Costa Blanca News

The big picture

- By Robert W Barnes

IT would take more than house arrest to prevent the members of Los Alcázares Camera Club from entering photograph­s for their April competitio­n!

This month’s subject was architectu­re. Trusty laptops and computer towers enabled members to electronic­ally dispatch their favourite shots from their archive through the ether. Once collated, members were able vote online, resulting in first and second place winners from a cluster of quality submission­s.

The clear winner was Pip Shail, with seven votes; the runner up was, with due modesty, your scribe, with five votes. Next month’s competitio­n subject is animals. New members are most welcome. Informatio­n is on the website: www.los-alcazares-camera.club

Costa Blanca News’ weekly feature supporting local writers, in conjunctio­n with Writers' Ink

WELCOME to our Writers’ Ink group’s weekly words. We provide news, views, tips and examples of writing by authors and poets, local and beyond.

Founded in 2010 by WordPlay, our purpose is to encourage writers to write and get them published and read. Keep writing! Greetings,

It would be most interestin­g to learn what everyone did during the enforced ‘lock-up’ or should that be ‘lock-down’?

Maybe, if you are of the industriou­s type, many of you will have already redecorate­d part of your homes, dug up a dodgy lawn, reorganise­d your garden or built a Dutch wall… or maybe not.

Although it is a good opportunit­y to do some spring cleaning, that is for those who are not ‘out working’ or working from home, which a fair few people are.

The retired are different, but being at home as a ‘must’, compared with popping out for coffee and meeting friends, puts a slant on things. Perhaps more jigsaw puzzles will be completed and crossword puzzle books finished, sweaters knitted and books read? Who knows? It will sort the workers from the hedonists…

Moving away – though not too far – from reading, let’s turn our attention to: you’ve guessed it…writing. It’s something we scribblers can do, self-isolating or not. But we should make the most of having more time to do it. And, as I have a very good candidate to profile, I’d better begin.

Valued member Janette Davies, a British Brummie by birth, now lives in Almería,

Spain. After a commercial schooling, she spent five years working in a bank, followed by secretaria­l and PA work around the Midlands.

After marrying Colin, they moved to a small-holding in Wales, but ill health forced a rethink of their lifestyle, and after listening to Chris Stewart reading his book Driving Over Lemons, they decided to relocate and buy an apartment in Spain.

Jan then joined a writing group: Writers’ Ink. She has written two novels, many short stories and a self-help book, articles for magazines and contribute­d to the group’s anthology.

Always up for a challenge, Jan and Colin have since bought a village house in Almería, which they are renovating with the help, or hindrance, of a rescue dog called Zeus. Jan is still trying to grow her own bottle of wine! We wish Jan and Colin continued success with the renovation and Jan’s writing future.

Two funny incidents spotted in the local press: Two men were fined by the police while out walking, one with a chicken (presumably on a lead?), and another pulling along a toy dog (on wheels?) - Tee hee!

Although – sadly – we are unable, at present, to predict when our Writers’ Ink group will be meeting again, we are online and also have a seasonal e-magazine online called Ink Spot at http://writersink­spot.com We’d love to hear from you.

Here’s wishing you adiós. Do take care. Sincerely,

Joy Lennick joylennick@gmail.com www.joylennick.wordpress.com

 ??  ?? Robert came 2nd with this
Robert came 2nd with this
 ??  ?? Pip's winning photo
Pip's winning photo

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