Author Captures Magic Of The Roseland
In Trilogy Of Children's Stories
West Briton Newspaper Nov. 10/05
by
Rachel Foster
Nov.10/05
INSPIRED by the beauty and quaint character of a Roseland village, an author has penned Cornwall's answer to Enid Blyton's The Famous Five.
The Roseland Mysteries is trilogy of stories following the adventures of two children, David and Charlie, as they solve a series of environmental problems
in and around the village of Gerrans.
It has been written by Rod Remnant-Ashton, a regular visitor to Gerrans who fell in love with the Roseland when he honeymooned there with wife Elaine.
First written as part of his Master's Degree in writing for children,
The Roseland Mysteries have now gone on sale over the internet after several months of editing and polishing.
"My wife and I became totally bewitched by the beauty of the Roseland peninsular, and made many close friends," said Mr Remnant-Ashton,
from Fareham, Hampshire.
"We always made a point of sharing our time with the local residents and missed them terribly when it was time to return home. It is a credit to the locals that they always find the time to be so welcoming."
Among Mr Remnant-Ashton's friends in Gerrans is Chris Pollard, a local author and historian, and his wife Mary.
Mr Pollard, who has already published a children's book - Living with Dennis - offered to read his stories in their rough form and offer advice.
"The exercise of re-writing the stories was just like being on holiday again. Now, the trilogy of tales has an identity.
"There will be a number of local residents that may well recognise certain people, places, and maybe even themselves within the text. Although the settings are not geographically precise in terms of directions, there are enough named locations for child to spend time seeking them out."
The stories mimic favourite children's author, Enid Blyton,
who Mr Remnant-Ashton counts as a major influence.
"If I had a heroine, it would be Enid Blyton. It's very similar - she had George, and I have a character who is a girl with a boy's name who is a bit of a tomboy."
The Roseland Mysteries
by
Rod Remnant-Ashton
For Further Information
*******
INTRODUCTION
TO
THE ROSELAND MYSTERIES
November 2005
by
Rod Remnant-Ashton
The Roseland Mysteries were first written as a dissertation piece for my Master's Degree in Writing for children at what was then called King Alfred's College, Winchester. After passing the M.A., the story was safely half forgotten. It was downloaded on a floppy disk. It was complete, but like a person with no fixed address. It stayed beside my bed, only to be picked up from time to time. It needed life breathed into it.
During five years of regular holidays at Trewince Manor, including our honeymoon, my wife Elaine and I became totally bewitched by the beauty of the Roseland peninsular, and made many close friends. We always made a point of sharing our time with the local residents and missed them terribly when it was time to return home to Fareham in Hampshire. It is a credit to the locals that they always find the time to be so welcoming.It was during our stay at Trewince this year, that on entering the Royal Standard public house in Gerrans one afternoon, a poster advertising a children's storybook by local author Chris Pollard caught my eye. I asked to see a copy being sold behind the bar and noted down Chris and his wife Mary's telephone number. Then, I gave my son, who was coming down to Gerrans for the weekend, a call to bring the floppy disc version with him. Early that evening I called Chris Pollard and with my story in mind asked if I might have a chat about book publishing. Happily, he agreed to see me at the Royal Standard within half an hour. Chris's enthusiasm was infectious. He signed a copy of his book Living with Dennis, and also undertook to read my stories. That was in May. There followed many e-mails and phone calls, and by August The Roseland Mysteries was born. The exercise of reworking the stories was just like being on holiday again. Now, the trilogy of tales has an identity. Indeed, there will be a number of local residents that may well recognize certain people, places, and maybe themselves within the text. Although the settings are not geographically precise in terms of directions, there are enough named locations for a child to spend time seeking them out. Events led to a second stay at Gerrans, this time at Treloan Farm camping site run by Victor Barry. This is a fantastic working farm, using 1930's farming methods, and people are encouraged to get involved. It was during our stay here during haymaking, that the final pieces of the story jigsaw came together. With lots of help it was soon complete, so to Chris, Mary, Paul, Father Doug, Andrew, Susha, Robert, Janet, John, Richard at the Harbour Club, and all the countless people that inspired the story, Thank You! It is a Roseland story made possible by the people of Gerrans and Portscatho.On writing stories for children, my first thought is that as adults, we are giants in a child's world. If the writer can somehow capture and appreciate that existence within a child's vision, and portray tiny persons as responsible members of society, then we can turn their attention to important issues such as the environment we all share.I am now working on the second Roseland book in which the area receives an unexpected visitor or is it? Who or what is it? Feeling curious? Good!
THE ROSELAND MYSTERIES
Written and Published
by
Rod Remnant-Ashton
ISBN 1-4116-5166-9
*****
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&
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Laura Von Stetina
Observations on a Curious New Species
In 1875, Edwina Von Stetina, an amateur naturalist, inherits a secluded country estate from her seafaring uncle.
Soon after arriving at Mewingham Manor she discovers some curious new animals; they appear to be tiny butterfly-winged kittens
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