Fabulous Fun at #MidLitFest!

Last weekend we celebrated the very first Middlewich Literary Festival, #MidLitFest in Cheshire. It was a fantastic event, populated by local readers, writers, illustrators and book lovers.

I was a guest author, along with my new friends Gill Hoffs, Lucy Pireel and Bernice Walmsley. We showcased our work, discussed our experiences in the industry, and ate lots of cake!

There are now big plans being hatched for #MidLitFest 2015, so watch this space...

Cheshire Events: Middlewich Literary Festival #MidLitFest

Friday 23rd May

Venue - Middlewich High School Library

*Refreshments provided*

5.30 pm         Official Opening with MP
5.45 - 6.15 pm Commended stories being read
6.30 pm         Prize giving
7 pm         Close

Saturday 24th May

Venue - Middlewich Civic Hall

*Café open all day onsite*

10:00am Opening announcements
Ken Kingston, Middlewich Deputy Mayor, Author Catherine Green
10:45 Author - Gill Hoffs
11:30 Holmes Chapel & Middlewich Book Club Reviewing Pure by Andrew Miller
12:15pm  Commended stories being read
1:00         Illustrator / children’s books
1:45         Author Lucy Pireel
2:30 Commended stories being read
3:15 Author Bernice Walmsley
4:00pm Close

Saturday 24th May

Venue - Middlewich Library

9:55 am       Introduction of the Read-a-thon
10:00       Reading starts with our Mayor, Cllr Paul Edwards
10:15       Janet Chisholm, BEM - Middlewich Clean Team
10:30       Mayoress, Cllr Sonya Edwards
10:45       Vivienne Johnson, U3A.
11:00       Jonathan Williams - Town Clerk
11:15       Liz Rosenfield, Cheshire Folk
11:30       Mike Walton, Middlewich Heritage Society
11:45       Bev Cope, Middlewich Viison
12:00pm      Close

Preparing for the #MidLitFest #Cheshire

Hello everybody! Wow, preparations are well underway for our brand new upcoming Middlewich Literary Festival, #MidLitFest across social networks. Our authors are ready and waiting with their stacks of books (myself included), and we are currently planning our talks and workshops so that we may deliver a fabulous, informative and entertaining event to the people of Middlewich and beyond.

The #MidLitFest starts at 5:30pm on Friday 23rd May, in the Middlewich High School library, where the winners of our short story competitions will be announced and their work showcased for the assembled crowds. You can meet the mayor, meet the authors, and mingle with your fellow literary enthusiasts while we set out our vision for the future of this fantastic festival.

Middlewich Library will be a part of the #MidLitFest, playing host to a Read-a-thon session all morning on Saturday 24th May, while the main event takes place in the Middlewich Civic Centre from 10:00am - 4:00pm. You can chat to the authors, discuss your reading lists, any writing you might be doing as a hobby or a work in progress, your artistic abilities and lots more. There will be a cafe and book stalls as well. See you there!

Beltane Celebrations and the #MidLitFest

This weekend sees the celebration of our pagan festival Beltane, where we give thanks for the bounty and vitality of Mother Earth, and we look forward to our upcoming events and projects. For me that means the Middlewich Literary Festival, #MidLitFest.

May promises to be a month of fun and business development for me. We celebrate our very first Middlewich Literary Festival on 23rd and 24th May, and if you are in the local area please come along and see us. I will be there showing off my novels and sharing my knowledge and guidance in the literary world. Our town mayor, Bernice Walmsley, will be there. She is also an author and will be attending both as a town official and a literary professional.

Our local school children have been submitting short stories for competitions which we will enjoy judging soon, and the winning entries will be displayed at the Middlewich Literary Festival. Aside from our resident local authors there will be representatives from local schools, the library and other businesses at the event, and there will be a book stall where you can indulge in some literary retail therapy.

See you at the festival, and have a fabulous month!

It's Official! The Middlewich Literary Festival is Coming Soon #MidLitFest

We  have seen the official launch of the all-new Middlewich Literary Festival, taking place on May 23rd and 24th this year. There are two short story competitions for children, and one design competition for any budding marketing professionals and illustration artists currently at school...

See the full story in The Middlewich Guardian, and if you are in the East Cheshire area during that time, we will be very happy to see you at the festival!

Middlewich Literary Festival Launch Event #MidLitFest

I am pleased to announce that our official launch party for the Middlewich Literary Festival will take place this Thursday, 20th March, at 4:30pm in Middlewich Library. Come along and meet our resident authors, get some industry advice and insider information, and find out more about our fabulous writing and design competitions. See you there!

It's All About the Books! #MidLitFest

As we move into a new month and the promise of the Spring season, I feel especially excited because this coming week it is all about the books! I mean, every week is all about books for me (and children of course), but this week we celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 6th March.

World Book Day not only means my daughter can dress up for the day at pre-school, and we get vouchers for money off children's books, but World Book Day UK sees the (un)official launch of the very first Middlewich Literary Festival, and I have been invited as a guest author. I am very honoured! There will be short story competitions for local school children, featured authors and poets showcasing their work, the offer of literary critiques from speakers (possibly me), and a general gathering of readers and writers sharing the book love. In fact, I want to start a new Twitter handle for it: #MidLitFest

Not only that, but on Monday 2nd March the Middlewich Readers book club will be discussing my first novel Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), and I will be present to answer questions and join the chat. I am excited but a little bit nervous about the experience... 

Have a fantastic week everybody!