Den of Writers | Bella | Activity https://www.denofwriters.com/members/bellam/activity/ Activity feed for Bella. Fri, 22 May 2026 14:42:02 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 3cfa11a439dabb3f68a496fbe05522b9 Bella replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-bit-poorly/#post-17715 Mon, 04 May 2026 15:28:22 +0000 Bloody Norah! (Sorry, Norah.) I have also just happened upon this. How ghastly and scary. Some aspects are all too familiar to me after a 2 week stint in hospital with evil pneumonia a couple of years ago. It’s surprising what a state we can innocently get into with no idea we are quite so ill until suddenly the ambulance has to be called. I’m…[Read more]

]]> 0 15def127160389516400d1d6a3c5af6d Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25618/#acomment-25642 Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:55:36 +0000 Thank you. This is really useful information. It’s a lot of work – hope things move along smoothly for you.

In reply to - Janette started the topic A Step Into Indie Publishing in the forum Blogs Several weeks ago, I posted that I had stopped seeking representation for my book, Grace (full title to be revealed with the book cover), […] ]]> 53bd8ab20fa77fa6cae0936b6b93c437 Bella posted an update: I have just seen a message from the daughter of Mary Walker […] https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25192/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:25:06 +0000 I have just seen a message from the daughter of Mary Walker James on the YWP page on Facebook. Mary died in October. I have a feeling she was a member here although I cannot be sure of what name she went by. Mezz, possibly? )@mezz, sorry if I have got the wrong name.

]]> 1 7008be9cdfb1de7ed24177d4c81a55a2 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/25089/#acomment-25091 Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:09:18 +0000 Good luck. Please let us know how you get on. I’d like to piggy-back on your request for tips. I am part of a group currently ready to publish a non-fiction book. We’re trying a few pitches via the traditional route just in case it lands but it’s quite likely we may end up self-publishing because we don’t want the book to languish, unpublished, for ages.

In reply to - Janette posted an update So sorry for my absences. I have made the decision to self-publish my books after careful consideration, reading how some trad friends have fared, and revisiting notes from my last […] ]]> cf03656e201e9ed783bad821808a7121 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/24490/#acomment-24523 Sat, 12 Jul 2025 14:50:33 +0000 Gosh. Small world. My father was working there at the time and my younger sister was born earlier in the year. I was 5. Luckily for us we were able to leave sharp-ish shortly before the coup. I’m sorry you got caught up in it but glad you got out.

In reply to - Jill posted an update I found it interesting, if sad that Athelstone was reminded of a Cypriot student friend by my comp. entry. What suffering that friend endured like so many Cypriots. My husband was working in […] ]]> 126296caa90c7df1795b7562ff200973 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23562/#acomment-23577 Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:04:58 +0000 That’s very kind. Thank you. In particular because the team leader is based in Canada! So if he had any pointers specific to Canada that would not be an issue for us.

In reply to - Bella posted an update Does anyone have any experience of pitching a non-fiction title to publishers or agents? I’m part of a small team (mostly North American) writing a book about Complex PTSD. We’re reaching the […] ]]> eecd497f0d246dbe5ad65d1328b7175e Bella posted an update: Does anyone have any experience of pitching a non-fiction […] https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23562/ Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:32:39 +0000 Does anyone have any experience of pitching a non-fiction title to publishers or agents? I’m part of a small team (mostly North American) writing a book about Complex PTSD. We’re reaching the stage of having a decent manuscript and would like to try pitching it even if we do end up self-publishing. But none of us really has a clue…

]]> 3 41cf6ddcc599fc04a8d58bc526227700 Bella joined the group A Different Time https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23455/ Sun, 13 Oct 2024 17:53:59 +0000 0 3209bbf31a3f78d2eb1b600d6e3162b5 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/23214/#acomment-23217 Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:27:44 +0000 I don’t remember anyone called Carol in the 80s and my younger sister did not have any friends called Carol that I know of. However, I do not associate the name with any particular generation in the way that I would, say, Mabel or Enid or Hilda.

