Sheffield

Blossom, Birdsong and Brutalism

Posted by

0

I’m writing this with aching legs after a practice walk for the Spring Nature Walk and Writing Workshop I’m running next Saturday, on 20th April at 10am. Don’t worry though! I think I’m prone to aching more than most people and I added a few miles onto the journey by setting off from home in Walkley by foot. It was worth it for the views!

Back in that lockdown spring of 2020, I decided to get out on my days off and do some proper exploring, from my doorstop. I ignored the “one hour” rule, finding it didn’t actually exist, and it didn’t matter, as long as I was in the open air. I “invented” the sport of valley hopping! This is probably something unique to Sheffield, as we have five rivers and several tributaries all feeding into the River Don. My walks were often epic fifteen-milers, and I discovered new places and new scenery.

The walk on Saturday 20th April is a shorter, but no less scenic version of this sport! It’s slightly less than four miles and can easily be done at a leisurely pace in about two hours, leaving us with plenty of time to take photos, jot things down en-route and spend some time together writing with a coffee / cake / ice cream / chip butty towards the end of the journey. Please also bring your own water bottle, and feel free to take a few snacks to sustain you on your walk.

After walking down the very steep Rivelin Bank, the walk started properly at Malin Bridge. Next Saturday, after meeting at the Malin Bridge tram stop, we’ll be having a quick look at the Malin Bridge Inn, which was completely rebuilt after being destroyed in the Sheffield Flood of 1864, which is something that may be on our minds during this walk. We’ll cross the road to have a look at the bridge itself, where the Rivelin and Loxley rivers merge before joining the river Don lower down the valley in Hillsborough.

Rumours of Robin Hood

It’s widely believed that Robin Hood did come from the village of Loxley, the area we enter as we follow the River Loxley along a lane and passing through a former steelworks which is now a retirement complex. The path through the trees becomes lane following the river along fields until we get to a tiny hamlet called Low Matlock.

The Robin Hood Inn
A steep path – with a handrail!
Millpond on the River Loxley

Where there’s a Low Matlock, there must be a High Matlock, and that’s where we’re going! It’s a very steep path that thankfully has a handrail so you can haul yourself up. The woodland becomes almost vertical, which I always love seeing. The path was very muddy towards the top! Your journey is worth it though, as the path comes out at High Matlock, at the former Robin Hood Inn, which is now private houses. It seems that the pub was named after the famous outlaw because of Robin’s fame in this area of Sheffield.

Cherry blossoms and tower blocks

After plunging into the countryside, we are once again in suburbia, with cherry trees in blossom silhouetted against dark skies (hopefully the skies will be sunny on our actual walk!) A walk down a ginnel, gennel, jitty or whatever you want to call a narrow alleyway brings you out in a playing field in the shadow of Stannington’s 1960s tower blocks. These three towers look a bit out of place in what’s essentially a village on the edge of the Peak District, but have become an iconic part of the landscape! As a long term resident of Crookes and Walkley, I’m used to looking at them from the opposite side of the valley – it’s quite strange to see them this close. Intriguingly nearby on my map, it says “remains of tower” – a church tower, or maybe something from the days when this was Robin Hood’s forest? Maybe we will find out next Saturday, but it was a bit soggy so I didn’t stop to investigate.

Popping out through a rather foreboding underpass which also seems like it doesn’t quite belong in the landscape, the 1960s housing estate continues, but on a much more human scale. Small houses with quirky individual gardens and communal washing lines perch on the edge of the hillside. This section of the walk is best seen this time of year though – the cherry blossom is gorgeous. Walking downhill, the view of the Rivelin Valley opens up with the former Bell Hag Inn appearing like a centuries-old tower block because of the way it’s built into the hillside.

Cherry blossom in Stannington
Stannington’s tower blocks
Communal washing lines

Return to Rivelin

Emerging from the cherry trees, it starts to feel more like the countryside. There’s an old chapel and a quarry in a woodland. A steep cobbled path runs downhill past the chapel (now a house with a nosy cat looking out of the window). Thankfully this path is not slippery and I realised that it must be the path that the workers at the grinding wheels (small water-powered cutlery factories) must have taken too and from work every day. It’s difficult to imagine this beautiful place being a hive of industry. For everything you need to know about the Rivelin Valley, The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group’s excellent website – and the information posts and plaques dotted along the valley – really give a picture of what life here used to be like. https://rivelinvalley.org.uk/the_valley/

