Children's Literature

Interesting though the creative writing is, I'm not very happy with spending so much time inside my own head, so I really don't fancy the advanced creative writing course. Instead, I've registered to do the new 60-point course, Children's Literature from October. There's a long list of set books to buy, with the recommendation to read as many of them as possible before the course starts!

Alcott, L. M., Little Women - read many years ago, but will have to read again.
Browne, A., Voices in the Park
Burgess, M., Junk - I bought this one and read it - amazing for a children's book!!
Gavin, J., Coram Boy
McGough, R., 100 Best Poems for Children
Naidoo, B., The Other Side of Truth - I bought and read this one - excellent.
Pearce, P., Tom’s Midnight Garden
Potter, B., The Tale of Peter Rabbit !!
Pullman, P., Northern Lights - own and have read this one.
Ransome, A., Swallows and Amazons
Reeve, P., Mortal Engines - reading at the moment.
Rowling, J. K., Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - hub owns all of these. Is this the first one? If so, I did read that one.
Stevenson, R. L., Treasure Island - I've never read this one!
Taylor, M., Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

Looking forward to the course, but I haven't studied literature since I was at school, and this is a level 3 course, so it doesn't bode well!

Still writing creatively

I got the Mills & Boone back some weeks ago. I got 88% for it, which is quite extraordinary! It was suggested I get it published. No chance. I've had TMA03 back too, the poetry. 78% - again, quite extraordinary! I wrote 3 poems, 2 of which weren't liked - but the third was given that 'get it published' suggestion again. I might try! At the moment, I'm working on TMA04 (a bio of a part of my Dad's childhood), TMA05 (a wierd story!) and the ECA (autobiography of me at puberty!) It would be fair to say that I'm muddled. But I want to get it all done and out of the way.

New camera!

I love my little Nikon, but it's getting a bit old now and people keep looking at me like I'm poor, so I decided to splash out on a new one. A Canon Ixus. It's very pretty (pink), but I'm pretty certain the Nikon takes better photos - I'm not dumping it yet!


Dartmoor ponies


Daffodils outside 42 Commando barracks.

It's been beautiful weather over the last week or so, and this was the Hoe on Sunday.


Unfortunately, the whole city was there.


Art!