Hello and thank you for coming to my website.I’m Gilly and I’m a writer who also loves to help other aspiring writers! As well as writing my own books I run writing workshops throughout the year, in person and via Zoom.Click a button below to find out more.
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My New Book – PULL!
If you're a fan of Jilly Cooper-esque stories then you’ll wallow in the twists and twirls of my just published novel - PULL!You can read more – and buy your own signed paperback – via the button below.
Contact
To be kept up to date with my news, sign up to email updates using the email box just above 👆For enquiries about creative writing courses, ‘live’ or by Zoom, send me a message using the form below 👇
Books
My new book – PULL!If you're a fan of Jilly Cooper-esque stories then you’ll wallow in the twists and twirls of my just published novel - PULL!The book is available from Words&Wonder booksellers at Downham Market, or directly from me using the Order button below.Three friendly couples are linked by one absorbing hobby, but winds of change are threatening to disturb the comfortable climate of sporting bonhomie. A furtive liaison between top gun Charles and his shooting partner’s wife sends passions spiralling, a husband struggling to unravel family wrangles, and a wife bewildered by everything in between.
Two out of three marriages are approaching stormy intersections as the lovers fast track to who knows where and separate journeys speed between Norfolk and Kent - and the landlady at the White Swan.When stormy confrontations erupt, someone could be beaten at their own game; proof that winds of change are not confined to Norfolk.You can get your own signed paperback of PULL! for £9.99 + UK postage and packaging
If you are local to Downham and would like to collect the book to save on postage, just Contact me
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You have reached this page as you have been provided the link by Gilly 😁Using the button below you can order your paperback copy of PULL! for £9.99 with no postage charge.Gilly will provide collection details after your purchase is complete.
Workshops
New workshop, February 2025
Something to get your teeth into after all that indulgence over the Festive Season, and it’s not fattening.Are you wondering where your creativity is heading?Are you sweeping your own, familiar writing style of 2024 into 2025?Are are you twirling towards different writerly concepts or themes?Seize this opportunity to take a fresh look at how you really feel about your writing.Join our Creative Writing Workshop at:
Discover Downham Heritage Centre on:
Saturday 1st February from 2pm until 5pm.The session includes a break and refreshments and is only £20.To find out more details and to sign up please Contact Me.
Online Sessions via Zoom
Have you thought about widening your contacts, sharing your writing and discussing your work - by making use of Zoom?I have two kinds of online sessions using Zoom:Writers Aloud
A country-wide, online group with Zoom Sessions at four-weekly intervals; two hours on a Saturday afternoon.The sessions are followed by a one-hour Writers' Workshop with a specific literary theme.For the two-hour Session it’s £2 to Zoom in; and £5 when you attend both Session and Workshop.West Norfolk Writers
This group meets locally, and we also have a Zoom session around every five weeks.Two hours on a Friday morning for the princely sum of £2.Zoom initially paved essential techie steps in a changed world, enabling like-minded writerly folk to continue conversing, reading, developing writing skills, and to ‘share’ written pieces with the group – cutting out the need for paper copies.Online sessions can still play a big part in keeping writers actively in touch, and through a safe space; and particularly when it’s simply more convenient to join in from your own home.These Zoom events are for all writers, whether you are experienced or you’re starting up. And because writing can often be a solitary experience, we are all there to encourage one another – and ourselves too!Interested in West Norfolk Writers, or Writers Aloud on Zoom? Contact me
Discover Downham workshops, July 2024
At the Heritage Centre, Discover Downham, our July 2024 Three Creative Writing Workshops leapt into action, commencing with an investigation into Liminal Space, a powerful tool for writers.Liminal space is likened to transition, existing or non-existing between other things; perhaps the moment between sleeping and waking. It might embrace the tension between now and the next big thing, or even the boredom of waiting. Liminal space makes up part or even the whole of an action.When we watched the opening scene from the 1940’s film Brief Encounter, set almost entirely in a railway station, we observed classic liminal space occupying the evocative, sometimes ethereal interval where time seems to function differently. The group’s pieces on this compelling theme emulated a black & white film, a life made up of seconds, a fall; and a meander through IKEA - liminal space in its own, bizarre right.