It was almost a surprise to descend to the road that crosses the river. I decided to take the path immediately on my left, taking me through Rivelin Glen, as I’d never followed this route before. But the main path following the river more closely might be the more sensible choice and it involved steep climbs up and down and some very muddy bits. Still, it was an adventure, and I came out at the ruins of Roscoe Mill This was when a lady in running gear shouted ‘Look! Look!’ at me and pointed towards the hillside. For a split second, I was worried that a terrible accident had happened, then I saw two deer running up the hillside. I could see them clearly, especially their white tails bobbing up and down through the trees. I think they were roe deer It was a magical moment and both me and the jogger looked on in amazement. She said that in over thirty years of coming to the Rivelin Valley, she’d never seen deer here before. And neither had I – but you never know what you might see. The Rivelin always has a kind of enchanted atmosphere about it for me, always leading to new discoveries.

Then it was a gentle walk, past Rivelin Valley’s very own throne sitting in the middle of the river and to the cafe. On Saturday 20th April, we’ll spend some time outside or inside the cafe, depending on the weather, to do some writing, and sharing what we have written or have been thinking about.

The Bridge at Roscoe Mill
Tree eroding the river bank
Someone’s found lots of pottery shards by the old stepping stones, which have been dislodged by flooding.
This stone was at the end of a steep section of path. Ancient health and safety to stop people from falling down the hill?
Random artificial flowers in a dead tree
Another steep path!
Path down to Rivelin

The final section of the path down to Malin Bridge tram stop again sadly doesn’t include the stepping stones downstream from the cafe – they have been partly washed away! This must have happened in the recent storms in autumn and winter. Further on from where we have walked, a whole section of the Rivelin trail has been washed away. I hope the stepping stones and path are restored soon, but it’s a stark reminder that the places we love are not there forever unless we respect them.

Passing the fire station on the opposite river bank, Mousehole Forge once produced anvils that were exported all over the world, most famously to the wild west of the USA back in the 19th century. Some of the mill buildings and the mill house are still standing, and amongst a ruined building, you can see th beams of a huge drop hammer. It’s a Scheduled Ancient Monument, but if you peer through the wrought iron gates too, a very barky dog appears!

As we emerge onto the road again at Malin Bridge, take a look at the carved stone wall outside Lidl, commemorating the Great Sheffield Flood.

Thanks for coming with me for a virtual walk! Please come with me in real life next week. Crossed fingers, the sun will shine, but whatever the weather, we’ll have a creative adventure – who knows where that will take us in our imaginations! Book your place on the Nature Writing Walk and Workshop here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spring-nature-writing-workshop-and-walk-registration-844643470357?aff=oddtdtcreator

I hope you are here next week with me, having a micro adventure!

Over to you! Work with me in 2023.

Posted by

0

After a very busy start to 2023, I am now ready to take on new clients to my writing business. Do you have a project you would like me to work on with you?

I would like to show you some of my favourite recent writing projects and tell you more about the work I did on them, showcasing my skills, and my interests on the way, as well as giving you a taste of life as a freelance editor.

From the start of my business in 2013 (look out for 10th business anniversary celebrations at the start of May), I have enjoyed working with local authors from Sheffield and South Yorkshire. My first major client was the late Labour MP Joe Ashton, which led to a close working relationship working on his memoir, and fascinating adventures, such as helping him to organise a reunion of Sheffield Blitz survivors. https://wildrosemarywritingservices.co.uk/2013/12/16/attercliffe-blitz-survivors-still-fighting/

At that meeting, I met Joan Lee, a retired pub landlady, who asked me to edit and publish her own memoir, Behind Bars, which I typed up from a hand-written manuscript! It’s a fantastic read, especially if you are interested in social history, and includes Joan’s account of the Sheffield Blitz.

One of my regular clients is now Joan’s son Mick. I’ve edited and published several books with Mick Lee now, ranging from memoir, short stories, and now his crime thriller series, the Tenerife Noir series. Mick has been a police officer, pub landlord and for the past forty years, the Managing Director of Constant Security Services, Mick has a wealth of first-hand experience, stories and knowledge that inform his writing. When Mick sends me a manuscript to work on, I know I’m going to enjoy myself and be taken on a rollercoaster ride. As far as the editing goes, I’m polishing grammar, punctuation and making sure that the descriptions and dialogue are perfectly punchy! I also spot continuity errors and anything that doesn’t quite ring true and work together with the author to iron out any mistakes.

