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| SUSAN BREWER |
I just want to write!
My latest book is a novel called Birds, Beasts and Ben. It's a humorous account featuring the presenters of a television natural history show, and this is the story in a nutshell:
‘Welcome to SeasonSpot, a British wildlife programme broadcast monthly from the Ferny Fen nature reserve, somewhere in Norfolk. The show is presented by Ben, together with his colleagues Matt, Leila and the accident-prone newcomer, Adam. Also around are Harry and his daughter Sally who run a local wildlife park, notorious naturalist Max whose off-screen behaviour is in complete contrast to his public image, gift shop worker Lucy who bags a fantastic gift of her own, plus a cast of owls, deer, hedgehogs, dragonflies, stoats, puffins and many other creatures. Along the way, several owls go missing, sexy Saskia gives Ben the run-around and the presenters are stunned when SeasonSpot is threatened with closure. Add a cluster of fans, something special in the pond and a senior producer who tries desperately to control Ben and Matt’s mischievous innuendoes on the live shows, and you end up with an entertaining read. Especially when you toss the complicated love lives of the four presenters into the story.’
I wanted to write something with a natural history theme, and with so many programmes on the subject nowadays, including the excellent Springwatch and Autumnwatch, it occurred to me that maybe a book that revolved around a fictionalised television show might be fun. I certainly had fun writing it, and the characters, notably Ben, Matt, Leila, Adam, Lucy and Max, are still there in my head, so I feel there will be a follow-up in due course!
Here is an extract from Chapter One:
Adam poked his chubby finger through the bars of the cage. ‘Ouch! Little devil,’ he muttered, sucking his pecked digit as the jackdaw chacked at him. Nearby, a starling whistled mockingly.
‘Rule one,’ said Ben, as he entered the studio, ‘never stick your finger into a cage, whatever’s in there, not even a tiny shrew. Especially not a tiny shrew,’ he added reflectively, looking at the faint scar that still adorned his index finger.
Adam grabbed some cue cards and mooched off, while Ben, promptly ignoring his own advice, pushed his finger through the bars and began scratching the bird’s head. The bird closed its eyes in bliss.
It was good to be back in the studio after his fortnight’s birdlife filming in Kenya, thought Ben, and good to be meeting up with Matt and Leila again. He wondered how Adam would get on. As far as he was aware, Adam had only worked on quiz shows before, most of them to do with football, and though he seemed a nice enough bloke – and was a respected name in the world of sport – you did need a good knowledge of natural history to work on a programme such as SeasonSpot.
For instance, what Matt didn’t know about birds wasn’t worth knowing, and although only in his early thirties he’d written several books, all of which were bibles in the ornithological world. As for Leila, she’d studied all the ‘ologys’ at uni, and then promptly followed it up with a two year assignment at a wildlife park where her fun-filled visitor info talks soon led to her being noticed by Puffling Productions, a local film and tv company. They used her on their late night news bulletins, on a couple of wildlife programmes, a stint on kids’ tv and now, ten years later, she was a SeasonSpot veteran. She’ll catch me up soon, mused Ben, even though I’ve been in this game almost twice as long as she has.
Just then the door burst open and a blonde whirlwind charged across the room, grabbed hold of Ben and kissed him enthusiastically, playfully pressing her body tightly against his.
‘Missed me?’ She wriggled. ‘Oooh, yes, I can feel you have!’
‘Leila! Put me down!’
She kissed him again, and as she did so a piecing wolf whistle made them jump guiltily apart.
The starling flapped its wings and whistled once more.
‘I thought it was one of the camera guys,’ said Leila, rearranging her ponytail. ‘I suppose this is Harry’s bird? I knew starlings could mimic, but didn’t realise they could wolf whistle!’
Harry ran a nearby wildlife centre, and often brought creatures to the studio where they demonstrated their dexterity, cleverness, or, sometimes, stupidity; all part of the scheme to entertain and educate the viewers by showing the whys and wherefores of the natural world.
‘Yeah, proper copycats. Good at car alarms and phones as well. Harry’s gone out the back for a smoke. Adam’s already been pecked. He stuck his finger through the bars and the jackdaw mistook it for a giant mealworm.’
