New Writing North newsletters

Here are the latest New Writing North newsletters:

Newsletter: 24 April 2020 New Writing North update Dear friends, we trust and hope that you are keeping well during this very strange time. We wanted to update you on our current plans for activity, some of which have had to be adapted or postponed. Our focus over the past few weeks has been to review all existing activity and to understand how best to address the current challenges as we adjust to working remotely. We are grateful that we have many projects that can and will continue during this period and hope to be able to still offer paid work to many writers and practitioners as we shift our plans from live events to new forms of delivery. As we begin to think about what ‘recovery’ from this moment will look like for New Writing North please be assured that we understand recovery to be not just for our own organisation, but for the networks of writers and practitioners that we know depend on and value our programmes of work. We’ll be thinking hard about how best to do this over the next few weeks. Read more about our projects and plans New trustees join the board of New Writing North  We're very excited to welcome six new leaders from publishing and industry to our board of trustees, to help New Writing North move forward with plans to establish a centre for writing and publishing in Newcastle upon Tyne. The new trustees bring skills in capital development, publishing, communications and legal to enhance the skillset of the existing board of industry professionals, writers and arts industry specialists. Read our announcement here and find out more about all of our staff and trustees. People and publishers Support two independent publishers in a time of crisis by buying a brand new short story by the award winning novelist Ben Myers. A Stone Statue in the Future is available exclusively from the Little Toller website as an e-book. All proceeds will be divided between Little Toller, Bluemoose and the author. To help you through the current crisis the Poetry Book Society in Newcastle have launched a special Isolation Promotion. Join the Poetry Book Society today as a new Choice Member and you'll receive a FREE poetry parcel containing a poetry gift book from their recent PBS Spring Selections and the Spring Bulletin magazine - full of poems, reviews and interviews to keep you entertained in self-isolation. PBS Members enjoy a whole year of quarterly poetry parcels delivered straight to their door as well as access to their lively online poetry community, so that's 5 PBS poetry parcels for the price of 4! All members also receive 25% off book purchases at www.poetrybooks.co.uk. Find out more here. Listen out for The Dam, a new story by David Almond, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 this Sunday 26 April at 4.30pm. We're delighted that Jo Clement's debut pamphlet Moveable Type, published by New Writing North, is shortlisted for the Best Poetry Pamphlet at the Saboteur Awards 2020. You can vote for Jo - and many other brilliant writers and small publishers - here. Congratulations to New North Poet Sarah Wimbush, whose debut poetry pamphlet Bloodlines won the Mslexia/ Poetry Book Society Women’s Poetry Prize 2019 and has now been published by Seren Books. Bloodlines is available to buy now. Sarah recently blogged for us about her writing retreat along with the other New North Poets at Garsdale. The Selling and Self-Regulation of Contemporary Poetry is the first book-length study of the contemporary poetry industry, written by JT Welsch and published by Anthem Press, available here. Sunderland writer Glenda Young has won this year's Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition 2020 with her short story 'The Fan Club Man'.  And congratulations to Beda Higgins, who has won the Geoff Stevens Memorial Poetry Prize 2020 and wins publication of her first poetry collection with Indigo Dreams Publishing. The 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize is a biennial award for unpublished fiction in English by UK-based Black and Asian women, with a strong track-record fof its winners going on to publication. New Writing North is proud to be one of the prize’s supporters. Apply by Thursday 30 April. The Bristol Short Story Prize is open for entry to writers based anywhere in the world until Thursday 30 April, with a first prize of £1000. The Poetry London Prize is a major, internationally renowned award for a single outstanding poem. This year's judge is Ilya Kaminsky. First prize is £5,000, second prize is £2,000, and third prize is £1,000. Enter by midnight on 1 May at https://poetrylondon.co.uk/competition/. The Rialto Nature and Place Poetry Competition is looking for poems on just that – nature or place – until 1 May, with a first place prize of £1000. The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition is seeking entries from unpublished and unagented writers with original and exciting stories for 7-to-18-year-olds. irst prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000, plus an offer of representation from top literary agent, Kate Shaw of the Shaw Agency. Deadline extended to 1 June.  The Nature Writing Prize for working-class writers is open for submissions of up to 1000 words of poetry, fiction, non-fiction or hybrid writing, by writers who identify as working-class. Prize includes publication in the Countryman magazine, one year of Little Toller books, and a one-to-one mentoring session with Natasha Carthew. To enter email workingclassnatureprize@gmail.com by 7 June. The Aurora Prize, from Writing East Midlands and judged by Mahsuda Snaith and Helen Mort, seeks outstanding new writing in short fiction (of up to 2,000 words) and poetry (of up to 60 lines). The deadline for entries is Monday 8th June 2020 at midnight. Enter here The Walter Swan Poetry Prize is a competition for writers of poetry aged 18 and over. The prize is run by Ilkley Literature Festival in partnership with The Walter Swan Trust, and is accepting entries based on the theme ‘A Kindness’ until 31 July 2020. There are also competitions for children and young people from Yorkshire and Lancashire on the same theme. Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is open to anyone aged 11-17 and will be judged by Maura Dooley and Keith Jarrett. Apply by 31 July Payal Ramchandani has been commissioned by Dance City to create and present a full length dance-theatre production titled 'The boy who grew a forest' and is looking to find a writer to collaborate with on this project, an inter-generational piece of work with greater focus on children. You can find out more about Payal and contact her via her website. The Print Futures Awards are open until Sunday 26 April. They offer grants of up to £1,500 each to fund relevant UK training courses to support people aged 18 to 30 years in the UK printing, paper, packaging, publishing, and graphic arts sector. If you would like help developing an idea for a novel into a complete draft manuscript, don't miss the chance to apply for Writer’s Block, based in Middlesbrough, which closes this Monday 27 April. The programme will offer 12 writers a year-long mentoring programme, including seven day-long workshops and 14 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring. Find out more Would you like to see your poems in a hand-stitched portfolio? Coast to Coast to Coast will award two poets, who will each receive 15 copies of their poetry journal with hand-stitched covers. Apply by 30 April 2020. Boudicca Press is looking for speculative autobiography about experiences of misbehaving bodies, from women and those who self-identify as women, in the UK. From experiences with operations, chronic pain, cancer, childbirth, disability or more. Read more and submit work by 7 May 2020. Penguin Random House’s WriteNow campaign to discover under-represented writers is now open until 31 May (extended deadline). The