I am Dex

[Linda]

Yes, Cornwall does have a powerful magic of its own. Like many here say so often, they can feel its pull, are enchanted by it when they visit and long to live there.

My wife and I had our first holiday there together in 1970 and eventually, in 1998, the pull finally exerted itself and we moved to south east Cornwall, arguably one of the least spoilt areas. Of course there are good parts and less good parts but we came to love it all, from Penzance to Praze-an-Beeble. We are glad we went but have now given in to another pull - that of our now grown up family.

Yes we miss Cornwall and will go back but not yet. Having to leave it again so soon would be too much. We still live in the same TV region and so have nightly reminders of what is going on in Padstow, Truro or anywhere else we know so well.

So reading of your visits here is at the same time uplifting and poignant.

But our part of Somerset is lovely!

[Kath Mulligan]

Hi Dex

Which part of South East Cornwall did you live in? We stayed in a large house in Portwrinkle in May last year and the year before and loved the area. My only quibble with it was that it wasn't quite far enough into Cornwall to reach places like Penzance and St Ives easily for a day trip. As you say though it is relatively quiet and undiscovered apart from the obvious tourist spots like Looe and Polperro.

Funny you should mention Praze-an-Beeble in your post. We found that by accident last week during our visit when we missed the A30 turn off from Penzance and returned to Newquay via the country lanes! Quite interesting in the dark and in a large 4 x 4 vehicle!!

Not quite as interesting though as the by roads we found when travelling from Falmouth to Gweek - we went down unclassified roads that were little more than tracks, barely a car's width with grass and moss growing in the middle of the road. I remarked tongue in cheek to my daughter, who was driving, that I hoped we wouldn't meet a bus - so almost round the next bend we came face to face with a tractor and trailer!!! That was fun! Still we live to tell the tale and it all adds to the store of memories.

Best wishes

Kath

[gloria townsin]

I'm guessing that you went to the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek. There is a very nice tea room down near the water where we bought delicious crab sandwiches and had a lovely coffee. We like the Lizard villages very much.

[Dex Cameron]

We were in the middle of nowhere and, yes, we had grass growing up the centre of our lane. We were in the Bodmin - Liskeard - Lostwithiel triangle, just off the edge of Bodmin Moor.

[Kath Mulligan]

Hi Gloria
Yes we were headed for the Seal Sanctuary. My husband and I first met Ken Jones back in the 70s when he lived at St Agnes and kept the rescued seals in a pool in his garden. We have followed the fortunes of the Sanctuary ever since and always try to visit whenever we are in Cornwall. We used to sponsor Twiggy but sadly she has now died, so we were deciding last week which of the seals to sponsor this time. Will probably be Lizzie, purely because my younger daughter is called Elizabeth. Also going to sponsor one of the pups because there were several real cuties in there last week.

Kath

[Sybille Weber]

I visited the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek several times years ago during our holidays at Mawnan Smith - also saw Ken Jones feeding the seals. I bought his book "Seal Doctor" at the sanctuary. Did you know that Derek commented on this book as being - quote - "The best true book about seals I have ever read"?

[gloria townsin]

No I didn't know that Sybille. You learn something new everyday. Wonder if you can still get the book?

[Kath Mulligan]

I have got Ken Jones book, Seal Doctor too and yes, I did read Derek's comments about it in the Chronicles. Don't know if it is still available but will be contacting the Sanctuary about sponsorship at weekend so will ask if they still have it.

Kath

[Sybille Weber]

Hope Kath is successful and "Seal Doctor" will still be available from the Seal Sanctuary. It was first published in 1970. I have a 1986 edition so it looks as though they continued to reprint it for quite some time. Maybe they still do. My copy of 'Seal Doctor' has Derek's comment on the front cover.

[Sybille Weber]

Dex, you do not mention in any of your above posts that you have yourself written two lovely books about your move to Cornwall, with an account of your visit to Minack being included as well. Hope you don't mind me mentioning it but I thought not all forum users may be aware of that. Perhaps someone is interested.

[Dex Cameron]

As this website is dedicated to Derek & Jeannie's life and work, I was never going to...

[Sybille Weber]

That's very thoughtful of you, Dex, but as there is an account of your visit to Minack in your first book and a foreword by the founder of the FOMS in your second book your books do actually keep alive the memory of Derek and Jeannie. Apart from that they also tell of an 'escape' to Cornwall - so there should be no harm in mentioning them on this website. (Linda actually asked in one of her earlier posts whether anyone knew of other Minack related books.)

[Linda]

Sybille's right Dex...there is no problem mentioning your books....there is after all the link with Minack......thats why I asked about other works that may have a Minack link....not just because of your books but any....its fascinating to find out about the links, the hows, the whys and wherefores....it enhances the Minack experience and opens our minds to the other links so we don't become totally self absorbed and thus inward looking....we could talk about John Le Carre books as he was a neighbour of Derek and Jeannie and they worked in the same industry at one time....what made him move next door?

Please do not feel hindered either by the rules or the purpose of the website - I'll always be here in the background making sure we dont digress too much! :lol:

So take risks...this is place you can...

We would love to hear about your books Dex!

[Dex Cameron]

Well, thank you Linda and Sybille, that's another way of looking at things but rather than say anything myself here I would simply direct anyone who is interested to my website:

www.clearwaterbooks.com

[gloria townsin]

Hello Dex - I did know you had written about your Cornish life but didn't mention it as I wasn't sure that you wanted to so I am glad it has now been spoken about. I'd love to be able to write the book that lurks in me - perhaps someday.

[Dex Cameron]

Writing a book is a huge undertaking but I found giving it total focus for an hour or two each day, all three somehow wrote themselves.

The really tough part is submitting them to endless agents and publishers and being turned down, with the almost certain knowledge they haven't been read!

[Linda]

Where do you find the agents Dex....I have started writing a book, but have not been so disciplined...too many things to do every day and never enough time....but I do write a little every couple of weeks in the hope it may eventually come together.

[Dex Cameron]

you need the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook". See it at amazon:

Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2007

[Linda]

Thank you very much. Will now browse...perhaps it will help spur me on...

regards
Linda

[gloria townsin]

Good luck Linda keep at it. :roll:

[Kath Mulligan]

Hi Gloria

Have spoken to Seal Sanctuary this morning and unfortunately Seal Doctor is out of print, but they are investigating having a further re-print done. They advised me to keep a watch on their website as it will be announced on there if and when it happens.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Hi Gloria

Have spoken to Seal Sanctuary this morning and unfortunately Seal Doctor is out of print, but they are investigating having a further re-print done. They advised me to keep a watch on their website as it will be announced on there if and when it happens.

Kath

Thanks Kath - I will have to find their website and keep an eye open for a re-print if they decide to do one. :)

[Kath Mulligan]

Hi Gloria

Website is www.sealsanctuary.co.uk

Hope they do reprint the book, it is really interesting.

Kath

[Linda]

Sorry everyone but this 'topic' is now closed!

Any further posts regarding the subjects discussed above should be started under General Discussion as a new topic.

Thanks everyone!

:)