Press Releases
January 2015
From Coolshade to Cowley Road
the story of Mrs Icolyn Smith
Andrew Bax
Oxford's Cowley Road has a life of its own in which some remarkable individuals have contributed to its rich and diverse community. Among them is Mrs Icolyn Smith MBE. This is the story of her life from its simple beginnings in rural Jamaica, through the difficulties of raising a family in 1960s Britain, to the discovery of her mission to help hundreds - perhaps thousands of people whose lives have been shattered by events they could not control.
In telling her fascinating story, this book divides itself into the main aspects of her life:
· Rural self-sufficiency in Jamaica, unchanged since the aftermath of slavery
· Survival in the shantytowns of Kingston, during the turbulent time of Independence
· Half a century of struggle and compassion among the under-privileged of Oxford
· The award of her MBE and her appearance on television
About the title Coolshade is a tiny village in the foothills of Jamaica's Blue Mountains where Icolyn and her family have lived for generations. Much of the remaining story centres around Cowley Road in Oxford
July 2012
TELL TAILS
Animals – more than just the small and furry…
Published by Bombus Books, the new publishing arm of local writing group Oxford Inc. ‘Tell Tails’ is a collection of wild and witty writing loosely based on the theme of animals, beautifully illustrated throughout by Ann Edwards, the artist behind the ‘Chef & Sue’ cartoon in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper. In this book a cat seeks to take control of the central heating, we try to explain DNA, an elephant dies in Oxford, bee-keeping in the Caribbean and UK are explained, we focus on man and his best friend and, of course women and theirs!
‘Tell tails’ is due for publication on July 30th 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Books can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR on order from your usual book shop OR Amazon.
Ann Edwards’ original work can be found at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg, Marketing and E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
July 2012
IMAGINE OXFORD…
Behind the tourist trail – an Oxford guide in fiction
Oxford provides rich pickings for this collection of stories published by Bombus Books, the new publishing arm of local writing group Oxford Inc. ‘Imagine Oxford’ provides a short story guide to both well known city sites and the city’s underbelly. Many areas of this fascinating city are explored in this book. As a visitor you will be able to see parts of the city that you may not uncover on the well-worn tourist trail. As an Oxford resident you can re-visit many of the locations where the stories are set with a new eye. Look… then look again after reading…
Among the many writing talents in the group is Ann Edwards, artist, designer and illustrator. She is the cartoonist of the Chef & Sue
strip which features in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper, has her own range of greeting cards, calendars and gift items and is often commissioned by the Blue Cross and other animal charities to design their own merchandise; she is also the illustrator of the book covers. More
examples of her work can be seen at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
‘Imagine Oxford’ is due for publication on July 30th 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Copies can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR order from your usual book shop OR Amazon.
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg, Marketing and E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
July 2012
OXFORD WRITING GROUP LAUNCHES NEW PUBLISHING IMPRINT
Little did they know when they met at a creative writing course on a Thursday morning in 2007 how inspirational it would be, how their commitment to writing would grow and how much a part of each other’s lives they would become. The first course led, inevitably, to other writing courses – Life Writing, Travel Writing, Crime Writing to name but a few…and then setting up their own writing group, Oxford Inc.
The group are now thrilled to launch Bombus Books, the publishing arm of the group with the aim of producing the type of books that they like to read, to write and that also look great!
The titles for publication in 2012 are both collections of short stories:
Tell Tails Fun, fantasy and fact with animals of all shapes and sizes
Imagine Oxford Behind the scenes in Oxford – a fiction guide to the city
Among the many writing talents in the group is Ann Edwards, artist, designer and illustrator. She is the cartoonist of the Chef & Sue strip which features in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper, has her own range of greeting cards, calendars and gift items and is often commissioned by the Blue Cross and other animal charities to design their own merchandise; she is also the illustrator of the book covers and the illustrations in ‘Tell Tails’. More examples of her work can be seen at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
Both titles are due to be published on 30th July 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Books can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR on order from your usual book shop OR Amazon
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg Marketing & E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
From Coolshade to Cowley Road
the story of Mrs Icolyn Smith
Andrew Bax
Oxford's Cowley Road has a life of its own in which some remarkable individuals have contributed to its rich and diverse community. Among them is Mrs Icolyn Smith MBE. This is the story of her life from its simple beginnings in rural Jamaica, through the difficulties of raising a family in 1960s Britain, to the discovery of her mission to help hundreds - perhaps thousands of people whose lives have been shattered by events they could not control.