Another novel that took me on a wild ride was Losing It by Adam Kingdon Morris. Back in 2001, I worked with Adam at a music training centre in Sheffield and it was great to catch up with him again, connecting through The Writers Workshop. I edited and formatted the book for the eBooks and for the paperback version. Losing It is a fictional version of Adam’s career managing high profile bands. This book is like a time machine to 70s student unrest, 80s London squats and life on the road with a grimy post-punk band, to the insanity of 90s raves and the drug fuelled excesses of the music industry. This book is an essential for anyone interested in music, and that’s one of the reasons that I really enjoyed working on it. But it’s not just a rockumentary. It’s a tale of a troubled character and his search for happiness or oblivion, with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas amounts of debauchery along the way.

A different sort of excess is explored in Mandy Lee’s X, Y, Z series. I’ve just finished proof reading and editing Y, the second book in the series. Mandy had already worked with an editor, so I was doing a final check (it can be useful to have several pairs of eyes working on your project), and setting the book up for publication on Kindle Direct Publishing It’s free to publish a book using Amazon’s self publishing platform, but it’s useful to have a professional editor to help you. As an indie author myself, I can make books look beautiful as paperbacks and eBooks, as well as graphic design skills to insert illustrations and create covers.

I must admit that I have never read Fifty Shades of Grey, not even when everyone else was reading it, but I really enjoy Mandy Lee’s own brand of erotica. These books are plot and character-driven and Mandy writes intriguing female characters with many facets. In particular, Y is also a thriller about a young woman on the run, afraid to reveal her true identity. I was hooked as I was working on this book. I would love to work on more romance and erotica and I enjoy the great working relationship I have with Mandy.

If you’ve read this far and think I just enjoy working on books about international drug gangs, rock ‘n’ roll managers and sexuality, there’s much more to me and my skills.

I’m proud to have edited and formatted three books for the South Yorkshire Industrial Heritage Society: Wilson’s Piece, The Butcher Works and Suffolk Works. I worked from a manuscript, photos and illustrations to put together detailed academic historical publications. I’ve always been fascinated by archaeology and would one day like to write more historical fiction, so I loved finding out more about the 19th century weaving industry and how the cutlery trade built Sheffield while working on these books. To put these books together, I used a graphic design programme to lay out photographs, diagrams and illustrations, balanced with the text, adding captions and footnotes. These books really appealed to my love of making something look right on the page to enhance the reading experience.

So, no matter what you are writing, please get in touch with me to talk through the options. Start by reading my What I Can Do for You page, which includes my contact details. I look forward to hearing from you.

A Poetry Masterclass with Liv Torc

Posted by

0

I’m really excited about the poetry masterclass with Liv Torc later this month, on Sunday 27th November. This will be a fantastic opportunity to work with an inspiring poet, who will bring joy into your heart, who is very much part of my own writing “journey”.

To book your tickets, click here! Liv Torc: an evening workshop with a Hot Poet! Tickets, Sun 27 Nov 2022 at 19:30 | Eventbrite

Liv Torc Performing poems from her latest book, The Human Emergency.

I first came across Liv on a festival spoken word stage, performing her wonderfully cosy, laugh-out-loud poem about her family’s bed. Here’s a link to that poem, so you can see Liv in action (54) Liv Torc – The Family Bed – YouTube 

It was probably at the Hip Yak poetry stage at WOMAD, in 2018, taking a moment to sit in the shade of the arboretum to listen to poetry in between the music. Or perhaps at the poetry stage at Shambala festival, the Phantom Laundry, where some of the best poets and spoken word performers in the country have performed.

As a writer, I’ve always loved poetry, but as I was grounded in fiction and the challenges of writing novels, I always thought that poetry had to be about something grand. A poem about something as ordinary as a bed was something that really stuck with me. Just turning up, sitting down and listening to live poetry really influenced my poetry journey and inspired me to give poetry writing a go!

Then the Covid 19 pandemic struck and lockdown happened. Two major things also happened to keep me writing poetry. The first was our own Beverley Ward’s Keep Calm and Carry on Writing Facebook page, which she set up at the start of lockdown in 2020, providing people with a daily writing prompt. The daily discipline of writing something – anything – every day, helped to keep me sane that strange spring and summer! The second thing was the wonderful ZOOM poetry events, Yes We Cant, run by the Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists collective, which I discovered through following Emma Purshouse, a poet I’d first seen live at the Shambala festival poetry slam.

Yes We Cant is still running on Zoom on the first Sunday of every month, and on Sunday 6th November, the headline poet has strong links with Sheffield, Jonathan Kinsman.