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update I’d be grateful for some thoughts. I read a section from my WIP at a writers’ meeting and somebody commented on the name I chose for a character aged around 40. I named the character […] ]]> 3e57859159c84d8ba325435355f6701d Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/20088/#acomment-20128 Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:05:09 +0000 I had a very strong (and somewhat unexpected) emotional reaction to the death. She has always loomed large in my life as my father is an ardent royalist. I’d expected to feel a bit sad, as I did when Prince Philip died, but I burst into tears when I heard the news. We were in Scotland and very nearly passed the cortege from Balmoral to Edinburgh…[Read more]

In reply to - Squidge posted an update Dipping in to say hi… ridiculously busy at the mo with Life, so barely time to breathe, let alone write! How is everyone doing at the moment, following the Queen’s death? Whether you’re for […] ]]> ef9cd8d46f830cd10f456460fe9a8dd3 Bella replied to the topic How to reach out to a speculative fiction editor? in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/how-to-reach-out-to-a-speculative-fiction-editor/#post-12721 Wed, 31 Aug 2022 18:14:08 +0000 Admittedly the last edit I had done was via someone I have known for a while. But still, you are commissioning a job so it is up to you to tell them/ask them what you think is necessary.

I’d write along the lines of

Hey, Editor. Sort out this pile of horror for me, there’s a good fellow.

OK, OK. More along the lines of

Dear Editor

I got your…[Read more]

]]> 0 0d0d53c10924bfa2dc34461ebe115b94 Bella replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum All You Need https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/all-you-need/forum/topic/chit-chat-4/#post-12646 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:01:09 +0000 I’m just hoping the choice isn’t whether or not our town contains a Pump Room or a racecourse. Because that will be fun to unpick…  😀

]]> 0 b854b7425a232aa8624fdd44c83064f1 Bella replied to the topic Choices in the forum All You Need https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/all-you-need/forum/topic/choices-5/#post-12645 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:59:17 +0000 Cheltenham

 

No, there isn’t.

]]> 0 17492257c797cc7cdb151afa97919989 Bella joined the group All You Need https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/20008/ Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:57:13 +0000 0 f2a7cba99381e2c92376cc866541d5c5 Bella replied to the topic CAS longlist in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cas-longlist/#post-12538 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:04:35 +0000 Wow!

 

Very well done.

]]> 0 f0bdd4945c81f3dfc85b1215a84b9136 Bella replied to the topic Wildlife in the Kitchen in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/wildlife-in-the-kitchen/#post-12428 Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:57:06 +0000 <p>I’ve never seen one that big in the UK but we spent a few summers holidaying in Finland when I was a child. Coming back from the lake one day my sister and I found a huge green and gold (or maybe brown and gold, I can’t remember exactly) dragonfly lying motionless on the path. We prodded it (gently) but it didn’t move so we concluded it was…[Read more]

]]> 0 b732d405e3bb55e5930764a71823ab99 Bella replied to the topic The Future of the Den (again) in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-future-of-the-den-again/#post-12361 Sat, 02 Jul 2022 15:00:42 +0000 My participation is very sporadic, although I do actually pop in here most days and read what’s been written. I’m glad it can continue, at least for now. I would miss it if it went.

]]> 0 b38db3f0b885f5d9f444073f7a8efb7e Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19546/#acomment-19567 Sun, 12 Jun 2022 14:38:30 +0000 My friend was a scout leader at the time but not involved with the finances. He reckons he knows someone who will know and is asking. Will pass on any further info I get.

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update Den people, writers, denizens, does anybody know how much it cost in subs to be a scout (in the UK) in the early 1990s? ]]> 960e40b1667e1116c5261924628c9650 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19546/#acomment-19560 Sat, 11 Jun 2022 15:46:01 +0000 I know somebody who might know if you are still trying to find an answer. Would you like me to ask?

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update Den people, writers, denizens, does anybody know how much it cost in subs to be a scout (in the UK) in the early 1990s? ]]> 2305f9119bbe329d948fe5c427f40ad8 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19502/#acomment-19506 Sat, 28 May 2022 16:36:16 +0000 I remember Catasshe! She was great to have around.

