Joanna Danks offered worldwide publishing deal

Nottingham Writer’s Studio member offered worldwide publishing deal from Piatkus following Writing Industries Conference

Nottingham Writer’s Studio member Joanna Danks has been offered a worldwide publishing deal from Piatkus for her book, “In The Blender”. Her work was selected for an agent interview at the Writing Industries Conference 2010 with Oli Munson of Blake Friedmann Literary, TV and Film Agency, who is now her agent.

The book is creative non-fiction – a humorous guide to blending families, aimed at single mothers who are setting up home with single fathers.

Lyric Lounge Leicester

July 30 – August 1 2010 will see New Walk Museum transformed into ‘Lyric Lounge Leicester’ – an enchanting performance space celebrating the power of live literature. Events are part of a region-wide series of mini-festivals taking place throughout 2010, following on from the massive success of last year’s ‘Lyric Lounge Leicester’. Alongside workshops and performance opportunities for local artists, audiences can feast on a variety of commissions and jaw- dropping lyrical moves by established poets.

http://www.lyriclounge.co.uk

John Hegley
“There’s warm wit aplenty, both in the poetry and in the engaging banter that sets the scenes,” Chortle. Hegley’s new show ‘Adventures of Monsieur Robinet,’ delves deeply into the world of one of the UK’s most prolific storytellers. Radio regular, published writer, and popular glasses wearer, John Hegley has made his mark everywhere. From sell out shows at Edinburgh Festival to comedy festivals worldwide, his poems about dogs, glasses and a whole lot more, have really gone the distance. John’s poems are renowned for being deeply humorous, personal and emotional. Marvel at his adventures in rhyme, rhythm and mandolin plucking, from someone whose background fuses Luton mundanity and glorious French culture. Catch him perform on Sat 31 July, 7pm. Tickets £10/ £5. Suitable for ages 7 plus with guidance.

Mark Gwynne Jones
‘inspired…one of the most accomplished performance poets in the land…drawing the audience into a world where things are not quite what they seem.’ The Guardian Eccentric, oddball poetry that makes for a unique experience and has made Mark a firm favourite in Edinburgh, at Buxton Festival Fringe and numerous venues across the UK. See him perform with his band Psychicbread, for a mesmerising fusion of music, poetry and humour. From a love affair with an orange girl, who had one too many sun bed sessions, to steering a Sherman Tank through rush hour, their work is compelling, contagious and surreal.
Mark and Psychicbread headline WORD! – Sun 1 August, 7pm. Tickets are £4/ £3. Suitable for ages 13 plus.

Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze
Jamaica born artist Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze is the world’s first female Dub Poet and has performed on every continent, apart from the Antarctic. Her published works ponder social and political issues, as well as her own experience of mental health. Jean is a Bloodaxe Poet and the author of seven collections of poetry and fiction. Catch her perform on Fri 30 July, 1pm, at Lyrical Lunchtime (FREE- just turn up) or leading a workshop inspired by museum objects on Sun 1 August, 2.30pm (FREE but booking essential – check website for details).

Andy Craven Griffiths
“If Macbeth had been into hip hop, he’d have sounded a bit like this.” Apples and Snakes Slam champion for Manchester Lit Festival 2004, Glastonbury 2005 and Munich 2007, Andy has wowed his fair share of audiences. A regular on BBC Radio 1 and 2, his work crosses exciting territory between poetry and rap. Far from being just a pretty face, Andy’s work is thought provoking and delivered with breathtaking ease. Andy comperes and performs as part of urban poetry competition ILUVLYRICS (suitable for ages 13 plus) – Fri 30 July, 7pm. Tickets £5/ £3 (performers get in free and need to sign up at 6pm on the night).

All tickets for evening events are available from The New Walk Museum Box Office: 0116 225 4900. For the full ‘Lyric Lounge Leicester’ line up, including FREE workshops, film screenings, after show parties, and open mic and mentoring opportunities, visit www.lyriclounge.co.uk

Workshops can be booked via: word@wordpoetry.co.uk

New books from Paul Sutherland

Spires and Minarets

A new pamphlet of Paul Sutherland’s poetry Spires and Minarets has been published by Sunk Island Publishing. Information about Spires and Minarets can be found at http://www.scribd.com/doc/29317530/Spires-and-Minarets .
Retail cost, £3.50 + 50p (post and parcel) Cheque to N.P.Sutherland please and sent to Jasmine Cottage, 4 Church St., Market Rasen, LN8 3ET