Liv Torc was the headline poet at one of the first Yes We Cant nights I attended and she completely entranced me. For starters, every school day, Liv writes poems on bananas for her children’s lunchboxes! This has inspired a banana poem revolution. Banana Poems – Liv Torc . During lockdown, Liv coordinated the Haiflu project, using poetry (haiku of course!), music, photography and film to tell the story of the Covid 19 pandemic as it was happening.

I was also inspired by Liv Torc’s writing about climate change, especially as part of Hot Poets, an Arts Council funded project that brings poets together with partners working on solutions to climate change, for example, the RSPB and Forest Schools. The Hot Poets performed at COP 26 in Glasgow and they are also heading to COP 27 in Egypt to perform their vision of a better future.

This year, at the first WOMAD festival for three years, I virtually lived at the Hip Yak Poetry Shack, which Liv Torc produces and co-hosts. I got to hear some of the Hot Poets poems performed live, and I even entered the WOMAD poetry slam, which was very exciting. I even went to see poets perform under a giant model of the moon suspended in a woodland clearing.

I’m really excited (as you might be able to tell) about bringing Liv Torc to the Writers Workshop, albeit virtually, as she is based in Somerset with a young family (the recipients of those banana poems!). But that means that you can also participate from anywhere in the world. Hopefully Liv’s workshop will inspire you to write about your bed, on bananas, to document the world around you through words, and change the world for the better!

Here’s more information about all the events coming up at the Writers Workshop! Events — The Writers Workshop

The Hip Yak Poetry Shack, WOMAD, 2022

My Website Revamp – What took me so long?

Posted by

1

This week, I have updated my website, and for the first time in nine years, treated myself to a proper domain name: wildrosemarywritingservices.co.uk

I set up my own business in 2013, so what took me so long? A lot of things: finding my feet, finding my confidence, losing my confidence, and then finding it again. Finding my own voice. Battling imposter syndrome, dealing with a busy workload, the Covid-19 pandemic, part-time work and other commitments.

What finally convinced me to commit to my own writing career? Joining The Writers Workshop as an associate member, a network of amazing writers in all stages of their careers, and finding out that I do have my own niche as a self-employed writing professional, guiding authors through the maze of independent publishing.

Writers are often plagued by insecurities – I know I’m not alone with this confession, but when we believe in ourselves, and commit to ourselves, it feels good. Giving yourself time to write, instead of spreading yourself too thin, is essential for a writer’s wellbeing. And only by sitting down to write will your true voice come through. And always remember that a first draft of any piece of writing is better than a blank page or empty computer screen. It can always be improved by the editing process and once you’ve started, it will spark new ideas that you would never have had otherwise. It’s just a case of making that first step or that leap of faith, just like finally investing in my own domain name and having faith in my own abilities.

Being part of a community of writers makes a huge difference, rather than writing alone. Sometimes, even supportive, constructive feedback can seem harsh, but it can set the imagination working to improve your writing. Sometimes a piece of writing needs time to breathe before it emerges into its final state. The Sheffield Novelists group has been giving me rock-solid support since it started, an unbelievable thirteen years ago, and has given me the confidence to publish two novels – and hopefully a third novel will be out before too long.

My confidence in my poetry skills has also been growing, thanks to the west-midlands poetry collective, Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists. The pandemic has enabled people from across the country and even the world, to take part in their spoken word nights, now held online, poetry courses and I now feel that I have a writing community. Arising from that, I’m kick-starting an online poetry group that came out of a PPP poetry course, and it will be starting at 7.30pm on Thursday 1st September, so if you are interested in joining it, please get in touch with me for more details.

Times are about to get tough, but the world still needs people to express themselves through words. The world will always need art and creativity, so why not commit to yourself and your writing, tell your story, write your words and tell your truth.

I feel so much better already for committing to myself.

Put yourself forward with the confidence you deserve! Photo copyright Nelly Naylor Photography.

Introduction to Nature Writing Workshop

Posted by

3

Hi! I’m leading an Introduction to Nature Writing Workshop on Saturday 23rd April from 10am – 12pm.

The details are here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-nature-writing-tickets-302558760397

Whatever you write, this is your chance to get inspired by the natural world.