Leila laughed, ‘What’s Adam like? Will he fit in?’
‘You mean is he mental?’
‘Well, it helps to be, working here.’
‘I don’t think he’s done anything like this before, and I’m not sure whether he’s even interested in the natural world. I thought sport was his thing.’
‘I heard that he’s friendly with one of the top production women, and when Tom dropped out last month, she brought him in ‘cos he comes over well on the screen,’ said Leila. ‘And, of course, he’s quite well known in his sphere.’
‘But what makes him suitable for the job?’ asked Ben, still a bit ruffled after Leila’s attack.
‘Apparently it was clinched when she found out he had a pet bunny!’ she giggled.
Ben rolled his eyes.
Birds, Beasts and Ben is available from
www.Amazon.co.uk in both Paperback and Kindle versions.
My novel Nelly’s Knickers has already proved exceedingly popular, especially with Kindle fans. It’s another humorous read, this time concentrating on a group of extremely feisty senior citizens. The story takes place in the 1980s, before the advent of silver surfers, and even mobile phones, this tells how they grouped together to get their revenge on a group of thieving hooligans. Here is the initial description:
Set in the late 1980s, this humorous and engaging novel follows the antics of a lively group of pensioners, furious after a spate of petty thieving leaves them bereft of their treasured concrete cats, pots of plants, plaster owls, bird baths and cheeky gnomes. Deciding to take matters into their own hands they not only defeat the enemy but the confrontation becomes the talking point of the country – only to be topped by an outlandish performance from feisty Glad and her passion for Janet Reger underwear.
Along the way we meet the irrepressible Eric taking flowery revenge on the Powers-On-High in the town hall after being forced to take voluntary redundancy, Dippy Doris with a penchant for speaking a dozen words when two would suffice, Rosa with a ‘face like a crumpled pile of wet washing and a mouth like a cat’s bottom’ and posh Hermione who struggles to run the Social Club against all odds. We mustn’t, of course, forget Maisie who tries to keep her best friend Glad from being too outrageous. And last but by no means least is 86 year-old Nelly whose knickers are essential to the whole altercation.
Here is an extract from Chapter One:
‘Not again!’ said Maisie. A voluminous pair of knickers dangled limply from the window-sill of the cottage opposite. She slammed her front door and scuttled down the road past the bungalows.
Glad was in the garden of no. 31, snatching dead heads off the daffodils. ‘Blimey, gal, you’re in a lather. What’s up?’
Maisie pointed across the green. ‘It’s Nelly. Her knickers are hanging out the window again.’
Glad laughed. ‘Come on then’. She trotted briskly over the grass, Maisie at her heels. As they neared Nelly’s cottage, Glad added, ‘Bloomin’ disgusting, I call it.’
Maisie stopped, thankful of an excuse to catch her breath. ‘What d’you mean? She’s always done it.’
‘Yeah - but look at ‘em.’ Glad’s bony finger pointed scathingly at the pink, baggy bloomers nonchalantly draped from the window. ‘Puts us wrinklies to shame. Why can’t she wear pretty pants like normal people? Here, I’ve got me Janet Reger’s on today!’ She winked saucily and shimmied her curvy hips. ‘Bet even Maggie Thatcher wears these under her boring blue skirts’.
Maisie smiled, but said nothing, thinking of her plain but reliable Marks and Sparks panties. She quickly changed the subject. ‘You going to the club today? Hermione says we’re having a guest speaker.’
‘Might be worth a laugh,’ said Glad, rummaging under the gnome for the key. She rammed it into the keyhole and pushed open the door. ‘Only us, Nelly!’
‘Ta, Glad’ echoed a faint voice from upstairs.
‘Poor old bat,’ muttered Glad, sotto voice as she and Maisie climbed the stairs. ‘Bet it’s cramp again.’
Nelly lay back on the pillows, her welcoming smile revealing pink toothless gums. Her hair resembled a squashed meringue and her face was a mass of wrinkles. She scrabbled at the quilt as she attempted to heave herself off the bed. ‘Sorry to bother you, ducks. It’s me legs again. They’ve cramped something awful. Bin like it all night.’
