Very warm Christmas cheer to each and every one of you lovely ladies!
Jason Ng, our Truth & Memoir panellist, said that parents worry about their children until the ripe old age of 99 years. “It’s a son’s job to tell his dad he’s alright!” So too for all you daughters out there: tell your mum, your dad, your aunt or relative you are with this Christmas, that you’re doing okay, and WiPS is, too. And remember to pack that extra copy of Imprint 18 for that special Christmas gift. If you’re staying in Hong Kong, Skype and FaceTime work their magic effortlessly.
Three months ago, WiPS was on the verge of folding. It is now upright and active. This is because of a good deal of faith and fellowship from those who continue to support us. “Thank You” to those who could attend our Call to Action and Truth & Memoir events. We ask now that everyone makes a commitment to attend 4 out of 5 functions in this next year. This way the events will be successful and WiPS will prosper.
During Truth & Memoir, Heather Diamond, Gillian Bickley and Jason Ng, all spoke of their experiences visiting past haunts to help their writing. If you have started a memoir or been thinking about it for ages, why not pick up a notepad and pen and revisit your past. It might be a street, a park or even a room if the family home is around. Nostalgia is a Christmas thing after all. Even if it’s a day out all alone to focus on that Christmas Slice of Life passage or a Work in Progress, try it!
You may also wish to look at Google Docs, recommended by Jason as being commonly regarded as the easiest and most reliable place to save your work. Pete Spurrier, our fourth panellist, suggested: “Every author should have a blog.” I’ve used Wix.com and found it great to navigate. Other bloggers I’ve watched on YouTube also recommend WordPress.com, which has been around for longer. Something to think about or take action on perhaps. But just remember, as Gillian said: “You can’t do anything else when writing a book.”
If you need a good read to help you unwind this Christmas, check out Jason Ng’s latest publication Hong Kong Noir, Pete Spurrier’s Serious Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong or Gillian Bickley’s The Golden Needle.
I thank all of our committee members: Polly Yu, Carol Dyer, Heather Diamond, Connie Lee, Jo Farrell and Sandra Gibbons for their generous gift of time, helping us to grow.
Soak up all the love and laughter you can this Christmas. It starts with you and bounces right back.
Best wishes,
Suzanne