Meeting Report

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FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 16th DECEMBER 2008

In the Chair: Peter.

Apologies: Alex (unwell), Morag (Vets dinner), Rosie (revision for exams), Connie (unavailable) Sue (away).

Present: Barry, Dave, Dick, Sandy, Angela L, Lauren, Angela P, Ruth, Trish, Liliane, Kay, Tony, Jack, Jane, Peter, and Nicola,

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

This meeting was the culmination of an exciting year’s creativity in the Café Libra at Felixstowe Library. Attendances have been a little bit up, a little bit down and then, with an influx of new writers, up quite a bit.

Here’s a reminder that Angela and the Petch family and friends are taking a part in a sponsored Christmas morning dip in the briny here in Felixstowe in aid of the St Elizabeth Hospice, in Ipswich. It’s a fantastic cause. Angela says “The Hospice is an independent local charity and all services are provided free of charge. In total it costs £5.2 million each year to run the Hospice, of which 77% is raised by supporters. We have friends who have been looked after with love in the Hospice and it is a very special place. So, will you help us freeze our ..... and .... off and sponsor us? For as little or as much as you can afford at this costly time of year. If you feel like sponsoring us, then please go to the web-site that Emily has set up for the event: www.justgiving.com/christmasdaydip08 Many thanks! (What a way to spend our first Christmas in Felixstowe!!!). Angela, Maurice and we think Jonathan plus Liam, a friend, and Emily too (Rosie is going to hold the towels and mince pies for us).xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAngela.”


Aimee and Scott would like to say happy Christmas to all the scribblers and wish that they have a great new year.

Scott says “On another note Aimee is now a brown belt in Aiki Jutsu and we are both now red belts in judo and yellow belts in Kickboxing. Aimee had an amazing week recently as she graded 3 times in four days for three different martial arts. Me,on the other hand, spent the other weekend on a coaching course for Aiki Jutsu and passed a terrifying ordeal of having to take a class for twenty minutes, it now means if I wanted too I could start up my own club, but that is not going to happen for a long time, although I can teach at our normal class if I wanted too.

“I hope you are all well and Aimee and I are looking forward to two weeks off from the martials over Christmas so we can eat and be merry.
Bye for now Scott and Aimee.”

Season’s greetings come from our friend and author of ‘Witch’, Rochelle Moore in Ireland and from Morag who hopes to be back with us in the New Year.

Re our Social – Ruth has checked all the bookings and taking the initial orders and £5.00 deposits and, so popular an event, she tells us that all places have now been taken.

Guest speaker Maureen Blundell’s afternoon sessions are fully booked but there are still spaces available for the Sunday morning (25th Jan) group session from 10.00am to 12 noon looking at narrative structure, character and plot development. The cost is £10.00 also payable in advance.

IMPORTANT REMINDER all email contact with Felixstowe Scribblers can only be made at scribblers@btinternet.com All scribblers ntl accounts and addresses are no longer functional.

Finally, to round off 2008 we had one of our now very popular short writing exercises. It meant bringing a long four words, each on a small piece of paper and then dropping them into a hat where they were shaken and probably stirred too. Each writer then drew out four words and had to create something from them.

The Platform:

Barry: Dave: Dick: Sandy:
Angela L: Laura: Angela P: Ruth:
Trish: Liliane: Kay: Tony:
Jack: Jane: Peter: Nicola:

All sixteen writers took part in one of the most fascinating and successful exercises we have had. Words that came out of the hat included, as one might imagine at this time of year, mistletoe. But then other words came out to the amusement of many such as transvestite, commode, beautiful, nationalistic, profanity, tenacity, chutney, moonlight, serendipity, halo, peach, whisky, stocking tops, Viagra, hilarious and assassination. Every word that was submitted was used and the quality of the 15 minute writing session really was amazing. Surely this kind of exercise will be used many more times in the future.

Thanks to everyone for some really fantastic words and writing.


Then the fun began and the Scribblers brought their writing year to an end with a very jolly little party.

Thanks to everyone for bringing along their food and drink contributions, to Peter for overseeing the whole evening from the chair and our reliable Liliane for collecting the key.

A really lovely evening.

Next time:

Our next meeting, is on Tuesday 6th January which will be our AGM. This will be your opportunity to discuss all the issues such as meeting formats, how you think the Scribblers can be improved and, more importantly, how you would like Scribblers to develop.

Obviously there will be no homework to prepare for the AGM so that should give you a little longer to enjoy your Christmas break.

Chairperson next time: Dave

Until then,

Have a brilliant Christmas and New Year and may you look forward to happy and profitable creativity!

Merry Christmas everyone!


