Yorkshire Writers' Newsletter February 2015 Part I

Here is the first part of the Yorkshire Writers' Newsletter, with details of workshops and courses, that I thought my followers would be interested in seeing:

Yorkshire Writers' Newsletter February 2015   Writing Yorkshire News A new series of masterclasses, a new writing group plus ongoing writing opportunities, here's our diary of events. Masterclass Series We have a new series of creative writing masterclasses running over the next few months, here are the details: Crime Writing Masterclass with Helen Cadbury - Sheffield - 14th February. Come and spend Valentine’s Day writing crime. A practical workshop, for those with some experience or none. We’ll look at irresistible openings, building suspense, twists and turns and we’ll create some new, thrilling, short fiction. Helen Cadbury is a British crime writer whose debut novel, To Catch a Rabbit, was joint winner of the first Moth Northern Crime Competition. For more info and to book a place click here Song Writing MasterClass with Ray Hearne - Sheffield - 21st March Our very own Ray Hearne will be running this song-writing masterclass. For beginners and experienced writers alike, this will be a masterclass set to music. Anyone interested in trying to put their stories into song is invited to come along and join in this practical session, during which we will ALL write. We'll look at some of the key issues in songwriting and agree together some impromptu themes/subjects before spending some time on practical writing and sharing drafts with the group. Don’t worry, you won’t have to sing unless you really want to! Writer and performer of songs and poems at concerts, festivals, conferences in UK and abroad, Ray Hearne has been working with schools and community groups across South Yorkshire and beyond for many years, helping them to find and write their own poems, performance pieces, songs and anthems, and to publish and perform, as well as record and broadcast. For more info and to book a place click here Delivering Writing Workshops Masterclass with Beverley Ward - Sheffield - 25th April Whether you're in a writers' group that's losing focus, wanting to start a new one or thinking that you might like to turn writing into a career, this masterclass is for you. We'll look at the nuts and bolts of running writing workshops: how to inspire others, giving positive and constructive feedback, managing group dynamics and promoting yourself as a facilitator. You'll leave the masterclass with new tools, exercises and confidence that you can take with you to share with children and adults in a wide range of contexts. Beverley Ward is a writer, literature development consultant and trained teacher with 20 years experience of running workshops and creative projects in schools, youth groups and community settings. She was the founder of the Sheffield Young Writers' project and works as Writing Yorkshire's Professional Development Manager. For more info and to book a place click here Details: Venue: All of the masterclasses take place at Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield, S1 2DS. Cost for each masterclass: £13.50 / £18.00 (WYmembers/non-members) + booking fee via Eventbrite More info: beverley@writingyorkshire.org Well it's time to.....  Get Writing with Writing Yorkshire! Whether you're an experienced writer who has hit a rut, a beginner wanting to experiment with different forms of writing or someone who wants to be inspired to get back to writing, this new writing group, organised by Writing Yorkshire, is for you. Facilitated by experienced writer and teacher, Beverley Ward, the group will offer writing prompts and exercises to generate new writing and provide space for writers to share works in progress. When: Every Wednesday, 11.00am-1.00pm, beginning Feb 25th Venue: Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield. S1 2DS Cost: Pay what you can afford (recommended price £5 per session) More info or to register: Please email beverley@writingyorkshire.org  Derbyshire Writing Retreat There are still a few places left on our Winter Writers’ Retreat in Buxton but you'll have to book as soon as possible to be sure of a place. Led by Writing Yorkshire’s Professional Development Manager, Beverley Ward, the retreat will be an opportunity to focus on your writing, distraction free.  For more information or to reserve a place: Please contact: beverley@writingyorkshire.org as soon as possible. Dates: Sunday 15th February – Wednesday 18th February Cost: £140 per person Location: The Portland Hotel, Buxton: http://portlandhotelbuxton.com/   "Write Through The Winter" We have a couple of sessions left in our series of free writing workshops at Experience Barnsley in Barnsley Town Hall. Make a date in your diary and come along to the next one on Saturday 21st February.  