About this event

Join me in the beautiful Rivelin Valley for a treasure hunt with a difference – you’ll be searching for the words to describe the wonder of nature and your relationship with it, using all of your senses and learning how to incorporate the natural world into your writing. We will be taking a walk up the valley, which is a haven for wildlife and industrial archaeology, stopping a few times to write and explore, before heading back to the Rivelin Valley Cafe for a drink, a sit down and a writing exercise to finish off the morning with a flourish! Suitable for adults and older children and teenagers with an interest in writing! The walk will be fairly easy-going but will not be suitable for wheelchair users in some places. For more information about the Rivelin Valley, follow this link: https://rivelinvalley.org.uk/ More information about the Rivelin Park Cafe: https://www.facebook.com/Rivelin-Park-Cafe-724084727634545/

Meet outside the Rivelin Park Cafe for a 10am start!

To find out more about The Writers Workshop and becoming a member, click here: https://www.thewritersworkshop.co.uk/

I’m Anne Grange, a local writer who loves nature. I’m often found walking, taking photos, watching wildlife and even swimming outdoors!

My novels are always inspired by the natural world, and issues such as climate change. I would also describe myself as a nature poet, inspired by post-industrial landscapes and the “unofficial Countryside” as well as the breathtaking vistas of the Peak District. The Rivelin Valley is both of these things!

The beautiful willow tree outside Rivelin Park Cafe, coming into leaf yesterday.

Published in 2016 – The Girl With the Emerald Brooch by Jacqueline Creek

Posted by

0

2016 has been a busy year so far and I’ve been helping lots of authors reach their dreams of publication.

The Girl With the Emerald Brooch has been one of my biggest success stories to date. I first met Jacqueline Creek at a memoir writing workshop I ran in October 2013, as part of Sheffield’s Off the Shelf literary festival.

I asked participants to bring along an item of sentimental value to write about. Jacqueline brought along the brooch, a very small but significant object. The short but moving piece she wrote became the starting point of her memoir – and there will be several more volumes about Jacqueline’s exciting life to come.

Growing up in the working class community of Owlerton, Jacqueline looks after her ailing family and becomes a rebellious, rock ‘n’ roll loving teenager. Blossoming into a beautiful young woman, she faces the challenges of growing up and finding her own path in life.

This book is more than just a memoir. Jacqueline vividly brings the Sheffield of the 1950s and early 60s to life. She conjours up a long-lost world: Tanfield Road, where she grew up, has now been demolished and replaced by motor garages. I can’t drive down Penistone Road now without thinking about the people who once lived here.

After the book was self-published on Amazon, The Girl With the Emerald Brooch was published by J R Nicholls. The book is available on Amazon, in both paperback and e-book  formats.

The Girl with the Emerald Brooch. I can’t wait to start work on the sequel!

book-cover-photo

 

Rivelin Story Walk- Saturday 18th October – part of Off the Shelf

Posted by

0

Come to the Rivelin Story Walk and explore a magical valley!

Come to the Rivelin Story Walk and explore a magical valley!

As part of Sheffield’s Off the Shelf festival of words, I’m excited to be leading an event – a story walk through the magical Rivelin Valley for children and adults.

Explore the Rivelin Valley and follow a trail of fairy hide-outs, goblin thrones, troll bridges and fast-flowing water.

Use your imagination and write amazing stories about your adventures afterwards in the cafe. 

Meet at 11am at the Rivelin Park cafe in the Rivelin Park, S6 5GE. Free parking is available nearby. We will return to the cafe after the walk for a drink and a snack.

To book a place, call me on 07815966784.

The walk is suitable for children aged 6-12. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: £3 adults / £2 children, including a drink and a cake. Hot and cold food is available at the cafe.

Please come dressed for the great outdoors and bring notebooks, cameras, and bags for collecting treasure on the way.

What’s Your Story? A new memoir writing course, starting on 28th April 2014

Posted by

0

What’s your story? An introduction to memoir writing.

Memoir Writing Course at Gladys Buxton Dronfield

 I’m excited to be running a new memoir writing course – this time, it’s in my guise as a Derbyshire Adult Education tutor.

The course will run on Monday evenings for 5 weeks, from 6.30-8.30pm at the beautiful Gladys Buxton Centre in Dronfield, S18 2EJ (it’s just over the border in Derbyshire, but very close to Sheffield.) The course runs for five weeks, with a break on the Bank Holiday Monday 26th May, to give you more opportunity to do some writing!

If you’ve always fancied writing a memoir, but aren’t sure how to get started, this course is for you. I’ll take you through from exploring memories using creative techniques, structuring and planning your memoir, bringing memories alive through dialogue and description, exploring alternative formats such as blogging or poetry, and looking at successful memoirs and autobiographies such as Jennifer Worth’s ‘Call the Midwife’. What makes them so vivid and compelling?