Our Second Workshop concentrated on writing Crime and Thriller and before turning our attentions to devising the all-important structure of the story, our group huddled furtively to plan a perfect early 20th Century English country house murder. Dinner parties, family malcontent, disappearing silver, jewels, valuable parchments; the plots quickly thickened.We looked at detectives, amateur or professional; do they have a personality flaw, a messy private life, or are they the perfect Miss Marples?We envisaged villains who might not be what they seem. We composed villainous plots; devised dialogue, and mused on ‘ropey’ clues.We investigated the need for research and the necessity of getting the detail right, within the complex genre of historical crime fiction. And then produced ideas for Plots!
Our Third Workshop: Writing for Children, carried a warning - it’s not an easy option. First decision – who exactly are you writing for? We began by composing topics for tinies; stories about pirates, a little girl’s special chair, a family bereavement, school clothes, and George winning his race, to that first school experience.Thinking about a child’s imaginary friend evoked delightful imagery and memorable names - we certainly won’t forget Sea Dolly.And we didn’t forget Young Adult fiction either, as the stories emerged featuring youthful protagonists turned entrepreneurs, determined to help their struggling parents.
Choosing an age group and a character, and writing a story of misunderstandings, again produced thoughtful themes.Magical Realism – a genre for almost any age group; contemporary story-telling mixing the magical and mundane. We heard about that young girl, so small in her wheelchair, so tall on her pony. We were amused by what lurks at the bottom of the garden, is it a magical dragon, or is it real?The ideas kept coming; a stopped clock, the strange room, that magical garden... and happy discussions - as we all reluctantly said goodbye!
Testimonials
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the truly wonderful 3 session Creative Writing course I attended over the last weeks. I enjoyed it so much and really didn’t want it to stop. I really admired your teaching style, which was a happy balance between feeding us with new ideas to try, but not being too didactic that we all turned our similar responses. You nurtured us into being independent in style, whilst still gently hovering under your skilful umbrella. But the crown was the last session, where there was such evidence of what we had gained from your wisdom, but also the most moving evidence of us having the confidence of writing with our hearts. Please, please let me know if and when you run another course locally.
This was one of the best writing workshops I have attended. I enjoyed all three sessions, but found the Memoirs sessions the most involving. The sessions were low-key but well-paced with fun writing exercises throughout. Never prescriptive, but inspirational with quotes and excerpts from well-known authors, we were encouraged to think about our own life stories.
The last session was particularly moving with members of the group being able to share their stories in a safe place. The feeling of the group was that, although we started as a group of strangers, we ended as friends who didn't want the workshop to end. We left feeling that our stories deserved to be told.Once again, thank you for a wonderful afternoon.
I went home on a real ‘high’, thanks to the stimulating prompts you had given us, the camaraderie of the other participants, all of whom are lovely, and very talented people, plus, of course, your excellent course leadership.
It was obvious that everyone enjoyed the workshops as much as me and the warm welcome that Mike afforded us. The workshops - and the ideas that you and others there gave to me - have sent me down some new avenues with my snapshot writing and encouraged me to make contact with an older cousin in order to try to find out more about my paternal grandparents who were in my life when I was a child, but not for long. I made a note of all that you had to teach us, using shorthand so as not to miss anything. Coupled with your handouts they will be part of my toolkit.
Gilly was wonderful. She was kind, patient and encouraging. She provided a wealth of ideas and material. This was my first creative writing course and I loved it. Gilly never stopped inspiring me to become a writer. I have taken away so much. This was a lovely group of members who have become friends.
Since the Covid pandemic started I've hardly written anything, not hardly attended our Zoom meetings, apart from helping to set them up at the start, but the way this was organised, I had the incentive to take part in all of the exercises during the two hour sessions.
A really good introduction to the subject and a great way to meet people on-line who have a shared interest.
The leader was excellent, the course was very relevant, the other participants were friendly and encouraging
A great course really well structured, took account of the varying levels of knowledge and ability.
Thank you for a stimulating and lively course.
