Tuesday 12 June 2012

Forest Holiday Writer in Residence In Sherwood Forest

I am really looking forward to my first ever Writer In Residence in Sherwood Forest this summer.



I love woodland walks in every weather, and so does our new puppy Ringo Star. We are lucky enough to live near ancient woodland in London and although I have never actually hugged a tree I have been sorely tempted, as I often feel creatively re-charged by walking amongst the ancient ones.

I appreciate the woods in every season because they are always places of discovery. While running or walking through our local woods I have often been able to follow mind trails through my stories. In fact I often think getting lost in a wood is pretty much the same process as writing a first draft of a novel.

I am currently writing the first draft of my third YA novel 'Kite Spirit' to be published by Macmillan in 2013. A first draft is all about following trails, sometimes you turn a circle and  find yourself back where you started, but when all is flowing well it's like walking in a woodland you thought you knew well and finding a completely new and undiscovered path... and that's a magical walk.

So as I am at first draft stage with 'Kite Spirit,'(a stage of writing in which I am irrepressably puppy like in my enthusiasm)  it seems fitting that I should be taking up my first writing residency in Sherwood Forest, a place that has captured so many children's and adult's imaginations.

I fully intend to get lost in the woods but readers, and my wonderful editor Sam Swinnerton will be glad to hear that I'll be fairly ruthless in cutting down brambles in the next stage of writing!

We will be taking our new puppy with us so that he can explore a few new trails of his own....



Here's Ringo's first walk in the woods... wait till he sees Sherwood Forest! I can  just see him donning a Highwayman's hat! Come to think of it, I always quite fancied one myself...

I will be in residence from July 23th to July 30th at Forest Holidays’ Sherwood Pines <http://www.forestholidays.co.uk/cabins/locations/heart_of_england/sherwood_forest.aspx>  site. While I'm there, I'll be working on 'Kite Spirit' my latest book, and will also conduct interviews, hold a writer’s workshop for aspiring authors and host a reading of extracts from her novels.
 www.forestholidays.co.uk or call 0845 130 8223.

If you would like more information on the Author in Residence programme or would like to arrange an interview with Sita Brahmachari during her stay, please contact Yasmin Sethna on 020 8630 9487 or at yasmin@yoyagerpr.co.uk