Category Archives: Early Flight

March 13, 2025 · 10:56 am

Giving Author Talks ~ Knowing your Particular Audience

In February 2025, I paid a return visit to the Monday Group at Erskine Church, Burntisland. This time to give my favourite talk:

CURIOUS COINCIDENCES IN THE LIFE OF AN AUTHOR

As is the case of the majority of audiences, the talk was well received, and many came up to talk to me afterwards; always a good sign. This is not only my most fun talk, but it is adaptable to particular audiences. I introduced my talk, following a hymn and a prayer by the group leader, by talking about a curious coincidence in the previous 24 hours.

I had been listening to Songs of Praise on the Sunday and a particular hymn stuck in my mind, and I hummed it to myself that afternoon. For some reason I wanted to recall it on the Monday morning, but was irritated when I could not think of it. Lo and behold it happened to be one of the two hymns chosen to sing that very afternoon!

Here’s Susan Boyle singing it: Make me a channel of thy peace.

Of course, this particular anecdote would not be appropriate for many audiences, but if you can adapt like this, I believe you are truly talking from your heart.

EARLY FEMALE AVIATORS (AROUND WW1)

Rather than focussing on the background to one novel, or even a stand alone theme, like the last talk I gave this group earlier last year, Early Female Aviators (around WW1), about some amazing but unknown women of their time, this talk encompasses stories from the whole of my writing life.

The Joy of Author Talks

I repeated Early Female Aviators to an equally appreciative audience in our Kinghorn Community Library last autumn, too.

On another occasion I was preparing for a talk to the Kirkcaldy Probus Group the following day when a wife of a member mentioned:

“You do realise Diana, that you will be giving your talk to about 50 men!”

I hadn’t realised, as it happened. I quickly read through my notes, inserting more factual information where I could, (hopefully not being too sexist here) The talk certainly went down well; the audience were happy that I referred to my notes occasionally to ensure accuracy, but really enjoyed the talk.

Obviously, talks at book launches tend to be shorter and more specific the the title being released.

Giving a talk at the book launch of MISSING

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Filed under Author Diana Jackson, Book launch, Early Flight, Events, Marketing your novel, MISSING Past and Present, Talks

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October 24, 2024 · 3:09 pm

My Next Talk at Kinghorn Library

Some of you may be a bit confused by the name change but Diggins is my married name, Diana Jackson is my penname but was also my maiden name. Most folks around here in Kinghorn know me as Diana Diggins.

Do pop into the library to reserve your ticket.

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Filed under Author Diana Jackson, Bedfordshire, Early Flight, Events, Talks, The Great War, The Shuttleworth Collection

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April 19, 2023 · 9:07 am

Arthur Walter Jackson and Daisy Clara Colmer 1897-1981

My grandpa Arthur Jackson was born on 30th November 1896 on the island of Guernsey.

Here he is on the 1901 Guernsey census at the age of four, just before the family moved to Wooston Southampton.

The reason for the move was that work had literally dried up for his father, who was a painter of gold leaf at the various military establishments on Guernsey, because by this time the buildings were complete.

Arthur Walter married Daisy Colmer in Woolston 1925.

I remember Grandpa singing ‘Daisy Daisy’ many times when I was growing up.

Here’s Nat King Cole’s version. What memories it evokes hearing in sung once more!

Below is the family tree Dad drew up, with Grandpa and Grandma Jackson at its heart.

Grandpa was in the Navy during WW1 and visited Port Said once, where his brother was in hospital and subsequently died. He was later in the Battle of Jutland.

He worked at Supermarine in Southampton after WW1 in the drawing office/ library, where he looked after all of the drawings and worked alongside RJ Mitchel.

A family story goes that Grandpa was walking home for lunch during WW2 and his friend pushed him to the ground just as Supermarine was bombed. If he hadn’t been saved, then I wouldn’t be here now.

Another story was the everything was recycled and reused in those days. The drawings of prototypes of aeroplanes (eg the Spitfire) were drawn on starched linen. Grandpa used to rescue those thrown in the bin, take them home and Grandma J washed them. I’m told that our mum then used them for my sister Christine as nappies!

This is how I remember Grandma and Grandpa Jackson, living at Whilestone Way, Swindon, where they settled after the war with the move of Supermarine after it was bombed.

It is the story of the birth of Supermarine that I tell in my second novel, Ancasta, Guide me Swiftly Home, the sequel to Riduna.

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Filed under Author Diana Jackson, Early Flight, Family History, Southampton, Supermarine, Woolston

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