Update

Just a quick update for you all: having sent off my redraft of the literature guide to Philip Allan I now need to complete the teacher resource pack, although I have been a bit unwell the past couple of days.

Recently, I have been to see a brilliant group called the Sax Pack who were really very good indeed. They are pretty big at the moment- in smooth jazz terms, and I was lucky enough to spot that they were coming to a local venue- so off I went! I play the saxophone myself and am in absolute awe of these guys.

Heres' a snapshot of their music:


I also went to see Beverley Craven a while ago which I really enjoyed too. I'm hoping to fit in a few more musical expeditions soon, in between everything else of course.

Top Tips for Public Speaking and Maximising Personal Impact

This is an image of a resource that I produced some time ago which is fantastic if I say so myself. It's made up of 75 slides that help guide students of any age through the art of public speaking.

The resource called Top Tips for Public Speaking: How to Give a Presentation can be found at Classroom Resources and it is well worth having a look at. I've just put a few images on here so you can see the layout but the coverage is extensive from research, planning, speech writing, delivery, practise and preparation to evaluation.





Another resource that I produced and which is available on Classroom Resources' website is another set of slides for anyone who wants to network or wants guidance for social situations. It's called Maximising Personal Impact and once again I've uploaded some images of slides so you can have a look.




The image on Classroom Resources' website is of one of the cards that accompanies this resource, so along with the 55 slides there is a set of cards which acts as reminders to help you remember how to maximise your personal impact!

Some new titles!

My new book, a GCSE literature guide for An Inspector Calls due out in May 2010 is advertising on Philip Allan's site. I love the cover!


Also some material I wrote for CGP last year now features in the new A2 English Language Guide which they published earlier this year.

Celebrations

Today I am posting about some VERY EXCITING news that I was told about last week and for which I received confirmation on Monday.

Having entered the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices Competition back in June, I was very surprised and elated to be told that I am to feature in the Undiscovered Voices anthology to be published in February 2010.

I am really honoured to have been selected, as I've been trying to get my fiction published long enough to know how difficult it is to achieve. The introduction for the anthology will be written by none other than Melvin Burgess and the book will be sent to US and UK agents and editors, which is absolutely brilliant. The last SCBWI anthology published in 2008 resulted in a number of writers being taken on by agents so I am hopeful that this may lead to some success for me - in fiction.

I am going out tonight and I fully intend to celebrate this new opening in my life, before getting back to the writing tomorrow.

Weekend jaunts

Today I'm posting about a weekend trip I made to a beautiful natural area in Surrey that I didn't even know existed until Saturday: Painshill Park. The park dates back to the 18th century and boasts a number of interesting features like a gothic tower, a ruined abbey, a Chinese bridge and more. It is definitely worth a visit if you're in that neck of the woods.

This is the Gothic Temple at Painshill Park:


The Turkish Tent:

My favourite part was the Grotto- only open at weekends - but with some beautiful crystals in it. The wood in the Grotto came from Windsor Castle after the fire there.

The Gothic Tower in the distance:


The ruined abbey:

Summer time update

I realise it has been a while since my last post so here I am once more for those of you who return to read my blog. Facebook appears to have taken over the world and my blogging is suffering as a result. However I am here to share the news. First bit of writing news is that I redrafted my Evans book on careers in retail, aimed at KS3 and KS4 students, and sent it off to the editor yesterday.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the publisher will be happy with it. Today I received in the post a package from Philip Allan outlining my next project and including the contracts for what will essentially be a GCSE student literature guide and teacher resource pack on a play.... more details later.

I thought I would also post today (rather belatedly)about a visit I made about a month ago to Blenheim Palace which was lovely. It's home to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and Churchill's ancestral home. The palace itself is really beautiful and interesting - rich in history, but the grounds and surroundings are truly picturesque.


I would highly recommend visiting this place either on your own or with your family. There really is enough to fill a whole day and the way the palace is organised means it caters well for children- it's highly interactive and could even be used as a location for a History trip. Ever the teacher!

With writing as it is, I am considering postponing my dissertation submission until next year. I don't want to rush it and not give it my full attention. I will of course weigh up the pros and cons of this, as I do with every decision that I make!

New Publications

All three Collins books that I co-wrote are out now! Look out for Aiming for Level 4, Aiming for Level 5 and Aiming for Level 6 Reading:




The books are part of a lively series aimed at KS3- teens. As their titles suggest they aim to help students move up to the next level. They are divided into chapters each dealing with a specific Assessment Focus and I'm really pleased with how the books have turned out. They offer a wide range of texts and stimulating material, in an accessible and appealing format, so do have a look for them in shops.


I'm also pleased to report that I'm just waiting to get confirmation of another educational writing commission which I'll tell you about later ... that and my MA dissertation should keep me busy for a while! Oh and of course it's the summer holidays so that is definitely something to celebrate. I'll tell you what exciting things I've been doing with my time when I next post!

What words would you ban?

