Ducie’s Diary: November 2022
November has been an interesting month, with lots going on both on the writing and the marketing front. But I did find time to make good on my intention to […]
Katherine’s In The Garden This Year
Today’s Virtual Swanwicker is Katherine Bolton, former Vice Chairman and events organiser, well-known to regulars for her meditation sessions by the lake each morning. To me, she’s simply my friend […]
Mark’s In The Garden This Year
Today we’re meeting someone who has a greater claim to being close to the Summer School than anyone else. Mark Dakin was brought up in Swanwick and returns at different […]
Elizabeth Chats With…Sally Jenkins
My guest this month is an author and speaker. She has written two psychological thrillers, many short stories and articles plus non-fiction books on public speaking and self-publishing. I met […]
Elizabeth Chats With…Joy Wood
I first met this month’s guest when she arrived at the Book Room with copies of her novels at the start of the annual Writers’ Summer School at Swanwick a […]
Elizabeth Chats With…Daniela Norris
My guest this month is a former diplomat and political writer, turned inspirational author and speaker. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UK charity Children of Peace and the recipient […]
Saying Goodbye To The Garden
Friday already and at the Hayes Conference Centre, Actual Swanwickers are putting the final touches to their packing, while elsewhere, members of Virtual Swanwick are putting away the garden chairs. […]
Who’s In The Garden On Thursday?
As we approach the end of our Virtual Swanwick, tour, we are back in the Midlands. Today’s guest lives in Northamptonshire. Although she’s a bit of a globetrotter too. As […]
Who’s In The Garden On Wednesday?
Today’s journey is just a tiny one across the Tamar into Cornwall to visit a most prolific writer of short stories. We first met at another writing conference, which shall […]
Who’s In The Garden On Tuesday?
Today, we’re heading to my home county of Devon; to Plymouth, home of the Hoe, where Sir Francis Drake allegedly played bowls, and also to our latest guest on the […]
Who’s In The Garden On Monday?
Today our tour takes us across the water to our European neighbour, France, and to the new home of my erstwhile fancy-dress buddy. She’s taken some huge steps recently, as […]
Who’s In The Garden On Sunday?
As the first day of courses gets underway at The Hayes, our tour heads southwards towards East Sussex and the home of a long-timer Swanwicker. She was my ‘Eagle-Eye’ proofreader […]
Who’s Also In The Garden On Saturday?
Next on our tour of Virtual Swanwickers, we are dropping in on the writer who has shaped this week’s programme for VS and made it the best so far. She […]
Who’s In The Garden on Saturday?
It’s the second Saturday in August! Hundreds of writers are converging on a small town in Derbyshire. It’s time for the annual Writers’ Summer School known familiarly as ‘Swanwick’. And […]
Elizabeth Chats With…Jonathan Higgs
I first met this month’s guest back in 2013, when he first ventured into the ‘surreal and alternative world’ – his words, not mine – that is the Writers’ Summer […]
Elizabeth Chats With…Lesley Deschner
I first met this month’s guest at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School of which she is the current Treasurer. She has also served as Secretary to the School in the past. […]