Blackwell launch Solo by Helen 3
Blackwell launch Solo by Helen

“A stunning eye opening fictional tale set in China from 1963-1993; WILD SWANS MEETS DR ZHIVAGO,”
“Utterlly brilliant! I am so enthralled – many congratulations on a quite extraordinary achievement.” LADY MOYRA BANNISTER

Press Release Brushstrokes in Time
In the UK and around the world, Brushstrokes in Time by Sylvia Vetta and published by Claret Press is now available on Amazon to download. You can order it at any good bookshops where it is available print on demand .
ISBN Paperback is: 78-1-910461-09-9
ISBN ebook: 978-1-910461-10-5

APRIL 2 (2016)

Blackwell’s are holding lots of free events in their Festival Marquee and there are others in Blackwell Hall in the New Bodleian. I’ve just returned from two. I was pleased to hear Bart van Es on Shakespeare’s comedies saying that Shakespeare invented the Rom Com. Just as well I got it right: the short story I submitted for the Oxford Writer’s Group anthology -my modern take on Twelfth Night – is definitely a Rom/Com! Not all the free events in the marquee are listed in the Oxford Literary Festival programme but you can find them on the Blackwell link below.
I’LL BE TALKING Brushstrokes in Time ON SATURDAY 9 APRIL @ 11 am.
http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/stores/oxford-bookshop/events/

Oxfordshire Limited Edition (Feb 2016)>This feature is about some of the artists involved in the Stars Art Movement who inspired me to write my novel
Brushstrokes in Time OLE.

The Chinese Brushpainters Society have written about Brushstrokes in Time! http://cbps.org.uk/category/news/

Tuesday February 2 @ 6.45 at Blackwell’s Broad Street, Oxford. Surely one of the most iconic bookshops in the world?

Blackwell launch (Dai)

To my knowledge my guests represented Oxford at its best: when it is a truly international city ! Represented here by wonderful individuals of every colour, and most religions and backgrounds, the countries of origin of the guests included India, China, Pakistan, Argentina, Singapore, Canada, the USA, Jamaica, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Iran, South Africa, Kenya, Ireland and even the Isle of Wight!

Legs Larry  and Ray

A castaway duo at the launch of Brushstrokes in Time.
LEGS LARRY SMITH thus named by George Harrison is writing his memoir. RAY FOULK Isle of White Festival memoir part 2 comes out later this year. Librarians Dominique and Rebecca will no doubt be lending them out and hopefully Brushstrokes in Time too!

It was in the vast but atmospheric Norrington Room and was compered by DR MARIA JASHOK, the Director of International Gender Studies at LMH Oxford.(Maria lived in China from 1980-1996 and has written the foreword to the novel.)
Maria Jaschok

Blackwell launch (Nic)Blackwell's Launch Solo

Blackwell's launch Felicity and Simonetta

My dear friend SIMONETTA AGNELLO HORNBY– one of the best -selling writers in Italy came from London to the launch. Her books have been translated into 24 languages. Brushstrokes in Time? I wish!

On Talk Oxford talking about Brushstrokes in Time ,the Stars and Oxfordshire Limited Edition:
With Linora on  That's Oxford TV

PART 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-CH0O9E1eQ&feature=youtu.be&a

Thursday February 4: Oxfordshire Limited Edition Special castaway for Chinese New Year, Qu Leilei. I write about the EPIC life of one of the founders of the Stars Art Movement
Qu_Lei_Lei with MS Sculpture

Sunday February 7 : Chinese New Year’s Eve ; Guest on the Will Gompertz Show on BBC Radio Oxford @ 9am. Here is the recording:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03gjsth#play
Thanks BBC: great timing! Michael Woods and the BBC must have planned the China season to coincide with the launch of Brushstrokes in Time! The Story of China is accessible without dumbing down. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06yglnh/the-story-of-china-1-ancestors
You don’t need to know anything about China to enjoy Brushstrokes in Time either. Walk in Little Winter’s shoes and at the end of her emotional journey you will have learned a great deal about that complex culture and country

Wednesday March 2 Kennington Village Centre FOKL Coffee Talk Free event: coffee from 10.30 am. My talk begins @ 11.am. I’ll describe the 10 year journey to the publishing of my novel and explain why I wrote it.

Qu_Lei_Lei and I with BIT

QU LEI LEI WILL BE AT THE WIMBLEDON LAUNCH (free event)
THURSDAY MARCH 3 THE LONDON LAUNCH of Brushstrokes in Time at the Polka Theatre Wimbledon at 7.15pm.
Stars artist Qu Leilei without whom I could not have written this book and academics in the Oriental Department of the British Museum will attend.
Free event: booking preferable . Contact me through this website.
http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/leisure/latest/14228904.Wimbledon_based_Chinese_artist_Qu_LeiLei_inspires_new_novel/
THE OXFORD LITERARY FESTIVAL: Blackwell’s Marquee.(By the Divinity Schools)
Saturday April 9 @ 11 am.
Enjoy a cup of coffee while listening to me talk Brushstrokes in Time?
This is a free and fun event.
THE STRATFORD LITERARY FESTIVAL Tuesday 26 April

http://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/event/new-voices-brushstrokes-in-time
New Voices Brushstrokes in Time
Date/time:
Tue 26th April 2016
4.00pm – 5.00pm
Venue:
Stratford ArtsHouse
Price:
FREE
Showcasing New Writing
This memoir of fictional Chinese artist, Little Winter, is written for her American daughter. It takes the story of Communist China beyond the death of Mao and, for the first time in fiction, shows the birth of the radical art movement, The Stars, in 1979. Her haunting love story connects us to this time of hope for freedom of expression in China, and to a man frustrated by ‘being kept in small shoes’.
4pm: I shall talk about Brushstrokes in Time
http://stratfordartshouse.co.uk/whats-on/event/castaways/
Book 24 hours a day online or callBOX OFFICE 01789 207100
5.30pm: Oxford Castaways 2 is a non- profit making book published to raise the profile of Vale House. Gillian Cox the founding chairwoman of Vale House and I will talk about the importance of life stories.
I have been privileged in interviewing amazing people, many famous like Peggy Seeger, Roger Bannister but also many inspirational people who are not well known but have achieved amazing things. The eight years I have been writing this series has impressed on me the importance of storytelling. It makes waves in special places. Oxfordfolio* published Oxford Castaways 2 on behalf of Vale House which cares for people with terminal mental illness like Alzheimer’s . Thanks to its founding chairwoman Gillian Cox, I made the link with storytelling.

Oxford Art Forum : May 11 @6pm @ the Phoenix Picture House. I will introduce Never Sorrythe mostly biographical film about the radical Chinese artist Ai Weiwei whose career began with the Stars. AiWeiwei film ad with press release (2)

WI talks etc

Hook Norton WI : Tuesday 19 January @2pmt
Sunningwell WI : Thursday 11 February @2pm
Harwell Evergreens : Thursday 19 May @ 2.30pm