In telling her fascinating story, this book divides itself into the main aspects of her life:
· Rural self-sufficiency in Jamaica, unchanged since the aftermath of slavery
· Survival in the shantytowns of Kingston, during the turbulent time of Independence
· Half a century of struggle and compassion among the under-privileged of Oxford
· The award of her MBE and her appearance on television
About the title Coolshade is a tiny village in the foothills of Jamaica's Blue Mountains where Icolyn and her family have lived for generations. Much of the remaining story centres around Cowley Road in Oxford
July 2012
TELL TAILS
Animals – more than just the small and furry…
Published by Bombus Books, the new publishing arm of local writing group Oxford Inc. ‘Tell Tails’ is a collection of wild and witty writing loosely based on the theme of animals, beautifully illustrated throughout by Ann Edwards, the artist behind the ‘Chef & Sue’ cartoon in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper. In this book a cat seeks to take control of the central heating, we try to explain DNA, an elephant dies in Oxford, bee-keeping in the Caribbean and UK are explained, we focus on man and his best friend and, of course women and theirs!
- There are, they tell us, three great lies in history: the cheque is in the post; I shall love you forever; Human Resources-we are here to help you. According to this joke, lies are about money, love and business. This story is about a fourth great lie, the one that goes, ‘I swear to God, I never touched a drop!’ It’s about a man called Paddy, his wife Molly, and their dog, all living in a small village not far from Cork City, in south-east Ireland.
- 'I don’t like blood,’ Ginger the kitten said. He waved his tail in annoyance.
‘Everyone likes blood. Even humans eat rare steak. You’re just a fussy eater.’
He thought about the farm animals. ‘Pigs get fed,’ he said.
‘They get eaten.’
‘Cows get fed.’
‘And they get eaten.’
‘Sheep…’ he began.
‘…Look,’ hissed his mother, ‘farm animals get fed, they get eaten.’ Then she said, in her fiercest tone, ‘cats are
different, we catch our own dinners. And, remember, no-one eats us.’
‘Tell tails’ is due for publication on July 30th 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Books can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR on order from your usual book shop OR Amazon.
Ann Edwards’ original work can be found at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg, Marketing and E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
July 2012
IMAGINE OXFORD…
Behind the tourist trail – an Oxford guide in fiction
Oxford provides rich pickings for this collection of stories published by Bombus Books, the new publishing arm of local writing group Oxford Inc. ‘Imagine Oxford’ provides a short story guide to both well known city sites and the city’s underbelly. Many areas of this fascinating city are explored in this book. As a visitor you will be able to see parts of the city that you may not uncover on the well-worn tourist trail. As an Oxford resident you can re-visit many of the locations where the stories are set with a new eye. Look… then look again after reading…
- The gargoyles that infested the buildings of Oxford were spreading, peering down from the roof tops and pulling faces. But they were the old ones. Too old to do her any harm. Their powers eroded. But now new young ones had started creeping limpet-like down the buildings and were peeping into windows, watching her.
- Overhead, the clear Oxford skies were masked by a canopy of lush green foliage. It was hard to believe that the Botanic Garden was only metres away from the bustle of the High Street with its traffic and roadworks. But even in here, she couldn’t escape.
- The city clocks began to chime. It took a full five minutes before they were all finished. ‘Twelve o’ clock!’ the stranger said. ‘A very interesting time. Oxford can never make up its mind when it is.’
Among the many writing talents in the group is Ann Edwards, artist, designer and illustrator. She is the cartoonist of the Chef & Sue
strip which features in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper, has her own range of greeting cards, calendars and gift items and is often commissioned by the Blue Cross and other animal charities to design their own merchandise; she is also the illustrator of the book covers. More
examples of her work can be seen at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
‘Imagine Oxford’ is due for publication on July 30th 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Copies can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR order from your usual book shop OR Amazon.
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg, Marketing and E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
July 2012
OXFORD WRITING GROUP LAUNCHES NEW PUBLISHING IMPRINT
Little did they know when they met at a creative writing course on a Thursday morning in 2007 how inspirational it would be, how their commitment to writing would grow and how much a part of each other’s lives they would become. The first course led, inevitably, to other writing courses – Life Writing, Travel Writing, Crime Writing to name but a few…and then setting up their own writing group, Oxford Inc.
The group are now thrilled to launch Bombus Books, the publishing arm of the group with the aim of producing the type of books that they like to read, to write and that also look great!
The titles for publication in 2012 are both collections of short stories:
Tell Tails Fun, fantasy and fact with animals of all shapes and sizes
Imagine Oxford Behind the scenes in Oxford – a fiction guide to the city
Among the many writing talents in the group is Ann Edwards, artist, designer and illustrator. She is the cartoonist of the Chef & Sue strip which features in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper, has her own range of greeting cards, calendars and gift items and is often commissioned by the Blue Cross and other animal charities to design their own merchandise; she is also the illustrator of the book covers and the illustrations in ‘Tell Tails’. More examples of her work can be seen at http://www.annedwardsart.co.uk/
Both titles are due to be published on 30th July 2012, although pre-orders are currently being taken. Books can be supplied (UK postage free) direct from Bombus Books @ £7.99 www.bombusbooks.co.uk, OR on order from your usual book shop OR Amazon
Ends
For media information and photography, please contact: Wendy Greenberg Marketing & E-commerce Manager email:[email protected]
