Getting to
know her was a real pleasure! The lovely Jean gave generously of her time,
helping our group to discover ways to develop and improve. The friendly and
practical advice we explored together, covered topics such as characterisation,
pacing, marketing and my own cardinal sin – OVER-WRITING! I’m cringing in
horror, even as I think about it (not that Jean made me feel that way for a
single solitary second).
Jean was a
delight. She couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful and made the entire
group feel comfortably encouraged in their own literary endeavours (I think I’m
doing it again - OVERWRITING!). She gave everyone an individual review of some
of their current work, including a typed report, which must have taken her ages
to complete. I left with 3 of her wonderful novels to sit and enjoy (whilst
taking a sneaky peek at how it can be done well).
As well as
getting to know Jean, I had the opportunity to meet other lovely writers on the
New Writers Scheme, some of whom came from the Border Reivers’ Chapter of the Romantic
Novelists’ Association. Most of us had only ‘met’ before on ROMNA, the cyber
chapter of the RNA. Everyone got on so well.
They really are super people at the RNA and as I’ve always said, you
won’t meet finer than a Romantic Fiction writer. Not only are they masters of
their craft, striving to improve and innovate, but they are wonderfully
generous to a fault.
Talking of
wonderful, none of this would have been possible without the efforts of one
special member, Lin Treadgold, who came all the way from Amsterdam and had the
whole weekend mapped out for us. Thanks to her organisational skills, not only
did the event get off the ground in the first place, but amidst our writing workshops,
we enjoyed a host of marvellous meals out and trips to places of interest.
One of the
highlights of these was a splendid three course lunch taken in the elegant
setting of a period Pullman Dining Car. The period carriage was attached to a restored
steam locomotive run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It left from Grosmont,
a 1950s style rail station. More inspiration for all those historicals!
The group
stayed up on the romantically windswept, North Yorkshire moors on the working Fowl
Green Farm. We resided in converted farm buildings known as the barn, the cow
byre and the piggery. Despite what their names imply, we were warm, comfortable
and had every convenience at our disposal.
Our hilly, heather-covered
location, replete with grouse and wandering sheep, would inspire the romantic
in all of us. A brilliant weekend. The first of many, I hope.