It was a great pleasure that I was a part of the writers’ group which I was looking for for so long. Thank you very much you provided me such a great chance to be a part.
I was very excited (my heart beat fast) when you told me to read my writing. Although, I thought I won’t get a chance. I am so glad that you included me. You are so amazing. I admire you so much. Last few weeks have been very productive and boosting for me.
Thanks for everything, Gilly.
I knew I could write for newspapers etc. It was good to have the chance to try something more creative.
Thank you for an inspiring course. It has whetted my appetite for writing again. Shame it is over. But thank you and well done.
Thank you so much for such an enjoyable three weeks, I shall miss it. Each of your sessions were well thought out and gave me plenty of food for thought.
I was nervous about the Creative Writing course, due to my disabilities. Through my work I have created many reports, so I thought “I knew it all”. I found the creative writing course to be radically different from my expectations. The tutor drew from me the ability to think “outside my normal day to day box”. What I found especially helpful was the way in which the rest of the students helped me along and encouraged me to strive more, write better and be more descriptive. Overall an excellent course.
It was interesting to how well my imagination would work with no or little input. I enjoyed trying to use my imagination, and enjoyed witnessing others using theirs.
I have struggled recently to put pen to paper I often write about my life. As I have a few stories. I felt welcome, it was great to be able to get pen to paper again.
I saw that people were very enthusuastic and passionate about writing. At times it was very quiet as everyone focussed completely on their work. As I listened to others I was in awe of the talent.
About Gilly
Love of reading unfolded into my passion for writing, both contemporary and historical fiction. Earlier in the 2000s, publishing my historical novel, A Roman Smile; Waterstones and the Museum on the site of the Roman villa where my story originated, reporting copies ‘flying off the shelves’. Then collapse of my publisher and their printers, the book dormant. A different life took us over - our momentous location move - a whole decade living on a Greek island embracing all the exotic, colourful experiences that Mike and I encountered there.
Sitting at my writing work-space, I saw dramatic vistas of mountains, valleys, olive groves and the Ionian Sea through shutters that alleviated the dazzling sun. I wrote and wrote, completing four novels. I composed light-hearted articles for Greek magazines, in English, I hasten to add.Since returning to the UK, I have devoted my writerly energies into leading and tutoring creative writing courses and sessions; for the U3A, at local libraries and individual writing groups; and utilising invaluable on-line sessions during ‘lockdown’ - some of these Zooming groups are still flourishing.An invitation from NHS Borders Mental Health to facilitate courses for creative writing and mindfulness and wellbeing, leading to active involvement with inspiring and encouraging Lapidus Scotland; tucking down for writing sessions amongst the bookshelves at a wee Scottish Borders Library; positive, buoyant Creative Writing and Wellbeing courses at Galashiels Wellbeing College. And my graduation - Masters degree - Creative Writing and Wellbeing.Writing workshops are attracting more and more folk, some already writing, others with the urge to start writing; all enjoying this artistic and rewarding pastime. Writing is a lonely occupation. Sharing writerly experiences, giving and receiving positive feedback - writers groups achieve all this and much more.
News of my next novel due for publication this year:
Uncommonly Rapturous SpiritsDuring the few years’ processing and writing this novel, I have alternately enjoyed, agonised over and become increasingly attached to my Mid-Nineteenth century heroine and her battles with the double standards proprieties of the time. Presented as historical fiction with researched factual input, stimulating storylines develop into racy reads; a refreshing addition to current comparable novels.Through ‘close up and personal’ encounters with the Pre-Raphaelite artists, who have long entranced art lovers and readers, she observes their flamboyant, narcissistic behaviour and controversial relationships with women. Her determination to pursue her ambitions may all too often be waylaid through humiliation and indecision, but Bessie Turrell’s uncommonly rapturous spirit is unshakeable.
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This policy is updated from time to time. The latest version is published on this page.This website privacy policy was updated on 10 January 2024. If you have any questions about this policy, please email gillyannebec2@icloud.com.IntroductionWe gather and use certain information about individuals in order to provide products and services and to enable certain functions on this website.We also collect information to better understand how visitors use this website and to present timely, relevant information to them.What data we gatherWe may collect the following information:
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