Formed over forty years ago, our Writers Circle is based in Felixstowe, Suffolk. Meetings are held in The Room at the Top in Felixstowe Library, normally on the first and third Tuesday of each month commencing at 7.30pm and finishing by 10.00pm. Check this weblog for details of meetings.

There is an annual November to November fee of £30, April to November is £20 and June to November £15. For members preferring to pay at each meeting the charge is £5 per meeting. To contact Felixstowe Scribblers simply email scribblers.1@btinternet.com or the Secretary, catherine.stafford1@ntlworld.com

Friday 30 December 2011

From firstwriter.com newsletter

Writers' & Artists' listings disappear from website

In the days before the internet, writers in the UK would generally turn to The Writer's Handbook (published by Macmillan) and the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook (published by A&C Black) for listings of literary agents, magazines, and publishers, etc. At the start of 2011 both these publications had online versions: the listings on the website for The Writer's Handbook were available to those who had purchased the print product, and those for the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook were available to anyone for free. At the end of 2011, however, both of these online services have ceased to exist.

Earlier this year Macmillan announced that they would cease publication of the The Writer's Handbook altogether, leading to the closure of the website service (see fwn 95), and while A&C Black appear to be continuing with the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook, this month has seen a redesign of their site where the free listings that were formerly available have disappeared without warning – replaced instead by a series of tips and suggestions that shepherd writers towards an array of services and conferences marketed at wannabe writers, ranging from about £100 to over £1,000 in price.

A&C Black claim that they intend to re-introduce the listings "over the coming months", but this will come as cold comfort to anyone who was in the process of working through the listings to try and find markets for their writing. "This is one of the problems with these free services," observes firstwriter.com Managing Editor, J. Paul Dyson. "With no sense of accountability to their users (since they aren't paying customers), there's nothing to stop them from withdrawing the service without warning, leaving their users high and dry."

The old listing service on the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook website was notable for its extreme slowness (click a link, then go and do something else while you wait for it to respond), paucity of information, lack of features, and a narrow concentration on UK markets. However, A&C Black have promised improvements to at least the search facility when the service returns. "A&C Black's plan seems to be to use these listings as a come-on to writers so that they can get them to their site, where they can then try and sell them expensive premium services. If the listings are to become something of a sideshow, it will be interesting to see whether or not their promises translate into a commitment to providing the kind of online listing service 21st century users expect."

Disappointed users of the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook listings who would like a more reliable and international service can subscribe to firstwriter.com for as little as $4.49 / £2.65 / €4.49 a month, with substantial savings of up to 35% available for longer term subscriptions. firstwriter.com listings include advanced search systems searching as many as 20 different criteria, and providing practically instantaneous results. Extensive information covers the US, the UK, and other English-speaking nations, including details provided by agents / publishers / magazines / competition organisers themselves; information sourced by researchers; feedback from other users; and independent assessments from other resources. Advanced user-specific database functions means the site tells you which listings you have looked at and when, and tells you if a listing has been updated since you last looked at it. You can save specific searches to get one-click access to them from your own personalised home page, and even add personal notes to listings, which you can search for keywords, and which can include reminders to pop up at a specific date. You can even tell the site your interests and receive email updates whenever listings that match them are added or updated!

To subscribe now and begin benefiting from these features immediately go to www.firstwriter.com/subscribe

Please see our sidebar for two new features on Felixstowe Scribblers weblog, for competitions and to find an agent....

Keep Scribbling!!

Friday 23 December 2011

Merry Xmas to everyone....

...and a Very Happy, Healthy and Profitable New Year!

Aiki jutsu - or 'Do as you're told Scott!'























From the files of the Ipswich Evening Star, Thursday 22nd December comes news of our former regular Scribbler Scott before he took to the martial arts. Could it be he took them up when he got married - but wife Aimee, as reported below has the upper hand on him! Just pays to do as you're told Scott! Well done Aimee!

To enlarge, simply click on the images

The final 2011 meeting report.

This will be the final meeting report of 2011 and I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a productive New Year.

Members present at the meeting were Dave, Dick, Caz, Tony, Cathy, Liliane, Sally, Sandy, Jack, Sarah, Jane, Ray, Martin and finally the old men Les and myself.