I am absolutely certain there must be something I should be doing but today should is a banned word. Today is all about what I want to be doing, so.... I got up way too early for a Saturday, went to an appointment which of course I wanted to go to ;-) and then went back to bed which I REALLY wanted to do.

Now, I am going to READ- yes, that amazing leisure time experience that is so often sidelined because of all those things I should and have to do!

Then I intend to WRITE- another activity that is too often sidelined. And well then I am going out, which I want to do.

This week, Anna Perera, whom I wrote about some time ago, came to my school to talk to our students about her book Guantanamo Boy and she ran a workshop for them. I'd organised it all after being impressed by her when I met her, so I was pleased that her visit went well.

Anna spoke with passion about Guantanamo and was very informative. The students left with a greater insight into the world at large, life as a writer and of course the publishing world. I'm hoping she may have inspired one or two to go into writing or editing, which is what I want to have happened.

Now that should has been banned, I wonder what other words could be banned? I imagine there are one or two out there just waiting to be banned.

Cat talk

This will be the fastest post ever as I am both exhausted and in the middle of researching my MA assignment. I am currently reading Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, a recommendation from Anna Perera which is really very good. Whilst it is primarily aimed at aspiring and existing screen writers its advice is useful for novel writers too.

At the weekend I went to see Write me a Murder which was about amongst others a couple of writers and proved to be an entertaining couple of hours. I didn't see the end coming and the twist was cleverly executed. Yesterday I watched The Other Boleyn Girl which I enjoyed. I'm predicting a weekend of work- given my assignment commitments!

Hay ho, no rest for the wicked

This week the Hay's Literature Festival is on and there are a few events that look interesting and I would have loved to attend but I am buried under books and papers as I work on my latest MA assignment.

I ought to fill you in on my recent activities - for those frequenters of my blog...

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hearing Anna Perera speak. She is a former student of the MA course in Writing for Children at Winchester and her recent novel Guantanamo Boy deals with a hard issue, and because of this I was particularly keen to hear what she had to say. My works in progress tend to be issue based so I was drawn to her and the book. Incidentally she is speaking at the Hays Festival with Lucy Christopher and Melvin Burgess - discussing raw realism in teen fiction, and had I been going, I would certainly have attended this talk.

Instead I am reading Should we Burn Babar and various other books, whilst I draw together my assignment and prepare myself for what looks set to be a busy weekend.

Having toured Oxford last weekend and experienced an enjoyable first by watching Twenty20 cricket at Lords, I am going to the theatre and into London this coming weekend. I have to say after a week of hard work I am seriously looking forward to the weekend.

Morris Dancers and Reading

On a trip to Winchester yesterday, I saw some rather interesting looking Morris Dancers. Why they were dressed like this I do not know. Anyone who can enlighten me- please do!

I am currently reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness which is an interesting read if ever there was one.... and I am looking forward to half term. One more week to go.

Oh- and I got my author copies of the Aiming for Level 4 Reading book. It's all go in the Ensaff household, you know!

An opinion or three

Isn't the weather amazing at the moment? Loving it big time. Today I went for a long walk- I'd say about 5 miles- around Virginia Water lake, a beautiful place, and today it really was gorgeous.

I feel very healthy now - that and a wee bit tired. However, let me tell you about a fabulous production of A View from the Bridge that I saw at the weekend. It stars Ken Stott and having read and taught the play before, I really did enjoy the performance.

I am, of course, trying also to do some work towards my MA, and, recently I read I Coriander for a session. I have to say I loved the rich language of the text and the wonderful historical setting but the fairy world just wasn't my cup of tea. I thought the real world was so much more believable than the fairy world but it may well be my taste. I'm much more into realism than fantasy. However, I am open to being convinced of the wonders of fantasy and as I said I did enjoy the richness of the language.

Far be it from me to criticise a book that has been published when little old me has not managed to achieve this - in fiction at least, but as a reader, my reaction to the book was that it lacked unity; the realistic sections were engaging and well developed and the fairy sections just weren't as well executed, in my humble opinion.

Tomorrow it's back to writing and reading.... and redrafting a chapter for the Collins series.

A Clear Mind

This week I have tried to retrieve some of my former creativity which has been sapped of late. In the term time any semblance of energetic imagination seems to evaporate like early morning mist. I think it's the day to day events of life and its busyness. The waking up, going to work, meetings and report writing. That and fitting in my MA schedule (which currently occupies two evenings) and a few social events has become quite draining. I'm just not receptive to things in the way I would normally be. So to have these few weeks to re-charge and re-energise is brilliant.

To this end, I went to university earlier in the week and came back with a bag full of books. I am currently reading Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction. It's by Patrica HighSmith- writer of The Talented Mr Ripley. I find reading these sorts of books by published well known authors really helpful. I'm planning to get through a few others and some fiction in the hope that they will re-ignite my own writing. I have a bit of a problem with one of my books at the moment which is really annoying me and which I want and probably need to resolve this holiday.

