hot or cold vegetables. Sometimes as many as five cakes for dessert. My favourites were the coffee cake, the carrot cake, the chocolate cake, the fruit salad.

The history of the building is shown in a cabinet. You have a shop on site. The gardens are lovely, flowers, trees, a lake, with tables outside on the lawn.

Tips

If it's raining, you can walk around indoors from the AB Centre to Lakeside.

You'll find ground floor public toilets in the main building, the corridor towards the main conference centre, the ABC Centre, and Lakeside. The Hayes shop sells colourful notebooks to which a pen can be attached. See wildlife at the Lake. Read up about the history of the building in WWII and the secret passage. (I have previous posts on The Hayes which I have been visiting for about twenty years. 

For more details about the conference centre, see the Hayes website.

http://www.cct.org.uk/the-hayes/introduction

The Hayes Conference Centre, Hayes Lane, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 1AU, tel 01773 526 000. 

Directions

If you are driving to visit or collect somebody:

About ten minutes drive from Junction 28 off the MI.

Turn off the motorway onto the A38 towards Derby. 

Leave the A48 at the exit for A615 / A61 Matlock and Chesterfield. 

Take the B6179 to Swanwick and Ripley. 

At the traffic lights by the church turn left toward Somercoates. Look for a sign on your right to the conference centre. Free parking at the conference centre and free wifi.  

Conference centre booking: 

0300 111 4444 

Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

To get there from London take the M1 to Junction 28 and follow your Sat nav.