"the small print" | writings for the heart

welcome to "the small print"

2009-10-30T23:14:00.004Z

Welcome to the official website of the collection of short stories and poems entitled "The Small Print".

"The Small Print" is the culmination of the joint efforts of a broad range of Lloyds Banking Group colleagues, all fascinated in some way or other by the act of putting pen to paper and dreaming of other people, places and worlds. An act of imaginative fiction, with an astute combination of poetry and prose, which is revealed in the words of Alan Campbell's introduction:

In the following pages you will find surprises, and even some carefully crafted linguistic traps. There are strange and wonderful ideas: a lingering ghost with one final task to accomplish; a music lover with a glass heart; a phantasm seen only in reflections; and an audacious art scam to make even Martin Creed blush (or, possibly, applaud).

However, in each case the writer's motive is not to confound or debar, but to entertain and enlighten. These are stories and poems written with imagination, talent, and – above all – heart, which is apt when we note the charity the writers have chosen to support. On this occasion I hope you'll be glad you've read the small print for all the right reasons.

In support of the LBG charity of the year, British Heart Foundation, back in March 2009 these literary colleagues wondered how best they could use their collective skills to further such a good cause - and, as a result, under the guiding hand of editor Steven Prevost and sponsor Philip Grant, have finally managed to bring to fruition this magical collection of new writing from Edinburgh and across the nation.

So magical, in fact, that twelve weeks after its launch at the Edinburgh Book Festival, upwards of 1000 copies had already been sold. Now it's the turn of a much wider group of readers to encounter the delights to be found thoughtfully bound within the heartfelt covers of "The Small Print".

Buy your copy now!

press

2009-10-25T10:11:00.012Z

On this page, you can find a summary of online news, reviews, press coverage and other links about "The Small Print", since its publication and launch in the summer of 2009 at the Edinburgh Book Festival.

After only twelve weeks on sale, around 1000 copies of the book had been sold. The latest publication to feature the book is CIMA's "Financial Management" magazine. More from their report can be found here (.pdf file).

Online news, reviews and press coverage:

The Edinburgh Evening News
Books from Scotland
Chartered Banker (.pdf file - scroll to page 10 for news item)
City of Literature
An honorary mention in the New Writer magazine, November/December 2009 edition

contact us

2009-09-20T19:29:00.003+01:00

You can contact us in a number of ways. Firstly, why not visit our Facebook page? Steven Prevost, editor extraordinaire, introduces the project as follows:

At a team night out in late March 2009 I found out that a few colleagues did amateur writing. I asked these colleagues if they'd consider helping me write a book for charity and they all said yes. Over the subsequent three months the pieces were drafted, a Steering Committee was set up to progress the administration and a Reading Panel reviewed and fed back to ensure the writing would be ready in time. What you now hold in your hands is the culmination of these efforts. It has been a thoroughly rewarding achievement for all involved in seeing this initiative from idea stage through to the production of this book.

You can find out more here.

Secondly, if you'd like to provide feedback on the book, you are most welcome to leave a comment on any of the pages on this site - or, alternatively, if you'd like to get in touch directly with one of the writers, please do so via their emails below:

Miljenko Williams (website administrator and writer) - mil@thesmallprint-book.com
Steven Prevost (editor and writer) - steven.prevost@thesmallprint-book.com

how to buy "the small print"

2009-09-20T19:24:00.012+01:00

You can now buy "The Small Print" in a number of ways, confident in the knowledge that in the first twelve weeks of sale over 1000 copies were purchased by readers like yourself looking to both celebrate good writing and help a worthy cause such as the British Heart Foundation:

If you live in or visit Edinburgh, you can buy "The Small Print" at Waterstone's Princes Street branch or, alternatively, brush up on hundreds of years of history at the Museum on the Mound where you can also purchase a copy
If you work for Lloyds Banking Group, please go to Interchange and search "The Small Print" for more details on how to buy
Elsewhere, you can buy by post in the following way: send a cheque for £5 per book, made payable to "Lloyds Banking Group Charity Book 2009", to Lloyds Banking Group Charity Book, 3rd Floor, 1 Lochrin Square, 92 - 98 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 9QA
Finally, you can now buy "The Small Print" online: Greenmetropolis.com stocks the book and also donates proceeds to two charities, the British Heart Foundation itself and the Woodlands Trust. Click here to view their webpage
If you'd prefer to get your copy via eBay, please do so here

However you choose to buy the book, we genuinely hope you enjoy your purchase. Any feedback is most welcome. If you'd like to contact any of the writers, please click here for further details.

about us

2009-09-20T19:17:00.004+01:00

“The Small Print” is a beautifully crafted book of literature launched with the twin goals of supporting new writing from across the nation and the British Heart Foundation at one and the same time.

