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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

TELL ME MORE

From lockdown hair to Buxton Fringe

3/7/2020

12 Comments

 
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For those fearing lockdown more than government mismanagement of the pandemic, July 4th is England’s Independence Day. (Apart from Leicester, where restrictions have been tightened due to a sudden surge in coronavirus cases.) If the response to the reopening of inessential shops is anything to go by, a mass of masked and unmasked people will flock to pubs, restaurants and hairdressers, but I won’t be among them. The former would never have been a priority, but I’ve hesitated over the third: I’m fond of my hairdresser, I’ve missed her through three missed appointments, but I’ve grown surprisingly attached to my lockdown hair.

I liked my cropped hairstyle. It was easy to manage and easy to wear. Until about a year ago when the not-quite-sideburns in front of my ears began to misbehave. Blame it on ageing, blame it on the arms of my glasses tempting the hair beside them to curl, but some days my hair looked neither sleek nor chic.

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It might have been dread of making it worse that stopped me hacking at my forelock with my hairdressing scissors. (Yes, I do possess a pair, probably not up to professional standard, from long-ago days when I cut my own hair.) What did it matter? Anyone I might be Zooming was in the same boat.
 
When I got the chance to submit a video reading for an online festival, the whole mop was at that ugly in-between stage of having left behind one style without yet having reached another. Plastering down the twisty bits with hair wax gave me an extra thing to worry about when I stood before the camera: would those awkward locks ping out of their moorings and distract the audience from my words?



My epiphany came soon after when, almost unthinking, I combed my fingers upwards and backwards from the edge of my cheekbones to my crown. Voilà! A wacky new hairstyle, totally unplanned! Instead of trying to tame the twirly bits, I’ve let it all go wild. Not a bad metaphor for bending without breaking when things go awry. The cliché is in my head already but, as July 4th is also National Meadows Day, I’m sticking with the theme of going with, rather than against, nature with a link to a post from last year about how we swapped boring lawns for gorgeous garden meadows.

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How about you? Have you booked a hair appointment or are you happy with your lockdown hair? Or just cautious/sensible, and biding your time?
 
I could have kept this post entirely frivolous, but couldn’t resist the segue from fringe to Fringe. Unfortunately it doesn’t work in America – which is a pity as this is partly a transatlantic enterprise – where what I call a fringe you call bangs. Whatever! My fringe can take care of itself for a while, and certainly until after the end of Buxton Festival Fringe.
Lockdown is bringing new opportunities, as well as closing doors. Right now, I’m excited to be taking part in Buxton Festival Fringe, one of the country’s largest open access arts festivals. Buxton is about an hour’s drive from where I live, on the other side of the Peak District National Park, but I wouldn’t have thought of applying to be part of the Fringe if a fellow volunteer ranger hadn’t suggested it.
 
Once I’d got my head around the submission process for my own event, I paid it forward, passing on the information to other local writers (and music makers). Time was tight, but I hoped one of these might result in a collaboration that would give me a space in a second festival slot. And then – perhaps running my fingers through my lockdown hair – it struck me it didn’t have to be local!
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While I can easily travel to Buxton, the fact that this year the event is online opens it up to those who can’t. With less than a week until the festival began on 1st July, I emailed Charli Mills, who hosts the weekly flash fiction challenges, to see if she’d like to join forces around the 99-word story. Of course she could add another major task to her mammoth undertakings! She pulled out all the stops to get a landing page established for a joint event.
 
Sadly, we can’t accommodate all time zones but, even if you are unable to join us live, you can still take part in our Fringe events. Click on the heading to find out more!
 
Becoming Someone at Buxton Festival Fringe
 
Anne Goodwin invites you to explore identity and fiction with readings from her short story collection, Becoming Someone, and a fun literary quiz. Listen at your leisure, challenge your friends and family and then join her for a live virtual book group on 5 pm 16th July.
 
The art of the 99-word story
 
Learn to write a story in only 99 words! Follow our online tutorial and celebrate the results in a live session at 5pm on 17th July from England and the USA. Join us to play with words whether you’re an experienced writer or have never written creatively before.


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We’ve a couple more of the regular challenges before the festival shindig; the latest is blossom. A perfect fit for our new enterprise and for National Meadows day. I could even stretch it to a tale of blossoming hair. But Charli’s post is also about writerly creativity, which takes me back to my previous post in my crazy coronavirus series and the convoluted path through lockdown’s first one hundred days.

Before sharing my 99-word story, I’ve nabbed a few fine phrases from Charli’s post that particularly speak to me about the creative process:
 
I’m giving shape to my truth, hoping to link to yours. Wallace Stegner says we can’t invent without experience. Fiction is rooted in every essence of our lives, no matter what name we give it. Charli Mills
 
The way to gain experience is to live, but that does not mean one must go slumming for the exotic or outrageous or adventurous or sordid or, even, unusual. Any experience, looked at steadily, is likely to be strange enough for fiction or poetry. Charli Mills quoting Wallace Stegner.
 
This flows so smoothly from last week’s theme: I got life. But why should I be surprised? Charli’s got this thing, whatever we call it! As fiction and knowledge flows from our experiences – from genuine happenstance experience rather than the manufactured kind capitalism encourages us to crave. Enough! This wasn’t meant to be another rant. My 99-word blossom story is about writerly resolve which comes from a serendipitous writerly resolution to painful times. Oh, and it’s sparked more pictures!


