Having enjoyed my work-life years performing, teaching and recording music, in my leisure time I enjoyed nothing better than drawing, painting and spending time with my dog/s. In 2004 a very special dog, Busby came into my life and I found a new passion – dog training!
Cutting back on my work-load and having already outlined many ‘Busby’ stories, the first being inspired by a visit to the Brecon Mountain Railway with my beloved Parson Russell, I signed up for a Creative Writing Course and was rewarded by having one of my short stories ‘A Cross to Bear’, NOT dog related, but a 500 word story on life in a Dorset Workhouse, accepted by the Dorset Writers Network for their 2015 anthology ‘This Little World’.
Retiring to Wales, I joined the Bridgend Writers Circle and was winner of the ‘Memoir’ section of the Saviker Shield and joint runner-up in the George Perry Short Play Competition. In 2017 I was lucky enough to be outright winner of the treasured Saviker Memorial trophy as ‘Strangers on a Train’ came first in the Story category with ‘Visiting Grandma’, first in the Poetry section, winning also both the Railton Shield and the Keith Coles Poetry Shield and coming runner-up in their Monologue Competition.
Continuing my ‘learning curve’ into Creative Writing, I secured a place on a Scriptwriting Course run by Nicko Vaughn De-Wheele, a lecturer at Swansea University.
For 2018, with the Bridgend Writers Circle, I was successful in wining the Endeavour Competition with an article entitled ‘Your Starter For Ten’ regarding the very topical subject regarding the use of mobile devises in restaurants. I also was runner-up for the Saviker Sheild, winning the Short Story section with ‘The Great Gnome Mystery’.
I also joined both the Bridgend and Porthcawl U3A Writing Groups, I was equally delighted when another of my short stories ‘The Goblin Stone’, a 1000 word children’s Gothic Horror story, (again NO dogs) was chosen for entry into Porthcawl U3A’s 2018 Anthology, all profits are going to the Porthcawl RNLI.
2019 has seen me win two prizes, one for a short story entitled ‘New Beginnings’ the other being an eight minute Gothic Horror radio play, called ‘The Raven’s Manor’.
Even though there have already been many, many ‘dog’ stories written over the years and many children dream of owning a puppy, I realised the potential for a new angle to the ‘Golden Fleece’ genre, featuring a young girl and her dog. Just imagine what it would be like, if your imagination and artistic talents transported you back into an actual historical event? So, join 11-year-old Kaitlyn and Busby as we follow them though a series of adventures beyond your wildest dreams. http://worldofbusby.com/stories/
Moving on, 2020 saw the inception of ‘Soundscape’, a collaboration between Awen Trust, Porthcawl U3A Writers Group and local photographers and musicians to produce a Show to be performed at the Pavilion, Porthcawl in May – then along came the Covid pandemic. However, in an endeavour to save all the recordings, the Arts Director contacted me and we began turning the audio in videos and posting them on YouTube under the umbrella Stronger Together Bridgend.
I managed to keep the Bridgend U3A writing group viable via email and the Bridgend Writers Circle has continued their monthly meetings via Zoom: https://www.bridgendwriters.org/
I am still working in collaboration with Awen Trust, Stronger Together Bridgend and Shout, Bridgend and I am now producing a monthly Podcast: http://claudetteevans.com/stories/claudettes-pen-to-paper/