A collection of short stories and poems written by people who work in the same company, published on the occasion of that grand celebration of art and culture which is the Edinburgh Festival, the project brings together writings from a wide range of ages, experiences and cultures – aiming, above all, for authenticity and a true voice.

Acknowledgments

During these challenging economic times it is encouraging that a group of colleagues from Lloyds Banking Group has done something out of the ordinary to raise money for a worthy cause, the bank’s charity of the year, the British Heart Foundation.

The initiative was set up by Steven Prevost who has encouraged, cajoled and persuaded all concerned to ensure key milestones were hit and the end goal, a book with quality writing, was delivered. Thanks Steven, without your efforts in developing the idea and following it through, this book would not have happened.

Secondly, I'd like to acknowledge the efforts put in by the writers, whose names appear throughout this book. I am certain that when the writers see their work in "the small print" they will be proud of their efforts. This book provides a platform for these amateur writers to showcase their talent. Well done all of you.

Thirdly, I'd like to thank the Steering Committee: Steven, Adele Lee, Dougie Malcolm, Kirsty Christianson, Carolann Hammersley, Caroline Scott, Diane Steel, Vicky Borthwick and Paul Richards. These colleagues brought their work skill sets to the initiative, including communications, distribution, finance, marketing and project management.

Next, I'd like to thank the Reading Panel (Fran Scott, Adele Lee, Kay Goldup and Keith Welbourn) who diligently reviewed the submitted work to ensure the pieces were fit for purpose. In particular, Adele Lee, as secretary to both the Steering Committee and Reading Panel, provided excellent administrative support.

Thanks go to Kate Sargent for the cover art. Thanks also to the many colleagues who agreed to be site sellers of the book throughout Lloyds’ offices.

Finally, I'd like to thank the guest introducer. Alan Campbell, as some of you may know, is an established Scottish fiction writer and his fourth book "God of Clocks", part of the Deepgate Codex, is now on sale.

I hope you enjoy the wide variety of poems and short stories in the book.

Philip Grant
Chief Operating Officer
Wholesale Division
Lloyds Banking Group
July 2009

Introduction

Think of the last contract you signed, the last insurance or loan agreement. Did you read the small print? Few of us ever do. The very phrase "small print" seems to encompass vaguely sinister motives. We almost expect to find nasty surprises lurking amidst the minutiae, linguistic traps designed to snare the unwary. And yet most of us will sign our name without a second thought. We naturally trust others to be fair and honest. Life is too short and too precious to live in any other way.

In the following pages you will find surprises, and even some carefully crafted linguistic traps. There are strange and wonderful ideas: a lingering ghost with one final task to accomplish; a music lover with a glass heart; a phantasm seen only in reflections; and an audacious art scam to make even Martin Creed blush (or, possibly, applaud).

However, in each case the writer's motive is not to confound or debar, but to entertain and enlighten. These are stories and poems written with imagination, talent, and – above all – heart, which is apt when we note the charity the writers have chosen to support. On this occasion I hope you'll be glad you've read the small print for all the right reasons.

Alan Campbell

British Heart Foundation

Heart disease touches us all. Every year, thousands die prematurely, and those who survive can find life difficult and frightening. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the Lloyds Banking Group Charity of the Year and is the nation’s heart charity. It is dedicated to saving lives every day by investing in pioneering research, supporting and caring for heart patients and their families, campaigning for change and providing vital information to help people care for their own heart health.

Lloyds Banking Group and the BHF are working together to raise £2 million to fund 15 new BHF Heart Nurses in communities across the UK, supporting over 8,400 heart patients. By purchasing this book you will help us reach this goal and help the BHF continue its life-saving work.

Together we can beat heart disease, for those living today – and tomorrow.

Rebecca Morek
Project Manager
British Heart Foundation
July 2009

British Heart Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (225971) and in Scotland (SC039426).