In reply to - Daedalus started the topic New short story competition from former Cloudie in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities Some of you may remember Catherine Assheton-Stones, a Self-Edit course […] ]]> ec2754bdf9ae5953d6dee0d4275614fb Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19185/#acomment-19225 Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:56:41 +0000 Yes, I didn’t get nearly as much as I thought I would out of the one I went to. It was fabulous meeting up with everyone but everything else was a bit – just, OK, really. Of course, had the agents swooned over my work at the 1-2-1 sessions and offered immediate representation, as they were supposed to, my view may have been different. But the best…[Read more]

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update Festival of Writing is back on at York this year. Any takers? ]]> 68397318e1f760e89fe7dbeb22d7502a Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/19124/#acomment-19222 Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:28:18 +0000 Bloody hell. He was three years younger than my husband. Makes you think. RIP, Paul. Hugs, Ath.

In reply to - Athelstone started the topic I Remember in the forum Blogs I remember meeting you, in 1978. The person who introduced you said you were a good bloke. It didn’t recommend you to me. But as the evening wore on, you d […] ]]> 6e64627ee992bac4b36648a5451f1e35 Bella replied to the topic The Future of the Den - Part 2 in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-future-of-the-den-part-2/#post-11227 Thu, 25 Nov 2021 12:00:30 +0000 I’ve popped over and had a look. It all seems great and the looks is fine as far as I’m concerned.

How one goes about getting more punters is a bit of a head-scratcher.

]]> 0 199cb9a1907bf90f0fce68064599c7b0 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/18415/#acomment-18416 Wed, 03 Nov 2021 15:05:45 +0000 Sorry to hear you caught it. Did it break through jabs? Hope you recover quickly and fully x

In reply to - Daedalus posted an update Recovering from Covid. It’s no joke. Be careful out there people, the risk is real ]]> 0884587a1c63c30017796f421d5d4373 Bella replied to the topic The world, her dog, memories-dot, dot, dot. in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-world-her-dog-memories-dot-dot-dot/#post-11158 Sun, 31 Oct 2021 19:20:11 +0000 Interesting. I’ve used writing as a way to process the emotions linked to some pretty unpleasant episodes in my past. I know that a lot of therapists advise one to write a letter (never meaning to send, a la Nights in White Satin). I’ve tried that, though the letter format doesn’t work for me, whereas more of a blog style recounting does.

I’ve…[Read more]

]]> 0 414af55bf325efa141eb70b032b7dd36 Bella replied to the topic Choices in the forum Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/coming-home/forum/topic/choices-4/#post-10921 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 12:02:28 +0000 Car
Meat
Sam

]]> 0 965fa78ebceeed7c9b184fc85e3ab150 Bella joined the group Coming Home https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/18137/ Mon, 13 Sep 2021 11:56:26 +0000 0 619baa6b6d23b7fbba63ffe5253d8aaa Bella replied to the topic Beta Reading Discussion in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/beta-reading-discussion/#post-10588 Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:12:09 +0000 I also don’t beta read to any sort of checklist. I will always check first with the author what they particularly want feedback on – if they feel something might not be working, but aren’t sure, or whatever. Then I will make sure to address those issues, as well as make other comments as I think necessary.

I have quite a sharp eye from the…[Read more]

]]> 1 aa1812a9678dcb367ab966110dce6b21 Bella replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-future-of-the-den/#post-10508 Thu, 08 Jul 2021 15:34:47 +0000 Also – apologies of lack of participation. The Covid situation has totally mucked up my mojo. I’ve not written a word, stopped playing my (relatively new) sax, hardly even read a thing blah blah blah. It is what it is. I have developed an obsession with weightlifting, so haven’t been entirely idle! But I’m starting to feel the odd twinges of…[Read more]

]]> 0 93dd3f86a37532f3d7eb6bc5fa771197 Bella replied to the topic The Future of the Den in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/the-future-of-the-den/#post-10507 Thu, 08 Jul 2021 15:30:14 +0000 I’ve long thought that people would bite your arm off for a decent beta reading service.

I flung out an idea on Jericho Townhouse ages ago along the lines of: author pays £X to Jericho who assigns the MS to a selected beta reader from their pool. There is a standard rubric the beta reader must follow (timescale, topics covered, length of…[Read more]

]]> 0 3f9f0a242755751b373ef863f5ad88da Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/17362/#acomment-17363 Thu, 06 May 2021 16:35:00 +0000 Super!

