All Blog Posts Tagged 'speaking' (22)

Pauline Rowson entertains the audience of Ringwood U3A with tales of crime

On Thursday 19 June I had the pleasure of speaking to members of a very friendly and welcoming U3a at Ringwood. Ringwood is an historic market town in Hampshire (England) located on the River Avon, on the western edge of the New Forest. It’s situated between Southampton and Bournemouth.

Apparently Ringwood had a long history of a thriving hand knitting industry. (I knew I should have taken my knitting). It became famous for its "Ringwood" woollen gloves, which were knitted in…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on June 26, 2014 at 2:08am — No Comments

Pauline Rowson entertains the audience at Bognor Regis with the exploits of her fictional DI, the flawed and rugged Andy Horton

Had a great time talking to the audience at Bognor Regis Library on 20 May. They were a lovely friendly group of people and I was delighted to meet many die hard DI Andy Horton fans.

If you haven’t tried the DI Andy Horton novels yet, there are currently eleven in the Horton series, with the latest,…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on May 23, 2014 at 9:29pm — No Comments

What's on in March - win a copy of DI Andy Horton, Death Lies Beneath, talks and writing

This week there is the chance to win a copy of DI Andy Horton number eight, Death Lies Beneath, which is being offered on the Crime Readers Association (CRA)…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on March 3, 2014 at 7:59pm — No Comments

What's on in February - DI Andy Horton (8), Death Lies Beneath published in paperback and audio book, talks and writing

February sees the publication in paperback of Death Lies Beneath,the eighth in the series of British Police Procedural crime novels featuring the flawed and rugged detective, DI Andy Horton. It has also be released as an unabridged audio…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on February 3, 2014 at 10:53pm — No Comments

Book news and events for August and DI Horton goes on the London Underground

August is traditionally a quieter month in terms of speaking engagements for me so it is a chance to get down to some hard graft on the writing front. I'm running a little behind with the next DI Andy Horton, which will be number eleven in the series, but I am confident that I will make up time in August.

I also have two speaking engagements in August and am delighted to be giving a talk…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on August 2, 2013 at 8:09pm — No Comments

Pauline Rowson speaking to the Hamble Valley U3A about murder, mystery and mayhem

Over a hundred people turned out on a hot July afternoon to listen to me talking about murder, mystery and mayhem. I was honoured and delighted to entertain Hamble Valley U3A with a talk about crime writing and my crime novels.

The audience were very friendly and it was good to meet some DI Andy Horton fans and introduce my crime novels to some new readers.

U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on July 12, 2013 at 9:44pm — No Comments

First speaking engagement for 2013 a great succcess, looking forward to packed year of talks ahead

I had a great time speaking to the lovely members of the Holbury and Fawley U3A on Tuesday 26 February. They made me very welcome and were a superb audience. I talked about how I write my DI Andy Horton marine mystery crime novels and my thrillers.

I'm pleased to say that I will be…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on February 27, 2013 at 9:16pm — No Comments

Crime author Pauline Rowson talks about her writing routine

'm often asked about my writing routine. Do I have one and if so what is it? How much time do I spend when writing?

Unless I am away from home on a speaking engagement, I write every day, usually for about three to four hours a day but this varies depending on the stage of the novel and whether I need to break off to conduct some research. Sometimes for days on end if the flow is going or I am nearing the end of the novel I can spend eight hours writing, not good for the back and if…

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Added by Pauline Rowson on September 3, 2012 at 8:09pm — No Comments

The cadences of language

My personal preference in writing is to hear conversation which sounds real, even if that's not the way that most people actually speak. It also matters to speak without barriers, focusing your character regardless of who they might be (skin color as opposed to yours).

In his essay "Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing" he says: "My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I… Continue

Added by Troy Kirby on April 21, 2011 at 4:30am — No Comments

Peg's Blog Crawl

You've heard of a pub crawl. Well, this is the same except it's not.

Same: You "crawl" from one place to another with a lot of other people and read my guest posts.

Different: It's virtual: no taxis, no traffic, no crowded rooms.

Same: You "travel" with like-minded people who are out for a good time.

Different: You'll never see them face-to-face.

Same: You meet new people, visit new places, and enjoy the trip.

Different: No hangover at the end.

Peg's Blog Crawl…

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Added by Peg Herring on January 31, 2011 at 6:00am — 1 Comment

Local News on the Eightball

I know I pick on them, but jeez! I used to be a speech teacher, and I wonder what happened to all those speech classes that one assumes newspeople must take.

A few hints:

Read/scan your copy ahead of time. If you don't know how to pronounce something, ask somebody and then write it phonetically. Giving the audience multiple choice versions is not cool.