initial meetings, which were due to take place around the country, will now take place online. Live Theatre, Newcastle, has extended the submission window for 10 Minutes To… until 30 April. This is a short play project where writers submit plays that respond to a specific theme. The current theme is Call Home and writers can respond to it in any way they see fit. A selection of these plays are chosen to be produced. It also has a script submission window open until 31 May. Fly on the Wall Press is looking for poetry, art and photography which embody the spirit of Manchester and paint a picture of the changing city, for submission to its new anthology, Mancunian Ways. Submit work by 6 June 2020. Newcastle University is offering a scholarship award worth £7,800 (full fees) for an outstanding applicant to the Poetry School / Newcastle MA in Writing Poetry for 2020/21 entry. Find out more and apply by 31 July Curtis Brown Creative is offering free weekly writing workouts, with the option to pay a fee for editorial feedback. The Author’s Emergency Fund from the Society of Authors offers emergency grants for those who have been affected by the coronavirus. Applications are open to all professional authors who are resident in the UK or British subjects – including all types of writers, illustrators, literary translators, scriptwriters, poets, journalists and others – for whom author-related activities make up a substantial amount of their annual income. Find out more Caroline Burrows is presenting a Literary Cycling Tour of the North: From Jane Eyre to Dracula as part of the Virtual Cycle Touring Festival, which runs 25-26 April and has a full and varied line-up. Find out more At Home With 4 Indies is a partnership of independent bookshops, Linghams in Heswell, Book-ish in Crickhowell, Forum Books in Corbridge, and Booka Bookshop in Oswestry. Together they’re hosting Facebook Live events with leading authors including Sebastian Barry on 27 April, Frank Cottrell Boyce on 28 April, Marian Keyes on 30 April. Find out more Comma Press is running short story masterclasses on its Facebook page, related to its latest anthology Morphologies. The next session is on Tuesday 5 May at 7pm, when Jane Rogers will be discussing Dostoyevsky. Future masterclasses include Alison MacLeod on Katherine Mansfield (19 May) and Sean O’Brien on Edgar Allen Poe (5 June). Oldham Libraries is running a Facebook Live event with previous Read Regional author Phaedra Patrick to celebrate the launch of her new book, The Secrets of Sunshine. Thursday 14 May, 7.30-9pm. Register your interest here Want to write a book, but don’t know where to start? Bestselling author Adele Parks is presenting a free online masterclass on Saturday 16 May, 2-3pm. Sign up on Eventbrite for details of how to join and a masterclass worksheet. If you have news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please contact laurafraine@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 18 May 2020. 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. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Share     Tweet     Share     Forward

Newsletter: 27 March 2020 New Writing North update As we adjust to the new circumstances we find ourselves in, we hope you are all safe and well. In case you are involved in any of our projects, we wanted to let you know about some of New Writing North’s activity. -       As can be expected, all face-to-face activity is currently on hold, including Read Regional, our Young Writers’ programme and all of our events. All tickets have now been refunded. -       We are looking into using Zoom video conferencing software for smaller workshops and will update groups on this as soon as we can. -       We will be reviewing face-to-face activity from May onwards as the picture becomes clearer and in accordance with government advice.  -       For the foreseeable future our other work behind the scenes will continue as normally as possible. If you have a Northern Writers' Awards entry or an application in with us, we are still aiming to keep to our original timelines. We have extended the deadline for entries to the Gordon Burn Prize until 31 March. -       In line with government advice, we’re working from home for the moment, so you won’t be able to reach us on our office phone. Get in touch by emailing office@newwritingnorth.com or sending us a message on Twitter or Facebook. Advice for freelancers We have been speaking to many freelance writers and creative practitioners over the last few weeks and we share your concern about the affect the coronavirus is having on your ability to work. There is no doubt that this is a worrying time for freelance professionals and we wish to extend our well wishes to you. We will continue to advocate for you and to work with you in any way we can. We appreciate the move by the government to pay a grant of 80% of the average of three years’ earnings to self-employed people, but we also know there will be some self-employed people for whom this figure reflects nothing like their current earnings. Arts Council England is also working quickly to support artists and you can find their latest updates here https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19. A fund of £20 million will make grants of up to £2,500 available to artists with a track record in publicly funded culture. ACE will publish guidance for applicants including the detailed timetable for this fund on Monday 30 March. Potential applicants will need to register on its application portal Grantium by Friday 3 April. The Society of Authors has introduced emergency funding for authors affected by Covid-19 and will be making grants of up to £2000 and designed to meet urgent need. Grants will be made to professional authors based in the UK. You can also apply to the Royal Literary Fund if you are suffering financial hardship and have had several works published in the UK for a general readership. Writing From Home New Writing North runs a year-round programme for young people and community groups, which is all about bringing people together though creative writing groups in schools, libraries and their local community centres. In these extraordinary times, we are encouraging people to stay in and write from home instead.  Writing can help us to make sense of the world. It can stand as a record of these strange days we are living through. It can heal. It can be a distraction and a pleasure. And it can take you far away, even when you’re stuck at home. So, grab your notebook or laptop and join us. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we’ll be sharing writing prompts designed by our brilliant team of freelance writers and facilitators. You’ll find them on our social media channels under the hashtag #writingfromhome. Free self-led workshops for schools We are also developing free self-led creative writing workshops for schools. The workshops are suitable for Key Stages 3-5 and the students can take part on their own from home. The schools we currently work with will receive the first workshops in the next fortnight. If you are a teacher and would like to request these resources for your school, please contact ruth@newwritingnorth.com. Climate Reading Group Rebecca Solnit's book of essays, Whose Story is This? was due to be the first book discussed by our new Climate Reading Group, the meeting for which sadly had to be cancelled. Linda France has written this blog post about how reading the book felt even more pertinent during a pandemic. If we can't get together in person for our next meetings of the Climate Reading Group discussing Karen Solie on 5 May and Thich Naht Hanh on 16 June then we will meet via Zoom video conferencing app, so please still register for your place. People Congratulations to Tania Hershman, whose new book and what if we were all allowed to disappear was published 4 March by Guillemot Press. A collage of poetry, prose and prose/poem hybrids, this is a story of fragmentation, collision, absence and presence. Inspired by particle physics, Tania Hershman, a fiction writer and poet with a scientific background, plays with words and narrative to create new shapes and stories, asking the reader, ‘What does it mean to be in pieces? What might it mean to be whole?’ Congratulations to Northumberland-based Chloe Daykin, who recently won the Edward Standford Children’s Travel Book of the Year for her book Fire Girl Forest Boy. Find out more about her book here. Okapi Books is a new independent press based in Sheffield, which aims to find new fiction and to reach infrequent readers.  Their editorial team includes the award-winning novelist, Ray Robinson, and publishing will reflect the growing trends of audio and visual consumption occurring across all demographics. Each book will also bear original artwork by a different artist. Discover their first book, The Storm, by Sheffield writer Akeem Balogun, here. Beverley-based writer Chris Stewart recently won the prestigious Larkin Prize of the East Riding Festival of Words 2019 Poetry Competition for his poem Fencing Project – 1975. The poem was also featured on Sally Fairfax’s BBC Radio Humberside show last month. Read the’ poem here. Local indie press InkyLab is hoping to release their second anthology of short stories on the theme of books and literature in early April. It will be available on their website and on Amazon as well as in selected local bookshops. They are also accepting submissions for short stories for their third anthology on the theme of 'lost/off the beaten track', as well as poetry and potential novel submissions. Further information on all of the above can be found on their website.  Congratulations to our friends at Comma Press, who are the North England regional winner of the British Book Awards Small Press of the Year accolade. The award celebrates the diversity of small presses in the UK and is presented by The Bookseller. Read more. Congratulations to northern writer Amanda Huggins, whose latest book Scratched Enamel Heart will be launching on 27 May. Published by Retreat West Books, the resilience and frailty of the human heart lie at the core of Amanda’s second short story collection. Available to pre-order on Amazon for Kindle here. Congratulations to Hartlepool writer Juliette Lawson, who published her first novel, A Borrowed Past, last month on 28 February with Seaton Carew Press. This is the first in the Seaton Carew Sagas series, with the second book in progress. Available in print from Amazon, via Ingram Spark distributors, and as an eBook from a range of retailers here. North Yorkshire writer John Watson has released his latest novel, A Journey of Hope, with Farthings Publishers, Scarborough. The book is set at the turn of the 20th Century and surrounds a young girl born into abject poverty among the slums of York, who is forced to flee after the loss of her parents. You can purchase the book at W.H. Smith, Guisborough Bookshop, Whitby bookshop, Holmans, Claridges, Helmsley, White Rose, Thirsk, as well as many visitor centres and garden centres.  The Bridport Prize has announced a new Young Writer Award, which will give £500 to the writer, aged 16 to 25 who places highest in the competition each year across our four competition categories. The winning entry will also be published in their anthology. Closing date 31 May. Find out more. Submissions are open for the Customs House’s Terry Kelly Poetry Prize 2020, in memory of South Shields writer and journalist Terry Kelly. The Prize is made up of five categories for young people who want to showcase their writing talent, closing on 24 April. Enter now. The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is looking for new writing talent for their 2020 competition. Their Creative Writing Award is an outlet for expression, open to Poetry and Short Fiction entries from both UK and international writers. Prizes include £1,000 awarded to both the Poetry and Short Fiction winners, and publication within the inspiring Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which is awarded to 60 writers, shortlisted by the prestigious judging panel. Apply here. Writers & Artists have announced the return of their Working-Class Writers’ Prize, with award-winning author and tireless advocate of working-class writers, Lisa McInerney, confirmed as this years’ judge. The Prize is open to unpublished writers who consider themselves to be working-class. Submit your entry by midnight Monday 15 June. Enter here. Emons Publishing, publishers of the 111 Places guidebooks, is looking for someone to write a guide to Newcastle. The guides follow a very clean format (one-page entries with accompanying full-page photograph) and they like the writer’s voice to sing out. Interested writers are encouraged to take a look at books in the series to get a feel for the style. Email Alison Lester for more information. The British Council’s 2020 Literary Translation call is open with a deadline of 5 May 2020. The Literary Translation funding opportunity supports translation, promotion and production of works of fiction, children’s literature, poetry and theatre from European languages into English or Welsh. Find out more here. The Writing Squad is a group of motivated writers, which exists to help develop young people’s writing. They are now recruiting for their next two-year programme which will run from April 2020. To be eligible you must be 16-21 and live, work or study in the North of England. The Squad is free and works around your life so you can study, work or travel at the same time. Closing date is midnight Sunday 29 March. Apply here. Helix Arts are offering a FREE training and mentoring programme for artists as part of their Make it Happen initiative.  They have teamed up with Gateshead Arts Team to offer artists living or working in Gateshead the chance to take part in a participant-centred programme for those interested in co-producing and managing community arts projects. The first online information session will be held on Wednesday 1 April 10 am. Find out more. Independent charity, Tyneside Cinema, has released an appeal for support, in order to see their beloved venue open again once the Coronavirus pandemic is over. You can watch their video appeal here, and donate money via their website. The Bigger Picture launched a poetry anthology last weekend called THESE ARE THE HANDS (Fairacre Press). The anthology celebrates the workers of the NHS and has many generous contributions from high profile poets, as well as four NHS workers from the North East. All proceeds go to NHS charities and it is available online and in bookshops. Follow @Bigger-Pict on twitter for full details. Writer Carolyn Jess-Cooke has created Stay-At-Home! Festival, an enticing two-week programme of online workshops, panels, readings, and talks which will be hosted from writers’ homes and will be freely accessible to everyone. The programme features multiple events from 27 March – 11 April 2020, with subjects ranging from poetry to novel writing and nonfiction, career advice, wellbeing and mindfulness, mental health, and publishing. Follow this link for full details. Andersen Press has partnered with Seven Stories to provide weekly virtual story times free of charge throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Storytime started this Friday 27 March at 10am and will continue at the same time every week during the pandemic via this Facebook page. If you have news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please contact sophiekoranteng@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 19 April 2020. 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. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Share     Tweet     Share     Forward

