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New
Writing North news
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Three northern
writers win commission to make a new piece of work for Radio 3’s The Verb
Last year Verb New Voices went looking for talented new writers from
across the North, to take part in a unique development scheme. Now Louise
Fazackerley, Matt Miller and John Hamilton May have been announced as the
recipients of the Verb New Voices Award.
Verb New Voices was created by Arts Council England with the BBC, and
is managed by New Writing North. The three writers will receive mentoring
from partner organisations including Writing Squad in Yorkshire, Contact
Theatre in Manchester, and ARC in Stockton-on-Tees, a place on an Arvon
writing course, support to develop a live show, and a special commission
to create a piece of work for BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, which will be broadcast this
autumn.
To find out more about the project and writers, see www.newwritingnorth.com/news_details-three-northern-writers-win-commission-to-make-a-new-piece-of-work-for-radio-3-s-the-verb-details-2822.html.
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New Cuckoo Quarterly
out now
Issue 9 of Cuckoo
Quarterly is out now, with cuttings, poetry, non-fiction and
short stories. This issue the poetry section is particularly strong, with
Veena Chandar’s wonderful video poem, Russian Roulette and
we also have some great short fiction from Caitlin Abra with Selkie and
radio play Green Topped Love from
the Hexham Cuckoo Young Writers group. For more work by our talented
young writers go to www.cuckooquarterly.com.
New Writing North would also like to welcome new Cuckoo intern Jack
Caithness to the team. For the next three months, Jack will be working on
Cuckoo Review,
editing reviews submitted by our young writers, uploading them to our
site, and researching other exciting opportunities in the region’s arts
and culture sector. So wish him luck! We’re glad to have him on board.
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Ben Myers talks about
his Gordon Burn Prize retreat
‘A surprise prize win brought me here at a time when it was much
needed; a time when the book business couldn’t be less interested in dark
novels about rural life in those corners of the north. Thank god for
benevolent literary charities, then. Thank god for independent
publishers.’
Benjamin Myers, Northern Writers’ Award recipient and Gordon Burn
Prize winner, talks about the beauty and solitude of his writing
residency in the late author’s cottage. He recalls the Nepalese
backpackers he invited to a tea party to the surprise fall that threatens
– but fails – to cast a pall over the experience. Read more at www.caughtbytheriver.net/2014/03/two-seasons-crossing-borders/.
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People
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Jo Reed’s Beloved
goes to Scarborough Flare
Congratulations to Scarborough writer Jo Reed, who will be launching
poetry pamphlet Beloved
at the Scarborough Flare in April. The pamphlet will be accompanied by an
exhibition, Beloved in
Bohemia, at the Studio Gallery and a ‘Women’s Works’ writing
workshop on 25 April. Join Jo at a reading of her poetry on Saturday 26
April at 7.15pm. For more information see www.scarboroughflare.co.uk.
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New Valerie Laws
novel to hit WH Smith travel spots
New Writing North was delighted to learn that The Operator by
Valerie Laws, pubilshed by Red Squirrel Press and the sequel to her Read
Regional selection The
Rotting Spot, has been taken by WH Smith Travel and
will be in all airports, stations and other locations. You can also meet
Valerie in Berwick Library on 23 April, World Book Night, at her Border
region 'Crime Night'.
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Follow the Herring
with Ann Coburn
Get Up and Tie Your
Fingers by Ann Coburn follows the ‘herring lassies’ as they
followed the fishing fleets down the coast to gut, salt and barrel the
‘silver darlings’. In May the Follow
the Herring tour, a co-production by The Customs House and
Guild of Lillians, will be on tour from Musselburgh to Hastings. Ann,
however, doesn’t just want people to watch the play. She wants them to
get involved in making it. Audiences are invited to download the Follow the Herring
interactive resource to learn more about the ‘herring lassies’, visit the
ch-arted website for educational tools, join a choir or knit a herring
for the shoal. Information about how to join in the Follow the Herring
tour can be found at www.customshouse.co.uk/followtheherring.
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In the
North
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Hexham Book Festival:
24 April-8 May
The annual Hexham Book Festival returns on 24 April with an exciting
programme of authors and events. To launch the festival, the Queen of
Crime will be talking about taking on the Mistress of Manners, in Val
McDermid’s reworking of the Austen classic Northanger Abbey.
Join Val at the Forum on 3 April from 6.30pm. Or if you fancy yourself a
literary know-all, prove yourself in the Lit
Quiz at the Beaumont Hotel on 24 April at 8pm. You can also meet two
of the creative team behind bringing The Invisible Woman to
the screen, find out what inspired Tracy
Chevalier (Girl
with a Pearl Earring) to look at the slave trade in the US in
her new book The Last
Runaway or find out about the first Tudor queen with Allison
Weir. For a full programme and to book, go to
www.hexhambookfestival.co.ukhttp://www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk.
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Opportunities
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Win a week-long
writing residence in Scotland
Applications are sought for a week-long residence in Brora, a coastal
village in the Scottish Highlands. Emerging and established authors are
both encouraged to apply, with past residents including Catherine Wagner,
Viccy Adams and Kyle McCord. The residency cottage pre-dates the Highland
clearances and is the perfect base for touring the Northern Highlands,
but the successful writer is advised to bring a car since there are no
shops within driving distance of the cottage. The application fee is $20
and the application must be received by May 15. More about Brora and the
application process can be found at http://balticresidency.com/locations.php.
