Roscoe+Neville – The Princelings Books: Jemima Pett

Step forward, Roscoe and Neville

Roscoe has a bald spot on his nose where a tick got him

As indicated in Guinea Pig Fiction, I was less than happy with the short stories I’d written about Roscoe and Neville in the early part of this year.

I’ve now worked out what the book needs to be, and therefore how to write it.

stars Roscoe and Neville as themselves

needs some female protagonists, who will be ‘the guinea pigs next door’

Setting – Flexford Common. This is an imaginary place, set in pre-built-up Chandlers Ford. Flexford Woods exist nearby, and Common Road is close to me, so there must have been a common at some time. I might even hunt down old maps of the area.

Roscoe and Neville will make use of the tunnel they excavated for the Halloween story of 2020 to venture out of the house

Target audience will be 7 and up, and older junior dyslexic readers. So, short sentences, easier vocabulary, and printed with good spacing on cream paper.

Probably four to six short stories in the volume (Messenger Misadventures has four, and is for good readers 8 and up)

And the working title is: The Cavies of Flexford Common

2022 is going to give me a lot of trouble. I typed that four times before I got the right number of 2s in the right order!

Happy New Year!

What’s in store for 2022

In the Princelings world, there are only a couple of incidents that are firmed up, and both appeared somewhere in the blogoverse in 2011. One made it into the paperback as a bonus chapter, and follows the trip Mariusz made to see Fred and the Realms as you read in my Christmas story. Actually, I suppose it shouldn’t be called the Realms any more, as they are not exactly kingdoms. But it’ll do.

I have two projects involving the Princelings on my list of things to do. Neither is listed as to do in 2022, but I may get started on them.

A set of short stories involving Roscoe and Neville, possibly as seafarers, we’ll see. I’m not sure I can come up with four or five 5000 word stories for them. They may or may not involve other Princelings characters. That’s how it starts: just ‘stories with Roscoe and Neville’.
The second is a very long-term project, maybe over ten years. A Princelings Encyclopedia, or some such title. Maybe I’ll start it off here and see how far I get with it.

I’m also awaiting the edited version of the Princelings and the Lost City audiobook.

Personal Appearances

The Craft & Gift Fairs I did last autumn may not have been a huge success, but they were successful in that I sold books and probably raised my author profile by several hundred percent. I think if I’m prepared to invest in advertising, I have to consider this as an effective way of putting my books in front of, maybe fewer people, but one who are more inclined to read them. I sold copies of books 1,2 3,4 and 7, and a couple of Messenger Misadventures, too.

So I’ve booked four venues in Hampshire and Wiltshire for the coming year:

Lymington (Masonic Hall) — leisure sailing port: March 26, June 25, and possibly August dates
Salisbury (Guildhall) — tourist destination: April 9, July 9, and possibly August and December
Romsey (Town Hall) — local to me: May 7, July 23 , and possibly October and December
Lyndhurst (Community Centre) — heart of the New Forest: June 4, August 20.

I’m also investigating other venues, including the summer shows (agricultural etc) and book fairs, if I can find them.

These are all subject to English Covid rules, of course. And they may (are likely to) change. And hopefully change back. I think people are willing to mask up and get out and about, but the venues have to be strict to keep their licences etc.

Zoom Events

If you are a teacher or librarian and would like a Zoom event for your pupils/members, please get in touch. So far I’ve only been on the receiving end of these.

Keep safe, have a productive year, and look after your well-being and that of your loved ones.