https://www.thebreeze.com/local-events/
Waitrose, Alton – Supporting Community Initiatives
If you shop at Waitrose in Alton, think about popping your green tokens in the Putting Pen to Paper box. Chosen as one of three community initiatives rewarded for the month of February, this not-for-profit, creative writing initiative is aimed at 7-11 year olds. Your tokens will help provide more places for children who lack confidence in their writing or who want to write more outside of school in a fun, interactive environment with like-minded individuals. A nominal fee applies.
Putting Pen to Paper
01420 587351
07500 359308
Slippers, Snacks, Stories and Snails
Thank you, Heather Holder and Year 3, for making me so welcome in school yesterday. We had some very inquisitive children asking lovely questions and some very over-active imaginations! Can snails really bite your skin? They do have teeth, but they are not as big or as sharp as ours.
What’s the worst thing a snail can do on a human hand? Is it a) bite you? b) suck up any breakfast or lunch you might have left behind? or c) tickle you when it moves? Answers on a postcard to ….
The children learnt that snails have a blood supply and a heart, that they have no ears – really? No ears? How do they hear? Well, they don’t. They can feel the vibrations as someone walks towards them down a footpath. So, see how vulnerable they are?
You have a wonderful library and super facilities.
Thank you Edgeborough School for making me feel so welcome 🙂
Mad About Snails at Bordon Library
Come and join us at Bordon Library during February half-term where I will be reading from my first book, Snail Trail and telling the story of how my family began to write – all because of a strange welcoming present when moving into a Hampshire village some 21 years ago. I will be bringing a few visitors with me in a tank, talk about the life cycle of giant African Land Snails and sign copies of Snail Trail for any snail fans who turn up. For children aged 5 – 12.
Children should be accompanied by a responsible adult.
- Cost FREE
- Contact Bordon Library
- Phone 01420 472172
https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/library/events/eventdetail?id=369550
NEW FOR 2017
Sentier D’Escargot
Snail Trail, Frenc translation
Sweet Hannah Hula
… a normal ten year old
girl who wants to lead an
ordinary ten-year old girl’s
life. But how can she when
she’s not in control of her
own body? Weird things
start to happen. Is her BFF
all she appears to be? Is new
boy, Will, as nice as he seems?
And what about Hannah’s
parents? A strange creature
comes to her rescue then things
get even weirder ….
Never Trust a Fairy
If you’ve ever had a toy bear as
a child, this bear story will delight.
With more than one twist and a
range of colourful characters,
Never Trust a Fairy will take you
on a fast, swashbuckling ride that
will leave you feeling, well, exhausted
but happy at the same time …
CURLING CAREFULLY INTO LIFE
We dash around in our busy worlds.
Crashing, bashing as something unfurls.
Quietly.
We run. We skip. We announce we are here!
See us! Believe us! Let us all cheer!
Slowly the snail begins to unwind,
to open one eye, to throw out the bind,
that kept it safe and calm in its egg.
It stretches. It creeps. It irons out its head.
We shout. We fight. We dance and display.
Our hair! Our clothes! Our joy with the day!
As the snail slides and slithers, slowly turns its head,
finding some comfort in a neighbouring egg.
We dash around in our busy worlds,
Crashing, bashing as something unfurls.
Quietly. Cocooned in company.
Curling carefully into life.
EGGS IN THE HOUSE!
Yes – and not of the chocolate kind! Our giant African land snails have laid the first batch of eggs 2014. Over 100 are glued together at the bottom of the snail tank.
Watch this space to see just how big they get – and when they hatch.
Eggs laid: March 31.
Size as at April 4: each one just under half an inch.
🙂
World of Books Special Easter Offer!
Hurry for a good Easter read! Only three Snail Trails (used) left, in good condition, each for £2.90. Follow this link now:
http://www.worldofbooks.com/snail-trail-by-sarah-lucas.html#.Uz1HwvldW8B
or go to our website for the last of the first edition colouring books 🙂
WORLD BOOK DAY
Wishing you all a happy World Book Day today, 6th March! Special wishes to the schools I have visited this week – Haslemere Preparatory, Churcher’s Junior School, Farnborough Grange Infants and, today, Meonstoke CofE Primary. I hope you have a lot of fun with your dress-up days, your book fairs and actor visits.
How cute, then, that this morning over my breakfast, one of our three still-hibernating snails sticks its body out of its shell, its front door firmly stuck to its head like a hat, to say ‘Hi!’
If anyone else has a giant African land snail that is still fast asleep – watch out – today might be the day it decides to wake up and surprise you.
Have a fun day one and all.
Sarah
🙂
Top Ten Tips for BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words Competition
I was asked what advice I might give to a child thinking of entering a writing competition today, the day of the official BBC Radio 2 launch of its 500 Words competition. It’s one of the best writing competitions and, with over 90,000 entries last year – yes, 90,000 entries! –, its popularity shows just how much enthusiasm there is for writing out there. Wonderful!
I think if you are seriously considering putting in an entry, you will not need me to tell you that you should be reading loads in order to improve your own writing. If you enjoy writing, the chances are you are already a great and very busy reader.
So, here goes. Here are my top ten tips for helping you through your winning entry.
- Finding inspiration hard? Anniversaries are always popular. Look at what’s coming up in 2014. Is there anything you can write about that is maybe 100, 150 or 200 years old this year? It might give you a great idea and it will also be topical.
- Write about something you know – it’s much easier to write a convincing piece when you can look at an object and describe it, know how an experience feels, or how a special place ‘smells’.
- Remember KISS – in other words, keep it simple. Don’t make your story idea too complicated or the reader might not understand what you are getting at.
- Research – a must I’m afraid. Go back to last year’s winning entries. Read them. Go on to read the judges’ comments. Write down why you think the winning entries actually won – a few key words will be helpful here.
- Write about an emotion. People identify with all kinds of emotions; if you have something you want to say about losing a friend for example, or being bullied and you came through it okay, an emotive piece will be something many of us will identify with. Writing your thoughts down on paper may also help you to sort out your head if you haven’t already done so.
- Re-write a fairy tale with a modern twist. This is often a popular exercise carried out in school and again is something most of us will be able to relate to. Make it edgy and modern for extra appeal.
- Look at what’s happening in the news or your local community. Something from real life could inspire you.
- Get your family, friends and teachers to read what you have written and be open to what they have to say – good and bad. Change your work if you feel you should.
- Go to the BBC Radio 2 website and download the useful tips they have for story writing, reference: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00rfvk1
- Finally, but by no means last, enjoy the piece that you write. Your enjoyment will show in your writing.
Good luck to you all.
Sarah
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