Myfanwy Cook

Myfanwy believes that ‘everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves using words creatively’. She has written commissioned articles on the craft of writing and had over 70 short stories published in the UK and Australia including romantic and historical fiction. Myfanwy has also been a reviewer for the Historical Novel Society and is currently features editor for the Historical Novels Review (www.historicalnovelsociety.org).

Her creative work includes stories broadcast on BBC local radio and winning numerous prizes for her short stories. She’s had poetry published in anthologies and displayed in venues such as museums and art galleries. Myfanwy has also organised numerous live events to showcase the talents of other writers and proofread and edited a range of manuscripts.

Professionally Myfanwy has designed specialist TESOL courses for companies and academic institutions such as Aberdeen University. She has also written and tutored practical short courses on creative writing and using writing creatively, including Making Words Work For You (PLCL) - a recent course for adults for Devon Arts Culture. Myfanwy has also created a range of courses for writers and run workshops for Devon County Library Services.

Myfanwy maintains that ‘creative writing in all forms should be shared with others. It’s about entertaining, communicating, sharing ideas and experiences with others.’ Over the past two years she has been involved with a Devon based community project to produce a high quality glossy sustainable magazine as a showcase for Devon based writers. Margins costs Ł2.50 and is available from media@axiom.eclipse.co.uk

Jackie Waddle

Jackie has been writing for the past twelve years and has recently completed her second novel. The first, entitled 'Breaking New Ground' was published in February 2008 under her writing name, Anna West. Breaking New Ground is selling well and has been recommended and reviewed by a selection of Westcountry publications. Jackie has also had short stories and poems published as well as articles on flute playing and flute concert reviews.

As a millennium project she pioneered a nationwide historical short story competition; a project she was particularly enthusiastic about as she is interested in both the literary and social aspects of the Victorian period. In 2003, Jackie initiated a new creative writing group in Tavistock called 'Liaisons with Words', which is based on practical writing activities. In 2004 Myfanwy and Jackie celebrated Tavistock's award of best market town in Britain by collecting lines in the town for a community poem. The 854 line poem was published in an anthology along with a selection of work by members of Liaisons with Words. A brand new anthology was published in 2005, called 'Tavistock's Medieval Anthology'. It celebrated 900 years of Charter Markets in Tavistock and all the stories, poems and excerpts bore reference to the fact.

Jackie and Myfanwy took part in Tavistock's Music and Arts Festival 2007 with a creative writing workshop, 'The Write Note'. This gave Jackie the opportunity to use an idea she has been developing - connecting music with creative thought. She has written poems to accompany flute music and in the workshop played to enhance a poem written by one of the participants. This year she will be taking part in the 2008 festival (with a theme of Land and Water) in a travel writing workshop entitled 'Bridging Land and Water with Words'.