Newsheet and Report of Meeting of 18th June

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 19th JUNE 2007

In the Chair: Morag.

Apologies for absence were received from Lisa, Louis, Alex and Les.

In attendance were Liz, Rosemary, Barry, Tony, Morag, Liliane, Ken, Ruth, Peter, and Dave.

Welcome to Liz who found the Scribblers under creative writers on her search engine. Nice to know we’re out there in cyberspace! Liz hails from Felixstowe but has spent the last ten years in London before recently returning to Suffolk. An unpublished writer she enjoys short stories and thoroughly enjoys historical work.

Scribblers News:

Lisa was very apologetic in a phone call having to miss another meeting. Her baby sitter is unwell and that means another meeting on the sidelines. She is hoping to resume next time.

Louis emailed from London to explain that he was in a business meeting that was expected to last until 5.30 and, as he had driven in, would mean facing the traffic congestion of London’s rush hour.

As explained last meeting ‘Walkies’ Les is away dog-sitting in Kessingland but should be back next meeting

Alex texted pre-meeting that he was attending the Pulse Festival in Ipswich and would miss the meeting. It will be nice to hear a report of the plays, the scripts or story lines at our next meeting.

Good friend Gordon has emailed to say that his daughter Karen has self-published a book called “Isabel” which he describes as a fantasy. She used http://www.lulu.com/uk where you can set your own selling price with the service apparently costing nothing. Copies are produced on a print on demand basis which means avoiding having scores of copies laying around unsold. Gordon was most impressed with the production and delivery of the book. There is a downloadable version which would work out cheaper than the printed version. Karen, he says, has also a “home made” CD of songs she composed and performed with friends from Leeds University and this also on sale on Lulu. Go to http://www.lulu.com/uk and type in Karen Rosario for details.

Caz sends her wishes to Scribblers - she says she isn’t strong enough to resume yet, but has this message to say about young Liam Fairhurst who began fund raising in memory of Jack. Liam, also a cancer sufferer, has now surpassed the £100,000 mark raising funds for the children’s cancer care charity CLIC Sargent . A full report of his fantastic achievement was recently published in the Ely edition of the Cambridge Evening News. You can read this article here Liam has already received a Princess Diana Award, been invited as a special guest to William and Harry’s Concert in memory of their mother and been named the Most Courageous Child in the Cambridge Evening News community awards. Liam has a website at www.justgiving.com/liamsmile

Congratulations to Morag who has just sold a story to People’s Friend, six months after submitting it! Patience is obviously a virtue. Morag mentioned that she had spent a rewarding day with Maureen Blundell on a script writing course. Maureen, who, incidentally, helped Ruth with her first novel, runs an editing service and courses which she will tailor for either a day or a weekend to suit your writing needs. Maureen’s has a website called Liberato Morag’s day at Polstead Lodge cost £60, including lunch and a very comprehensive critique of her work included in the price.

Ruth was invited to speak at a Literary Lunch in Assington along with another local author, Tessa West. The lunch, in aid of the Somebody’s Daughter Appeal, was quite expensive at £35 and had a disappointing low number of bookings.

A reminder that Scott and Aimee’s big day rapidly approaches. They marry on Saturday 30th June and all the Scribbler's and their partners are invited to the reception at the Brook Hotel, Felixstowe from 7:00pm. Here’s hoping the sun will shine on them for a memorable day. So Congratulations and Good Luck!

Margareta has sent her best wishes to the group from her home in Vienna and asks to be remembered to all her friends at Scribblers.

THE BILL BUDNER TROPHY

Ruth brought along the gleaming Bill Budner Trophy, a silver cup, supplied by Scott’s firm, Mr Cobbler and appropriately engraved. It was presented to our first winner, Tony, by Dave. Tony will hold the cup until the next competition which will be in approximately three months time. Well done Tony!

AN AUSTRALIAN GUEST

Following on from the communication with Chris Shaw in Australia, we discussed his attendance at our meeting on July 17th and agreed that after the general introductions, we will allocate one of the 1,500 word slots to him at the start of the meeting. The work is the first short story that Chris has written. Entitled ‘Happy Anniversary’, he would appreciate some feedback and then have a chat with members during our coffee break.

THE SUMMER SOCIAL - A BEACH PARTY … again!

Hoping for warmer weather than last year and also for a drier time than we are currently experiencing. The date has been agreed and the party be held on Tuesday 24th July at 7.30pm. It will be on the beach next to Ruth’s hut which is between the Spa Pavilion and The Alex. Those attending are asked to bring along some light refreshments, nibbles and the like. If any members are musically inclined and have a guitar then perhaps we could have a bit of a musical interlude too. Bring along some written work if you wish, and perhaps we will try building a story - or failing that sandcastles or, more likely, a rockery!

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our weblog, it will be updated more often than of late so you may find some items of interest there: - http://nar8or.blogspot.com

Don’t forget our website at http://felixstowescribblers.com that can be viewed at any time.

The there is the Online Scribblers site at http://onlinescribblers.com, essentially for those unable to attend meetings.

The 1,500 Word Homework Assignment:

Peter : My Dad and Me : Describing the relationship with his father, working as a blacksmith and then on a farm before setting up his own business.

Ruth : The James Version (the extract that won a competition leading to self-publication) : Ann helping Maria Marten get ready for a date with William Corder.

The 500 word homework assignment on ‘Steps’.

Ken : Steps : Excerpt from a novel about an atheist who dies and is sent back to earth and the steps to convince people that God exists.

Liliane : A selection from ‘Day of Moving In’: Another intriguing family tale.

Morag : Retracing his steps : Young man moving a bookcase for his grandmother and making himself late for his date.

Tony : The Monastery (Perry Trachett): A tongue in cheek spoof.

Barry : Steps : About the Spanish Steps in Rome. Antonio sees beautiful red-haired woman on steps and uses her for his sculpture, the Cupid and Psyche statue.

Rosemary : Habits (her fifth attempt at the subject) : Locked out of the house she sits on the steps. Turns out to be a burglar! There is a storm, a flash of lightening, she counts to two and the thunder rolls (now we don’t quite know how Rosie stage managed this but at the exact time and the exact count the lightening flashed and the thunder rolled over Felixstowe!)

Dave : Holiday Home : Couple hear an unknown intruder, husband goes to look - ghostly goings on.

THANKYOU to Morag for chairing the meeting and taking the notes.

Our next Felixstowe Scribblers meeting is set for Tuesday 3rd July at 7.30pm in the Café Libra at the Library and will be chaired by Dave.

The homework assignment is to write 500 words maximum on “RAIN / REIN / REIGN”.

The 1500 word work will feature work by Tony and Liliane.

So until next time,

Keep Scribbling!