Apologies from Carolyn with her son from the States on a visit and Beryl feeling unwell. Get well soon Beryl and I hope Carolyn has a good visit with her son.

The meeting was a short version of our four word exercise to accommodate the best part of the meeting with our festive get together, mince pies and the like. Apologies to the Library for any crumbs that were left behind.

We started the words with four picked by SANDY which were PANIC, PROTEGE, XMAS AND HORSE. Entitled The stand in reindeer, we had a humorous tale of Prancer the reindeer being too ill to help with the sleigh and the offer of a horse to stand in for him.

Next came JACK who just about almost finished his piece containing the words LOVE, ORIGIN, HOLLY AND ICE.
We had just a few words from Jack with his usual flair for excellent writing until we reached the ending which found us chuckling at 'B....., run out of time!'

SARAH picked LETHAL, STUFFING, SNOW AND EPHEMERAL. A strange combination of words but giving us a short piece concerning Bambi and her fawn Mindy and the fright imposed by some human hunters in the forest.

JANE had LIGHT, ANGEL, BLIZZARD AND SPARKLE. Unusually free of murder and mayhem Jane gave us a very funny account of a local Amdram production or words that could equally apply to a school panto.

RAY had the words DOSSIER, VINTAGE, BARKING AND RACIST. This was a few words of mainly vocabulary from four local skinheads talking the talk over a pint or three at the pub.

MARTIN was on form again with COCKEREL, INCONCEIVABLE, COURAGEOUS AND SURRENDER. Comedy seemed the main theme on the night and this was no exception with Martins rendition of someone being given the mundane task of checking all the Christmas deliveries at the North Pole from Amazon, Argos et al.

LES had us chuckling again with his short coming out party piece containing the words
CORRUPT, DISTASTEFUL, CHRISTMAS AND SOCIALITE. I have included Les's touching and very clever poetic tribute to the Scribblers and what the group means to him.

My piece had the words 1996, 200 (which turned out to be Zoo really. I should have gone to Specsavers) PROLIFIC AND DEPRAVITY. My attempt at humour was trumped by the comical knowledge that I had misread one of my words.

DAVE had PEST, BRAVE, FABLE AND AGE. Another funny contribution based around trains (what else) and the groom's imprisonment in the guards van.

DICKS words tested yours truly when writing (scribbling) notes for this account. SERENDIPITY, DRAGON, QUINTESSENTIAL AND GLUE. (Thank goodness for spellchecker) His was a tale of Merlin and his attempt to concoct a lethal mixture for the dragon. A very informative chemistry lesson.

CAZ gave new meaning to the panto cry of 'he's behind you!' with her piece containing the words REASON, HEEBEJEEBIES, (???) a tale of a poor unfortunate being chosen for the back end of the donkey in the Nativity. Caz also gave us a tribute from herself to us all of how much the group mean to her.

TONY had the words APOLOGY, CHARITABLE, MOTORBIKE AND TOWN woven into a comic tale which included nearly all those present at the meeting and involving many motorbikes.

CATHY had VACUUM, GALACTIC, CRACKERS AND MEETING. An incredulous passenger listening in to two old ladies and their spectacular Christmas lists.

LILIANE's words were KINGDOM, PRODUCTION, PROVOKE AND PROTEST. A neat and quite topical story of Royalty letting the hoi polloi know the cost of heating the palace as how taxes had to be raised to pay for keeping it warm.

Last but not least we had SALLY and her words LEFTOVERS, JUGGLE, INCREDIBLE AND INTEREST. Another comical look at the way Christmas dinner is cooked and the use of the eventual leftovers.

Personally I thought the scant time allowed to write (fifteen minutes) produced the usual high quality pieces from a group that blends well together. If I have made any slight mistakes in translation of your work, then I hope I am forgiven.

From Les.

Christmas Wishes

May you write your dreams this coming year
may your pen be bold, may your ming be clear,
Have faith in yourself and the courage you need,
so that all you write is a pleasure to read,
you all make me proud to be a part,
for which I thank you with all my heart,
I hope it is clear for all to see,
The Scribblers bring joy to an old man like me.
I wish you all a very Happy Christmas
and a peaceful New Year.
Les Smith


It just remains for me to wish all present and all unable to attend an extremely Happy Christmas, and to thank Les for his touching poem, a fitting ending to the year 2011.
See you all in 2012
Regards
Barry.

