Hotdogs & Hoodies

Featured ~ Angela Jelf ~ Leave a comment

Daily writing prompt

What have you been working on?

My WIP is an Upper Middle Grade story for girls – all about the challenge of change. The Main Character is a 13 year old girl called Beatrice Wild.

She’s a bookworm
She’s a blunderbus
And EVERYTHING in her life is changing

How will she survive a week at bible camp with a bunch of kids she doesn’t know, a blushing problem, a first crush and no BFF to talk to?

Here’s a little sneaky preview!

The weirdest and most AMAZING thing happened tonight.

Andy and Caroline cooked us hotdogs and seriously – a hotdog has NEVER tasted so good. I could have eaten five! I don’t know what’s the matter with me right now. I have the appetite of a pregnant Velociraptor.

Anyway, when we were in the hotdog queue, Olivia and me were just – you know – minding our own business, having a little chinwag, and Charlie Fisher and his friends were behind us, and they kept laughing and looking over at us.

Anyway, I tried to act all nonchalant as if I had no idea they even existed. Then when I went to squeeze ketchup on my hotdog, I sort of missed…

AND IT SPLURTED ALL OVER MY NEW WHITE HOODIE.

It’s official. I am a walking talking DISASTER.

Olivia giggled and I shrieked and then Caroline said, “Oh, you mucky pup! I’ve got some soapy water here. I can give it a wash if you like before the stain dries.”

And so, for a while, I was walking around in just my T-shirt as my hoodie was all sopping wet.

And then Charlie Fisher came strolling over and said: “Here – you can borrow mine. I’m boiling.”

AND HANDED ME HIS HOODIE!

I’m pretty sure my cheeks went as bright as a tomato. And when he’d walked away, Olivia squealed and said: “See? He DEFINITELY likes you!”

And I thought to myself ‘wait a minute, am I in some kind of Hallmark movie right now’?

I’M STILL IN SHOCK.

So, I got to wear Charlie Fisher’s hoodie. It smelt quite lovely of clean washing mixed with campfire smoke.

I think I’m smitten.

I really hope you enjoyed this little extract from my story! Stay tuned for updates.

The Art of Brevity: A Story in 50 Words

Featured ~ Angela Jelf ~ 2 Comments

A year ago, I took part in an online writing competition called ‘#50PreciousWords’, hosted by the wonderful children’s writer, Vivian Kirkfield. The rules of the contest sounded relatively simple, but were actually pretty tricky to carry out: Write a complete story with a beginning, middle and end in 50 words or under. The point of the exercise was learning to make every word count – no wasted words allowed!

I was delighted to receive an honourable mention for my entry, entitled: ‘The Busy Blackbird’, which I managed to whittle down to 49 words! Phew!

I hope you enjoy it!

Stuck in bed,
With a broken leg.
Lonely.
Bored.
Then, I saw her,
A bird!
Flitting,
Flapping,
Food in her beak,
Feeding her nestlings
For over two weeks.
Tireless provider,
I watched her with wonder,
‘Till the time came to fly,
For the fledglings and I,

Hello blue sky!

I’m Published in ‘The Toy!’

Featured ~ Angela Jelf ~ 15 Comments

It’s been a dreadfully slow year in terms of my writing progress! Lots of reasons really. For starters, I’ve been extra busy with my day job, (which has left me a bit deplete of time and energy) plus, one of the recent projects I’ve been involved with has been put on hold, for reasons out of my control.

BUT!

POETRY!

The one thing that I’ve managed to keep doing is penning the odd poem here and there!

I find poems so refreshing to write, as they are fun and playful, sometimes wistful or meaningful – and they often just spring from spontaneous thoughts.

The Social Media platform formerly known as Twitter, has a superb poetry community – and it was here that I first learned about a wonderful new literary journal for children, called www.thetoypress.com . Do check it out – it is seriously lovely!

When I found out that submissions were open for their fourth edition, which was going to be all about nature – I jumped at the chance. I LOVE writing about God’s wonderful world, and the amazing things that are all around us, as long as we remember to just slow down and look!

I was thrilled to discover, one Monday afternoon, that two of my poems had been accepted for publication and it was a joy to receive my Contributor’s Copy over the weekend. I was also delighted to have one of my poems paired with a gorgeous illustration by Leila Enevoldsen. As an aspiring Picture Book writer, this is such a treat! I’ve always longed to have something I’ve written illustrated.

Anyway…here’s a little sneak peek! I really hope you enjoy it.

Thank you so much for visiting this blog and supporting me on my writing journey- I really do appreciate each and every reader!

Enjoying The (Writing) Journey!

