12 WESTCOUNTRY LIFE SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 72013 WESTERN MORNING NEWS WMN-E01-S3 WMN-E01-S3 WESTERN MORNING NEWS SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 72013 WESTCOUNTRY LIFE 13 Books

Here are the authors who will be making a Splash! The poetry in Motion is stirred by his Food, crime, poetry, biography, polit- ics and fictional tales are all on the menu in the literary strand of this ye a r ’s Splash festival in Falmouth, own father’s experiences of the war which runs from September 13 to 21. Top names taking part include Sir Andrew Motion (see interview, right), Rick Stein, Ann Widdecombe, Helen Dunmore, Stuart Maconie and Emily Barr in an eclectic line-up to suit all palates, with events happening at The Su Carroll talks to Poly or in Dolly’s Tea Room and Wine former Poet Laureate Bar, above the Falmouth Bookseller. Sir Andrew Motion It begins with a supper party hosted about his inspiration by Lucas Hollweg, former S u n d ay Times cookery writer and winner of the 2012 Guild of Food Writers Cook- Sir Andrew Motion has won awards ery Columnist of the Year award. Then for his poetry and prose writing with young cooks aged 12 and under will an acclaimed biography of Philip compete in The Great Junior British Larkin, the novella The Invention of Bake-Off , with a trio of cake-eating Dr Cake, a memoir In the Blood and a connoisseurs judging. sequel to Treasure Island,Silv er. He St Ives writer Debby Fowler will was Poet Laureate for ten years and A stitch in time as discuss her Felicity Paradise crime knighted in 2009 for his services to novels with her publisher, Ivan l i t e r at u re. Corbett of Truran. Falmouth author It is a glittering career which makes Robin Harris will be talking about his it all the more surprising to learn that countryside scenes biography Not For Turning: The Life Andrew had a very ordinary upbring- of Margaret Thatcher which is based ing. on the many years he worked as her “My childhood was very unbook- speech writer and close adviser. ish,”he says. “My mum and dad were Ann Widdecombe, former shadow country people doing country things are preserved by a home secretary and star of Strictl y which did not include reading. They Come Dancing, will be talk about her we re n’t interested in cultural or in- bestselling autobiography, Strictl y tellectual matters at all. Ann. Emily Barr, whose latest novel “That life was really given to me by The Sleeper is set on the night train my English teacher at school when he sewing tradition from Cornwall to London, will be in started teaching me at A-level. conversation with two fellow crime “Day one it walked in to my head writers, and Veronica Henry and and turned the lights on and it has Lucy Diamond will chat about their never wavered.” best-selling chick-lit novels in the Having discovered his passion BY SU CARROLL fun-filled A Girl’s Night In. during his schooldays, Andrew, 61, is anistan. The Customs House was, in Author and teacher Charlie Carroll an enthusiastic advocate for inspiring part, inspired by his own father’s Traditional crafts have found a new will be discussing the very personal young people. Next week he comes to experiences. Andrew acknowledges place in our hearts with programmes journey that led to his book No Fixed Falmouth to take part in the Splash that his father, like many men of his like The Great British Bake Off and Abode: A Journey Through Home- festival where he will talk about his generation, shied away from talking Sewing Bee reviving a passion for lessness from Cornwall to London. new book of poems, The Customs about what happened. baking and sewing. Writer Helen Dunmore and illus- “My dad was better at talking to my It’s perfect timing, then, for Jo Col- trator Rebecca Cobb will be discuss- children than to me,”he says. “As a will to release her first book –C u s h- ing Cornwall as an influence in their ‘A lot of other people child I thought he didn’t talk much ions and Quilts; Quilting Projects to work, including latest collaboration were writing much better about the war because nothing much Decorate Your Home. The Lonely Sea Dragon, and Radio 2’s h ap p e n e d . Jo set up Cowslip Workshops on the Stuart Maconie will introduce Th e poems than me. It was a “It was because he didn’t want the family farm on the outskirts Laun- Pe o p l e ’s Songs in which he tells the shittiness to fall into my life.” ceston to share her craft skills with story of modern Britain through the great reality check’ One of the poems in the book is classes on patchwork, quilting and records that we love. about Harry Patch, the Somerset rag rug making. Sir Andrew Motion First World War veteran who died at She will be at the Splash Festival in Who wants to write a song 111, the last survivor of the Western Falmouth to talk about the book and House, but also become involved in a Trenches. It is just 20 lines and it hold a workshop to teach people how with Charlatans’Tim? competition to find the Young Poet makes me cry. to make a small embroidered wall Laureate of Falmouth. “It’s supposed to,”says Andrew. hanging. A last-minute addition to the bill is He credits his school teacher for “The subject is death and it’s an elegy. Her lovely book is packed with “I started off making clothes and Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, being responsible for introducing All of my poems are elegies for me. great ideas and lots of detail about competing with the Young Farmers’ who is inviting Falmouth’s children him to great writers. “I picked up a lot of things when I making a number of projects –quilts C l u b s. ” Jo likes to capture country scenes in her cushions and quilts –above and left –made at her Cowslip Workshops near Launceston to help him write a song at Ex- “There were very interesting Top: Sir Andrew Motion and, above, last year’s Dog Tales at the Splash literary festival in talked to Harry Patch. I wanted to and cushions all reflecting Jo’s love of Like many of her generation, when pressini. He will then read from his things that he gave me to read, in- Falmouth, which involved young writers, illustrators and a variety