Writers Rally to Support the Community with New Virtual Festival The Stay-at Home! Festival is an new online literature festival designed to prevent loneliness, champion connectivity and community amidst social distancing, and celebrate writing and reading as tools to achieve this. It is a free and completely online festival with workshops, readings, panels and Q&A sessions by writers of all genres that you can enjoy from the comfort of your sofa. The festival is created by poet, novelist and lecturer - and one of our Read Regional authors - CJ Cooke, in partnership with Paper Nations. The programme features multiple events from 27 March - 11 April 2020, with subjects ranging from poetry to novel writing and nonfiction, career advice, wellbeing and mindfulness, mental health, and publishing. Maggie O’Farrell, in conversation with Claire Malcolm, Chief Executive of New Writing North, about her new novel Hamnet at 8-9pm on Friday 3 April. How to Write Picture Books that Support Little People in Tricky Times with Wendy Meddour. Join writer and illustrator Wendy Meddour in a masterclass designed to help you begin writing a picture book – adults and children welcome! Friday 27 March 3.30-4.30pm. Abbie Greaves, Beth Morrey and Clare Pooley will be in conversation with CJ Cooke to talk about their exciting debut novels at 5.30-6.30pm on Tuesday 31 March. Jo Clement, editor of Butcher’s Dog reads from her poetry collection Moveable Type at 12-1pm on Tuesday 31 March. “Lyrically agile and never predictable, Moveable Type is a proud and startling debut pamphlet which marks an impressive new voice in contemporary poetry.” ​ Join Rishi Dastidar on Tuesday 31 March, 3-3.30pm as he gives a reading from his new book Saffron Jack, a long narrative poem which ‘boldly updates Kipling’s ‘The Man Who Would Be King’ to confront one of the most pressing issues our fractured world faces today – how can we live together in peace if we exile the most vulnerable in our societies and deny them a place to belong?’  Living Like Common People: Celebrating Working-Class Writers: A reading from the anthology Common People, featuring Louise Powell and guests at 7-8pm on Sunday 5 April.  All events are live, and you can find out the whole programme on the Stay-at-Home! Festival website. To join in, simply click on the web link provided on each event of the programme at the indicated start time – no need to register. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or laptop – cosy up on the sofa with a hot drink and biscuit and enjoy! New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Share     Tweet     Share     Forward

Welcome to the Spring issue of Northern Bookshelf, brought to you by New Writing North and Durham Book Festival. Each season we speak to readers, publishers and producers from across the North to find out what books they are recommending to their friends, as well as focusing on some of the most exciting new books by writers based in our region. With the current health epidemic in mind, it can be easy to get caught in the frenzy of negative news reports. It’s important to keep hold of those moments that bring us feelings of comfort and hope, which is why we’ve put together this list of Books We Turn To In Troubled Times. Discover the books that each of us find uplifting and reassuring. What are you reading? Join in the chat on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #NorthernBookshelf. And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando When fifteen-year-old Nathan discovers that his older brother Al, has taken his own life, his whole world is torn apart. And the Stars Were Burning Brightly is an extraordinary novel about loss, understanding and the importance of speaking up when all you want to do is shut down. In this interview, Danielle Jawando tells us about the inspiration behind the story, its difficult subject matter, and what she hopes it will bring to young people. Giveaway!  We have three copies of And the Stars Were Burning Brightly to give away! For the chance to win, tell us what you're reading on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using the hashtags #NorthernBookshelf and #BurnBright. Winners will be drawn on 20 April 2020. The Love Hypothesis – Laura Steven  Physics genius Caro Kerber-Murphy knows she’s smart. With straight As and a college scholarship already in the bag, she’s meeting her two dads’ colossal expectations and then some. But there’s one test she’s never quite been able to ace: love. And when, in a particularly desperate moment, Caro discovers a (definitely questionable) scientific breakthrough that promises to make you irresistible to everyone around you, she wonders if this could be the key... The Good, the Bad and the Little Bit Stupid – Marina Lewycka  After walking out on his wife Rosie on Referendum night 2016 to shack up with hairdresser 'Brexit Brenda' next door, George Pantis thinks he's got it made - especially when he wins millions on a Kosovan lottery he only vaguely remembers entering. Things quickly get out of hand and George must make a mad dash from Sheffield to the Adriatic - and into the arms of organized crime gangs who specialize in illegal kidney transplants and heroin smuggling.  The River Within – Karen Powell  It is the summer of 1955. Alexander, Tom and his sister Lennie, discover the body of their childhood friend Danny Masters in the river that runs through Starome, a village on the Richmond estate in North Yorkshire. His death is a mystery. Did he jump, or was it just an accident?   Alligator – Dima Alzayat  In  Alligator and Other Stories, Dima Alzayat captures luminously the many ways of feeling displaced: as a Syrian, as an Arab, as an immigrant, as a woman. Often told through the lens everyday scenarios, her stories are rich, relatable, and full of nuance. Each story is a snapshot of those moments when unusual circumstances suddenly distinguish us from our neighbours, throw into relief the fact that we are ‘other’.  The Secrets of Sunshine – Phaedra Patrick  Single dad Mitchell Fisher has said a firm goodbye to romance. He relishes his job cutting off the padlocks that couples fasten to his hometown’s famous ‘love story’ bridge.  Only his young daughter Poppy knows that behind his prickly veneer, Mitchell is deeply lonely – and he still grieves the loss of her mother. Then one hot summer’s day, everything changes when Mitchell bravely rescues a woman who falls from the bridge into the river. He’s surprised to feel an unexpected connection to her, but then she disappears. Desperate to find the mysterious woman, Mitchell teams up with her spirited sister Liza to see if she’s left any clues behind. There’s just one – a secret message on the padlock she left on love story bridge…  The M Pages – Colette Bryce  The reader might be justified in thinking that the  M  in the title of Colette Bryce's new poetry collection could stand for Mortality, Mother, Mourning, or the spontaneous and cathartic practice of the writer’s ‘morning pages’ – until they reach the book’s arresting central sequence. Addressed to ‘M’, a sibling who has suddenly died, this three-part poem depicts the experience of unexpected bereavement, and the altering effect such events have on the living.  After the War: From Auschwitz to Ambleside – Tom Palmer  Summer 1945. The Second World War is finally over and Yossi, Leo and Mordecai are among three hundred children who arrive in the English Lake District. Having survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, they've finally reached a place of safety and peace, where they can hopefully begin to recover. But Yossi is haunted by thoughts of his missing father and disturbed by terrible nightmares. As he waits desperately for news from home, he fears that Mordecai and Leo - the closest thing to family he has left - will move on without him. Will life by the beautiful Lake Windermere be enough to bring hope back into all their lives?  