Vampire writer of fantasy books for adults, werewolf fiction and LGBT fantasy books. Polyamory rules in my world!
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Monday, 5 October 2015
Workshops and Talks at SCRIBE (Middlewich Literary Festival) 2015 #ScribeFest
We are just one week away from the start of our fabulous SCRIBE festival in Middlewich, Cheshire. You may have heard about Middlewich recently, as the town hosted the Loyal Company of Town Criers Championship competition. Well, just as the dust settles from the party of the criers, we are about to kick it up again as we celebrate SCRIBE.
Are you a writer? Do you enjoy books and reading? Well then, this is the festival for you. We have a wonderful selection of guest authors for you to meet and talk with, all appearing on Saturday, October 17th. You can find them on our Writers in the Real World panel over in the Boatyard Artspace, and at Book Bites in Middlewich Civic Hall. Our authors write a bit of everything, from romance to horror, true stories about ship wrecks, to local myth and magic. You are sure to have an enchanting time!
And that’s not all. For the children, we have the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party hosted by professional storyteller John Kirk. Fancy dress is optional but highly recommended… Following the tea party, you and your children can join in with an illustration workshop. Our resident artist Ian Hill-Smith teams up with children’s writer Philip Latham for a blind drawing exercise that will be very entertaining and offer lots of interactive fun.
Then there are the wonderful workshops on offer. All day Saturday you can try your hand at writing poetry, writing for radio and writing non-fiction. All workshops are available on a booking basis, and you are advised to book your tickets as soon as possible, since we have chosen small, intimate venues to enhance your writing experience. Throughout the week we have a variety of events happening during the evening, including “Jane Austen, Money and Marriage” hosted by Elizabeth Williams, and Read Dating at Middlewich Library. There are events at local pubs featuring Miles Hunt from the Wonderstuff, and John Lindley with “Reel to Real.”
SCRIBE begins on Monday 12th October with a launch party at Drinks and Bites café, and it will be broadcast live on Red Shift Radio. On Thursday, 15th October, you are invited to our Short Story Awards Evening at Middlewich Town Hall, where you can read the best of our story entries, and cheer on our talented young writers as they receive their prizes. Come along and join us, and bring your friends!
Are you a writer? Do you enjoy books and reading? Well then, this is the festival for you. We have a wonderful selection of guest authors for you to meet and talk with, all appearing on Saturday, October 17th. You can find them on our Writers in the Real World panel over in the Boatyard Artspace, and at Book Bites in Middlewich Civic Hall. Our authors write a bit of everything, from romance to horror, true stories about ship wrecks, to local myth and magic. You are sure to have an enchanting time!
And that’s not all. For the children, we have the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party hosted by professional storyteller John Kirk. Fancy dress is optional but highly recommended… Following the tea party, you and your children can join in with an illustration workshop. Our resident artist Ian Hill-Smith teams up with children’s writer Philip Latham for a blind drawing exercise that will be very entertaining and offer lots of interactive fun.
Then there are the wonderful workshops on offer. All day Saturday you can try your hand at writing poetry, writing for radio and writing non-fiction. All workshops are available on a booking basis, and you are advised to book your tickets as soon as possible, since we have chosen small, intimate venues to enhance your writing experience. Throughout the week we have a variety of events happening during the evening, including “Jane Austen, Money and Marriage” hosted by Elizabeth Williams, and Read Dating at Middlewich Library. There are events at local pubs featuring Miles Hunt from the Wonderstuff, and John Lindley with “Reel to Real.”
SCRIBE begins on Monday 12th October with a launch party at Drinks and Bites café, and it will be broadcast live on Red Shift Radio. On Thursday, 15th October, you are invited to our Short Story Awards Evening at Middlewich Town Hall, where you can read the best of our story entries, and cheer on our talented young writers as they receive their prizes. Come along and join us, and bring your friends!
Monday, 28 September 2015
From Town Criers to Short Stories - I am The Judge! #ScribeFest
One thing I’ll say about being a writer, is that you truly never know where your work will take you. This weekend is a case in point. I have just had the honour of acting as a judge for the Loyal Company of Town Criers British Championships 2015. I never even knew there was such an event, but it was held right here in Middlewich on a beautiful September Saturday. We even got a mention on ITV Granada in the news bulletin!
After the excitement, and the responsibility, of judging my specialist category for the town crier competition, I am now preparing for something I am far more familiar with. Later this week I will join the panel of judges as we assess our short story competition entries for SCRIBE (Middlewich Literary Festival). This is something I take great pleasure in doing, and this year we expect to receive a wide range of stories from new writers. We will have some of these stories displayed at the Short Story Awards Evening, held during the literary festival on Thursday 15th October. Whether you entered the competition or not, we look forward to welcoming you to our festival.
See you soon!