Some quotes about Spires and Minarets,

‘Spires & Minarets traces Paul Sutherland’s modern pilgrimage through parts of Lincolnshire, one of England’s most ancient (and yet forgotten) shires. His direct experience of the landscape, its birds, animals, plants informs his poems and prose pieces, as do his encounters with the people who live in that landscape. Underlying it all is an appreciation and celebration of the continuity of human habitation within a specific place. Originally an outsider (Canadian born, long settled in England; Christian become Sufi) Sutherland nevertheless becomes absorbed into the landscape and its history. Lincolnshire becomes home. In this way the English landscape reveals again its extraordinary power to accept and transform; and having doing so, gives back its richness in literature. Spires and Minarets adds to and expands the scope of our tradition of nature and landscape writing, opening it up in ways that no one could have expected.’
Michael Blackburn, poet and publisher, Sunk Island Publishing

‘In Spires and Minarets Paul Sutherland takes the reader on a journey which is both physical and spiritual through the Lincolnshire fens. I particularly like the notebook format which mixes short and long entries, prose and poetry. Immediate and sensitive observation of landscape, its wildlife and small objects discovered in it are starting points for lyrical writing and impassioned meditation on central subjects.’
Myra Schneider, published poet, editor, workshop leader.

April Renga

The second collection April Renga is published by Wellhouse Press in association with Dream Catcher. Paul Sutherland has long had a fascination with Japanese style of linked verses or renga and has written and been involved in writing many examples of the form. In April Renga he is both a contributor and editor of a sequence of 36 miniature ‘renga’ poems. It’s a perfect bound 40 page book with firm laminated colour designed cover in about A6 size. The sequence was written by members of the Driftnet Poets with Paul Sutherland’s guidance and contribution over three years including the process of editing and re-writing.

One reader has described the book as, ‘a beautiful production and with one poem per page the idea of renga or linked poems is more understandable and enjoyable. You can see better how the poems are subltly related, rather than in a narrative structure.’

Renga highlights the importance of ‘spacing’ in poetry. In the Foreword, to the book, Paul writes, ‘The form [renga] asks the reader to do more than pause but to undertake an imaginative leap to perceive or imagine how separate poems might be related without direct narrative or logical links.’

April Renga costs £6.00 + 50p (post and parcel) Please make cheque payable to N.P. Sutherland. The two books can be purchased at the slightly reduced rate of £10.00 including postage and parcel. Cheques sent to: Jasmine Cottage, 4 Church St, Market Rasen, LN8 3ET

Large’s plays capture the feel-good-factor

HUMOUR, glamour and an all-round feel-good factor – Keith Large’s Laughs from Leicestershire opened their summer tour in style in front of a sell-out audience at Buxton’s Poole Cavern.

Laughs from Leicestershire from Carrot Napper on Vimeo.

The Loughborough College technician and playwright hosted three of his latest playlets cocking a lighthearted snoop at the more absurd features of real life.
Britain’s moaning culture, pointless bureaucracy and obsession with self-adulating minor celebrities all came under Keith’s wicked microscope – and were duly beaten into verbal submission.

Top of The Bill was Jeff Stewart – he of 24 years as Reg Hollis in the popular ITV police drama – who took the role of Willie Jefferson, one of four all-too-precious contestants on a Scottish version of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

But for all his polish and professionalism, ears and eyes were more than equally drawn to the younger talent in the troupe.

‘Glamour’ duo Genevieve Cleghorn and Helen Bolitho were up front, in your face and outstanding throughout the evening whilst Loughborough College student Brian Fury is a prime example of what Keith’s company is all about – loud, brash and very entertaining.

There was a further College link, too, with former engineering student Jack O’Ballance providing the props and stage management.

Tellingly these were a couple of hours that literally flew by, leaving a distinct taste for more.

That will come soon for hungry audiences at three more iconic venues – Cambridge’s ADC Theatre where the likes of Sir Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson made their names, on Thursday, July 21; the 503 Theatre in London , recently acclaimed by The Guardian as ‘arguably the most important theatre of all’, on Sunday, August 1; then a breathtaking run at Spotlites at the Merchant’s Hall, just 100 yards off Prince’s Street, at the Edinburgh fringe from Sunday, August 15 to Saturday, August 21.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask an Agent

Agents are the bridge between writers and publishers, and are among the most influential people in the publishing industry. The role of the agent can include much more than simply selling a book, and agents are increasingly responsible for finding and nurturing talented new writers. Choosing the right agent can affect every step of a writer’s career, and understanding how the agent / author relationship works is essential to making that choice.

 

 Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask an Agent: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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John Berlyne is a partner at the Zeno Literary Agency with John Richard Parker. Zeno represents both fiction and non-fiction, with particular expertise in handling genre, their list leans towards science fiction and fantasy, boasting best-sellers, household names and prize winners.

Oliver Munson joined Blake Friedmann in 2003, after completing an English Literature degree from the University of EdinburghandanMAinPublishing Studies from City University. He has a particular interest in popular non-fiction, commercial fiction and sports writing.