Murder on the Moorland – Helen Cox  Kitt Hartley wakes to the news that a murder has been committed in Irendale, a village high on the wild Yorkshire moors where her boyfriend, DI Malcolm Halloran, lived with his ex-wife until she too, was murdered. The MO of the two crimes is identical, right down to the runic symbols carved into the victims’ hands. Unable to leave it to the local police to solve, Kitt and Halloran travel to Irendale, where a literary mystery awaits. A line of Anglo-Saxon poetry found on the victim leads to a hiding place, and another cryptic clue. What is the connection to the murder of Halloran’s wife all those years ago?  Hashim & Family – Shahnaz Ahsan  It is New Year's Eve, 1960. Hashim has left behind his homeland and his bride, Munira, to seek his fortune in England. His cousin and only friend, Rofikul, introduces Hashim to life in Manchester - including Rofikul's girlfriend, Helen. When Munira arrives, the group must learn what it is to be a family. Over the next twenty years, they make their way in the new country - putting down roots and building a home. But when war breaks out in East Pakistan, the struggle for liberation and the emergence of Bangladesh raises questions about identity, belonging and loyalty.  Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias – Pragya Agarwal  Unconscious bias has become a frequently-used term in our vocabulary, but there are still so many myths around it. For the first time, behavioural scientist, activist and writer Dr Pragya Agarwal unravels the way our implicit or 'unintentional' biases affect the way we communicate and perceive the world, and how they affect our decision-making, even in life and death situations. At a time when race politics, the gender pay gap and diversity and inclusivity in the workplace are dominating our conversations, understanding how unconscious bias functions within all of us is more important than ever. The book encourages readers to think, understand and evaluate their own biases in a scientific and non-judgmental way.  Completing the Circle – Anne Stevenson  Anne Stevenson's Completing the Circle is a swansong collection of moving elegies and celebrations written in her 80s during the early decades of what she calls in her preface, 'a newly transformed, already terrifying century'. Most of these poems look back on her past from 'the viewpoint of a bewildered survivor facing up to the realities of time passing and beloved contemporaries dying'. In common with much of her work – and fittingly for this wide-ranging book of remembrance – she manages to maintain a tone that is serious without being funereal, acquiescent without indulging in confessional despair, keeping personal self-pity at bay with a characteristic detachment that can quietly slip into wit. The Collective Nouns For Birds – Amanda Huggins  The Collective Nouns For Birds is filled with glimpses of teenage dreams, lost loves, chance encounters and what-might-have-beens; a nostalgic journey through life’s quiet and pivotal moments. Frequently taking inspiration from the natural world, this collection of memories is often imbued with a melancholy longing or the search for reparation, yet also resonates with beauty and hope. Look out for more information in the new year. The cover features the original painting, The Charm by Alice Parker. Alice is a Huddersfield based artist who specialises in creating stunning images from the natural world. When the Lights Go Out – Carys Bray  Emma is beginning to wonder whether relationships, like mortgages, should be conducted in five-year increments. She might laugh if Chris had bought a motorbike or started dyeing his hair. Instead, he's buying off-label medicines and stockpiling food.  Chris finds Emma's relentless optimism exasperating. A tot of dread, a nip of horror, a shot of anger - he isn't asking much. If she would only join him in a measure of something.  The family's precarious eco-system is further disrupted by torrential rains, power cuts and the unexpected arrival of Chris's mother. Emma longs to lower a rope and winch Chris from the pit of his worries. But he doesn't want to be rescued or reassured - he wants to pull her in after him. Darkly funny and beautifully written, When the Lights Go Out is a novel for our times: a story about cultivating hope and weathering change.  The Sly and Unseen Day by Jo Clement The Sly and Unseen Day is a poem from Moveable Type, the debut poetry pamphlet from Jo Clement, which we are proud to publish. Drawing on the rich heritage of her working-class Gypsy upbringing, it marks an exciting new voice in contemporary poetry. The Book Case, Hebden Bridge The Book Case has been a fixture on Hebden Bridge's Market Street for over 20 years, specialising in nature landscape writing and fiction and attracting writers of all types. Despite the shop being flooded three times, it retains an impressive and well-stocked array of titles. In our guest blog post, they talk about the books they’re currently excited about, as well as their recent encounter with Storm Ciara. The Poetry Book Society The Poetry Book Society has been inspiring generations of poets and poetry fans since 1953. In these uncertain times many are seeking solace and inspiration in poetry, so  PBS has rounded up seven seasonal selections to put a smile on your face. Head over to their guest blog post to find out what they are. Whitley Book Group Whitley Book Group are a group of readers in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside,  linked by a mesh of friendship, home, young children, and love of reading. In this blog post, Sophie Buxton tells us about five of the books they’ve all enjoyed reading and discussing together. Hexham Book Festival While we unfortunately can't go to Hexham Book Festival this year, we can still enjoy their book recommendations! In this blog post, festival director Susie Troup has put together a list of some of the best children's books she's got her eye on this year. Find out what these are here. Northern Bookshelf is published by New Writing North and Durham Book Festival. If you have news about books by northern authors or you would like to recommend books as a bookseller, librarian, book group or reader, please contact grace@newwritingnorth.com. The next issue will be published in June 2020 and will cover June 2020 - August 2020. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 7 May 2020. 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. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Forward

Coming in from the sides: Free creative writing workshops for under-represented writers In partnership with Creative Future, we're offering FREE creative writing workshops for people who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, identity or other social circumstance. We are providing two sets of workshops for adults and young adults (aged 16-25). Young Adult Programme: Explore approaches to poetry and prose in a fun, supportive environment; get writing and share your work. Suitable for beginners and more established writers. Sessions will alternate between poetry and prose, but each explores something different – come to as many as you like. Be ready to get stuck in! Tutors: Lucie Brownlee and Kris Johnson We are running six workshops at Newcastle Sixth Form College, Thursdays at 4-5.30pm on the following dates: ·         2 April ·         23 April ·         7 May ·         21 May ·         4 June ·         18 June Book your place via the Creative Futures website here. Adult Programme: You want to write, but sometimes finding the time or routine can be difficult with lives full of many other things. “Coming in from the sides” is an idea to allow yourself to step into your writing in a way that fits with your life; finding the pockets of time and the stories you want to tell in ways that remain fun and enjoyable. But “Coming in from the sides” has another meaning too; it’s when you are working on a piece of writing where suddenly all the things you see, hear and feel “fit” with the work. Almost like magic. When things come in from the sides, you know you’re on the right path with your story. This series of workshops will help you find your path in both these meanings: through the obstacles every life throws in the way of your writing, and knowing when the story is the right one to tell. Tutor: Alex Lockwood We are running six workshops at Commercial Union House in Newcastle, Tuesdays at 2-4pm on the following dates: ·         21 April – The Writer’s Roadmap: Setting Out ·         5 May – The Words That Do the Work: Nouns and Verbs, and Why They Really Matter ·         19 May – Point of View and the Magic of Perspective ·         2 June – On the Road: Writing Wants and Needs, and Why They are Sometimes Different ·         16 June – Plot & Structure When You Have No Time ·         30 June – Reading, Writing, Sharing: Celebrating Progress Book your place via the Creative Futures website here. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Share     Forward

