TRINIDAD HOLIDAY

 I am on holiday now until Monday 6 February 2023, when I will return to my blog. 🌄🌅

Cleckheaton Writers Group minutes, meeting Monday 23 January 2023

Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met last night with Karen, Gemma, Dali and Kathy in attendance, Cassie, Michelle and Alice having passed on their apologies.

The minutes from the previous meeting were passed.

WIP updates: Karen has had a full MS request from Bookouture following #DBPITCHBOOKOUTURE and has applied for an editorial assistant position at Cornerstones. Kathy has been working on the ordinary world sections for Mrs Dunstan, Earl, Adrian and Jane for her Tobias MS rewrite and brought along some sections to share. Dali has written a poem and a dribble.

CW comps/workshops/events: The NYC Short Story Challenge is open and Huddersfield Literature Festival have announced some more of their upcoming events including one for flash fiction: Workshop – Flash Fiction • Huddersfield Literature Festival (huddlitfest.org.uk)

Feedback sessions: Kathy shared three ordinary world sections for her Tobias MS, all of which were well received. The first was for Adrian and Jane which members thought foreshadowed well and made us care about the characters. It was suggested that Kathy make the tongue in cheek sarcasm of the loving banter between the couple more obvious, tone down the unlucky life Jane's friend has had and take out critically as it is not needed when the conversation makes this apparent. The second section was from Earl's point of view and it was suggested that he converses more to the photograph of his wife to avoid the scene becoming too telling. This led to a discussion and it was decided it would work well to turn the day around and have him coming home from work, rather than leaving for work. It was felt this makes a good mirror for the two scenes showing the togetherness Jane has in her relationship and the loneliness of Earl. The third scene was of Mrs Dunstan who lives in the flat below Tobias which has some good comedy and showed her character well with dialogue. It was felt that some of her inner thoughts could be better shown with a mobile call to her son to avoid telling the reader things that foreshadow events and make it an active scene. This will also give a good foil and nod to Mrs Dunstan using the mobile to call her son in later scenes. It was suggested that when she looks out the window she could see the lorry Earl is driving as it subtly links the two characters ahead of their meeting as Earl lives not far from Mrs Dunstan and could conceivably drive past her house numerous times a week.

Dali shared a poignant dribble which members felt evoked memories like the ghost of someone. She also shared a poem about her dog that led to a discussion on the supernatural.

Writing plans: Karen will be on holiday so has no firm writing plans. Gemma will be editing. Dali will be writing a dribble or drabble. Kathy will be working on her Tobias MS and hopes to send some writing in for consideration for the CWG anthology.

The writing challenge theme for January is New beginnings/New you. Suggestions are welcomed for the February theme.

The next meeting will take place on Monday 6 February 2023 at 5.30pm at Cleckheaton Library. New members always welcome.

New season at Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds

 Full details below:

What's On / January - February 2023   Newsletter Spring/Summer Season 2023   Hi We’re starting 2023 with the award winning community arts group LIDOS who present Puss in Boots (Fri 20 - Sat 28 Jan), a family-fun pantomime that is sure to beat those January blues. It follows hot on the heels of more fantastic panto news that Aaron Steadman and Anna Phylactic  won 'Best Dames', Matthew Hargrove won 'Outstanding Dancer' and the Carriageworks Theatre won the 'Welcoming Venue' award in the 2022 Pantomime Awards for our recent Cinderella. Keep scrolling for important dates in February, including guaranteed laughs with Shoe Cake Comedy Club (Fri 3 Feb), Haunted (Fri 3 - Sat 4 Feb) for ghost story fanatics, and Banff Mountain Film Festival (Tue 14 - Wed 15 Feb) and Mark Beaumont: Faster (Sun 26 Feb) for the adventure-seekers. Pirate Bonnie (Sat 11 - Sun 12 Feb) is the perfect show for families and there’s an exciting mix of tales and talks as part of the 2023 Leeds Literature Festival (Sat 25 Feb - Sun 5 Mar). Check out the whole of our new 2023 Spring/Summer Season brochure by clicking the link below. Take Care, Carriageworks Theatre Team New Year, New Brochure!       Look Inside   What's On: January - February   Puss in Boots Fri 20 - Sat 28 Jan When the Miller dies, Jack, his adopted son, receives his inheritance along with his brother Jasper. Jack enjoys the simple things in life, so is quite pleased to find out that he has inherited his beloved cat – Puss, whilst his brother Jasper receives all the Miller’s riches. But, this feline is no ordinary cat. Good Fairy, Priscilla, gifts a magical pair of boots to Puss who sets about to change Jack’s destiny to win the Princess Esmerelda’s hand in marriage.   More Info / Book Now Shoe Cake Comedy February Fri 3 Feb The Shoe Cake Comedy Club makes a welcome return this month with their 100% raw improvisation.  Headlined by The Discount Comedy Checkout, you can expect to see TV favourites Chris Lumb, Natalie Smeaton and Phil Smith, starring alongside Eddie French, Tom King and Mandy McCarthy. Alex Hylton and a line up of fantastic stand up open the show before the improv begins.   More Info / Book Now   Haunted Fri 3 - Sat 4 Feb Two classic ghost stories adapted for stage. In The Monkey’s Paw, the White family are presented with a strange object said to be able to grant wishes, meanwhile strange tales emerge from Cabin 105 of an ill-fated passenger ship in The Upper Berth.   More Info / Book Now Pirate Bonnie Sat 11 - Sun 12 Feb Pirate Bonnie is looking for treasure - but no ordinary treasure, for she is no ordinary pirate. The treasures she seeks are the long-lost stories of swashbuckling pirates. Feel the rush of wind in the sails as Bonnie sings the songs of pirates of old.   More Info / Book Now   Banff Mountain Film Festival Tue 14 - Wed 15 Feb The Banff Mountain Film Festival joins the world’s best adventure filmmakers and explorers as they push themselves to the limits in the most remote and stunning corners of the globe.   More Info / Book Now The Light Princess Thu 23 - Fri 24 Feb A brand new opera based on the classic fairytale by George MacDonald. Cursed from birth, The Light Princess seeks to beat the spell set upon her.   More Info / Book Now   The Language of Fear Sat 25 Feb Discussing everything from the Gothic tradition to horror fiction, and the appeal of ghost stories, a panel will attempt to answer the question: why do we love being scared?    More Info / Book Now In Conversation with Catriona Ward Sat 25 Feb Catriona Ward will discuss her experiences with her breakout bestseller The Last House on Needless Street, as well as her current novel Sundial, and her life prior to the publication of her award-winning debut, Rawblood.   More Info / Book Now   Mark Beaumont - Faster Sun 26 Feb   Faster captures the wanderlust to find new disciplines of cycling and new wild places, including those closer to home.  As Mark turns 40, he reflects on a career, now building towards a level of performance and precision that allows him to continue to push boundaries.   More Info / Book Now   Coming Up: March   Football Clichés     More info Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists     More info Shoe Cake Comedy March     More info   Lemn Sissay - My Name Is Why     More info For The Many     More info Evening Conversations with Sudha Bhuchar     More info   FOLLOW US         CARRIAGEWORKS THEATRE   Carriageworks Theatre, The Electric Press, 3 Millennium Square, LS2 3AD  0113 376 0318 | boxoffice@leeds.gov.uk www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk     Carriageworks Theatre is part of Leeds Ticket Hub, the city's cultural ticket office: Leeds Ticket Hub, Carriageworks Theatre, The Electric Press, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD.