Tuesday 13 August 2024

Author Sophie Neville appearing on BBC Breakfast

 


Sophie Neville appeared on BBC Breakfast while celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the classic film 'Swallows and Amazons' in which she starred as Titty Walker. She was giving talks to packed out audiences at Windermere Jetty museum in Cumbria where she also signed copies of her book 'The Making os Swallows and Amazons'. 


Sophie was joined on BBC Television by co-stars Suzanna Hamilton, who played her sister Susan and Kit Seymour who played Captain Nancy. The weekend event organised by The Arthur Ransome Society proved a great success with Windermere Jetty receiving its highest number of visitors ever.


You can read more on Sophie's website and watch the clip on YouTube





Wednesday 9 August 2023

Meet author Sophie Neville at the Southampton International Boat Show this September

 



Sophie Neville has been giving talks at Southampton International Boat Show 2023.



A keynote speaker, she spoke on the Foredeck Stage about filming boats with reference to the 'Swallows and Amazons' movies and signed copies of her book on 'The Making of Swallows and Amazons' at Medina Bookshop.

Sophie had a 4-page feature article in Practical Boat Owner magazine on Amazon the dinghy she captured when playing Titty in the original film 'Swallows and Amazons' made fifty years ago.

Details are on the Southampton Boat Show website







Sunday 9 July 2023

Habakkuk 2 v 2 & 3

2 I will climb my watchtower now and wait to see what answer God will give to my complaint.

And the Lord said to me, “Write my answer on a billboard,[a] large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow,[b] do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! (The Message)

or

Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation
    and make it plain on tablets
    so that a herald[b] may run with it.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
    it speaks of the end
    and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
    it[c] will certainly come
    and will not delay. (NIV)

This is the prayer of triumph[a] that Habakkuk sang before the Lord...

17 Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit; though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength; he will give me the speed of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. 

Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights. (NIV)

Friday 7 July 2023

10 tips on taking photos of a book you've written

 


Writers need a huge variety to photographs of their books and publications for publicity, illustrating blog posts and social media stories.

Ten hints:

1. Always use a spotlight - a desk lamp will do - or wait for lovely outdoor light.

2. Think about who is going to read your book, where and why. Dream up your ideas accordingly.

3. Chose a minor colour used on the cover for your background, eg gold or dark grey. A pashmina scarf works well as the fabric looks good when well lit.

4. Only use 1, 3 or 5 props with a limited palette of colours. You don't want to distract from the book.

5. Chose attractive props: sunglasses and a straw hat with a few leaves suggest summer reading. Spectacles with comparison books and a steaming cup of coffee work well for winter. Wrapping paper and ribbon suggest the book would make a good present. vintage black and white photos illustrate 20th Century historical fiction. Feature an ebook on Kindle or open a magazine showing your article.

6. Focus on the most important aspect of your book such as the title or author name.

7. Frame as closely as you dare but try to feature the spine.

8. When you take portraits of people, animals or birds compose the image with one eye in the centre of the shot.

9. If you are after a comic shot, crop the subject off at a shoulder joint.

10. Play around with filers or cropping until you get it right. Discard any that aren't perfect.

Enjoy yourself. This should be quicker than using Canva or CGI. Take three aspects of each shot: square for Instagram, landscape for Facebook and Twitter, Portrait for Facebook or Instagram Stories.

Sophie Neville won the Create! prize for photography