The Other Side of Me: A Workshop for Dancers and Writers Sunday 22 March, 11am-4pm, Northumbria University Produced in partnership by Northumbria University, Dance City and New Writing North This artistic development day for emerging and experienced dance practitioners and creative writers offers insights into traditional and contemporary Indigenous Australian culture and dance practice, and an opportunity to explore relationships between literary narrative and dance techniques. You will be guided in finding ways to express emotions and moods through written words and movement. Plan for the Day Morning session: 11am-1pm Coffee and tea on arrival Introduction to Indigenous dance practice and beliefs The group will then divide into two separate writing and dance workshops 1. Gary Lang: Indigenous dance/movement class 2. Laura Fish: Exploring how to express emotions connected with space, place, confinement and displacement Lunch break: 1 pm – 2.15pm Please bring your own lunch Afternoon session: 2.15pm-4pm Working in small groups, the dancers and writers will be guided through a process to create a short piece to be shared at the end of the day. Booking Tickets cost £10/£8 concessions, plus Eventbrite booking fee New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Share     Forward

Inkubator: paid professional development training to work with young people Inkubator is an exciting new paid professional development course for writers across all disciplines who want to develop their skills in participatory arts practice with young people. Background New Writing North Young Writers is an award-winning programme, which introduces young people to creative writing through school and community groups in the North East. From our Saturday morning writing groups to our long-term relationships with secondary schools, we offer young people the opportunity to experiment and create, using forms of writing from songwriting and rapping to prose and poetry. Our programme could not run without our facilitators: dynamic, diverse and talented freelance writers with a passion for working with young people. To maintain the highest quality on our programmes, it is vital that we support emerging writers who may have little to no experience of participatory practice. The Gateshead Young Writers project, funded by Kavlifondet, now enables us to offer this superb development opportunity for six emerging practitioners. Course Structure Inkubator is a professional development course taking place between April and July 2020, which will comprise six training and reflection days, plus a practical placement on one of the New Writing North Young Writers’ projects to put facilitation skills into action. Taught content The taught content will comprise masterclasses led by guest writers and artists and will cover the skills required for facilitation with young people, as well as an introduction to freelance working, safeguarding and evaluation. There will be an emphasis on the importance of critical reflection as a way to improve your participatory arts practice. Training will take place on the following dates from 10am–2pm at Gateshead Central Library: Wednesday 15 April Wednesday 22 April Wednesday 6 May Wednesday 17 June Wednesday 1 July Wednesday 22 July Placement The placement will happen between May and July 2020 and will be tailored to each applicant’s skills, interests, and availability. The placement will offer a combination of shadowing experienced practitioners and leading delivery. A typical placement might be four afternoon sessions in a secondary school, plus two sessions at a Saturday young writers’ group. This will be accompanied by mentoring from a New Writing North artist or producer. Further learning Between April and July 2020, you will be expected to attend: ·         Up to three progress reviews with the course lead ·         Two action learning groups with other participants in the cohort. Funding It is free to take part. All successful applicants will receive a bursary of £500 to enable their participation on the course. We hope that following successful completion of the course, we will be able to offer participants further freelance work on New Writing North’s programmes. Eligibility To apply: ·         You must be over 18 years of age. ·         You should be passionate about working with young people. ·         You should be able to demonstrate current practice of an artistic discipline to a high standard (e.g. performances, publication, online portfolio). ·         Words should form a significant part of your artistic practice (e.g. songwriting, rapping, scriptwriting, poetry, prose, essays). ·         You should be able to commit to the course structure outlined above. ·         You must be able to travel to New Writing North projects in the North East on a regular basis. Through our work, we aim to show young people that writing is a passion and a career choice that is attainable for people of all backgrounds and life experiences. It is important to us that our freelancers represent the diversity of the young people who we work with. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from people who are underrepresented in current arts and culture. This includes, but is not limited to, writers of colour, disabled writers, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary writers, and working-class writers. Please note: successful applicants will be required to apply for an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check to assess their suitability to work with young people, if they do not already have one. This will take place prior to any work on New Writing North’s programmes. How to apply Apply via the Submittable platform using the link below Application deadline: Wednesday 18 March at 11:59PM Interviews will take place on: Friday 27 March We welcome questions about the programme. Please direct your enquiries to sophie@newwritingnorth.com. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Share     Forward