*****
Support those who support us! Have a look at Scott’s website at http://www.mrcobblerandmrlocks.co.uk

*****

For Creative Writers Groups
Email caroline@cwgroups.org.uk or visit the website at www.cwgroups.org.uk

*****
I am writing a book for Veloce called The Cafe Racer Phenomenon, and trying to track down riders who built, raced or just enjoyed the cafe racer bikes from the 50s-80s.

I am keen to get some personal memories of the cafe scene from the 50s to the 80s, maybe the odd archive pic or two, so it would be great to get in touch with former Gus Kuhn staff or customers and have a chat.

I live up on the Wirral near Chester, but am travelling a bit over January/February as I do some interviews. Anyone who can help is welcome to make contact anytime.
alastair walker
alastairw100@hotmail.com
07739 466 569
0151 328 0709 – home


*****
Kaixin has introduced a poetry and a photographic competition to compliment the writing competition. Entries to date have been very exciting. In order to encourage as many entries as possible, entry to all the competitions is free. First prize for each competition is $A100, plus permanent publication on Kaixin with links to the author if requested.
Kaixin is becoming increasingly popular which makes publication on the site of worth in its own right.
We have big plans for the site in 2009.
Xiaosui & Graeme
Writing Competition
Poetry Competition
Photographic Competition
*****
Leaf Books publishes seriously impressive short fiction, micro-fiction and poetry by new and established authors. We've published individual short stories and compilations of poetry and micro-fiction in both A6-sized formats, small enough to fit into a pocket, and conventional anthologies. Leaf Books is one of the world’s leading publishers of micro-fiction.
In barely two years we’ve put nigh on two-hundred authors and poets into print, many for the very first time. Our material is sourced via competitions, something which may be of interest to your creative writing group.
You and your writer's group are therefore invited to take part in our competitions and to pass the information on to anyone who'd also love to put pen to paper.
Our current writing competitions:
Nano Fiction Competition: closes 31 January 2009.
- Can you tell a story in under 100 words? (Any Subject)
Young Writers' Competition: closes 31 March 2009
- Poetry, Short Stories (Aged 18 and Under)
Further information can be found by following this link:
http://www.leafbooks.co.uk/New/For%20Writers/CurrentCompetitions.html
We look forward to you getting involved, reading your work and making your talents known.
New Title now available: Discovering a Comet and more micro-fiction
Once a competition has closed, we pick the most outstanding pieces and publish them in an anthology.
Our most recent anthology of micro-fiction, Discovering a Comet and more micro-fiction has just been published and is already our most successfully sold book to date.
A showcase of the winning and truly outstanding entries to the 2008 Micro Fiction Competition, the collection contains short, sharp and astonishing fiction that leaves you gasping for more! A definite must for your book shelf or as a literary Christmas or New Year gift!
For a further glimpse please visit:
http://www.leafbooks.co.uk/New/Books/DiscoveringAComet.htm
Further opportunities: Root Creations
We also offer a printing service for writers and groups, known as Root Creations.
Whether you'd like something to sell at poetry readings, or make an anthology of your group's work then our service would definitely be a benefit. We can also offer you a web page as part of our website, through which to sell your book.
More details regarding this can be found at
http://www.leafbooks.co.uk/New/For%20Writers/RootCreations.html
Please visit our website and our links above to find out more about our opportunities for writers, and please let us know if you or your group's contact details change.
I look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Sarah Edmonds
www.leafbooks.co.uk
****
My name is Bob Griffin. I have just started a small publishing company
that will be publishing fantasy, science fiction and horror stories. Listed
below is my company's first press release. If anybody in your organization
is interested in submitting their works of fiction please visit us at
www.absentwillowreview.com.

Thank you for your time,
Bob Griffin
Rochester, NH

PRESS RELEASE
OCTOBER 31, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

New Hampshire Authors Launch Publishing Company.
Rochester, NH - New Hampshire authors Rick DeCost and Bob Griffin are proud
to announce the launch of their publishing company and its online presence.
Absent Willow Publishing LLC is an independent book publisher that will
provide its readers with high quality stories of horror, fantasy and
science fiction. Its online efforts include The Absent Willow Review. The
Absent Willow Review plans to publish fictional stories in the horror,
fantasy, and science fiction genre while allowing its readers access to the
magazine anywhere in the world. Additionally, the Absent Willow Review will
publish paperback anthologies from their collected works. “We¹re huge
fans of the genres we publish,” remarked Griffin. “We started this
company to find greats works of fiction and to locate the next generation
of great writers.” With its online magazine spotlighting new works and
its print publications soon to be available through Amazon.com and other
retailers, the Company is planning to renew interest in short works of
fiction. “For new and established authors of short fiction in the horror
or fantasy vein, the market is light,” DeCost added. “We are hoping to
change that.” Absent Willow Publishing LLC is located in Rochester,

NH USA MEDIA CONTACT: Rick Decost & Bob Griffin
Absent Willow Publishing LLC
PO Box 66
Rochester, NH 03866