Thursday 22 December 2011

Battered Moons Poetry Competition

The Battered Moons Poetry Competition is now open to all UK residents 18 or over.
The finals judge will be Michael Symmons Roberts, with Cristina Newton as preliminary judge.

The 3 winners and 4 commended poets will be invited to read their poems at the Swindon Festival of Literature on Friday 11th May 2011, when Michael Symmons Roberts will hand out prizes and read his work.

Winning and commended poems will appear in the Battered Moons Poetry Pamphlet and website. For poems up to 40 lines. Supported by the Swindon Festival of Literature and Arts Council England.

Entry fee: £3 each poem or £10 for 4. First prize £300; second, £150; third, £75. Closing date for entries is 29th February 2012.

For further information, entry form and to enter, visit http://batteredmoons.blogspot.com . Postal entries also accepted.

Wednesday 21 December 2011

LAST TEN DAYS FOR SUBMISSIONS

UNPUBLISHED FICTION AUTHORS PRINT READY COMPETITION
This competition starts December 2011.The closing date for this competition is the 31st December 2011 23:59 BST.DECEMBER 2011 -

YOUNG ADULT & TEEN FICTION
This is a genuine, no fee competition that stretches over 12 months.
Each month a different genre; each month a winner. Winners are offered a contract, paid royalties, and receive full promotion and marketing strategies.
This is not a competition with prizes. There is no entry fee.
Only Print Ready novels of genuine merit will be chosen.
Your book could be a winner.
Full details of rules, genres and how to submit,on our website, http://www.creativeprintpublishing.com/publishing/competitions.php
Phillip Grizzell
Managing Director

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Farewell 2011 Felixstowe Scribblers - here's to 2012!

What a splendid evening at Scribblers tonight.

To begin we had some pretty imaginative stories in the 15 minute allotted time so thanks to everyone who attended for providing another memorable evening.

We followed with our enjoyable Christmas party and can now look forward to our own festive season.

Merry Xmas everyone, and a happy and profitable New Year!

Keep Scribbling.

LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR - TONIGHT!

Felixstowe Scribblers final 2011 meeting takes place tonight in The Room at the Top in Felixstowe Library starting at 7.30.

There will be a short creative writing exercise - so please bring a pencil and paper together with four words each written on a small slip. These will be deposited in Dick's hat, shuffled round then simply draw four words out and you'll be able to create a short masterpiece around them!

It's all good fun....

The evening will finish with a little party before we close the chapter on 2011. If you'd like to bring along some goodies to add to the Christmas cheer then please do!

Until this evening....

Keep Scribbling!

Monday 19 December 2011

Spa Pavilion

The future of the Spa Pavilion hangs in the balance after Suffolk Coastal District Council announced it could no longer afford to give the necessary financial commitment to the venue.

An options appraisal on the venue has found that without significant investment the theatre will become unfit for purpose and it is believed it will cost £3million to bring it up to modern standards.

Suffolk Coastal District Council are now calling on entertainment and leisure companies across the country to bring forward proposals to save the Spa.

Geoff Holdcroft, cabinet member for economic development and leisure, said: “The harsh facts are that the Spa is not generating the audiences it used to nor those enjoyed at comparable venues.

“It urgently needs a large financial commitment just to get the building up to scratch and to give it a chance to attract the audiences that would make it viable.”

The council currently spend £250,000 each year for theatre company, Openwide Coastal, to operate the venue. The council are intending to withdraw funding at the end of June.

Ray Holburn, of Openwide Coastal, said: “This is disappointing news but we recognise the financial pressures facing the council, and it has become increasingly clear that the Spa does need a significant and urgent investment to help make it an attractive venue for customers and indeed performers.”

Shows at the Spa will continue as advertised until June.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Christmas Carol Service in aid of EACH



EACH East Anglian Children's Hospices - Christmas Carol Service - with ICGC Ipswich Community Gospel Choir - at St Augustine's Church, Bucklesham Rd, Ipswich, Monday 19th December at 7:00pm - free entry, but funds collected for EACH. Please do come along!