In reply to - Squidge posted an update Just had a flash piece longlisted in Retreat West’s Quarterly Comp! (It’s judged anonymously, so thank you to those of you who read it and encouraged me to submit, but please don’t ID […] ]]> 52dfe2c2a912be6c176396037e3932b6 Bella replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, and Percy's Song in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/richards-musical-byways-fairport-convention-sandy-denny-and-percys-song/#post-10041 Sat, 20 Mar 2021 09:01:19 +0000 @daedalus

Well – I replied but it has not posted. Hmmph. Will try again.

There’s a little red light vessel LV18 at Harwich. They did broadcast from it a bit, I think.
https://www.radiomuseum.org/museum/gb/trinity-house-lightvessel-no.-18-harwich/.html

This wiki has quite a bit of info about ship damage. Mi Amigo seems to be the main one…[Read more]

]]> 0 d78051b881be98dc5fce6594ed9fdecc Bella replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, and Percy's Song in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/richards-musical-byways-fairport-convention-sandy-denny-and-percys-song/#post-10042 Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:59:17 +0000 @daedalus there is a small, red lightship in Harwich. Lightvessel LV18.

They did a bit of broadcasting from there.

There’s a wiki on Radio Caroline which mentions ship and storm damage. Mi Amigo is the main one

I did link to it and the LV18 info but the site here seems not to like my posts so I am trying again without.

]]> 1 8cb1e6c2756dc846baf745d7a6d2fab4 Bella replied to the topic Richard's Musical Byways: Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, and Percy's Song in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/richards-musical-byways-fairport-convention-sandy-denny-and-percys-song/#post-10034 Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:33:36 +0000 I was born a tad too late to really enjoy all of this, but your blog Brough back memories of a wonderful 3 day cruise we took in 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Radio Caroline.

They had Johnnie Walker, Emperor Rosko and Dave Cash, Georgie Fame, The Rhythm Kings (we watched both their sets all 3 nights – it was a joy), Eddie…[Read more]

]]> 0 3b0b14d8feb1e0dd3da8bbb6a6f4888f Bella replied to the topic Cover reveal for This Is Our Undoing in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/cover-reveal-for-this-is-our-undoing/#post-9956 Sat, 13 Mar 2021 18:06:16 +0000 Oh, fab. That’s gorgeous.

]]> 0 caf092893da36c30631ab53781a1dc8f Bella replied to the topic Comments from an Editor in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/comments-from-an-editor/#post-9790 Sun, 21 Feb 2021 18:03:19 +0000 I heard an interesting podcast a while ago by Sophie Hannah. She mentioned agents who reject with more than the standard brush-off. They are generally finding there is something the matter with the submission but can’t or won’t put their finger on it so instead may jump to an “obvious” criticism and give you that. Her suggestion was that you…[Read more]

]]> 0 537352f80f2107ea9207032edfd9d6ca Bella replied to the topic Good news on the lyric writing front in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/good-news-on-the-lyric-writing-front/#post-9662 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 18:05:49 +0000 Fantastic! Well done.

]]> 1 cd085dcd11b30a7d87a57e180effecef Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/15302/#acomment-15310 Wed, 09 Sep 2020 12:34:46 +0000 Brilliant! Good for you x

In reply to - Raine started the topic Cloudie short story challenge publication in the forum Podium Hi all, thought you’d be interested to know that ‘Bathymetry’, a short story which came out of a previous winter short story […] ]]> 367e370ad9d78ca54982535f734beffe Bella replied to the topic Indie publishing deal in the forum Podium https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/indie-publishing-deal/#post-8793 Wed, 02 Sep 2020 12:58:52 +0000 Wonderful news! Good for you x

]]> 0 d66e38e329679e59c06987c6952259f3 Bella replied to the topic Susie in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/susie/#post-8723 Tue, 25 Aug 2020 16:36:24 +0000 Thank you for taking us with you on that trip down Memory Lane. What a lovely story. Here’s to Susie.

]]> 0 c625b974ad686487d6a663bd6281799d Bella replied to the topic A Want of Discipline: Abergele, 1868 in the forum Blogs https://www.denofwriters.com/forums/topic/a-want-of-discipline-abergele-1868/#post-8709 Sun, 23 Aug 2020 12:38:52 +0000 Well-written and informative blog, as always. Thank you.