Maisie pulled back the quilt and gently eased Nelly’s legs across the bed.
‘My old man always swore by potatoes for cramp,’ said Glad.
‘Your old man swore about everything,’ cackled Nelly, then winced as she jerked her leg by mistake,
‘Careful, luv.’ Maisie reached for Nelly’s slippers.
‘How do spuds stop cramp? I eat loads?’ Nelly asked.
‘No, you put ‘em in the bed’. Glad giggled. ‘It stopped Bert snoring, anyhow, though I don’t think it really helped his cramp. Made his bit of the bed really uncomfortable, though - Nelly, you look like a little dolly sat there in that frilly nightie. Don’t she Maisie?’
Maisie agreed. Nelly was the tiniest person she knew. Couldn’t be much over four foot she reckoned. Mind, she had the courage of a giant. She’d worked all her life, and would still be slaving if the draper’s shop she’d worked in for fifty years hadn’t closed down. As Nelly said at the time, ‘Who else would be fool enough to employ an eighty-six-year-old woman? Specially a titchy one with gammy legs.’
Soon, Nelly was on her feet, the cramp receding.
‘What you need,’ said Glad, ‘is one of them emergency buttons. You just press it and someone turns up pronto.’
‘Ooh no.’ Nelly shook her head. ‘My friend had one of them. And when she pressed it’ - she paused for effect - ‘everything turned up. Police with dogs, fire engines, ambulance…the racket of the helicopter near deafened her. No, it’s much better this way - the bed’s under the window, the window’s always open and I keep me spare drawers on the sill. I can easily reach to put ‘em out - it’s a good signal. I’ll put the kettle on - let’s have a cuppa.’ She beamed at her friends.
Nelly’s Knickers is
available from www.Amazon.co.uk in both Paperback and Kindle versions.
In contrast, my novel Tintagel Fantasy is a mix of romance, history and fantasy, and was at least thirty years in the making! I’ve always been drawn to the Arthurian period and the legends that surrounded Arthur, whoever he was. I finished it in the 1990s, then put it away, as I wasn’t sure about the storyline. Ten years later, I rewrote chunks, added more chapters – and even a major new character. Finally, in 2013 I decided to take a chance and launch it on Kindle.
Here is the prelude:
This is intended as a fantasy, with names, situations, happenings and historical settings all arising from my imagination. It is not intended to be historically accurate or to reflect the actual life of the Cornish people in the latter Dark Ages. However, Cornwall is such a mystical place and the ruins of Tintagel high upon a rock exude a mystic, evocative ambiance, where anything could, or did, happen…….
Here is an extract from Chapter One:
Cara was thrust into the foul-smelling hut and fell to the stone floor. Tears burned her eyes but she was determined not to cry in front of her captors. The rope around her wrists cut deeply into her flesh and her arms were bruised where she had been grabbed.
‘Tell me your name,’ snarled the bearded man.
Cara pressed her lips together stubbornly. A stinging blow slashed her cheek and she reeled backwards. Still she refused to cry. The man grabbed at her neck, and, as he did so, the black leather cap dropped from her head causing a cloud of red hair to tumble around her shoulders. There was a stunned silence.
Then the younger man rushed forward with an evil leer. ‘A girl!’ he giggled and lunged at Cara with his large calloused hands. His thick slimy lips pressed against hers, his knee was rammed between her legs and his nails dug into her breast. She screamed, squirming with hatred and disgust. There was a shout, a stick slashed around the young man's head, and he wheeled round stunned. As he staggered back Cara spat at his face as hard as she could.
‘Proper she-cat,’ remarked the bearded man sarcastically.
‘Quiet!’ bellowed the stick-wielder, an ancient old woman with long tangled hair and a bent back, who stood in the doorway. Yet her voice was strong and her black eyes glowed with vitality. She lowered her stick.
‘I apologise for the behaviour of this dog,’ she said, and made a mock curtsey, taking Cara's hand in her gnarled fingers. ‘Obviously these ignorant fools have acted rashly. You are not Tristan of Tintagel.’
‘How were we to know? She is dressed like him. She wears his cloak. She was riding his horse.’
‘Silence!’ thundered the old woman. ‘Now, young lady, tell me who you are.’
‘I am Cara, daughter of Reynar, a smith, and of Betha, a maidservant.’
The young man spluttered with laughter. ‘We will not get much for her! A smith's daughter!’
He was struck again with the stick.
‘Give me the cloak!’ ordered the woman.
The bearded man ripped at the fastenings, snatched it from the frightened girl and handed it over. Then the three left the hut, slamming the door and leaving her alone.
Gradually Cara's eyes became accustomed to the gloom. The hut was low, solidly built from stone, and the roof seemed to be thatched with thick rushes. She wondered if it was possible to break through but doubted it as they were thickly woven. A little daylight filtered through a crack at the top of the door where the lintel had rotted. She tried to take stock of the situation. They had thought she was Tristan. That much was obvious. Why did they want him? Ransom, she supposed. Well, the fools had caught her instead - much good would it do them. If she didn't feel so scared, it might even be amusing.
What on earth had possessed her to fall into the lake? She was so stupid sometimes. If she had stayed close to Tristan, then none of this would have happened. They would still be together, riding happily across the moor. Cara sighed as she thought of him, knowing how desperately worried he must be. No doubt he would be searching and calling for her, and she wondered if he would be able to follow the trail of the horses' hooves in the soft ground. Tears started to her eyes and angrily she bit her lip. No, she refused to cry, she would be brave for Tristan, so that when he came to the rescue (for she had no doubt that he would come) he would be proud of her. Cara imagined the tender expression that would glow in his clear blue eyes as he reached out to hug her, and how she would push back that lock of fair hair which flopped across his forehead as she stretched up to kiss his smooth cheek. Cara loved Tristan very much and was hopeful that he felt the same towards her, but he was reserved and quiet, tending to keep his emotions under control; unlike impulsive and outgoing Cara. She wished that he would hurry up and find her.
‘Come on Tristan,’ she muttered, ‘free me from this vile hut and take me from these loathsome people,’ and she kicked at the door crossly.
Cara's head ached, she was hungry, her wrists throbbed where the rope was cutting her skin, and she felt bruised and shaken. Blood trickled from the gash on her cheek. She was afraid and angry.
Tintagel Fantasy is available from www.Amazon.co.uk on Kindle.
For many years I wrote fiction for various women’s magazines, and I have recently compiled some of the short stories into compendiums. So far there are three in the series, perfect when you only have a short time to read so don’t want to become immersed in a full-length novel. These stories are short, a great accompaniment to a tea or coffee break, or maybe to read over lunch. So far there are three books in the series: Twisty Ends and Tangly Tales, Vol 1, 2, and 3. The stories vary;, sometimes they are humorous, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes romantic, but usually there is a twist in the tail. I am pleased at how popular they are proving.
Twisty Ends and Tangly Tales Books 1, 2, and 3 are available from www.Amazon.co.uk on Kindle.
Most of my non-fiction titles have been written for the publishers Pen and Sword, and the first one was called Classic Playground Games: From Hopscotch to Simon Says, a book that brought back memories to many as it contained all those rhymes and chants we used as children.
Here is description of the book:
This is a kind of social history of school games old and new. It looks at the traditional rhymes and games chanted & played over the generations and contains a history of the toys which children used at school playtimes such as marbles, yo-yos and five stones, examining the reasons why nowadays so many of these games are becoming forgotten or even banned. The book is packed with popular rhymes such as those used in skipping and other games, as well as chants, parodies and putdowns.
Here are the social games we used to play, from skipping to He and from British Bulldog to Kiss Chase. Instead of costly computer games we played rhyming games, tossed Jacks and showed off our balancing skills during competitive games of hopscotch. Remember these rhymes? ‘Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground’. ‘In and out the dusty bluebells’. ‘Ip, dip, sky, blue’. ‘Charlie Chaplin went to France’. ‘Poor Jenny is a-weeping’. ‘Ibble obble, black bobble’. ‘All in together girls’. ‘See, see my playmate’. ‘Bluebell, cockleshell’. ‘I am a girl guide dressed in blue’. ‘Vote, vote, vote’. ‘There’s somebody under the bed’.
All your favourites are here, and plenty more besides. Games we played, how we played them, amusing anecdotes and interesting facts. Guaranteed to induce nostalgia. Perfect not only for children but for adults too – and several people have even bought them as christening gifts!
Being an avid doll collector, it was inevitable that I would write a book about dolls, after having written about them for so long in magazines. I wrote two books about dolls for Pen and Sword; they contained information combined with a bit of social history. The books were called British Dolls of the 1950s and British Dolls of the 1960s.
Here is a write up:
Both of these books, although of course mainly concentrating on dolls, include a generous amount of nostalgia. The 1950s’ book for example remembers the Coronation and the Festival of Britain, and discovers the dolls linked to the events. Many of the dolls made during the 1950s used that new medium, hard plastic, but others were made from composition, cloth, rubber or even paper. Some classic dolls are investigated in depth – Little Princess, Pretty Peepers, a composition doll and a BND Walker, for example – and dozens of others are described. Further chapters investigate prams, cots, tea sets, knitting patterns, doll’s clothes, as well as the fairy dolls we bought at Christmas, dressed in crepe paper, net and tinsel.
The 1960s’ book continues the story; now the hard plastic dolls have largely been replaced by vinyl, a medium which allowed manufacturers more freedom of design. Dolls could now have rooted hair, and they could cry, wet and be bathed. Favourites such as Tiny Tears, Chiltern Babykins and the large teen dolls sold through Woolworths are examined in detail. The 1960s saw the rise in popularity of smaller teens; Barbie was the first, but in Britain we all fell in love with Sindy. Susan managed to get an interview with both Sally Tuffin and Marion Foale, the designers who were responsible for many early Sindy outfits including ‘Weekenders’, and the pair recount their memories of the designs. Other dolls featured in the book include Goldilocks, Chatty Cathy, Shallowpool and Giggles. American dolls were beginning to take hold; favourites such as Tearie Dearie, Thumbelina and Suzie Cute are described, too. These two books make a perfect pair.
Continuing on with the doll theme, Collecting Classic Girl's Toys was another book that I wrote for Pen and Sword. With a forward by Angela Rippon, this richly illustrated book looked at all kinds of toys that appealed to girls – not just dolls.
Here a description of the book:
This is a book to bring back memories. If you were a child in the 20th century, then this is for you! Did you have a toy farmyard populated with Britain’s farm animals, or a set of aluminium dolls’ cookware, or a Tri-ang doll’s house or maybe even a Meccano set? Maybe you were more into characters, such as Rainbow Brite, Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, Flower Fairies, Moondreamers or Lady Lovelylocks. Perhaps you owned a Palitoy Treehouse, Matchbox Play Boot or Bluebird Big Yellow Teapot. Nowadays, many toys are inexpensive, and children are spoiled for choice, often having more toys than they know what to do with. In Victorian times, a girl might possess a china doll or two, a spinning top, a hoop and a few other small toys, though if her family were poor, she would be lucky if she owned a small wooden doll.
Each chapter is devoted to a different subject, which covers such themes as ‘Caring and Cooking’, ‘Cuddlies and Character Creatures’, ‘Houses and Homes’, ‘Traditional Toys’, and ‘Outdoor Play’, describing hundreds of different toys loved by young girls over the decades. There is also a directory of manufacturers, so you can learn how many companies came about. Of course, dolls are included too, from bisque through to modern vinyl, and they include the delightful Victoria Plum, together with the story of her creation, as told to the author by the doll’s creator, Angela Rippon, who has also written the foreword to the book. Dozens of photographs accompany the book, which is written in the author’s distinctive, friendly style, and it’s one to dip into time and again. And each time you do, you’ll find another toy to remind you of your childhood.