From the guv'nor

Hi Scribes.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a very literary
New Year.

Just click on the Christmas Card.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Card

All my best wishes.

Barry.

Merry Christmas from BBC writersroom

We want to wish all of our BBC writersroom subscribers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Stay tuned to the BBC writersroom website for lots of exciting new competitions and opportunities in 2012.
As a special Christmas treat for you - we've put together a selection box of scripts from our favourite Christmas episodes of BBC continuing dramas over the past few years.
Download them using the links below. Enjoy!

EastEnders
-------------
Christmas Day 2009 part 1 & 2 by Simon Ashdown
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/eastenders_christmas2009_parts1and2.pdf
Christmas Day 2007 - part 1 by Simon Ashdown http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/eastenders_christmas2007_part1.pdf
Christmas Day 2007 - part 2 by Simon Ashdown
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/eastenders_christmas2007_part2.pdf

Holby City
-------------
"Snow Queens", Series 13, Episode 11 by Martha Hillier (Christmas 2010)http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/holbycity_s13_ep11_christmas2010.pdf

Casualty
-------------
"Winter Wonderland", Series 25, Episode 17 by Daisy Coulam (Christmas 2010)http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/casualty_s25_ep17_christmas2010.pdf

Opportunities
-------------
New Writers Awards for Playwrights 2012Deadline: 19 December 2011Bursaries and professional mentoring for emerging playwrights based in Scotland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/new_writers_awards_scotland.shtml
Little Pieces of Love
Deadline: 20 December 2011
Writers are invited to submit their short plays for a Valentine's themed event at the Southwark Playhouse.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/little_pieces_of_love.shtml
Immersive Writing Lab Competition
Deadline: 21 December 2011
Create a cross-platform storyworld and win a £6k development fund.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/immersive_writing_lab_2011.shtmlRed Planet Prize
Deadline: 16 January 2011
£5,000 cash prize and entry to a mentoring scheme for an original TV script. http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/red_planet_prize_2011.shtml
Script Space 2012
Deadline: 31 January 2012
Open competition that invites submissions of new, unperformed one-act plays from UK-based writers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/script_space_2012.shtml
Theatre Trail Writers Competition 2012
Deadline: 31 January 2012
Have your play performed at next year's Arundel Festival Theatre Trail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/theatre_trail_2012.shtml
One Act Playwriting Competition
Deadline: 31 January 2011
The Drama Association of Wales' One Act Playwrighting Competition is now open for submissions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/one_act_playwrighting_comp.shtml
The BBC Writersroom Future Talent Award for Writers
Deadline: 01 February 2012
Opportunity for north-based student/recent graduate drama writers to access development opportunities and mentoring from the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/future_talent_award_for_writers.shtml
TenFour Theatre presents - A Table for Six
Deadline: 20 February 2012
TenFour is now accepting submissions of monologues for its Spring production of A Table for Six.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/tenfourtheatre_spring20121.shtml
Saturday Shorts 3 - Scriptwriting competition
Deadline: 01 March 2011
Bristol Folk House are looking for fifteen-minute scripts for a performance event in summer 2012.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/saturday_shorts_2012.shtml
The Windsor Fringe Kenneth Branagh Award 2012
Deadline: 05 March 2012
The Windsor Fringe is now accepting unpublished one-act plays from amateur playwrights for its 2012 Award.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/windsor_fringe_2012.shtml

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Flash Fiction Prize




Happy Holidays from Unbound Press & Spilling Ink




Write 500 words or less for a chance to win a brilliant iPrize!! All genres welcome, online & postal entries accepted and we accept online entry fees in £, $, € (payment by cheque must be from a UK bank, GBP)



Flash Fiction Prize
Now Open!

Closing Date: January 9, 2012



Winning and short-listed entries notified no later than January 31, 2012
To Enter Visit http://www.unboundpress.com/ or http://www.spillinginkreview.com/ orClick Here


1st Prize – iPad2 and publication in our 2012 annual print anthology
2nd Prize – iPod touch and publication in our 2012 annual print anthology
3rd Prize – iPod nano and publication in our 2012 annual print anthology
Shortlisted Entries – publication in our annual 2012 print anthology
Shortlisted & Honorable Mentions will receive also receive a free copy of Story.Book, our 2011 annual print anthology


Entry fee:
GBP – 1 for £5 or 3 for £10 (cheques accepted from UK banks)EURO – 1 for €8 or 3 for €16USD – 1 for $10 or 3 for $20To Enter Visit http://www.unboundpress.com/ or http://www.spillinginkreview.com/ or Click Here

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Due out very soon....