The course will also be a great opportunity to share experiences and the mutual support of other writers. The course is suitable for anyone from any background, young or old! You just need to want to tell your story.

Contact me for more information about the course via email or on 07815966784, or call the Gladys Buxton Centre on 01246 413631 to book a place.

Introducing the Wild Rosemary Gift Package – the gift of memory

Posted by

0

It’s easy to let life rush by, until you find that it’s too late for the things that really matter. Like capturing the memories of a loved one – the stories and the details that make us who we are. I’m launching a gift service to make it easier for you to keep your family stories forever.

This Christmas, it will be twelve years since my grandfather (Arthur – we called him Gardan) died. Starting Wild Rosemary Writing Services has made me think more about my grandparents, and the important of knowing our family stories. I’ve only got a few fragments of my grandfather talking about his life, a very precious present from my Aunty Marion! But it’s frustrating only having a few stories. Gardan was full of them. He was a born comedian, and his anecdotes and jokes entertained us for hours. To admit I needed to record him would have been acknowledging that he was getting older and more frail; more lonely without my grandmother. Memories fade. And how many people have photographs of the moment they fell in love?

Thanks to my cousin Chris making some transcripts of interviews with Gardan when he was at school, I would otherwise never have known that my grandparents met when Arthur and his mates decided to gate-crash a clothing factory’s dance in 1937. The lads saw a poster outside and realised that a popular band-leader was playing. Seventeen-year-old Arthur was the only young man who could dance. That’s how he met a dark-haired girl, dressed in a velvet frock. She’d probably made it herself. Imagine, if Arthur had gone to a different dance, or if Pat had danced with someone else? Three generations of our family would never have existed.

I wish I knew more about the fun-loving young man my grandfather was. From the transcripts, I know that he was almost a motor mechanic, rather than a plasterer. In World War Two, he wasn’t fit for the Armed Forces, due to imperfect hearing and flat feet, but he did essential work, repairing bomb damage and building army bases. The American Forces brought shared their luxurious food rations with the builders – pork steak and “biscuits” – and nicknamed Arthur “Red” due to the colour of his hair. He once smuggled two American soldiers out of a Lincolnshire base on a bus, disguised as builders, so that they could dance the night away in the Palais nightclub in Nottingham.

And I know where I get my habit of becoming totally absorbed in a book or a film from. Arthur was in Sheffield (I wish I knew where), repairing bomb damage after the blitz. He went to the cinema, but was concentrating so much on the film that he didn’t notice the air-raid siren until the cinema had completely emptied and he was sitting on the balcony alone. He ran out onto the deserted streets…

I’d like to help you to capture the moments that shaped your family. I’ve created a gift package, which includes:

  • A 3-hour informal interview with your loved one. Why not invite family members to make it more of an occasion? This could be conducted in person or via the phone, or Skype.
  • An edited transcript of the interview, with photographs.
  • Quality printing and binding, and the transcript will also be provided electronically.
  • Prices start at £300 for the full service.
  • Gift cards available if the service is being purchased as a present.
  • Bespoke binding and printing also available – just ask for more details.

Contact Anne Grange on 07815966784 or email: anne.grange77@googlemail.com for more details.

Remember your loved ones' dancing days forever...

Remember your loved ones’ dancing days forever…

Welcome to Wild Rosemary Writing Services!

Posted by

1

Hello!

I’m Anne Grange. I’m a writer based in Sheffield.

Wild Rosemary is my writing business. I’m specialising in helping people to write memoirs and biographies.

I thought carefully about my business name. As a herb, Rosemary is said to improve the memory. It symbolises remembrance and in Hamlet, Ophelia says “there’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance”. I thought it was very apt, with a literary ring to it! My middle name is Rosemary too. It’s time my name came in useful.

The “Wild” part is because I’m now freelance. And who doesn’t like a bit of wildness, whether it’s re-living crazy, carefree days, a day spent in the countryside? Today has been quite wild:  a spring day today with the leaves and flowers finally coming to life in the bright sunshine; ungainly bumble bees bumping into people. Then the wind would gust and the sky would turn dark grey. But the sun won the fight in the end.

Find out more about the Memory Box Memoir Writing taster courses I’m teaching on Thursday 23rd and 30th May at the Quaker Meeting House in Sheffield. The courses will help you to tell your story, no matter what stage you’re at or how confident you are with writing. Click on the News and Events page for more details.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Lots of love,

Anne xxx

It's Spring! Time to start writing!

It’s Spring! Time to start writing!