FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 1st JULY 2008

In the Chair: Peter.

Apologies for absence were received from Debbie, Jane and Morag.

In attendance: Les, Alex, Tony, Dick, Ruth, Trish, Liliane, Lauren, Barry, Peter, Ally, Stephen and Dave.

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

Debbie emailed her apologies for the foreseeable future – there is just too much work to get done but she hopes to join us all again soon.

Jane didn’t miss us at all, drinking Pimms in the sunshine at Wimbledon indeed! Hope she enjoyed the tennis. She says she has good news on two counts, the first that she has at last exchanged contracts on her house in Hertfordshire. Of the other good news Jane says:

“I heard from the Observer that they are publishing a travel piece I sent them for their 'readers crap holidays' section. Its a 400 word piece I wrote as part of the Creative Writing Group course about a holiday in Northern France in the rain. They expect to publish it in their travel section this Sunday. You can probably tell I am really chuffed.” The song “Its Good News Week” springs to mind. Well done Jane!

Morag was off to sample some clairvoyance she should know what the next homework will be!

Had a message from Ken (Matthews) who says he is just not writing at the present time, but who knows? There is a really good story in Ken and one day we hope it will be written.

Talking of non-attending members, Chris from Cairns down in Queensland has been in contact. He says “Please give my best to all the members. Hopefully, I will be out from under the yoke of paint, varnish, turps and mess sooner rather than later! Even 'er indoors is getting a bit tired of it, and she started it! Provided Mother goes the distance, I should be back over in September 2009 when she is due to click over for her 100th! Rebecca, my Sydneysider wife, has the theory that living on the east coast of England snap freezes people for half the year, so that they are actually only half their age! The corollary of that is that living in the tropics burns us up twice as fast! It's worth it.
Fare thee well, tergither. Chris (and Rebecca).

Do you remember young Megan who came along to the Scribblers one evening with her first book? Well she has already written a second one which is being read by one or two Scribblers at present. Megan will have a stall at Cricket Hill Residential Home on Saturday 26th July when her books will be available at £1 each. She is already starting a third book called ‘Arthur Meets the Romans’ and this may possibly be ready for her stall. Well done Megan and best of luck once more.

Caz emailed to say that young Liam Fairhurst is in a campaign to get another holiday caravan called “Jack and Liam's Haven II”, for families of sick children to stay down in Devon. The first caravan, purchased through Liam’s fantastic fund raising efforts, was in Yorkshire. The fresh campaign was only launched last week and there has been an amazing single donation of £40,000 to the fund in Liam and Jack's name at CLIC Sergeant. “WOW” said Caz who added, “I'm thrilled Jack may not be here but he won't ever be forgotten.”

Dave brought along a few old Felixstowe Scribbler Magazines which were handed out so hopefully they will provide a good read and a little bit of amusement.

THE BEACH PARTY

The social gathering takes place next Tuesday 8th July at the beach hut nearest to the Spa Pavilion (opposite the small roundabout). Starts at 7.30 so if you can make it, please come along. Wives, husbands, partners are all welcome! Although not obligatory, it will be nice if everyone brings along just a little donation of drinks, savouries or cakes. Oh, and don’t forget the sun!

ONLINE SCRIBBLERS

I hear on the grapevine that one of the Felixstowe Scribblers has won their recent competition. That’s the good news, the bad news is that Online Scribblers could be closing its doors unless someone else offers to take over. The information is sketchy at present but the organiser, Vincent, is due to make an announcement soon and I am almost certain that it will be posted on the weblog.

THE PLATFORM

1,500 word open themed topics:

Lauren: Beginning Of An Ending.
Trish: Insomnia.

500 word work on Memories.

Tony: There’s No Place Like Emoh.
Dick: I’ve Just Remembered.
Ruth: Family Snaps.
Liliane: In Not So Loving Memory.
Ally: Summer Holidays.
Peter: Valentine Vendetta.
Barry: Excuse Me.
Dave: Memories.
Les: History Lesson.
Alex: The Persistence Of Memory.
Stephen: Memory of the Safe Road.

Here’s a website you may be interested in – it’s a short story competition. For details go to http://www.munsterlit.ie/Short%20Story/Sof%20prize.html

Next meeting will be held on Tuesday 15th July at the Café Libra in Felixstowe Library, commencing at 7.30pm.

There is no homework assignment this time, simply bring along four small slips of paper each containing a single word of your choice. These will be dropped into a hat and then everyone will draw out four words that will be included in a little piece of creative writing. The meeting will be another of our fun short writing exercises.

Chairperson: to be announced.

Don’t forget the Beach Party on 8th July at a Beach Hut near the Spa Pavilion starting at 7.30pm. All Scribblers and husbands, wives and lovers are all welcome!

The Writer’s Café @ Starbucks on Monday 7th July is fully booked and Ruth will now be reading some of her work during the evening. This is part of the Ipswich Arts Festival that has promoted a short story competition. Word has it that both Ruth and Dick are included in the twelve strong short-list.

Thanks to Lauren yet again providing the cakes and to Peter for taking the chair and the notes for the first time.

Until next time,

Keep Scribbling!