Our friend Chris Down Under in Cairns is hoping his book will be out before Christmas though time is getting short now.

Whether or not it makes the deadline it is a title that certainly catches the eye and, guys, before you get the wrong idea order your copy now!

Simply click on the image to enlarge

Thanks Guys. Nooky's just gone to the publishers and should be out next week! Your acknowledgement of its existence is a World First for the Felixstowe Scribblers! Pat yourselves on the back and thank the speed of the Homing Pigeon that brought the message to you!
Like some other things in life, I'm finding that the cover acts as a mirror to the mind of the reader. I've had comments like, 'Huh! What Filth!', 'Now that's interesting!', 'Any pictures?' and so on. The latest was from a school colleague who lives outside Melbourne (and I don't mean Woodbridge!), who said, 'I think I could learn something from that. I'll have a copy!' That's one!
Please wish all Felixstovian quill scratchers, our best wishes for a fine and restful Christmas, and a kaleidoscope of ideas in the new year. Cheers, Chris and Rebecca

Monday 12 December 2011

CREATIVE PRINT PUBLISHING LIMITED FREE BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS

We are giving away three copies of three titles this month.
A chance for three lucky winners to get their hands on one of three paperback titles.
Winners will be notified by email.
Books will be shipped on or before the 20st December 2011.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. Open to all.
2. Paperback book giveaway - there will be three winners chosen for each title.
3. You must provide a genuine email address and delivery address through the online form.
4. Free shipping included. If non-delivery then a replacement will be sent, the re-shipping costs to be bourne by the winner
This competition is organised and administered by Creative Print Publishing Ltd. an independent publishing house with no legal or financial connections to any other company or entity.
All decisions are made by the management of Creative Print Publishing Ltd and their decisions will be final.
Good luck!
Be sure to enter for a chance to win FREE BOOKS
How to enter.
Click on this link or copy and paste in the address bar of your browser http://www.creativeprintpublishing.com/publishing/author-giveaways.php

Phillip Grizzell, Managing Director, Creative Print Publishing Ltd

Thursday 8 December 2011

MEETING REPORT 6TH DECEMBER 2011

Good day Scribes.

This is the penultimate meeting report for the year and the last containing homework, which was REBELS.
Those present included:
DAVE, DICK, LILIANE, CAZ, SANDY, SALLY, TONY, BERYL, MARTIN, RAY, SARAH AND BARRY.

Apologies came from Carolyn, Les and Cathy.

We started the session with a tale from our esteemed Treasurer, BERYL. Her piece was entitled THE SISTER, a couple of pages from her work in progress novel. We look forward to reading more about Rudolph and his partner Roma together with his two Aunts, Annie and Hettie.

Next came our resident comedian TONY. What can I say about his piece. I sat bemused, as did most other listeners at his rendition of part of a sequel to his Sword of the Kings. This was called (I think) WIND ISLAND and suffice it to say I just noted the two words in my minute book. ‘Plus one.’ These seemed to encapsulate the convoluted language of his chapter. I’m sure it will make sense one day.

Our youngest member was next, SALLY gave us a very bored housewife’s view of her early life with her then handsome husband Jonathan who had attracted her greatly when she was younger but his appeal had steadily declined until she was simply a lady who loves nothing more than a good book and a glass of wine. A REBEL WIFE hopefully is not a peek into her future. Still, she has been warned now.

Sally brought her mother as usual and SANDY amused us all with MARCH TO MILE END, a story of mother and daughter Mabel and Jane, and Mabel’s insistence that they follow the example of Wat Tyler and the Poll Tax Rebels and march to Mile End with demands similar to those of the Peasants revolt. After her daughter explained the distance to Mile End ... They took the train!