Featured ~ Angela Jelf ~ 5 Comments

As an Early Years Practitioner, there are a few classic Picture Books that never fail to enthrall and delight the children I look after.

These stories are often about very ordinary things, (a little girl and her mummy having tea at the dinner table) coupled with an added twist, such as a tiger knocking on the door and inviting himself in…

One such story is Michael Rosen and Helen Obxenbury’s ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ – the story of a simple family stroll, on a beautiful day.

The twist is, that as the children are walking along, they pretend that they are off to find a Bear! They’re going on a Bear Hunt. They’re going to catch a BIG one!

As their walk continues, they meet LOTS of different obstacles along the way, such as:

A deep, cold river
Thick, oozy mud
and a swirling, whirling snowstorm

Because everybody knows, that every good story must contain OBSTACLES!

And anyone that has read the story will remember the repeated refrain:

We can't go over it. 
We can't go under it. 
Oh no! We've got to go through it!

It struck me this morning, as I was reading the story for the gazillionth time, that a writer’s journey is very much like this…

As we attempt to write our stories, to dream up vivid characters, to create a solid story arc, to nail the perfect ending, to hook our reader from the very beginning – we come against MANY obstacles along the way.

It can be so hard to keep going when we feel stuck in the thick oozy mud, lost in a whirling snowstorm and totally unable to cross the deep cold river (or face editing that manuscript!)

We journey on, through the ups and downs. We finish our stories. We do our best to query agents, to enter competitions, to send our stories out there.. only to be faced with knock-backs, closed doors and rejection letters. It can feel like an endless journey fraught with obstacle after obstacle, set-back after set-back.

But something within us keeps us going… The sense of adventure keeps calling us onward. The beauty of the journey – the high-point of connecting with one reader – helps us get back up again. The thought that the journey is leading us ‘to catch a big one’ – keeps us pressing on…

The thought that we are doing all we can to use our gift for the glory of God, makes it all worthwhile.

And we know instinctively that there are absolutely no shortcuts. There are no easy routes through. We know, along with all other writers, that:

We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!

So, at the start of 2022, let’s keep pressing forward. Let’s seize the day. Let’s pull our coats ever tighter around us and brace the wind, the rain, the snow! Let’s say together: “We’re not scared!” and enjoy this beautiful day, this beautiful opportunity that we’ve been given! Let’s enjoy the journey! You never know, we might even discover a bear at the end of it!

The Story So Far

June 15, 2021January 12, 2022 ~ Angela Jelf ~ 5 Comments

Hi! My name is Angela. I write stories and poems for both children and adults.

Around fifteen years ago, I began to take my life-long love of creative writing to a new level and started writing Picture Books.

Like in every good story, there have been plenty of obstacles along the way! It’s been fifteen years of stops and starts, highs and lows, plus a few depressing rejections in between! But, thankfully, the story isn’t over just yet.

Some of my Picture Book stories feature:

a noisy, guitar-playing goose
a squirrel who loses a treasure
and a loveable tortoise called Hugo.

Hopefully, one day, you’ll get to read them.

Kids, Kids, Kids!

Besides writing, I’m a busy mum to four growing kids, including a set of twins! I also work as a Child-Minder, specialising in Early Years, which gives me plenty of scope for the imagination! Our house is constantly full of children (of all ages) and there is never a dull moment!

Breaking into Print!

Back in 2015, I wondered what would happen if I combined my passion for writing with my faith. Soon after, I received my first ever YES from a publisher, when two of my short stories, ‘Pitch-Black Patch’ and ‘Hidden Blooms’ were published by Keys For Kids Ministries in their quarterly devotional.

It was so much fun, that I went on to write a few more stories, some of which include:

Don’t Forget the Toothpaste
Teacups and Trainsets
One Hundred Percent
Only God Can Do That!
That’s Not My Job!
and The Doll’s House

I’ve also contributed articles and devotionals for Unlocked, Devozine and Creation Illustrated.

To order your copy, read or listen online, visit https://www.keysforkids.org/

Learning

I love to learn all I can about the craft of writing, and have recently completed courses in Picture Book writing, plus chapter books for older readers.

I have recently discovered and joined an amazing Writer’s Group, called ‘Write For A Reason’ and I am currently working on my first kid’s Novel.

Connecting

I’m a member of the SCBWI and enjoy being involved in the writing community on Social Media. I am a firm believer in learning from and helping to encourage others along the way and love to connect with other writers and creatives.

Relaxing

When I’m not writing, chances are I’m either curled up in my favourite arm-chair, (book in one hand, cup of tea in the other), cooking up a storm for the family, or pretending to be a country singer. I’m also a bit of a novice gardener, and keen wild-life lover.