Jon Cruddas MP

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Elaine Spires

To celebrate the publication of The Banjo Book Two I have had the pleasure of interviewing some prominent Dagenham people to ask them their views on a place that’s dear to the hearts of so many of us.

I am delighted to announce that bringing the series to an end is the Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham, Jon Cruddas. Jon and I have exchanged many fast and furious emails, especially over the Brexit votes in Parliament.

MP Jon Cruddas out and about in Dagenham.

ES: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule, Jon.… Read the rest »

The Mayor of Barking and Dagenham – Councillor Peter Chand

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Elaine Spires

I am delighted that the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham, The Worshipful Councillor Peter Chand is my guest today.

ES: Mr Mayor, I am most grateful that you have taken the time from your busy schedule to talk to us. Apart from being the Mayor, what is your connection to Dagenham?

PC: My parents immigrated to the UK from India in 1954 and moved to a

house in Ballards Road, Dagenham. I was born in 1966 and still live in that

same very road! I went to local schools and the Adult College where I

studied Health & Social care, … Read the rest »

Danny Fenn – The Boleyn Poet

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Elaine Spires

The Banjo Book Two comes out in just a week’s time and it’s all getting rather exciting! To celebrate I am going to post a series of guest interviews I did with prominent Dagenham people who share their memories and thoughts about the place that’s dear to all our hearts.

My first guest is the Danny Fenn, the Boleyn Poet who first of all tells us a bit about himself and then talk with great fondness about Dagenham.

I have been writing poems and songs for a number of years and tend to put them on Facebook as I have … Read the rest »

One Month Today!!!

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Elaine Spires

Woo hoo! Just one month to go! Thirty-one short, passing-very-fast days away. How exciting!

What?

“A month to go until what?” I hear you asking.

You mean you haven’t heard?

The Banjo Book Two is out on Kindle on 21st August. And you can pre-order your copy on this link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Banjo-Book-Two-Elaine-Spires-ebook/dp/B08CDVT7BQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Banjo+Book+Two&qid=1595322154&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

And I am very happy about that, I can tell you. After taking four years to write the sequel to The Banjo Book One – it was supposed to only take eighteen months but life got in the way – will finally be available.

Please look for news of … Read the rest »

Dagenham is the Protagonist

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Elaine Spires

Well, after a long writing delay during this weird time, let’s start off gently. Here’s a piece I wrote for this week’s Write On about my home town. As always, your feedback and thoughts are welcome.

Enjoy!

Friday Feature: Dagenham Is The Protagonist

… Read the rest »

Dagenham People

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Elaine Spires

There’s been a bit of a flurry in sales of The Banjo lately. This was helped by the talk I gave at Dagenham Library on 6th December – and greatly enjoyed! – followed by a posting on the Memories of Dagenham Facebook Page by someone who’d got a copy for Christmas. Long story short – a rise in sales of Kindle copies and also paperbacks.

Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I encountered huge difficulties in trying to sell paperback copies of my books through Amazon. We now think it’s because I work from an iPad and it distorts the cover … Read the rest »

The Banjo – Paperback!

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Elaine Spires

Yes. I kid you not. Finally after so much aggro with Amazon that would make a novel in itself, I am able to offer you The Banjo in paperback form through my website. The Banjo is set in Dagenham in the 50s and 60s and it’s not about a musical instrument! A banjo is a pedestrian cul-de-sac of which there are dozens in Dagenham and the name seems only to be used here. Mention a banjo to people from other areas and they look at you as if you’re mad! 😂

To order your copy of The Banjo just go … Read the rest »

Our ‘Wonderful’ NHS

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Elaine Spires

Every time I turned on the TV or radio a couple of weeks back it was to hear praise of our NHS on its 70th birthday. I think the NHS is brilliant. We pay for it without noticing and it’s always there when we need it; much better than any insurance cover. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to save up or go without food or other essentials in order to pay to see a doctor. I do think it needs a serious overhaul and that huge holes that leak money, such as the millions spent … Read the rest »

A Little Bit of Deja Vu

Posted on October 1, 2017 by Elaine Spires

I am so sorry for the delay in posting again. I’m really just treading water waiting for the sale of Avocado Cottage to go through. And I haven’t been too well lately.

So, to give you something to be getting on with here is an article I did for one of my favourite authors and a very special woman, Barbara Copperthwaite.

https://www.barbaracopperthwaite.com/elaine-spires

Enjoy!… Read the rest »

The Journal of Elaine Spires

Novelist, playwright and actress

Tag Archives: Dagenham