LILIANE was next with THE LAST CITY TO FALL, the story of Antwerp enshrined in a very informative account of the way Europe was shaped by the various Kings and Queens of Holland, Belgium and other rulers of Germany etc. I could not possibly give you the names and titles of her extensive research but would say that the history lesson was engrossing.

CAZ gave us REBEL, telling of the way she and her brother coped through their early years and how her rebellious brother went from Military school to live in Germany where he was involved in a serious accident while in Berlin. Caz told with feeling how she was torn at the time, from being able to visit him in hospital and trying to cope with terrible news about Jack, her son who grew to be a rebel in his own right and a gifted writer until he was cruelly taken from Caz and her family.

DICK, our deep voiced schoolteacher (retired) gave us A RISK FOR THE TEACHER.
This was one thousand words telling of a schoolteacher rebellion in Lowood School because of the way the children were treated and the dire state of the food being served from the dirty and scruffy school cook. The rebellion was a risk in those early days when the school board were as likely to sack the complainants rather than the offending culprits.
Charlotte Bronte would have been pleased to have this piece as part of Jane Eyre.

DAVE was in the spirit world with REBEL IN THE SKY where his subject rebels against the norm to dwell in the in between world and wait for opportunities to take his revenge on Hatcher, a bully from his early life and one who had subsequently killed the narrator by forcing his car off a cliff. His obvious relish at the many ways Hatcher had been thwarted and persecuted until his eventual demise makes us all wary of the way we treat Dave.

BARRY. My piece was an attempt at humour which was received quite well I thought. It concerned a few words from an ongoing project about The Rubicon Rebels entiltled
TILTING AT WINDMILLS. My group of feisty residents of the Rubicon Rest Home told of a residents meeting and the way the convoy of mobility scooters should behave on their next foray into town.

RAY captivated us all with a surprise account of his early life and his desire to engage with the law. Not on the wrong side of course but completely against his father’s wishes he followed his dream and went to Law School. His piece entitled YOU ONLY GET ONE LIFE told us how, when he had passed his exams he became disillusioned with the workings of our high courts, explicitly the Old Bailey and how he performed his one and only criminal case only to go into another arm of jurisprudence.

MARTIN was a playwright for tonight and gave us some narrative from a play he is writing. The piece was part of his play ST JOAN THE FIGHTER involving two rebellious teenagers, Anne and Sophie.

SARAH was in attendance but due to other commitments she was unable to complete a homework piece, but just came to meet and listen to our stories.

Thus concluded the meeting.

My thanks to all who attended and I’m sure you all join me in wishing Les’s wife Joan a speedy recovery after her unexpected trip to hospital.

The last meeting of 2011 will be in the normal place on the 20th December when you are encouraged to bring four words on separate slips of paper. We shall have a short writing exercise until the extended break where we can partake of refreshments and the usual mince pies etc to get us in the mood for Christmas.

One final note about the Scribblers Meal at the Brook a week ago. We had a good turnout and a very enjoyable time was had by all while sampling the excellent carvery put on at the venue. Everyone left feeling very satisfied I think. Thank you Les for organising.

Regards to all and see you on the 20th. NO HOMEWORK, just four words.

Barry.

Wednesday 7 December 2011

The International Rubery Book Award

The 2011 RBA short story winners have been announced!

Please visit our website for details of the winners and those shortlisted and longlisted. The Judge's report is also available on the site.

We would like to thank Paul McDonald for his efficiency and enthusiasm in the judging process.
May we take this opportunity to thank everyone who entered. We really enjoyed reading all the stories.

Our next story competition will launch next year. Meanwhile our book award is currently running.

www.ruberybookaward.com submissions@ruberybookaward.com

Parallel Dimensions!

The 3rd annual festival of Fantasy, Horror and Science-Fiction will take place on December 10th, 2011 at West Kirby Library, Wirral. Participants include Tim Hulme, Jon Mayhew, Mjke Wood, Adele Cosgrove-Bray and others.

This FREE event begins at 2pm. Hear new fiction, talk to the authors.

West Kirby Library is located in The Concourse which is next to West Kirby train station. Trains between West Kirby and Liverpool run every 15 minutes. A frequent bus service run to Birkenhead and Liverpool from outside the station. Bus #347 runs every ten minutes. Also, there is an ample car park to the rear of The Concourse.