As part of my efforts towards clearing my mind and re-energising, I have tidied my study. It was really messy- lots of papers everywhere that needed filing- and filed they now are! It's not as minimalist as I'd like but it is as good as it needs to be. Let the positive energy begin.

History and Me

Having spent most of this weekend buried under a pile of paperwork, I am now coming up for some air and to rather belatedly post about an exhibition I went to see last weekend at the British Museum. Some time ago I went to the wonderful Babylon exhibition which finishes this week, but last weekend I went to the exhibition about Shah Abbas - which proved to be really interesting.

I learnt many things that I did not previously know and enjoyed the spectacle of it all- the wonderful textiles, ceramics, poetry and literature as well as the history of it all. This coming weekend, I am hoping to go into London again to see the Byzantium exhibition at the Royal Academy. I've never been to the Royal Academy so I am very much looking forward to this.

SCBWI: The Greenhouse Agency

On Thursday I went to a SCBWI Professional series event, at which Sarah Davies and Julia Churchill of the Greenhouse Literary Agency spoke to attendees and answered questions. The evening was very well attended and offered some interesting insights into what this agency is looking for. The Greenhouse started just over a year ago and as Sarah Davies explained unlike other agencies it does not operate from an office. She talked about it being a children's literature agency which is transatlantic and truly international.

She offered up some interesting facts such as - 90% of the revenue for a publisher comes from 10% of its books. And in order to get published time and again it is advisable to be one of these 10%. The question of how was next addressed and for anyone who has read the wonderful Robert McKee's Story- these ideas may sound familiar: 1- unique inspired concept; 2- big stakes; 3- well drawn characters; 4- vivid setting; 5-deeply felt theme.

The Greenhouse Literary Agency is, as the name suggests, a place where writers can grow. It is also green in the sense that paper queries and submissions are not accepted. Look at the agency's website for how to approach them. Good luck with your submissions!!

MA writing, reading and leisure time

This week I started back at my MA which I really love. In this rollercoaster of life, it's what keeps me sane; I only wish I had more time and energy to do the course as well as I would like to!! This semester, I am studying Fantastic Fiction and working towards the daunting sounding Publishing Project.

On my first day back, I received my marked assignment and I was really, really happy to read that I got a ***DISTINCTION***. The piece is based on something I've been working on for some time but I am redrafting it now with the view to sending it out to publishers. I'm glad I got a good mark as it makes all the hard work worthwhile and suggests potential success in the publishing house. This next week is half term and I'm planning to do some work on a non fiction text I've been commissioned to write but also some fiction writing and of course my course reading.

At the moment I am reading Eragon by Paolini, having read Sabriel by Nix last week. I'm not a huge fan of fantasy fiction, although I enjoy ghost stories and supernatural tales. To be honest, I find all the narrative and back story in fantasy a bit heavy going. I can appreciate the skill that goes into fantasy world building but I'm just not sure it's my thing. Perhaps I will change my mind by the end of this module.

My other recent explorations have included watching Reading Rockets basketball team play against Sheffield Arrows. I really enjoyed the game and would highly recommend your going to see them - a relaxing way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Oh and if you're into war drama or historical films or films about Germany and Hitler, I quite enjoyed Valkyrie - you know the film starring Tom Cruise with an eye patch! Frost Nixon wasn't bad either although I left that film feeling a bit sorry for Nixon, which I'm not sure was a good or bad thing.

But for now, here's a picture of Reading Rockets in action! Hope it entices you to go and see them!!

My New Collins Books

I thought I would write today about the series I have been co-writing for Collins, as the books are now advertising on Collins Education website.

The books to which I contributed are the Aiming for Level X Reading series which are dedicated to improving secondary age students' performance in reading with the KS3 Assessment Foci in mind. My particular chapters are centred around Reading Assessment Focus 4 which relates to students' abilities to identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts.

This series of texts complements another Collins series built around the Assessment Foci for writing. Both are due out in April but I thought I'd give you a sneak preview of what the books look like. I'm pretty pleased with them especially as some of my students helped in the selection process for possible covers.

Distractions

Whilst I sit here contemplating my paperwork and other things I really must do, I thought I would waste some time blogging about my recent experiences.

I went to see Slumdog Millionaire the other evening and I am happy to report that it was absolutely brilliant. A very clever plot woven together with wonderful skill to produce a very satisfying whole. I highly recommend it and I can see why it won so many awards and has been nominated for Oscars.

If you like feel good films with morals which aren't in your face and you want something a bit different - go watch it. There were one or two moments that were a bit icky and I had to turn away but for the most part my eyes were glued to the screen. It certainly gave me a few ideas for my own writing!!

My other recent experience has been to watch Bracknell Bees ice hockey team. I have never been to see ice hockey before and whilst the rink wasn't sold out- the atmoshpere was good and Bracknell Bees delivered an entertaining match against the Isle of Wight players. The programme made for funny reading and as well as the game the chuck a duck and chuck a puck game that's played at the interval made it all entertaining.