FROM RUSSIA TO LOVE AND A CALLING FOR YOUTH IN THE BAHAMAS!

My article about Iliana Curry, originally from Russia, is today featured in the “Woman in action” column of “The Punch”, one of our local newspapers. 

Every Thursday "The Punch" features an outstanding woman in their "Woman in action" column. 

ELEUTHERAN AUTHOR SHERELLE WALLACE FEATURED IN THE PUNCH!

Every Thursday "The Punch", one of our local newspapers, features an outstanding woman in their "Woman In Action" column.

I’m delighted that they have today published my WIA article about Eleutheran author Sherelle Wallace.

FREELANCING IN THE BAHAMAS!

Fay covering an event in Town Centre Mall, Nassau, Bahamas
(former Police Assistant Superintendent Allerdyce Strachan rt.)

One day, in the early nineties, I quit my day job! I ran an ad in a local newspaper “Writer available”. I only received one reply and that was from an ex bank manager that we knew. He owned and operated a villa and car rental business and wanted me to put together the text for some brochures.

I took the assignment on with great delight, but still listened for the phone to ring with more enquiries. I had just about given up when I had a call from a local mall (again it was someone we knew). He asked me if I’d be interested in taking promotional photos at events held in the mall.

I drove to Town Centre Mall, armed with a camera and note pad (remember, those were the days before iPhones!). I threw myself into the project, not only taking photos of events and goings on in the mall, but writing about them. I also interviewed shop owners and wrote features to promote their businesses.

Every week, I would have copies made at a local photographer’s shop of my black and white photos, and then attach typed captions to the photos with a paper clip. The photos would go into an envelope along with my feature articles and I’d then run around town, dropping them off to each newspaper. I’d usually take the time to have a little chat with the editors.

The articles appeared with my byline in every local newspaper every week for as long as I worked at the mall. I would write one basic version of the article, and then edit it to suit each newspaper. The local tabloid required articles short and sweet; I’d aim my article at the youth page of another newspaper; the other two received the original article.

I still use this technique in my non fiction. It often comes in handy with press releases. Also, if a short story is rejected I can easily adapt it for another market. But everything is high tech now. How times have changed!

ALL THE WAY FROM SCOTLAND!

(To read, right click and open in new window)

My home town newspaper the "Stirling Observer", Stirling, Scotland, did me proud with this lovely article that went in their May 13, 2016, issue!

“Love at Sunset”, my full length romantic suspense novel, can be purchased as an e-book and in paperback at AMAZON.COM, AMAZON.CO.UK and at Amazon online stores around the world.

GENDER EQUALITY IN THE BAHAMAS

The Gender Equality Bills that were just passed in the Bahamas House of Assembly (they still have to be voted on in the Senate though) brings to mind my own experience in the British work place when I left school at sixteen. I desperately wanted to work in a local newspaper as a reporter. I was willing to work from the bottom up, covering boring (to me) assignments like flower shows, until I could graduate to more challenging stories. However, the leading newspaper in my town only took on young men as trainee reporters at that time.

I trained as a secretary instead, but never gave up my dream of becoming a writer. Fortunately, after working for a year as a secretary, a great opportunity arose. Two journalists came to town and opened a news agency. They advertised for a Girl Friday/trainee reporter, I applied and got the job. And the journalists were men! Also, I got to go to journalism day release classes at the local college where I was the only female, along with the young male reporters from the local newspaper that wouldn’t take me on!