A collection of short prose, poetry and plays written by members of the Writing Group of the Haddenham U3A. Many are examples of exercises designed to introduce members to different techniques of creative writing. A few are extracts from published works by members. Group members range from complete beginners to those with journalistic experience. The University of the Third Age members are retired or semi-retired people with an interest in continuing to keep active, mentally and physically, through mutual-help interest groups. This collection may encourage and assist other U3As or similar organisations to establish their own creative writing groups. After all, writing is fun!

This is the second collection of stories written by the Hayle U3A Writing Group.The stories come from pieces written in the last twelve months.

Proceeds from the sales of this book will go towards the running costs of the Creative Writing Group, of the U3A in Todmorden. Todmorden is a small town in Yorkshire, England on the border with Lancashire. The U3A is the University of the Third Age, which is an International Organisation whose aims are the education and stimulation of retired members of the community. This book contains a selection of poetry, anecdotes and short stories produced by the Creative Writing Group ON THE WRITE LINES is the second book produced by this group. Their first and successful book, EIGHT IN PRINT was published through Lulu.com in 2010. With an increased and new membership, we decided to 'have another go'

Seventy years after World Wat II, thirty people describe in this book what it was like to be a child in Britain during that war. Their vivid experiences are extraordinary, rich and moving. They faced bombing, rationing, evacuation, blackout, firestorms. Yet there was a freedom, comradeship and ingenuity in overcoming shortages and hazards which has endured long after these childhoods spent 'learning the meaning of war'. They gathered shrapnel for their collections, enjoyed the sweets American soldiers gave them, went to school on a troopship, wept over dolls spiked with glass, shared beds with strangers, were strafed by bombers, counted the planes returning from Europe, learnt what rural life was like, knitted socks and were thrilled by the small pleasures of seeing a lemon or making cream for a birthday party from margarine and milk. It was a world that today's children find it hard to imagine. But this book brings it vividly alive.