We hope to see you there!

Don't confuse Parallel dimensions with the poetry event also taking place in the library on the same day. Ask the staff for directions to our room!

Adele Cosgrove-Bray.

Website: http://adelecosgrove-bray.blogspot.com/

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Another publication by a Scribbler!



Here is the latest book by one of our members. A true and amazing story of one man's journey through enemy occupied territory in the 'Summer of '43'.


Yes that's the title of Sandy Stafford's intriguing publication. Costing just £5, ten per cent of the profits will be donated to St Dunstan's, a really wonderful cause.






A rebellious evening at Scribblers...

Yet another eclectic evening in the world of creativity. Such good work from everyone on the subject of REBELS. A joy to listen to all the stories - it's almost free entertainment!!!

Competitions by Chapter One Promotions



To enlarge simply click on the image.

Children of Pulilan Foundation - forthcoming quiz events

There are two charity quiz nights arranged for 2012: Saturday 25th February and Saturday 5th May. These will be at Ipswich Wanderers Football Club, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich IP4 3NR
7:00PM for 7.30PM start.

The cost is £5.00 per head, maximum of 4 per team. There will be Prize Money for the winning teams. A light buffet is included and a licensed bar will be available.

These two events are Charity Quiz nights to raise money for underprivileged children in the Philippines.

Children of Pulilan Foundation Charity Reg No 1105367
www.thechildrenofpulilanfoundation.co.uk
email: childrenofpulilanfoundation@hotmail.com

Monday 5 December 2011

TRIBUTE TO A TEXAN LEGEND

It's twenty-three years on and twenty-three years gone,
Since December six, eighty-eight,
And his final song had echoed out
Within his homeland Texas State.

The voice that passed away that day,
Was more than desperate and sad -
He'd never sing alive again
And that, my friends, was all so bad.

Yet in our minds, our hearts, our homes,
Melodies linger on and long,
Down the volume, he'll still be heard
So high above his mourning song.

A man whose life was full of grief,
His wife hit by a killer truck
Claudette died on her motorbike.
Then another tragedy struck.

Two sons died in the burning flames -
Gone were Tony and Roy DeWayne -
At his Hendersonville homestead.
Just how could he survive the pain?

Deathly anguish and bitter thoughts,
Replaced with professional calm
He rose again above his grief,
His loyal fans were in his palm.

Each song he sung, a masterpiece
The Texan sang so beautiful,
Etched on the world's eternal disc
Voice unquavering, powerful.

Listen to his ballad "Claudette",
His "Crying" and his "Blue Bayou".
Then "It's Too Soon to Know" and yet
If "Only the Lonely" weren't true.

"In Dreams" of his "Pretty Woman",
Was he "Running Scared" from "The Crowd"
Way down to his "Sleepy Hollow"
To write and sing, vibrant, aloud.

Record, perform, on stage his act,
Immense applause that will not end.
As the world pays great homage to
"'Roy Orbison"' - Texan legend

(c) 2011 Dave Feakes



Rebels.....

....that's the 1,000 word homework assignment for our next meeting - Tuesday 6th December (tonight). Usual place, usual time.

After the meeting the committee will meet for a few minutes to confirm dates of the 2012 meetings.

Keep Scribbling!

Friday 2 December 2011

December 2011 issue of WritingRaw.com is now online

“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
Mark Twain

WritingRaw is a monthly literary magazine dedicated to new and emerging writers. Our goal at WritingRaw is simple - to serve the literary community with the opportunity to have their work online and out in the world. In this world of disappearing literary magazines, WritingRaw is providing the blank pages for writers to fill. To view someone's writing, click on the link and a pdf version of the piece will open in your browser.

