Sunday 30 April 2017

A to Z Challenge - Z is for Zero

Snippets from the life of Martha Sarah Ellis.


Z is for Zero - no more 2017 A to Z Challenges left to do!


It had seemed simple enough 26 posts for the month of April 2017 with all Sundays except the last Sunday of the month off (how did I miss that?)

At the beginning of 2017, I decided to write a book about the life of Martha Sarah Ellis. Why? 
Because women’s stories are often lost or not sought after as the victors of history write their stories. 
So my quest began, to pull the data I had gathered over 25 years of research into some sort of digestible form suitable for reading.

Three months later with papers strewn all over my desk and my computer screen, I still hadn’t managed to pull together any stories suitable for publication of any sort.  Then I came across the A to Z Challenge – a way to focus my writing and research. 

And so the odyssey began the “Snippets from the life of Martha Sarah Ellis.” A series of blog posts roughly charting the life and concerns of my protagonist, Martha, life.  

Still no stories but now I have a much firmer foundation to begin my storytelling as a gift to my descendants.

Blogposts During the Challenge


A is for Addresses
B is Booths Poverty maps
C is for Census
D is for Daughter
E is for Education - Updated and revised on 10 May 2017
F is for Fremantle
G is for Getting employment as a new arrival
H is for Help Required
I is for Immigration
J is for January Weddings.
K is for Kate Ellen Ellis
L is Little Lottie
M is for Mortuary Photo
N is for Names
O is for Offspring – Martha’s not Walter’s for possible Walter Offspring read the entry for Y
P is for step-Parent 
Q is for Quarrelsome
R is for the Rest, Relaxation & the Races
S is for the storm of 1909
T is for Ted otherwise known as Edward
U is for Unions and Marriages
V is for the Vicissitudes of Martha
W is for Walter Todman
X marks the spot
Y is for Y chromosome

To find find the links for the above posts scroll down to the end of this post


Blogposts involving Martha before the A to Z challenge


Blogposts involving Walter Todman Martha’s husband  before the A to Z challenge



Looking back over my blog, it seems I’ve been trying to do  a version of this since 2013 when I wrote my a first blog post entitled “Converting research into stories is it possible?” on Sunday, 20 January 2013

Well, I’m glad to say that it is possible.  Based in part on those 2013 blog posts a book has now been published Entitled “John Ebbott of Badharlick – Descendants in Australia 1852-2015”  which I am one of the three authors.
Photographer Sandra Williamson, front cover of the book, John Ebbott of Badharlick : descendants in Australia 1852-2015, compiled by William Barlow, Bob Ebbott, & Sandra Williamson published 2015. Available to read at the State Library of Victoria.

I'd also like to thank those who were so kind to drop in and leave comments, it was very encouraging and help to fuel the desire to do a bit more. 

Now to write the life story of Martha Sarah Ellis wish me luck!

To Read more about Martha's life for articles previously posted for the A to Z Challenges click the Letters below:-

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 

11 comments:

  1. Yes, you made it and I imagine there will be a lot from which to draw when you settle to compile the stories. Great effort. I am taking the next month to visit a few blogs each day to read other's contributions. I'll be sure to list yours as another to visit, I am interested in how research morphs into stories. Take care :) Linda

    Name: Linda Stewart
    Blogs at QP & EYE
    A-Z Theme: Values
    Letter Z: Z - It's a Mirage

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    1. Thanks Linda for dropping by. Loved your final posting for Z ZZZ .... Congrats on finishing.

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  2. Replies
    1. Your links not working, but I recommend that people go across and visit if they are looking for alternative challenges.
      https://1001armchairadventures.wordpress.com/2017/04/30/april-recap/
      Thanks for dropping by.

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  3. Congratulations on finishing the A to Z Challenge and thanks for visiting/commenting on my blog! A to Z is an inspired way to pull a story and book together. Once you recuperate, you may want to look at National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) in November -- 30 posts in 30 days -- as a next step. Posting is via Facebook and there's not as much commenting, but it helps get the job done! I'm doing my A to Z summary on May 5 (my only post in May). Looking forward to your A to Z Reflections post.

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    1. Hi Molly, thanks for dropping by I particpated in NaNowRimo before and really enjoyed, I'll take a look at NaBloPoMo as I haven't heard of that one before. A pity they both happen in November.

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  4. Congratulations on finishing the challenge. And congratulations on being a published author. I imagine a huge white board in an office somewhere in your home where all this info is laid out with 'strings attached'. Good luck with your new endeavor. It's wonderful to have all that knowledge of your ancestors.

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    1. Hi Denise, a huge white board what a great idea. My computer sits in the corner of the kitchen ( have a long kitchen, with an eating area. Originally it was there so I could watch where the kids were going on the internet, and as that is where the internet connection that is where it has stayed. The kids have left home so potentially I could move it to another room but then I probably would never get up and cook dinner!

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  5. Congratulations. I think gathering the snippets together in a series of posts is a great way of remembering Martha. Good luck with the bigger project. regards
    Anne

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  6. Congratulations on finishing the challenge! Using the challenge to help focus all that research sounds like a great way to go about organizing everything you have so far. I wish you luck with pulling it all into your next book.
    Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction

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  7. I used that method in the 2015 A to Z - that is I posted about my grandfather's letters to my grandmother everyday with a plan to make it into a book. Although I haven't gotten that done yet, I do feel closer! Good luck on pulling yours all together.

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