The History of Girls’ Comics is again, not just a history but a look at the social connotations; wartime publications, the iconic pop star picture strips of the 1950s and 60s, the agony aunt columns and even the comics’ clubs, competitions and club badges.
The description says:
This is an exploration, a walk down memory lane to investigate the world of girls’ comics. For many of us, a comic was a regular treat. We began with a picture title for infants like Twinkle, Jack and Jill or Robin, and worked our way through Girl, Bunty, Mandy, Jackie or School Friend before discovering the ‘racier’ types such as Romeo, Cherie or Boyfriend.
Over the years, the stories in the comics changed, from the boarding school tales of the pre-war and immediate post-war comics, through the ballet, hospital or gymnastic stories of the 1950s-1970s, and on to the more gritty yarns of the 1980s. Today’s comics for girls rarely contain traditional-style story strips; instead they tend to concentrate on fashion, make-up, modelling, pop stars and the world of films. They also include a free gift with every issue.
The chapters on Susan’s book cover such topics as early comics, nursery comics, comics from the ‘golden’ and ‘silver’ ages, pop comics for teens, tie-in collectables, annuals, badges and free gifts. Many comics lent their name to promotional goods: games, dolls, model cars, figurines and nursery china, and these are discussed here, as are characters from newspaper comic strips. Girl comic in particular enjoyed promotions, with toys such as the famed ‘Girl’ doll, a toy carpet sweeper and various games. One chapter is devoted to the ‘Agony Aunt’ type pages found in teen comics, and Susan discovers that many of the problems affecting modern teens are similar to those which worried girls of a century ago. One of the more recent developments is the part work, which often includes a doll or soft toy attached to each issue. This book is sure to induce many nostalgic memories in women of all ages, and is packed with interesting facts; for instance, did you know that Bunty, one of the best-loved girls’ comics, was famed for its series ‘The Four Marys’ which ran for over 40 years? Or that Pelham made puppets of well-known characters from girls’ comics including Lettice Leefe and Belle of the Ballet?
The engaging foreword to this book is written by actor Mark Wynter, who first soared to fame in the 1960s as a pop star, with numerous hit records, amongst them Venus in Blue Jeans and Go Away, Little Girl. Later, he turned to acting, starring in West End shows such as Phantom of the Opera and Cats. During his pop star days he featured in dozens of girls’ comics both as a pin-up and in picture stories. He also wrote a chat column. Susan has known Mark since his early pop star days, and felt he would be the perfect choice to write the foreword!
My book Collecting Autographs isn’t just another book about amassing as many celebrity signatures as you can – although it does talk about celebrity autographs, the first half of the book is devoted to the wonderful autograph albums that were so popular during the early decades of the twentieth century.
The description says:
A hundred years ago, autograph albums were treasured, especially by young ladies who persuaded their friends to fill them with thoughtful poems, humorous rhymes and charming paintings. The books were beautiful, providing a unique view of the social attitudes of the time. Nowadays, autograph collectors tend to concentrate on the signatures of the famous – pop musicians, sports heroes, royalty or film stars. This delightful and informative book contains hundreds of entries from autograph albums, advice on collecting, storage hints and tips on how to approach celebrities. Author Susan Brewer is an enthusiast who has been writing on the subject of collectables for many years. This is her sixth title for Pen and Sword.
One of my most popular doll books was published in 2004. It was a book that I had wanted to write for a long time, yet knew that it would be considered ‘geeky’! The book, Tiny Tears and First Love; A Celebration of Two Classic Baby Dolls, seems to have become a classic read for collectors of these type of dolls.
The write-up says:
This is the story of two classic British baby dolls, Tiny Tears and First Love. It investigates the design, development and manufacture of the various types which have appeared over the years. Many of the earlier dolls are now becoming collector's items. The book is colour-coded to help identification. It is divided into two main sections, blue for Tiny Tears, pink for First Love, and then further sub-divided by colour to indicate the different manufacturers.