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Bridlington Poetry
Festival Summer School
The intensive creative writing programme returns for a second year,
led this time by Don Paterson and Jean Sprackland. Participants will have
three morning classes together in Sewerby Hall, while in the afternoons
they will be free to write, have one-to-one sessions with the tutors and
enjoy events at the festival. Tickets (including bed and breakfast and a
pass to all poetry festival events) cost £375 before May. Bursaries are
available but applications must be made by 14 April. For more information
visit www.bridlington-poetry-festival.com.
Bridlington Poetry Festival hosts the Philip Larkin Society and East
Riding Poetry Prize, which will be judged by Don Paterson. There is also
a East Riding Young Poets Prize for young people between 13-18. Closing
date for applications: 14 April. For more information, see www.bridlington-poetry-festival.com/The-Philip-Larkin-Society--East-Riding-Poetry-Prize-2014-page-5.html.
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Ideas Tap: Apocalypse
Ideas Tap want your artistic work – whether that’s writing, visual
art/photography, audio or video – about the end of the world. Have as
much fun as you want with the theme – they’re looking for originality,
talent and creativity. Closing date for applications: 13 June. Enter at www.ideastap.com/Opportunities/Brief/Editors-Brief--Apocalypse-130614#Overview.
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The RSL Brookleaze
Grants
Currently open to submissions, the Brookleaze Grants aim to buy time
for writers with pieces of work already in hand. The grants are
particularly interested in applications from writers who want to buy time
away from their normal lives – to take sabbaticals from their jobs or to
travel abroad for research purposes. To be eligible, applicants must have
had their work previously published by a UK trade publisher and be a
resident of the UK, Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland. Closing date for
applications: 30 April. For more information and to apply go to www.rslit.org/brookleaze-grants.
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Pulp Idol novel
writing competition now open
The Pulp Idol novel writing competition returns for 2014 with three
literary agents on the judging panel this year. Pulp Idol focuses on new
voices, so this is an opportunity for beginning writers to have their
novels showcased to the public, including the possibility of exposure to
new audiences and communication with publishers and agents, with
finalists gaining the opportunity to have their work published. Deadline
for entries: Monday 14 April. For more information, see www.writingonthewall.org.uk/pulp-idol-applications.html.
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Jobs
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Blah Blah Blah
Theatre Company: Artistic director
This Leeds theatre company is looking for a new artistic director to
step into the shoes of company founder Anthony Haddon. They are looking
for an outstanding individual who will provide strategic, artistic and
business leadership three days a week. The appointee will also have the
option to direct some of the artistic programme themselves as well as
employing freelance or guest directors from other companies and partnerships.
Closing date for applications: 24 April. For further information go to www.blahs.co.uk.
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The
Listening Post
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TARR: Fiction by
Artists
BALTIC
Kitchen, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle: Thursday 24
April, 7pm
To coincide with Simon Bill's exhibition Lucky Jim, BALTIC presents an evening
of fiction by artists in the newly refurbished BALTIC Kitchen. TARR is an event
that brings together an audience and six writers with art world backgrounds
– Paul Becker, Simon Bill, Faye Green, Jennifer Higgie, Tom Morton and
Audrey Reynolds – to hear them read short extracts from their works of
fiction, either published or in progress. Tickets £6/£4.50 concs.
For more information, see www.balticmill.com/whats-on/artist-events/tarr-fiction-by-artists.
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Workshops
and classes
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Creative writing
classes on Tyneside
Victoria Watson runs two creative writing groups in the North East:
one group meets from 7pm-9pm every Monday at Quilliam Brothers Teahouse
in Newcastle and the other is every Thursday from 4.30pm-6.30pm at Di
Meo’s Delaval Ices in Whitley Bay. There are prompts and exercises given
plus read-throughs and feedback. Each session is £5 per hour. All
welcome, including absolute beginners. To find out more go to http://elementaryvwatson.com/writing-groups/.
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The Short Story: Back
to Basics spring workshops
Bishop
Auckland Town Hall: Wednesdays 2, 9, 16 & 23 April, 2pm-4pm
Room to Write’s Avril Joy, winner of the 2014 Costa Short Story Prize,
will join novelist and short story writer Wendy Robertson to offer a second
series of Back to Basics workshops for writers wishing to hone their
skills in the writing of short stories. Fee: £2.
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Creative consultation
with young people
BALTIC,
Gateshead: 7 May, 10.30am-4.45pm
This workshop is suitable for anyone who is looking to consult with
young people through engagement in creative participatory activities.
Artsplan has created this course to respond to this growing need and to
inspire course participants to undertake meaningful, well structured,
planned, engaging and dynamic consultation programmes with young people.
There is a special rate fee of £75 per person available on this course.
(Fees usually range from £110-£150). Lunch and refreshments will be
provided. For more information, or to make a booking visit www.artswork.org.uk/open-courses
or call 02380 332491.
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Miscellany
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Special
offers for New Writing North newsletter subscribers
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On Wednesday 30 April at 9.15pm, audiences can join Nick Payne in a
discussion about the play with Live Theatre literary manager Gez Casey;
Daniel Collerton, NHS consultant clinical psychologist; and Professor
Anya Hurlbert, director of The Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle
University. Admission free.
For more information on Incognito
see www.live.org.uk/whats-on-book/incognito.
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Deadline
for the next newsletter
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If you have news that you would like to submit
for inclusion in the newsletter please contact tammy@newwritingnorth.com.
The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 7
April. The next edition of The
Listening Post, covering May’s literature events, will go out
in late April. If you have events that you would like to submit for
inclusion for this you will need to send information by 20 April to tammy@newwritingnorth.com.
While
every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in
this newsletter is correct at the time of going to press, things do
change, frequently at the last minute and very often without our
knowledge.
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