James Wills is a Director at Watson, Little Ltd and looks after a dynamic and wide-ranging list of writers. He has an MA in 20th Century Literature from the University of Leeds. He looks for striking, quirky, character-driven commercial and literary fiction that is thrilling, bold and beautifully written.

Bernie Corbett is a British trade unionist and former journalist. In his role as General Secretary of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain he covers TV, film, radio, new media and print publishing. In his newspaper career Bernie Corbett was chief sub-editor of The Guardian (London) and chief features sub-editor of The Independent (London).

Books & Things – July 2010 – The Lyric Lounge

Books & Things – July 2010 – The Lyric Lounge
News, events and opportunities for readers and writers
http://literaturenetwork.org

Hello!

This month in Books & Things we think about reading – Everybody’s Reading. The new festival of reading in Leicester takes place between 2nd-10th October 2010, and we want YOU to help get the city reading. We also get excited about the Lyric Lounge, and update you with all the latest news, events and opportunities for writers and readers around the East Midlands region.

For all this and more…read on!

Damien Walter
Literature Network Coordinator

NEWS
Everybody’s Reading is a new festival of reading taking place in Leicester between the 2nd-10th October 2010. Events will be taking place across the city from schools and libraries to arts centres and theatres. The aim of the festival is to get Leicester reading, and we want YOU to help! Anyone who loves reading can get involved by putting on an event as part of the festival, and there are small grants to help with costs. You can get more information here and follow the festival on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GetLestaReading or join us on Facebook.

Dan Tunstall, published by Five Leaves press, has been shortlisted for the Bransford Boase award for young adult fiction. Dan will find out if he has won on 14th July, and we wish him luck. The Lawson-West poetry competition announces its winner, as decided by regional poet Emma Lee. Another of our regions talented poets, Mark Goodwin, also releases his new publication Shod this month. And Siobhan Logan takes her icelandic inspired poetry to a trio of summer festivals. And as if that was not excitement enough, playwright Keith Large announces that he has signed Jeff Stewart AKA The Bill’s Reg Hollis to the cast of Laughs for Leicester plays!

EVENTS
The Lyric Lounge takes place in Leicester between 30th July – 1st August 2010, three days and nights of spoken word festivities at the city’s New Walk museum featuring John Hegley, Mark Gwynne Jones, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, ILUVLYRICS and the Book Doctor among many others. Lyric Lounge artistic director and Literature Network blogger Lydia Towsey lets us in on the creative process behind the lounge.

WORD! continues the spoken word magnificence on 6th July at the Y-Theatre, with a very special guest, the one and only Steve Carroll. The Nottingham Writer’s Studio begins a series of Writers’s Days starting with screenwriter Michael Eaton on 10th July. And the Southwell Library Poetry Festival is an entire poetry festival in a library between 13th-18th July. Really, what more could you want from life?

BLOGGERS and PODCASTS
The Writing Industries podcasts, recorded live at WIC 2010, continue with panel discussions on poetry and community, and how public finding supports writers. Helen Jaeger wants to know if your reading is in a rut, and suggests ways to break old reading habits. Ross Bradshaw celebrates the truly remarkable Jon McGregor, Aly Stoneman wonders about the process of judging poetry contests, and James Burt asks the burning question, why bother writing at all?

OPPORTUNITIES
The Dylan Thomas Sony Reader award might sound unlikely, but is actually an excellent opportunity for novelists under 30. The International Playwrighting festival is open for submissions, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to see an East Midlands playwright produced there? Mslexia magazine return with their women’s poetry competition. Yes…women only so the chaps out there are out of luck. And the Our Corby project seeks a writer in residence, a good opportunity for writers with community experience.

Damien Walter
Literature Network Coordinator

http://literaturenetwork.org

(To unsubscribe from this newsletter please email ‘unsubscribe’ to editor@literaturenetwork.org)

Can you help get Everybody Reading?

The Literature Network are proud to be a partner in the Everybody’s Reading festival which will run from 2nd-10th October 2010, and we want to know if you can help get Everybody Reading in Leicester?

We are looking for people and organisations who love reading to join in with the Everybody’s Reading festival between 2nd – 10th October 2010. Special reading events will be taking place all over the city in schools, libraries, community centres, theatres, shops and restaurants. If you are someone who loves reading and would like to help, or a venue that would like to host a reading event, we want to hear from you.

The deadline for small grants and to get details of your event listed in the Everybody’s Reading newspaper is Friday 23rd July 2010.

Everybody’s Reading is part of Whatever It Takes, a pioneering scheme to get every primary school child in Leicester reading, and is organised in partnership with Leicester City Council, the Literature Network and Leicester Libraries.

