EMAIL ADDRESS: scribblers@btinternet.com

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating the

REPORT FOR 15th DECEMBER 2009

Apologies: Trish, Dick, Ros, Amanda, Angela P, Rosie.

In attendance: Debbie, Tony, Liliane, Jack, Jane, Peter, Ruth, Ann and Dave (chair).

Orwell Connection :

Dick was unable to attend Scribblers as three of his four poems for the Orwell Connection Christmas Poems were selected and were being performed at Walton Church, ironically on a Scribblers night. So well done Dick!

Review:

Received after the meeting was a review of the Felixstowe Anthology 2010 by Bernard M Jackson, an international review writer from Newcastle Upon Tyne. Summing up our group as a Fellowship, Bernard has made mention of every writer included in the anthology, spreading over four sides of paper. This will be available to see at our AGM in January.

X-rated?

”The Crabby Arms Affair”: In response to an email from the Scribblers to Rushmere Players on 14th December, we are now informed that the play will not be performed by them and consequently the proposed evening at Colneis School has been cancelled. It is understood that the decision was taken on November 30th but nobody had the courtesy to inform the Scribblers. What happens now? Watch this space.

Help sought

Our friend Di is looking for any members of Scribblers who have been published (short stories, novels, self-publishing etc) who have a couple of hours to spare on a Monday between 10am and 12noon who would be willing to come along to the little creative writing group we have at Suffolk Family Carers in Claydon and chat to our Family Carers about their publishing experiences. The dates for our next meetings are: 11th Jan, 8th Feb, 8th March and 12th April. They do not have to commit themselves to all sessions. Tea/coffee and biscuits are freely available!

Suffolk Family Carers is a charity and our budget for events in the Centre is to all intents and purposes, non-existent. It wouldn’t be possible for us to pay an hourly rate for a Scribbler to attend, although we would be happy to reimburse any travelling costs (petrol, buses fare etc) getting to and from our centre in Claydon. If anyone is interested, please ask them to email me at Diane.Relf@suffolkfamilycarers.org Many thanks.Di

United Press

For those who attended the meeting, we were pleased to receive and distribute amongst our members several free copies some excellent publications from United Press who cover mostly poetry but also include the Short Story Society.

Also included were a variety of leaflets including poetry competitions and details of how to publish your own work. Go to http://www.unitedpress.co.uk/ for information.

THE PLATFORM

The meeting decided to each place a word in a hat and then draw out four of them. Each writer would then use those words within their own creative masterpiece in approximately twenty minutes. The four words were :

Blackmail: Cuddly: Communist: Catflap:

The results were quite remarkable with eight very different stories.

Ruth’s work was entitled “Monty’s Return”, Liliane’s “Cat Chaos”, Tony “It’s all Ann’s fault” and Dave “It’s a Hoot”. The work by Peter, Debbie, Jack and Jane were all untitled.

With the writing over, it was down to a little party with plenty of eats and drinks.

It was then time to say

“Merry Xmas”

OUR NEXT MEETING at The Room at the Top Felixstowe Library is the AGM which takes place on Tuesday 5th January 2010 at 7.30 pm

If you have any item you wish to include on the agenda then please email scribblers@btinternet.com with details.

Have a very Merry Xmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Keep Scribbling!

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

Don’t forget that Scott has special ‘Felixstowe Scribblers’ mugs on sale at £5 each. Not only does it have the Scribblers logo on the front, but your name can also be added on the rear.

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THE

KOL PATERSON BAND

Smooth & Groovy

JAZZ

For all occasions

from

Solo piano to 5-piece band

CD available on request

Tel: 01473 712624

Email: kol@ourservice2u.co.uk

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Castle Lodge Hotel

Chevalier Rd

Felixstowe

Suffolk

IP11 7JW

TEL: 01394 282149

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I am writing to introduce Net-Novel.com to you and your members. The site is an online community for aspiring and published novelists. Amongst other things there are forums for novelists to chat to one-another, ask questions and generally network with other like minded individuals. Members can also upload their work for critique and there is a Novelists' Directory with useful information for full-length fiction writers. It is absolutely free to join.

In addition, there is a forum for writers' groups to post details and dates about their group. You would be very welcome to add your group's details to the forum.

It is early days for Net-Novel.com just yet but it is steadily growing and beginning to achieve its goal of being a vibrant and useful resource for all its members. I would be extremely grateful if you would consider joining us and pass on our details to your members so they may also consider joining - don't forget everything is absolutely free.

The link to the site is http://www.net-novel.com

I do hope to see you as part of our online community for novel writers soon.

Net-Novel.com administration.

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Seeking contributors to a new website.

TheFictionShelf.com is a place where everyone who loves reading will be able to read high-quality new writing. And where, uniquely, they will be able to choose exactly how they do that: Be it online, printed at home, on their phone or e-book reader, or in a traditional hard-bound copy.

We recognise that Entertainment has changed: We are no longer restricted by place, time or cost. Driven by demand the Television, Music and Film industries have adapted to these advancements and together we will bring this expansion of choice to reading.

TheFictionShelf.com will be driven by submissions from amateur writers and will provide them with a unique platform to promote their work. Unique amongst similar websites because of the quality of work on offer and for the intuitive and interesting way that work is presented.

This is where we would like your input: The website is being constructed and the virtual shelves will soon be ready for all to peruse - we need your help to fill them.

There are few criteria to submitting to The Fiction Shelf, all we ask is that you have a passion for writing and a desire to grow, both with us as a reading and writing community, and with your own abilities and confidences.

Our joint success depends on readers, and although submission is open to all, only the most creative, innovative and interesting work will be chosen to be published online. Indeed we want, with your help, to become synonymous with the very best in new writing.

We are currently searching for short stories and poetry, other than that there are no restrictions in terms of genre, style or subject matter. So please, log on now at www.thefictionshelf.com read the submission guidelines, and send us your work.

We have included in this email a selection of promotional material that you may wish to print out and distribute to your group; including an A5 flyer, an A4 poster, and a letter-headed version of this open letter to writing groups. Please feel free to reproduce these and distribute them as you wish.

Please also be aware that we are eager and ready to answer any questions you may have about any matter relating to The Fiction Shelf, and are easily reachable by phone or email.

The Fiction Shelf Editors

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Felixstowe Scribblers Anthology 2010

Over 120 pages packed with short stories and poetry from 37 past and present Felixstowe Scribblers,

Priced at just £5 it represents remarkable value for money.

Profits from the anthology will go to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice.

Order your copy now from scribblers@btinternet.com !

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