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Early morning walks in the age of covid

 
In April’s August heat, big boots beat at dawn, but crusted paths could not absorb her ire. This government. The mugs who clapped it in. In May, composing ranting blogs, a deer surprised her, and frost-rimed buttercups disrobed a layer of chill. Society and season both awry, June’s downpours burgeoned slugs to gorge her garden’s fresh courgette blooms; across the fields thigh-high swards soaked her trousered legs. Yet her steps lightened. Each flower, each blade of grass, a seed of possibility, with every circuit, sprouting, inching higher. Home to breakfast not rocked with rage but inspired by writerly blossom.

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Don’t forget to check out our event pages for the Fringe! Would love you to join us.

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Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
12 Comments
D. Avery link
3/7/2020 04:04:53 pm

Brilliant! More serendipity.
I managed something this week, saw you at the Ranch, followed you here. For these 99 words also fit with the (as yet still undeveloped) Saloon idea.
Was just talking lockdown hair yesterday. Not going to the hairdresser. Might take matters in my own hands.
I may check out your Buxton Festival. How cool you are spreading the magic of 99 words. That is an awesome page Charli put up.

Reply
Anne
5/7/2020 10:18:27 am

I'm looking forward to walking with you at the Saloon. And it'd be great if you could be part of the Festival. Hairstyling optional!

Reply
Geoff
4/7/2020 08:36:46 am

Easily my fav post so far this year. An explanation of hair appreciation, encouragement, as if I needed it to grow a meadow and then the Buxton Fringe collaboration. How cool. I’ll include a link in my response to this week’s prompt and hope if garners the odd response... oh and did I say I love the meadow. Chapeau to Mr Annecdotal and you too for that...

Reply
Anne
5/7/2020 10:37:03 am

Well, that's some endorsement, Geoff! Thank you. And would be great if you could post some of your followers to Buxton.

Passed on your compliments regarding the meadows. I do recommend it – much more rewarding than shaving the grass with an noisy lawnmower. Our orchids suffered in the drought this year but have mostly recovered and the yellow rattle is slowly spreading.

I assume you weren't in the pub last night?

Reply
geoff
5/7/2020 10:58:29 am

i missed the pub that's true though linda and I did sit outside a cafe with Jenni and her hub and have a coffee and bacon buttie. It felt odd holding a menu!

Anne
12/7/2020 05:28:16 pm

I hope that menu had been sanitised before you touched it!

Irene Waters link
7/7/2020 03:17:33 am

Loved your new look. Like you I have avoided the hairdresser. lock down at first, and then refusal by me to have a one on one during lockdown followed by refusal to go back when they resumed business. I don't so much like my new style as like the money in my pocket and wonder if I will ever return. The heat of summer will probably be the deciding factor.
The Fringe festival sounds great. I doubt that I will make it as we are travelling at that time but I hope it goes well. Loved your flash and the positive note it ended on.

Reply
Anne
12/7/2020 05:32:39 pm

Thanks, Irene, I'm not sure what's happening with my hairdresser but I know some places have had to put their prices up to cover the cost of PPE. Although our summer heat is nothing like yours, that might be a factor for me also. My hair's very thick and needs to get a bit longer before I can tie it up. Wishing you pleasant travels.

Reply
Norah Colvin
8/7/2020 05:33:45 am

The Fringe Festival sounds exciting, Anne, and I'm so pleased you found an additional way to participate by collaborating with Charli. What a great way for you to work together, promoting your own and each other's writing.
I do like your new hairstyle. I missed one of my hair appointments due to the lockdown but was able to make it to the last one due to the easing of restrictions. I hope to be able to keep my next appointment later this month.
I love your wildflower garden and am pleased it inspired writing devoid of rage.
I wish you a successful festival with many fringe benefits.

Reply
Anne
12/7/2020 05:35:07 pm

Thanks, Norah, and of course by now we've had our three way fully international Zoom video. I'm glad you were able to join in, especially as it was you who connected me with Charli. Pity the live event is outside your time zone.

Reply
Charli Mills
8/7/2020 05:48:11 am

In mere hours I'll be revealing my lockdown hair, likely captured in binders. Nice winged fringe you got going on. A gift of covid -- the chance to try new styles or head-shaving.

I love the return to meadows! My daughter has one and it's stunning with its flowers among tall grass. Their goal is to eradicate most of the lawn. My local friend whose house was struck by the landslide in the floods two years ago still has rubble in her back yard with the lone apple tree that survived. She's observing what has grown up through all the rock and this year she has an herbal medicine cabinet and pollinator garden, all wild.

We need wild spaces. I think Stegner had something to say about that, too. Just as your flash demonstrates how restorative going outside can be.

Thanks for all your effort to get an international event in the Buxton Festival Fringe. I'm excited for all of it!

Reply
Anne
12/7/2020 06:05:41 pm

I don't know if you have a plant called yellow rattle in the US but it's great for getting rid of lawns. Our long grass along the paths is a bit of a problem when it's wet – of course strips can be cut but we always forget! Oh, brave to leave the rubble but should be great for wildflowers.

And you posted this comment a couple of hours before our zoom! Was great to chat and looking forward to the next phase of this event.

Reply



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    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
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    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
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    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
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    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

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