Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I think you wrote "phone" and "phoned" more often than "'phone" and "'phoned", which is why the apostrophe was dropped.

Incidentally, in my Armada paperback edition of The Rilloby Fair Mystery (1979), the name of Roger and Diana's relative is written as "Great-uncle Robert" or simply "Great-uncle" - or even "Uncle Robert" as you said, Rob. I noticed you wrote it differently (as "Great Uncle Robert" or "Great Uncle") but I left it as I thought it might vary in different editions of the book.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Rob Houghton »

Interesting that Enid writes it with a hyphen as in 'Great-uncle and therefore uses a lowercase 'u'. I'd never noticed that, if I'm honest - but I was only writing from memory and didn't actually check the text. I would usually put them as two separate words, both with capital letters. I'm not sure what the 'correct' way of writing it is in 2017 - as I know things change, but I presume the hyphen was correct in Enid's day? :-D
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 19 Nov 2017, 21:51, edited 1 time in total.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Yes. You still see it written with a hyphen quite often.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Courtenay »

Probably because there's technically a difference between a "great-uncle" (i.e. an uncle one generation removed) and a "great uncle" (i.e. an uncle who is great)! :wink:
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Rob Houghton »

True - although looking it up, most places give both versions. I did think that though. Being a 'Great 'Great-uncle' ' myself. ;-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Courtenay
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Courtenay »

My late great-aunt (who was also a great aunt!) always insisted on just being "Auntie Raie" to all generations of the family. I think the "great" bit made her feel old!! :wink:
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Writing Blytonian stories of one's own.

Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes, my Great Aunt Rene (who I was very close to, and even went on holiday to America with when I was 21) was always called just 'Aunt Rene' or 'Auntie Rene'.

I feel rather young to be a Great-uncle! :lol:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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