I love seeing Welsh words and working out how they might be pronounced. I knew how to pronounce Abergele because my grandmother, father and aunt were evacuated there during the war, and Gran used to speak of it.

Many years ago, the law firm I worked at acted for a client buying a snooker…[Read more]

]]> 0 af0250ef9508f1fff64db2a40e7b7952 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14857/#acomment-14858 Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:04:55 +0000 I think your approach is fine, though in the interest of saving words I would not bother referring to POV in the synopsis. You could mention the book is seen from multiple POVs in the covering letter, perhaps?

In reply to - JaneShuff posted an update i amtrying to write a synopsis for a novel with multiple timelines and viewpoints. I cannot write the synopsis so that each time and POV shift is noted because it will be too long. Do you […] ]]> 37bd95480efa1993ce159051a3923601 Bella replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum A place for Stupid Questoins https://www.denofwriters.com/groups/a-place-for-stupid-questoins/forum/topic/planning-vs-winging-it/#post-8541 Sat, 11 Jul 2020 10:52:41 +0000 In every case I have started with a main character, a beginning, and end and a rough idea of how to get to the end.

However, my characters have a way of bossing me around.

In one novel the guy gets the girl, but as I wrote it became clear that the girl was wrong for him and I then had to write a sequel getting him out of that fix (eventually the…[Read more]

]]> 0 01fe5202dc857e2608e861d62bcf7578 Bella joined the group A place for Stupid Questions https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14837/ Sat, 11 Jul 2020 10:43:44 +0000 0 ab1f66daf34c4c7292bc486aace940b7 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14690/#acomment-14695 Mon, 22 Jun 2020 13:05:59 +0000 Anthony Trollope comes to mind.

In reply to - Sandra posted an update “pleonasm”. As discussed by Allan Guthrie. I mentioned it on another site and a lot of people found it interesting/useful when it came to tightening writing/reducing word count. Google it – […] ]]> dc47dcd5acc1142efc8c28cb884b98d4 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14560/#acomment-14565 Sat, 06 Jun 2020 16:19:20 +0000 Brilliant news x

In reply to - Sandra posted an update Congratulations to @Philippa, who’s ‘Little white lies’ has been long-listed for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger award. ]]> daceef0a48c97f9af1dd3b3a18547df3 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14278/#acomment-14284 Sat, 02 May 2020 14:02:58 +0000 Can’t imagine you with green hair, Ath.

In reply to - Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly comp – April 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition Loved the entries this time round. Very well done Libby. Raine, great topic. Came so close to telling you about my green […] ]]> 356467d01e2058adec190af089197fc3 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14194/#acomment-14195 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:35:30 +0000 For me it works, big time. The up-front cost is way less (especially for members) so paying extra for a one to one session is not an issue as far as I am concerned. And it (presumably) keeps the headline price down for those who may not have anything to present to a one to one but simply want to learn.

In reply to - Athelstone posted an update So, the Festival of Writing will move from York to the Internet this year. […] ]]> e52bb6feb7d74b71c718cb7f62e7e9ab Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/14072/#acomment-14075 Mon, 13 Apr 2020 13:05:27 +0000 I’ve not written a cheque since October 2019. The one before that was written in April 2019. I haven’t handled cash since 31st March when the pharmacist called round with a prescription I had to pay for. Credit card points are building up nicely. Silver linings and all that.

In reply to - Barny posted an update “And pay by card, if you can” Discuss. ]]> 3f9986ec3bc02b80205259319a97b107 Bella posted a new activity comment https://www.denofwriters.com/activity/p/13929/#acomment-13930 Fri, 27 Mar 2020 18:31:00 +0000 I hope they are managing to make the most of it. My sister and brother in law were stranded in the Galapagos and it was no fun at all. They got flown to mainland Ecuador last week and should be on their way back to Canada today, all being well.

In reply to - RichardB posted an update My elder son – 40 this November – is a bit of a free spirit and so is his missus. Just before Christmas they announced that they were going to give up their jobs, sell up (not that they […] ]]>