Keep your lame attempts at humor to yourself. You're only revealing what we already suspected: that weathermen are…

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Added by Peg Herring on June 28, 2010 at 9:29pm — No Comments

As Frank Would Say, "That's Life"

The week has been bad on the front lines of Personal Life. But last night I spoke at a small library to a small crowd of the nicest, most involved readers I've met in a while. It was a mixed audience: some aspiring writers, some mystery lovers, a writing teacher, and a couple of ladies who spoke mostly Polish but smiled a lot and loved the fact that they each won a book to take home with them. The group was lively and the questions were intelligent. Suddenly I'm pretty…

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Added by Peg Herring on June 17, 2010 at 8:36pm — No Comments

Thoughts on Speaking and Listening (R)

Here's what I observed over thirty years of teaching communication. It's important for today's author to be a good speaker, because we must present well before agents, editors, and audiences of potential readers. While I would hate to think we compete with each other, we are compared to other writers as we sit on panels, in pitch sessions, and so on. Many times I've bought books based on the impression a speaker made on me at a convention. Nevada Barr springs to mind; she has such a presence on… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on January 6, 2010 at 10:23pm — No Comments

Author-Speaker-Slash-Chameleon

I had a friend in teaching who claimed that she only found contentment when she took on adaptability as her mantra. As teachers we make a plan, but human institutions never completely conform, so that plan has to change. Once she accepted that, she could relax a bit when things didn't go the way she'd mapped them out.

I'm finding that trait worthwhile as a speaker as well. I have a dozen topics that I have outlined, practiced, and presented enough times that they're polished, but… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on December 10, 2009 at 11:08pm — No Comments

I'm Puttin' on My Top Hat...Sorta

Fred Astaire aside, I've scheduled a library talk tonight, so I've been doing all that silly stuff we do before presenting ourselves to strangers. Not sure why it matters if my nails are polished, but it makes me feel like I have done my part. The thing is, one never knows if it's going to be worth all the effort. I pack three tote bags with handouts, giveaways, book I hope to sell, etc., and then drive whatever distance I must. And sometimes nobody shows up. Sometimes three people. Sometimes… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on October 6, 2009 at 10:30pm — 1 Comment

Getting the Word Out (R)

This week I'm out doing library talks, and that means getting those ducks in a row. Do I have enough cards, books, handouts, and such? How will I look after a long drive on a hot day? And worst of all, will anyone care enough to show up?

Second-time authors aren't exactly hot properties, and while libraries are usually willing to let me do my schtick, there's no guarantee patrons will show up to watch. I combat the no-name problem by approaching with a theme rather than just "Come… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 22, 2009 at 8:59pm — 6 Comments

Back to the Good Stuff

We're back at home, hospitals have faded into the background, and I had a successful presentation last night. Those three things make me somewhat more cheerful, although it was a near miss. Here's the story.

I hurried home from that faraway hospital place, changed my clothes, packed my stuff in a bag, and headed to the location where I was scheduled to speak. I stopped to eat on the way, choosing a fine dining establishment with a three-course meal, as I always do when I'm on the… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on April 17, 2009 at 10:31pm — 1 Comment

Oh, That Feedback!

Yesterday's post was about wondering what the audience is thinking during and after I speak. Well, two answers came since then that help. A lot.

I got an email from my webpage from a listener at my latest Reading Romance talk, and a personal email from the person who arranged my latest Write, Edit, Publish Workshop. Both were positive and specific, telling me what they'd heard from participants and what their own response was as well.

That's very helpful. I'm not one for… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on October 22, 2008 at 10:43pm — No Comments

Audiences: What Are They Thinking?

As I speak to more and more groups, I find myself wondering on the way home, "What did they really think?" It's not a question one should stress over, but it is helpful to consider the audience's post-speech behavior and comments. Did they bolt for the door at the end or stand around and chat? Did the comments about the talk seem genuine or dictated by societal politeness? ("It was very nice," is damned faint praise.) And was the non-verbal feedback positive?

Non-verbal feedback… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on October 21, 2008 at 10:38pm — No Comments

If This Is Thursday, We Must Be In...Where Are We?

I wrote last week about easy jobs, and one that used to look easy to me was public speaker. On the surface, the person breezes in half an hour before her speech, checks out the sound equipment and lays out some materials, and then talks for an hour or two. Afterward she gets a nice check and goes home to count her earnings. Since I love to talk, it seemed like money for nothing, lunch for free.

It does get a little hectic, though, now that I'm doing it. Scheduling is not particularly… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on October 16, 2008 at 9:56pm — No Comments