Small grants of around £200 will be available to help support events by voluntary and community groups and elsewhere if neccesary.

Look at the the Everybody’s Reading blog for updates about the festival: http://everybodysreading.wordpress.com

Get in touch with the festival organisers to discuss your ideas and get help planning an event: Damien Walter – damien@charnwood-arts.org.uk or Ellie Lee ellen.lee@sdsa.net

Follow us on:

Twitter : http://twitter.com/GetLestaReading
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124923777531151&ref=ts

Logan performs at trio of summer festivals

Following the publication of her first book and a recent trip to Iceland, Leicester writer Siobhan Logan is now looking forward to taking her stories about the Arctic round a series of summer festivals. Next month she will join Susan Richardson, a Cardiff writer, to form the Polar Poets. They are staging their new show, Arctic-ulate, at the Wrexham Science Festival on the 2nd July. Logan is also booked to appear afterwards at the country’s largest poetry festival at Ledbury on 7th July, alongside Dr. Darren Wright, a scientist from the University of Leicester. She will round off this trio of festivals by presenting her own show, Firebridge to Skyshore: A Northern Lights’ Journey, at the Southwell Poetry Festival in Nottinghamshire on 13th July.

Logan said of her recent research trip to Iceland: ‘Of all the Arctic places I have visited, Iceland was the most beautiful, wild and unearthly. It was like being dropped on another planet. We saw the smoking volcano in the distance but it was between eruptions so no ash. My head is still full of lava fields, frozen waterfalls and Icelandic sagas. And we caught the most breathtaking display of the Northern Lights on our first night!’

Previously, she has travelled to Arctic Norway to research the Northern Lights for her book, Firebridge to Skyshore: A Northern Lights’ Journey (published Original Plus 2009). Her book explores ancient stories of the Northern Lights told by indigenous Arctic peoples as well as the science of the aurora borealis. She will be combining pictures from her travels with science, poems and music to convey the magic of this wilderness in her summer shows.

For dates and more information about Siobhan Logan’s upcoming shows please see:

www.siobhanlogan.co.uk

http://siobhanlogan.blogspot.com/

http://polarpoets.blogspot.com/

Large signs Jeff Stewart AKA The Bill’s Reg Hollis

Leicestershire playwright Keith Large has put the finishing touches to his summer production by recruiting a headline actor.

Jeff Stewart, known to millions as Reg Hollis in The Bill for 24 years, is joining Laughs from Leicestershire to perform in Keith’s main play, Prima Donna Island, at Buxton, Cambridge, London and Edinburgh.

It’s a dream return to the stage for Stewart after 30 years, and football-fan Large, labels him as his ‘top signing’.

“Jeff turned down Shakespeare to join us,” he says. “We auditioned him in Loughborough and haven’t publicised his forthcoming appearances anywhere yet.”

“The guy’s been absolutely fantastic, a real character and a team player,” says Large, who has three plays also including Whine Fever and The Ticket Collector about to go under the national spotlight.

“I am really excited about the next few weeks. Altogether I have a fantastic, upbeat and very positive cast and, as it says on the tin, we’re having lots of laughs, both on and off the stage.”

Laughs from Leicestershire will be presenting three one-act plays at Buxton on July 13, Cambridge July 22, London, August 1st and on the famous Prince’s Street in Edinburgh from August 15-21.

Keith Large and his cast.

Mark Goodwin – Shod

When Sidney Realer experiences a moment of revelation in the supermarket aisles, it sets him off on a pilgrimage through a frightening and familiar contemporary landscape. With narrative roots in the biblical, mythological and folk traditions, Shod is a twenty-first century parable, spirited and dark in equal measure, taking place in the clone-town wilderness, fearlessly singing the songs of our all our wrongs.

“Mark Goodwin’s Shod takes us for a walk on the wild side of poetic adventure and it’s a treat.”

- Geraldine Monk

Launch:

Leicester Shindig! – SHODFEST – to celebrate the launch of Mark Goodwin’s new collection, Shod

Monday 9th August 2010 from 7pm FREE entry

The Looking Glass, 68-70 Braunstone Road, Leicester

With readings by: Mark Goodwin, Lydia Towsey, Miffy Ryan, Pam Thompson, Kerry Featherstone, Steve Carroll, Simon Perrill, George Toouli PLUS more TBC.

OPEN MIC available – Yet only if thou shalt perform poems that are unto thee truly to do with shoes!

Listen out for Shodcast digital audio poems, spoken and mixed by Mark Goodwin with backing vocals from Nikki Clayton – FREE to listen to online at Nine Arches Press in July.

Published by Nine Arches Press http://www.ninearchespress.com/

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