· Besides the New York Writers Workshop providing a column, we are starting two new ones this month: Self-Publishing: How We're Doing It by Martin Willoughby and Book Awards Column by Mary Greenwood. These columns are sure to provide some valuable information concerning how a writers group formed their own publishing company and a description of many book awards won by Mary Greenwood in her amazing career. We are always up for more… drop me an email and let's talk about starting your own column, weeb@writingraw.com

· Drop Us A Line: Let us know what you think of the site, or about something you've read, or promote something through a letter to the editor. Next month we would love to start a "Emails to the Editors" section of WritingRaw. In the subject line, write "Letters" and send to weeb@writingraw.com

· FLASH FICTION REVIEWS: Send us your flash fiction book reviews - no more than 250 words per review. Send to weeb@writingraw.com

· This month's winner is Denny and Maya Hoffman! January Contest: Write a 500 word or less piece using the following prompt: Write a fairy tale based on a top news story from the last 3 months. The deadline for this will be December 25. The winner will receive a $20 gift certificate from Amazon.com and be posted on WritingRaw.com.

The Staff of WritingRaw.com (Ditch, Weeb, Rib)

New in this issue:

FICTION:
· 4:30 by Joe Riley: Nights of drinking, forgetting, and wanting to forget: flirting with a beautiful woman, hung over dragging yourself to work, discovering a good friend is in a coma.

· A Fading Star by Derek G Rogers: Harry Sheffield had been there done it and been lauded for it. But that was then...

· Away In A Manger, A Baking Pan For A Bed by Barbara A. Beswick

· Catch The Air by Sara Davis: Desperate and displaced, Nina finds herself frantic and deep in the thick of an unplanned felony. As night closes in around her, she makes the decision to sieze back the life she handed over so long ago, before it's taken from her forever.

· Houses Close To The River: A Novella by Zdravka Evtimova

· Macilroy, the Reluctant Dad by Dean Scurlock: John Macilroy - annoyance to his grandmother, amatuer time traveler, professional burk - has one mission while exploring the time vortex: To go back in time and kill Hitler.

· Pal Joey by Kim Offenburger: The only things that Joey wants are his cell phone... and a pillow.

· Probing Feelings by Ronald L. Cherry: To be a woman head of a department in such a male-dominated organization as NASA, you have to be tough and shield your emotions. Your work is your all that matters. But sometimes the unexpected can penetrate the toughest shield.

· Station of Mind Over Matter by Nick Millini: After receiving the opportunity to become a famous musician, Niall Everhart heads for the big city in hopes of fulfilling his dream. Along the way he meets Blair Raymond, an eccentric yet pleasant man who wants to help Niall achieve. Will Niall find success or will the pressure of being in this new world be too much for him to handle?

· Trivia by Steve Myers: The story deals with the near impossibility of capturing a life. Almost all that is known is trivia while the experiences of war and personal tragedy escape.

· The Green Eyed Monster of It by Joe Riley: After discovering his girlfriend with another man, a young man comes to terms with the end of their relationship.

· The Visit by Frank A. Baburek: Does a family's bond during life continue after death? We all have feelings for those we have been close too in life after they die but do they reciprocate?

· 'Tis The Season by Jason P. Henry: Hell hath no fury like that of Santa and a woman scorned. 'Tis the season to be... sorry!

POETRY:
· Broken Room, Fixed Photo by Kristopher Miller
· Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Peter Fraser Macdonald
· Lost Words by Jason Anderson
· My Eyes Are Full Of Tears by G David Schwartz
· Poetry Of Dead Things by Denny and Maya Hoffman
· Red by Denny and Maya Hoffman
· Riding the Rails by Mike Berger
· She Walked Through The Door by Juliette Beswick Pokletar
· The Cuckoo's Nest by Michael D. Brown
· The Idol on the Square by Kristopher Miller
· Tracking The Blues by John McKernan
· Will-yng by Marrilynn Ready

ASSORTED:
· Artist of the Month: by Eleanor Leonne Bennett
· Chemical Neutral by Rick Bailey
· Fat Sex: Alice in Cyberland by Rebecca Jane Weinstein
· Satan Speaks by Christopher Nagle
· The Silent Lion by Elaine Rosenberg Miller

INTERVIEWS:
· Daniel M. Annechino
· Alan Bradley
· Colin Cotterill
· Julie Hyzy

REVIEWS:
· Allbooks Review
· Between the Sheets: The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert
· Flash Reviews

really BAD Shakespeare Season 3 Begins!
Episode 2 online NOW: Nothing In His Life Became Him Like The Leaving It

NEW EPISODES ON THE 15th OF EVERY MONTH

WritingRaw.com is alive and thriving.

Weeb
WritingRaw.com