of dogs write the poem in a way that took the countryside and animals. Jo married over 30 years ago she mend era. It’s almost as if we have autobiography, Telling Stories, at Fal- cluding a lot of poets that have re- account of what he’d done but at the “It’s the kind of thing people started making soft furnishings – come full circle.” mouth Bookseller ahead of his even- mained favourites ever since. Hardy, going to have to go there. And we ones that hit their subject pretty ob- same time make it emotional. learned from their granny and it curtains, quilts and cushions. Jo hopes her book will take some of ing show at the Princess Pavilion on Thomas, Larkin and, memorably as became great friends.” l i q u e ly. “The collection does follow a his- seems to be of interest to both young She joined the fabric shop Inscape, the fear out of such work. Wednesday, September 18. he has recently died, Seamus Heaney. In the search for Falmouth’s young “T here’s a tendency for people to toric trajectory, but the geography and old people,”says Jo. where she learned about “colour and “People do get very scared, but this I met him in 1970 and I had my book Poet Laureate, Andrew and two other think about poetry too precisely. chang es.” “I’m very honoured to be asked to texture and design”. book is about building up confidence. IN NEXT SATURDAY’S WMN: inscribed by him. That was 43 years judges will hear ten contestants per- “They are about sound and music At the Falmouth event Andrew will do this for the Splash festival. I re- The projects in the book show a real They can start with a vintage button a go. form their poem with any aid what- and imagery and should not feel too also read from The Cinder Path, short- member I went to Falmouth when I understanding of the skills needed to cushion project –we even sell the “And I was off... off to university, the soever –their dog, cat, budgie, power- high bound. You don’thave to under- listed for the Ted Hughes Award for was five and it rained all the time so mix different fabrics and Jo likes to packs of fabric –before building up to first of my family to go. I was reading point or fancy dress –in front of an stand a poem. That’s not getting New Work in Poetry, and Silv er, the I made a cross-stitch tablecloth and include recycled fabrics in projects. quilts, or maybe the advent calender. English and a lot of other people were audience at The Poly on Saturday at across to children. sequel to Treasure Island, before learned how to do a lazy daisy stitch. It’s often a great way of retaining writing much better poems than me. 11am. “We need to make room for thinking questions about his writing and a We went into a lovely shop which sold m e m o r i e s. Jo Colwill will be at Dolly’s Tea Room and Wine Bar on It was a great reality check. Last year’s writing event for young about different kinds of poetry. But book signing. embroidery threads. “I started Cowslip Workshops 25 Thursday, September 19, from 10am-12 noon. Tickets are “For me, it hadn’t been a quantum people involved lots of dogs and il- wonderful things are happening. I He’s looking forward to what he “I’ve always really loved sewing... years ago and we get visitors from all £25 which include a copy of her new book, Cushions and leap from reading to writing. There lustrators in Dog Tales. It may prove d o n’t want to sound like an old says is a “wo n d e r f u l ”f e s t iva l . sewing and animals. I’d wanted to be around the world,”she says, adding Quilts: Quilting Projects were issues of confidence, of course. to be a tough act to follow, but g rouch.” “The more the merrier of these a vet, but at the age of 16 I decided that that the old tradition –particularly in to Decorate Your But I always say to students now, just A n d rew ’s zeal for passing on his own After the search for future poets, the things as far as I’m concerned. It’sa life was a bit more important than America –of people working together Home (published by do a bit. There’s no better way to un- love of words spurs him on. spotlight will shift in the afternoon to wonderful celebration of reading and s t u dy i n g . to create an heirloom quilt is catch- David and Charles, derstand other people’s poems than to “With the greatest respect to teach- A n d rew ’s own work and his new col- all things cultural and educational “I’m completely self-taught and ing on. £16.99) a kit of have a go at it. ers today, they often find themselves lection of poems, The Customs House. while still being entertainment. started sewing to be able to keep “It’s very friendly. People help each materials to make a “I published my first book quite in the grip of a curriculum which The book is in three sections, and “It’s wonderful for the community horses. Sewing has always been a other and they have little parties to wall hanging and Read our interview with Rick Stein young. I was 23 when it came out and d o e s n’t let them speak,”he says. opens with a sequence of war poems, in these self-knowing times and for pleasure for me. I used to work in a create special presents for a wedding, Dolly’s delicious tea ( p i c t u re d ) , who will be discussing his I had gone to teach English at Hull “The curriculum is designed in a Laurels and Donkeys, which draws on people to be able to say – ‘we care riding school and made all the cos- or perhaps if someone is having a and cake. Tickets autobiography Under a Mackerel Sky: because of Philip Larkin. He doesn’t way to make people think that what soldiers’experiences from the First about this’.” tumes when we took part in the car- b aby. available from A Memoir at Falmouth’s Poly on travel and he hates everybody so I matters is the subject. The most and Second World Wars, through to nival. I loved making something out “They are modern heirlooms and Falmouth Bookseller September 14. thought, if I want to meet him I’m thought-provoking poems are the the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afgh- For Splash festival details visit falmouth.co.uk. of nothing. hark back to the old make do and Jo Colwill, left, turns little scraps of material into quilting and cushioning art 01326 312873