Newsletter: 28 February 2020 Gordon Burn Prize 2020 opens for entry  The writer Anthony Anaxagorou, artist Rachel Howard, journalist and broadcaster Sali Hughes and author Richard T. Kelly will judge the Gordon Burn Prize 2020. The prize is now open for entry until Friday 20 March 2020.  Now in its eighth year, the prize has a reputation for recognising literature that is fearless in its ambition and execution, often pushing boundaries, crossing genres or challenging readers’ expectations. Read more. Inkubator: paid professional development training to work with young people Inkubator is our exciting new paid professional development course for writers across all disciplines who want to develop their skills in participatory arts practice with young people.  Our award-winning Young Writers programme introduces young people to creative writing through school and community groups in the North East. From our Saturday morning writing groups to our long-term relationships with secondary schools, we offer young people the opportunity to experiment and create, using forms of writing from songwriting and rapping to prose and poetry. Our programme could not run without our facilitators: dynamic, diverse and talented freelance writers with a passion for working with young people. We’re looking for 6 emerging practitioners to take part in a four-month course, which will run April-July 2020 and will equip them with the skills to work with young people. Each participant will receive a bursary of £500 to undertake the training and we hope to be able to offer them freelance work on completion of the course. Find out more and apply by Wednesday 18 March.  Faber & Faber ‘Introduction to Publishing’ Day New Writing North has once again teamed up with Faber & Faber to offer a group of young people from the North East the opportunity to see behind the scenes at one of the UK’s most prestigious publishing houses on Monday 30 March 2020. This opportunity is open to young people aged 16–25 who are interested in finding out more about the world of publishing. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who are under-represented in writing and publishing. Find out more and apply by Friday 13 March. Read Regional 2020 begins! Read Regional 2020 begins next week! Have a look at our events page to find out when you can meet some of the most exciting authors in the North at your local library between March and June 2020. You'll also be able to find all 10 of our titles stocked in libraries across the North and an exclusive introduction to each book written by its author and book group questions on our website. Crime Story takes on contemporary crime The innovative Crime Story programme returns with a series of events at Alphabetti Theatre looking into contemporary issues in crime fiction and real-life crime. Our first event this Saturday (29 February) features Bradford crime writer AA Dhand, whose creation DCI Harry Virdee remains the only British Asian detective in an established crime fiction series. Dhand will be in conversation with criminologist Mike Rowe and DS Mick Paterson, where they will consider fictional and real-life crime, to look at the role of a detective in an investigation and the culture within which they operate. Book now. Find our full Crime Story programme here. Moveable Type: Jo Clement Pamphlet Launch 7-8pm, 18 Mar 2020, Waterstones Newcastle Join us for the launch of Moveable Type, poet Jo Clement’s debut pamphlet, which draws on the rich heritage of her working-class Gypsy upbringing and marks an exciting new voice in contemporary poetry. Read more. Rebecca Solnit in Conversation 6.30pm, 31 Mar 2020, Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle upon Tyne  Join us for a special in conversation event with acclaimed author Rebecca Solnit, who will discuss her new book Recollections of My Nonexistence. A thrilling portrait of the emergence of an artist, Recollections of My Nonexistence describes Solnit’s formation as a writer and as a feminist in 1980s San Francisco. A time of gender violence and the exclusion of women from the centres of cultural power, Solnit describes her experience of being poor, hopeful, and adrift in a city that would become her great teacher. Read more. An Evening with David Peace 6.30pm, 28 May 2020, Tyneside Cinema A special event with bestselling author, David Peace, who will introduce his much-anticipated new novel Tokyo Redux. David Peace is the author of ten novels including the Red Riding Quartet, The Damned Utd, Red or Dead and most recently Patient X. He lives in Tokyo. Read more. Stitched: A Hip-hopera Take a look at the incredibly talented young people we get to work with! Back in September, our Young Writers' City programme at Excelsior Academy Newcastle produces Stitched: A Hip-hopera, which the young people performed at Sage Gateshead. Since then they’ve been busy filming and recording music videos to accompany three of the main songs of the production, Squares Of Light, Tell Me a Story and Welcome to the West-End, which we are delighted to share with you! We are so proud of everyone who has been involved. Let us know what you think @NewWritingNorth. People Congratulations to Sunderland writer, Pauline Waters, who recently launched her first children’s book, Stanley The Seagull, published by Sixth Element Publishing and illustrated by Graeme Wilkinson. North-East author Glenda Young will be publishing the third novel in her gritty saga Pearl of Pit Lane on 5 March 2020 (Headline). There will also be a book launch at Sunderland Waterstones on Saturday 7 March 11am–1pm and then the National Glass Centre, Sunderland 2–3pm. Trevor Wood’s debut novel, The Man on the Street, a crime thriller set amongst Newcastle’s homeless community, is published on 19 March. Trevor will be appearing at several events to talk about the book, including Forum Books, Hexham, on Thursday, 19 March (with Blood Orange author Harriet Tyce) and Waterstones Durham on Saturday 21 March. He will also be signing books at Waterstones in Morpeth on Saturday 28 March. Congratulations to Bonnie Meekums, whose debut novel, A Kind Of Family, was published on 7 January by Between the Lines Publishing. The book, which has 5* reviews, is available to buy here on Amazon. Congratulations to Northern writer Amanda Huggins, whose debut poetry collection, The Collective Nouns for Birds, will be published on 28 February by Maytree Press. Amanda will be doing a reading at The Red Shed, Wakefield at 7PM on 5 March, and a further talk at Later at the Library, Denby Dale on 27 March. Last chance to enter the Comedy Women in Print Prize, which showcases the best of funny female fiction. CWIP looks for a brilliant, as yet undiscovered, unpublished manuscript to win a publishing deal with Harper Collins. Submissions close on Monday 2 March. Apply here. St John’s College, University of Cambridge, have opened applications for the Harper-Wood Creative Writing & Travel Award for English Poetry & Literature. They are accepting submissions from unpublished writers in the early stages of their career. Deadline 6 May. Apply here. We're proud to be a partner of the 2020 SI Leeds Literary Prize, which is now live for entries. This is the national award for unpublished fiction which celebrates work by Black and Asian women. Deadline 30 April. Follow this link to find out more. Outside Edge Theatre Company has announced The Phil Fox Award for Playwriting which invites playwrights with any level of experience from across the UK to submit full-length scripts about issues related to addiction.The winner will receive a £6,000 commission from OETC and mentoring from multi-award winning playwright Enda Walsh, who chairs the judging panel. Submissions accepted from 16th March – 16th June. For full eligibility criteria see this link. Entries are open for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award which calls for poetry and short fiction from both UK and international writers. Prizes include £1000, awarded to both the Poetry and Short Fiction winners, and publication within the inspiring Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology, which is awarded to 60 writers, shortlisted by the prestigious judging panel. Deadline 31 August 2020. Apply here. David Higham Literary Agency are hosting an Open Day for Under-Represented Writers on Wednesday 10 June at Royal Station Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne, which offers ten writers the opportunity to meet with industry experts and receive tailored feedback on their work from top literary agents. It will focus on fiction-writing for adults and there will be sessions throughout the day to answer questions about all aspects of the industry, from the role of an agent to the publishing process, as well as one-to-one sessions to provide tailored feedback on current writing projects. They have extended the deadline for applying to 9 March. Follow this link to find out more. The Ruppin Agency Writers’ Studio is a network of author-mentors based