After the excitement, and the responsibility, of judging my specialist category for the town crier competition, I am now preparing for something I am far more familiar with. Later this week I will join the panel of judges as we assess our short story competition entries for SCRIBE (Middlewich Literary Festival). This is something I take great pleasure in doing, and this year we expect to receive a wide range of stories from new writers. We will have some of these stories displayed at the Short Story Awards Evening, held during the literary festival on Thursday 15th October. Whether you entered the competition or not, we look forward to welcoming you to our festival.
See you soon!
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
To Kindle, or not to Kindle, that is the question #publishing
OK, folks, I need some advice. I have written three novels during the past two years that so far remain unpublished. Admittedly, I have only allowed myself to release one into the hands of potential publishers and agents, but I think the other two are just about ready to be birthed. My challenge now, is finding the right way to publish and actually make a bit of money to live on. Up to now I am reliant on my husband for a financial income, because my novels are not being seen (and bought) by enough people in the right places.
Now, I have been doing some research. I still hold a dream of finding an agent, even though I know that is not a shortcut to fame and fortune. Even having an agent would not bring me the big publishing contract that I wait for. However, I feel that having an agent would take some of the strain away from me, because they would find the right publishers for my work, and I could be free to get on and do the writing that is screaming for my attention. At present I am distracted by promoting, networking and researching just where to send my books, and who to direct my attention towards. What I need is an agent with the right contacts in the right places, but then so do we all.
Anyway, it has occurred to me that perhaps now might be a good time to self publish. I am something of a hybrid author, because my novels to date have been made possible by a partnership publisher (Mirador), and a small traditional publisher (Chances Press). Their remit is limited due to their size, however, and some of my books are simply not suitable for their requirements. I understand that. It is the nature of business. So now I wonder, should I release a novel on Kindle, and do the work myself? I seem inundated with advertising from independent specialists who keep trying to sign me up to their own self-publishing programmes, where they claim I will learn how to earn a “genuine 6-figure income” from publishing my books on Kindle.
I know that these claims do actually ring true. If you know how to manipulate the market, you clue yourself up on keywords and auto bots, and all the necessary internet jargon, it is possible to sell your books to a wide international audience. But I also know that it is a huge leap of faith, because the responsibility is solely mine. I have to edit my book, provide a good front cover for it, and ensure that it is properly formatted and presented so that it looks professional and provides a good experience for the reader. I know I can do this. The question is, do I want to? Or should I play the waiting game and continue sending out my manuscripts to publishers and agents, until somebody says yes? Come on friends, I need your advice…
Now, I have been doing some research. I still hold a dream of finding an agent, even though I know that is not a shortcut to fame and fortune. Even having an agent would not bring me the big publishing contract that I wait for. However, I feel that having an agent would take some of the strain away from me, because they would find the right publishers for my work, and I could be free to get on and do the writing that is screaming for my attention. At present I am distracted by promoting, networking and researching just where to send my books, and who to direct my attention towards. What I need is an agent with the right contacts in the right places, but then so do we all.
Anyway, it has occurred to me that perhaps now might be a good time to self publish. I am something of a hybrid author, because my novels to date have been made possible by a partnership publisher (Mirador), and a small traditional publisher (Chances Press). Their remit is limited due to their size, however, and some of my books are simply not suitable for their requirements. I understand that. It is the nature of business. So now I wonder, should I release a novel on Kindle, and do the work myself? I seem inundated with advertising from independent specialists who keep trying to sign me up to their own self-publishing programmes, where they claim I will learn how to earn a “genuine 6-figure income” from publishing my books on Kindle.
I know that these claims do actually ring true. If you know how to manipulate the market, you clue yourself up on keywords and auto bots, and all the necessary internet jargon, it is possible to sell your books to a wide international audience. But I also know that it is a huge leap of faith, because the responsibility is solely mine. I have to edit my book, provide a good front cover for it, and ensure that it is properly formatted and presented so that it looks professional and provides a good experience for the reader. I know I can do this. The question is, do I want to? Or should I play the waiting game and continue sending out my manuscripts to publishers and agents, until somebody says yes? Come on friends, I need your advice…
Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Welcome to SCRIBE Middlewich Literary Festival 2015 #ScribeFest
SCRIBE Festival takes place this October in Middlewich, Cheshire. We have brought together a range of local authors, some that you may have heard of, some that you may not. Our authors will be providing workshops throughout the day on Saturday 17th October where you can polish your skills in writing non-fiction, writing for radio, and writing poetry. You can also meet the authors, ask questions about their work and their adventures in the publishing world, and see their books for sale. Our authors are wide ranging, including stories for children, adult horror stories, paranormal romance, historical accounts, local myths and legends, and much more.