The various versions of the Tiny Tears and First Love dolls are fully described and photographed, while separate chapters show body types, components, eyes and identification marks, as well as outfits and accessories. Other items of interest, such as instruction leaflets and logos, are also included. Family members of Tiny Tears and First Love including Timmy, Katie, My First Baby, Teeny Tears and Teeny Weeny Tears, are fully described, as are many of the related dolls which appeared under the Tiny Tears or First Love brand names.
In addition to the books, I also wrote a series of booklets under the series title ‘Doll Showcase Discovers’. These booklets include: Hornby Flower Fairies, Amanda Jane, History of Christmas Fairies, Cleaning and Caring for Dolls. The latest title, due to be published very soon, is Cornish Shallowpool Dolls.
Here are descriptions of the books:
Doll Showcase Discovers Amanda Jane
The Amanda Jane company was formed in 1952, originally to produce a wide range of dolls clothes, but later it began making dolls too, in particular the hard plastic Jinx and the Amanda Jane series of small dolls. This is the story of the company, the dolls and the outfits, and is written with the approval of Peggy Woollett, who has run the company for over 40 years, and Elsin Rawnsley, the founder.
Doll Showcase Discovers Hornby Flower Fairies
In the early 1980s Hornby Hobbies created a popular range of small vinyl dolls based on the Flower Fairies books and paintings by Cicely Mary Barker. This comprehensive booklet contains a colour-illustrated id guide to the Hornby fairy and pixie dolls, including the deluxe and doubles sets. Also included are accessories, costume descriptions, packaging, rarity guide, Star Fairies and a Hornby Flower Fairy checklist. Written with the approval of Simon Kohler, Group Marketing Manager – Railways, Hornby Hobbies Ltd.
Doll Showcase Discovers History of The Christmas Fairy Doll
A look at the tradition of the placing of a fairy doll on top of the Christmas tree in Britain. Originally, the fairy was a pagan belief, and it was believed holly was where the fairies slept. Hundreds of years ago, holly was used to decorate homes for the winter festival, and of course, is still used today. The Christmas tree was popularised during the reign of Queen Victoria, but an angel normally topped the branches. This booklet looks at how the fairy tree-topper evolved, examining different types of fairy doll, such as wax, bisque and plastic. It also includes step by step instructions for dressing a fairy doll in traditional style.
Doll Showcase Discovers Cleaning and Caring for Dolls
A useful guide to the cleaning of dolls, especially those dirty, plastic dolls found at boot sales and on secondhand markets, with biro marks, missing lashes and tangled hair. Plenty of tips for making them look like new again, together with a list of useful products and sundries for doll restorers. Some of the information is relevant to antique, composition and cloth dolls. Additionally, the author looks at the display and storage of dolls, as well as new dolls, their care and the recording of information for insurance purposes.
Most of the above titles are available from www.Amazon.co.uk in book form and on Kindle.
Two doll publications exclusive to Kindle are:
Doll Showcase Little Loves and Doll Showcase Classic Plastic
Doll Showcase Classic Plastic
A collection of 32 short articles that first appeared in Doll Showcase magazine (UK), which help to identify various classic dolls including Elizabeth, Tippy Tumbles, Sasha, Pretty Peepers, Little Princess, Katy Kopycat, Baby Alive, Hi Dottie and Beauty Skin.
Doll Showcase Little Loves
A collection of 31 short features, some of which first appeared in the British Doll Showcase magazine, each one describing a classic small doll (up to around 10" tall). Includes Patch, Miss Rosebud, Jennie, Dolly Darlings, Boo Boos, Flatsy, Little Sweet April, Madeline, Pen Pals, Suzy Cute, Moondreamers, Baby Sarah and others.
The very first book I wrote was Mike’s Bike, a school reader, in 1996. It was published by Ginn and Company in their Supersonics; Fun With Phonics series, and was a story in rhyme. It told of a boy, his bike and his cat.
As well as the books, since 2004 I have produced a quarterly magazine called Doll Showcase, which is sold on a subscription-only basis. I edit the magazine and write many of the articles, with other articles supplied by the readers. The magazine has a faithful following, with many declaring that the save the copies to read over and over as there is so much information in them. I find it difficult to believe that it has been going for ten years.
As I said, I just want to write!