across the UK, who offer a range of mentorship packages along with a developmental edit option from their partnership with The Book Edit. The writers working with them include Yvonne Battle-Felton, Sarah Butler, Wyl Menmuir, Kirstin Innes, Irenosen Okojie, Martyn Bedford and Sara Sheridan. The deadline for the next round of Full Mentoring & Editing Programme is Monday 9 March. Find out more. The Writing Squad is a group of motivated writers, which exists to help develop young people’s writing. They are now recruiting for their next two-year programme which will run from April 2020. To be eligible you must be 16-21 and live, work or study in the North of England. The Squad is free and works around your life so you can study, work or travel at the same time. Closing date is midnight Sunday 29 March. Apply here. Arvon is running a course exclusively for teachers at their centre in West Yorkshire, Lumb Bank. This 5-day residential, held Monday 8 April to Saturday 11 April, offers the chance to reconnect with your creative practice and transform the way you teach in the classroom. Tutors Jane Feaver and Anthony Wilson and Guest Onjali Q. Raúf will guide you through an inspirational week of workshops and individual tutorials to help you discover your inner writer. Find out more here. Writers’ Block North East is looking for twelve writers to take part in a year-long programme consisting of workshops, one-to-one mentoring and advice from industry professionals. The process will begin and end with events attended by three agents from prominent London-based literary agencies who will offer guidance and advice on your stories. If selected, you will attend seven day-long development workshops and have access to 14 hours of 1-1 mentoring from WBNE, with plenty more exciting benefits too. Apply here by 5pm on Monday 27 April. ArtisOn is running a How To Write A Blog workshop in Masham on 20 March. Whether you have your own blog, want to start one, or want to contribute to someone else’s, there are a few things it’s a good idea to consider before you begin. The workshop will look at the basics of blogging – working out what it is you want to write about, who your audience is, and how to make sure your blog post does what you want it to do. More info here. Award-winning theatre maker, musician and performer, Sophia Hatfield, along with Stute Theatre and Brontë Parsonage Museum, are currently working on a new show about the lives and works of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. As part of their early development work  they are running a series of creative writing workshops to explore these three remarkable female writers and what their work means to us today. You don’t need any knowledge of the Brontë sisters or creative writing to attend the workshop.  Saturday 7 March, 1 – 3pm. Book now. Writing for Wellbeing is hosting a Mindful Writing for Awareness workshop at York Yoga Studio on Sunday 15 March 1pm to 4pm. Writing for Wellbeing is a brilliant practice to help you become more self-aware, let go of limitations, and find your inner wisdom and calm. You’ll do some gentle writing activities to encourage mindfulness, spark your creativity, and let those words flow. All this in the beautifully peaceful atmosphere of York Yoga Studio – a perfect place for mindful writing. £30 to book. Settle Stories are running a writing and mindfulness course, The Writer’s Way, which starts on 7 March and runs on the first Saturday of every month until July. The workshops will be based at The Joinery in Settle. Participants are welcome to come to individual sessions or book onto the whole course for maximum benefit. The whole course includes an individual Skype session with Pete Armstrong (author and facilitator) where participants receive individual feedback. It is £160 or £40 for individual sessions. There is also the opportunity to perform at their Festival in Summer. More info here. The Northern Fiction Alliance Roadshow is coming to Hyde Park Book Club at Leeds Lit Fest on Sunday 8 March, 12pm. The NFA is a radical publishing collective devised to showcase the creativity, diversity and spirit of publishers in the North of England. It features leading independents from across the region, including Comma Press, Leeds’s Peepal Tree Press, Liverpool’s Dead Ink Books, Sheffield’s And Other Stories, Salford's Saraband, Hebden Bridge's Bluemoose Books, Newcastle's Mayfly, Pontefract's Route and Scarborough's Valley Press. Register for free here. Ledbury Poetry Festival are holding a free Voice Coaching Workshop for poets, running from 5 – 8 May at Hellens Manor in Herefordshire. The workshop fills the gap between publishing and performance, where a poet has the writing skills, but not necessarily the performance skills to deliver their poetry how they wish it to be heard. The poet will have published at least their first collection and have had some foray into performing at festivals or events. The residential includes all accommodation, tutoring and is catered with delicious home-made food on the premises. Apply by 5pm Friday 3 April via this link. Writer, meditation teacher and Spotlight Books author Tara Gould will be leading a Wild Writing and Meditation retreat in central Portugal in June. Set in a valley by the beautiful Zezere River this five-day immersive retreat will include (optional) daily yoga, meditation, mindful walking and wild writing workshops, healthy food, luxury accommodation plus time alone each day to write, reflect and relax. For full details, prices and dates, see this link. Hexham Book Festival's programme has just been announced, with a packed schedule of events from 24 April - 3 May. Speakers include George Alagiah, Jung Chang, Holly McNish, and Jenny Eclair. A new commissions programme features Northumberland writers Sarah Davy, Gwennie Frazer, Hilary Elder and Angela Readman. Book tickets here.  HERE is a powerful new play by Lindsay Rodden, directed by Amy Golding, about finding sanctuary in the unlikeliest of places and re-writing the story of the city as your own. It’s the story of two best friends with a library card, and the power they summon through friendship and books to make something magical. The production is part of The Arriving Project – Curious Monkey’s ongoing work with people seeking sanctuary in the North East and Derby. Book tickets here. A new adaptation of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is coming to Darlington Hippodrome theatre on 26–28 March. Darlington Hippodrome are offering an exclusive promo code for our readers, which gets you tickets for just £10 for any performance. Just enter the code GAMEKEEPER at the checkout. Book via this link. Orb Community Enterprise, Yorkshire, is seeking a Creative and Wellbeing Projects Manager (Full time, £26,999, 37.5 hours per week) who understands the power of creativity to impact on individual and community wellbeing and potential, especially for the most vulnerable. Closing date for applications is Monday 16 March. Apply here. Arts Council England is recruiting for a Relationship Manager, Diversity (North - Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Leeds or Manchester. Full time, permanent, £31,975.00 per annum, plus excellent benefits). As a Relationship Manager You will work with and support a portfolio of funded organizations. This will include enduring that diversity is embedded in all their plans, monitoring their performances against funding agreements, and keeping up to date with their artistic and cultural work. Deadline is 5pm Friday 20 March. Apply here. If you have news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please contact sophiekoranteng@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 20 March 2020. 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. New Writing North PO Box 1277, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 5BP Tel: 0191 204 8850 office@newwritingnorth.com     Like     Tweet     Share     Forward