Visit our website at www.bhf.org.uk

Contents

"From Another Perspective"
Gareth Lee

"4 by 4"
Steven Prevost

"HE"
Callum McLaren

"At the Museum of Human Experience"
Adam J. Shardlow

"Requiem"
Callum McLaren

"I Wants Don't Get"
Callum McLaren

"Influencing Skills"
Steven Prevost

"Daffodils"
Jane Rodger

"Three Haiku"
Jane Rodger

"Fruit of the vine, and work of human hands"
Iain Mckinven

"At the Heart of the Matter"
Miljenko Williams

"November Park"
Jane Rodger

"For You"
Simon Maclaren

"A Change of Scenery"
Callum McLaren

"The Clown"
Callum McLaren

"Singing the Low Down Geek Blues"
Adam J. Shardlow

"Letting Go"
Jessica Hill

"A Sense of Rejection"
Callum McLaren

"Missing Wedding Guest"
Steven Prevost

"The Boy in the Glass"
M C Smith

"Where"
Steven Prevost

"Heart of Glass"
Adam J. Shardlow

"St Maarten"
Jane Rodger

"Office Politics and the Singing Butler"
Steven Prevost

Writers' Profiles

Adam J. Shardlow is a writer for the popular BBC comedy quiz 'Call My Bluff'. A successful author of 'dark' fiction and freelance journalist, his work has been printed around the world including articles for The Guardian and The Idler. He divides his time between Italy, New Zealand and the UK. His first novel, 'The Missing' is to be published Summer 2009. Adam has been with Bank of Scotland for almost three years.

Callum McLaren has been writing under the pseudonym of Tomas Bird for the past two years, particularly with an underground arts and music magazine called the Real State. In this time he has interviewed bands such as The Futureheads, Tango in the Attic and Beatnic Prestige. He has also reviewed several Indie club nights on the Scottish music scene and written tour blogs for bands such as The Law and Hi 5 Alive. More recently, Callum has turned his hand to writing poetry and short stories, some of which have been published in the Real State magazine and website. Callum has been working in Group Finance at Bank of Scotland for nine years.

Gareth Lee has been writing short stories for about five years and is glad to have finally finished one. He was delighted to be asked to write for this project, as it achieves an ambition of having a story published and is also a great cause. In recent years, with two friends, he has also been writing and recording comedy. Current projects involve a radio show set on a fictional island, a comedy musical about work and a spoof documentary. They are convinced they are on the right track after being invited to the Comedy Unit, Glasgow (producers of 'Still Game' and 'Chewing The Fat'), on the basis of a sitcom submission. Gareth joined Bank of Scotland six years ago.

Jessica Hill read English Literature at Oxford University, has been writing for a number of years and now works in the Group Sponsorship area of Lloyds under the final third year of the Graduate scheme. Short stories written by Jessica have been published in magazines. She has yet to take the opportunity to send one of the full length books she has written to a publisher and will gain confidence to do this from being part of this charity book initiative.

Iain McKinven wrote poetry and prose whilst at University, sometime in the last century. There then followed a long interlude during which he pretended that producing computer programs, project plans and powerpoint presentations was in fact the perfect alternative to creating whatever he fancied with words, and not primarily about making a living. In recent years he has returned to writing for pleasure. Iain has been with Bank of Scotland for over two years.

Jane Rodger joined Bank of Scotland in 2006 and has been writing poetry for the last eight years - she has received two awards in the Scottish International Poetry Competition - a Diploma and a Highly Commended for two poems. She has studied Poetry and Short Story Writing at evening class through Edinburgh University.

M. C. Smith studied Theatre and Writing for three years, joining the Bank in 2004. Still a keen amateur writer of short stories and plays; in 2002 he was delighted to take his self penned ensemble show, ‘Les Me's’ to the Edinburgh Festival. More recently Mike has taken his comedy ramblings to local bars, and small clubs in Edinburgh and London, and regularly publishes short stories to his blog on t'internet.

Miljenko Williams studied Film & Literature at Warwick quite a while ago, part of which involved a Creative Writing module taught by Andrew Davies. More recently he studied a Spanish Publishing Master with the University of Salamanca/Santillana Publishing Group and then joined the Bank in 2004. He’s written for pleasure and family for some time now and after spending most of his recent spare time content managing websites would like to go back to using words to generate emotions rather than clicks.

Simon Maclaren has been writing on and off (but mainly off) for the past thirty years and, as a customer of Lloyds TSB, agreed to be a guest writer. The poem included in this book, and one other, have appeared on a Number 73 London Bus about fifteen years ago and Simon jokes it secured him an overdraft increase as his bank manager had admired his work on her way to the local branch. He has had four lines published in the Financial Times, a sonnet in an accounting magazine and once won an egg cup for a poem on Breakfast Television. He passed his English Language 'O' Level on his sixth attempt but is now perplexed that he doesn't write more and hopes this bit of publication might inspire him.

Steven Prevost joined Bank of Scotland in 1999 and has been writing short stories and poems since late 2004. Steven attended a Creative Writing night class in 2004 and has had various pieces of writing published including a short story in ‘Ironstone 2’, a joint publication by The Scottish Arts Council and West Lothian Council. A seasoned traveller, he dreams of retiring to Australia in later life and living somewhere on the East Coast near the ocean where he will, at last, learn how to surf.