A group of Tavistock writers are seeking new blood to start their next chapter as they celebrate their first book.

Tavistock Writers Independent Group (Twig) have just published its first anthology of their output of short stories and poetry.

The book is called In Between Dartmoor and comprises the creativity of Bob Hill, Flo Butcher, Steve Newland, Carole Langman, Roger Spettigue and 'Chic'.

Steve, a former production manager at Tindle Newspapers, publishers of the Tavistock Times, said: “We’re pleased with our anthology which comprises the work of established writers and newcomers and even one first-timer.

“It is a rich tapestry of prose and poetry from the imaginative minds of TWIG.

“Readers should be prepared to be taken on a journey through landscapes of myth and memory, wit and wonder, where twisted truths danced with playful illusions. There is always something unexpected and always something more.”

The group meets to spark off each other’s ideas and stimulate different ways of developing a storyline or character.

Steve said: “TWIG is a talented collective of writers who embrace different aspects of storytelling. They span the creative spectrum, from short stories to poetry and memoirs.

“Writing is a journey, ideas drawn from the deep subconscious which takes shape through pen, paper, laptops, iPhones and even typewriters.

Steve’s speciality is short stories, including limited word counts so-called flash stories which can be very short. He was runner-up in the Tortivelit Flash101 competition earlier this year.

He added: “Our anthology celebrates this richness of our work. Readers can be transported to a transitional world in between Dartmoor and Tavistock where things are not quite what they seem.

“For our members, the joy of writing is matched by the pleasure of coming together, sharing ideas and supporting each other’s creative endeavours.”

They are often given surreal images or words by group leader Bob Hill from which to sow the seed of a story and then write a piece for sharing with the group at the next meeting.

Colleen Hickey, a retired health and safety consultant, says her favourite writers are Alistair MacLean and JK Rowling.

“I like painting and drawing and belong to a local artists group, but I fancied some creative writing and really enjoy being triggered off by Bob’s strange pictures,” she said. “I chose the picture of a person under a lit streetlight on a dark street and it sparked my imagination to write about a vampire waiting for his next victim. I have several stories with vampires.”

Shirley Butcher, a civil servant who lives near Princetown, only started creative writing 18 months ago, having written a lot as a child. She is proud her only second story as an adult is in the anthology and of coming fourth in a community story competition to mark the centenary of Lewtrenchard Victorian novelist and short-story writer Sabine Baring-Gould in 2024.

TWIG is staging an open evening on Thursday, October 23 from 6-7.30pm, at Tavistock Library, where anyone can meet the writers and hear them read their work.