Alongside the author events, we are offering a few slightly different experiences. Throughout the week you can attend talks, presentations, a Read Dating event, and our Short Story Awards Evening. Details of the full program, and online booking is available via the SCRIBE website. For your children we offer an invitation to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, and later that day we have our local artist and illustrator Ian Hill-Smith collaborating with children’s writer Philip Latham for a lively interactive workshop called “Children’s Literature and Illustration.” This was a huge hit at our festival in 2014, with both adults and children joining the fun and rising to the challenge.
And now, back to the writing. Do you have ideas for stories buzzing in your mind or languishing in a notebook somewhere? Then write them down, and send them to us! We have the fabulous SCRIBE Short Story Competition open to all, but we do love to see submissions from our local friends. For details on how to enter, please see our Short Story Competition page on the website. You can win cash prizes, and you will be invited to our Short Story Awards Evening presentation, taking place during the SCRIBE festival, 12th - 17th October. The deadline for story submissions is 25th September, so get those pencils scribbling!
For more information, and to keep updated with news on events and workshops, follow @ScribeFestival on Twitter, and search #ScribeFest, or you can like our page on Facebook. We may add more events in the run-up to the big week, if we can fit them in, so keep checking back, and make sure you book your places and get your tickets now, as this will be one busy week in Middlewich! See you soon!
Alongside the author events, we are offering a few slightly different experiences. Throughout the week you can attend talks, presentations, a Read Dating event, and our Short Story Awards Evening. Details of the full program, and online booking is available via the SCRIBE website. For your children we offer an invitation to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, and later that day we have our local artist and illustrator Ian Hill-Smith collaborating with children’s writer Philip Latham for a lively interactive workshop called “Children’s Literature and Illustration.” This was a huge hit at our festival in 2014, with both adults and children joining the fun and rising to the challenge.
And now, back to the writing. Do you have ideas for stories buzzing in your mind or languishing in a notebook somewhere? Then write them down, and send them to us! We have the fabulous SCRIBE Short Story Competition open to all, but we do love to see submissions from our local friends. For details on how to enter, please see our Short Story Competition page on the website. You can win cash prizes, and you will be invited to our Short Story Awards Evening presentation, taking place during the SCRIBE festival, 12th - 17th October. The deadline for story submissions is 25th September, so get those pencils scribbling!
For more information, and to keep updated with news on events and workshops, follow @ScribeFestival on Twitter, and search #ScribeFest, or you can like our page on Facebook. We may add more events in the run-up to the big week, if we can fit them in, so keep checking back, and make sure you book your places and get your tickets now, as this will be one busy week in Middlewich! See you soon!
Saturday, 5 September 2015
SCRIBE Short Story Competition 2015 #ScribeFest
In June 2015, Middlewich residents and visitors from across the UK joined in a weekend long celebration of the town’s renowned FAB (Folk and Boat) festival.
Up to 15 venues played host to music and dance throughout the weekend on the Middlewich canalside and in the town centre. Artists from around the world entertained thousands of visitors each day.
Together with hundreds of canal boats and the town centre setting, the Middlewich FAB festival has continued to provide a fabulous showcase of live entertainment every June since 1990, and has attracted renowned performers including Bob Geldof, Lindisfarne, Ade Edmonson, Neville Staples and many more.
In recognition of this amazing and unique event, the SCRIBE festival has based the 2015 under 16s and over 16s short story competitions on FAB.
For details on how to enter, please see our Short Story Competition page on the website http://www.scribefest.org/ You can win cash prizes, and you will be invited to our Short Story Awards Evening presentation, taking place during the SCRIBE festival, 12th - 17th October. The deadline for story submissions is 25th September, so get those pencils scribbling!
For more information, and to keep updated with news on events and workshops, follow @ScribeFestival on Twitter, and search #ScribeFest, or you can like our page on Facebook.
Up to 15 venues played host to music and dance throughout the weekend on the Middlewich canalside and in the town centre. Artists from around the world entertained thousands of visitors each day.
Together with hundreds of canal boats and the town centre setting, the Middlewich FAB festival has continued to provide a fabulous showcase of live entertainment every June since 1990, and has attracted renowned performers including Bob Geldof, Lindisfarne, Ade Edmonson, Neville Staples and many more.
In recognition of this amazing and unique event, the SCRIBE festival has based the 2015 under 16s and over 16s short story competitions on FAB.
For details on how to enter, please see our Short Story Competition page on the website http://www.scribefest.org/ You can win cash prizes, and you will be invited to our Short Story Awards Evening presentation, taking place during the SCRIBE festival, 12th - 17th October. The deadline for story submissions is 25th September, so get those pencils scribbling!
For more information, and to keep updated with news on events and workshops, follow @ScribeFestival on Twitter, and search #ScribeFest, or you can like our page on Facebook.
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Halloween Horror Event at Stoke-on-Trent Library
I am very pleased to announce that I will be a guest author at the Dose of Dark Fiction event with "Father Darkness" Dan Weatherer on Saturday 31st October. Come and join us, if you dare!
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