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 »

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 »

Paperback Writer!

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Elaine Spires

Good morning! I am trying to stay upbeat and positive today in spite of the weather. Now, oddly for someone who’s lived so much of her life in hot climates, I don’t like very hot weather. But I’m getting a bit tired of putting the heating on in the second week of June! But the house has felt so damp and cool the last few nights that I’ve had no option. I’ve been doing the hokey cokey with the washing. It’s been in – out – in – out because of the sudden downpours and so shaken all about with … Read the rest »

The Day That Kept On Giving

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Elaine Spires

Tuesday 21st May 2019 was a day to remember.

First of all, it was the cover reveal for my latest book Singles, Set and Match – and………….drumroll……….. HERE IT IS!! Ta – daaaa!

It’s out on 1st July but it’s available to pre-order now on Kindle https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S3WGLX2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Singles+Set+and+Match&qid=1558421691&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

At the moment it’s with an army of book bloggers who have kindly agreed to take part in my blog tour, which has been organised by the fabulous Rachel Gilbey (and who I’ve driven nuts!). And that’s exciting and frightening at the same time. Eeek! Crossing all fingers and toes they’ll like it. … Read the rest »

The Banjo Is On Its Way!!

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Elaine Spires

I am excited and thrilled to finally be able to tell you that THE BANJO (Book One) will be available on Kindle from THIS Friday, 13th May! Hooray! Here is what it looks like:

The cover – which I LOVE – is the work of my very talented cousin, Brian Spires, who did the drawing. It was then finished off by the no less talented Lisa Moreno at Vanilla Gecko (www.vanillagecko.co.uk)

It will be out in paperback in two months’ time, for those of you who like a ‘proper book’ but for those with Kindles, mark this Friday in your … Read the rest »

Martina Cole

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Elaine Spires

Late last year I had the huge good fortune to meet Martina Cole. Petite, attractive and dynamic, she was the loveliest, most down-to-earth person you could wish for, who took the time to chat in spite of being extremely busy.

I did ask her to feature in Hot Holidays! but apparently, she did something similar through Woman and Home last year about Northern Cyprus, which was reproduced on her Facebook page and she got a lot of nasty comments about the events of 1974 and current political situation in Cyprus and, understandably, didn’t want a repeat. Instead, she agreed to … Read the rest »

Peeping Tom

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Elaine Spires

Stepping into the shower the night before last, I realised I had a Peeping Tom at the bathroom window!!

Yes! There, looking at me through the mosquito netting was a frog! I was okay with him because I knew he couldn’t get to me. I’d have run screaming if there’d been any chance of him getting into the shower with me. I don’t mind the little tree frogs at all; in fact, I find them rather cute to look at, but anything bigger than them – yeuk! A frog got into the house a couple of years back – one … Read the rest »

I Was Very Brave

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Elaine Spires

For a while now I’ve had a few nasty little things appearing on my skin, the almost inevitable outcome of a fair, English skin spending a long time in sunny climes. Last August my GP sent me to Queen’s Hospital to see the dermatologist who organised a biopsy, which found it was a BCC, also known as a rodent ulcer, and said I’d be called to have it removed. By the time I left at the end of February, I was still waiting, a probable casualty of the series of junior doctor strikes.

Anyway, once here, I went to see … Read the rest »

A Month Already!

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Elaine Spires

Yes! I’ve been in Antigua for a month already! Unbelievable really! Four weeks and two days to be exact. It’s the age-old question, isn’t it? Does time speed up as you get older? It certainly seems to.

S left yesterday. It was good to have her here and also to do some ‘touristy’ things. Her eleven-day stay flew by, too. And now I’m knuckling down to get on with finishing The Banjo – I know you must all be thinking that Tolstoy took less time to write War and Peace 😉

I’m getting very impatient at the moment, too, about … Read the rest »

Zipping Over Vegas

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Elaine Spires

The Daughter is in Las Vegas and from the WhatsApp messages pinging me awake in the early hours, she’s having the time of her life on her SECOND Holiday Of A Lifetime this year! I’m just so thrilled to see her enjoying life so much. Like any mother, all I want is for her to be happy. And she’s certainly happy this week! She’s been to see Celine Dion and says it’s the best live show she’s ever seen; skydived over the Gran Canyon, zip-lined the length of Freemont Street, had a little win in the Golden Nugget, shopped, and … Read the rest »

The Journal of Elaine Spires

Novelist, playwright and actress

Tag Archives: The Banjo