Prize winning poet Suzannah Evans will guide and support you through the sessions which are for new writers, old writers and all of those in-between. Whether you are interested in poetry, short stories, doodles or just taking notes everyone is welcome. When: Saturday mornings 11.00am to 1.00pm Dates: February 21st, March 21st More info: Phone: 07903 241947 /  Email:   evans.suzie@googlemail.com Not sure, then just come along and give it a try. Onwords & Upwords Group - Waiting for you! The new series of the Onwords & Upwords writing group sessions is up and running at the Civic Theatre in Barnsley and we still have places reserved for anyone who would like give the group a try. If you have health issues or are feeling stressed then this may be the group for you - Onwords and Upwords is a friendly and supportive writing group, which meets up in Barnsley town centre. we explore ideas to help you to start writing and look at various ways of developing creativity and imagination. Drinks and biscuits provided. Venue: The Civic Theatre, Barnsley, Mondays 1.00 - 3.00pm Dates:  February 9th & 23rd; March 9th & 23rd. Interested? Want to know more? Please contact Sue Shaw, Writing Yorkshire, at s.shaw123shaw@btinternet.com    We welcome your details of events, writing groups, courses, workshops, open mics, in fact anything to do with creative writing. If you have anything that you would like us to publicise then please send the details to us at this address: info@writingyorkshire.org  - we'll be happy to pass the details on via the newsletter or our website. If you know of anyone that you think may be interested in the newsletter then please do forward a copy on to them.   NEWS Ilkley Literature Festival Under Threat Bradford Metropolitan District Council are proposing a 100% cut in the annual grant they give to the Ilkley Festival - and the festival organisers need your help to change their mind. If Bradford’s funding is withdrawn they’ll have to look at cutting back on the Festival programme; raising ticket prices and ending workshops in inner city schools. On top of that, lack of support from Bradford Council could threaten future support from Arts Council England, who are one of their main funders. At the moment this proposal is at the consultation document - and Bradford Council is asking for your comments before a decision is made. To supports the Festival click here and take part in their survey, closing date 25th February. BBC Opening Lines Opportunity The BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit is looking for submissions from writers new to radio for their annual series, Opening Lines, which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Three successful writers will have their stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and be invited to the BBC in London to see their stories being recorded. As well as broadcasting the three strongest stories they will publish transcripts of the best stories submitted within this period on the Opening Lines Website Deadline: 13th February 2015. More info: Click Here Love Libraries? - Another chance to show it! While Central Goverment continues to shrink the library services out of existence there is still much that you can do to support those that are still with us and what better occasion than National Libraries Day which takes place on Saturday 7th February 2015. Saturday 7th February will round off a week of special celebrations held in local, public, academic and workplace libraries up and down the country. It is a chance for people to organise a local event or visit their library and interact with the vital work carried out by their library and information professionals, reminding decision-makers that our libraries and librarians are valued. Click here  to visit the National Libraries Day website where you'll find lots of information, resources and opportunities for you to get involved with your library services. You'll also find an interactive map where you can find out what's happening in your area. If there isn't anything happening near you because your local library has already closed then you can still get involved - make something happen by visiting these other sites: Public Library News  - the very latest news about what's happening in and to your local library, compiled by Ian Anstice, it's THE site to visit to keep abreast of the latest threats to your library services. There's a fantastic free newsletter which visitors can subscribe to - if you think you know what's happening in your area then read this - you'll soon know a lot more! The Library Campaign  -  an independent national organisation set up in support of Friends of Library groups and to campaign for improved services in publicly funded libraries. Let's not forget the wonderful librarians who keep the library services up and running, they also need to be valued and protected. They have a voice here. Get involved - Love your Library - use it and protect it! WORKSHOPS & COURSES Getting Started on your Crime Novel - Course - Doncaster Ever wondered how you commit the perfect murder? How to dispose of a body? What’s the best way of getting blood off the soles of your shoes? These are the kind of questions crime writers Danuta Reah, Michael Fowler and Alison Taft grapple every day. They invite you to join them for a three-day crime-writing feast at The Stables, High Melton College, near Doncaster between 22nd April - 24th April 2015. In addition to workshops and advice sessions the programme has been designed to also allow you the time and space to write. The final day will arm you with the information needed to best submit your work, whether to agents, publishers or competitions. you will also be able to book a twenty minute one-to-one session with an author to discuss your work or a project you are working on. More info: Click here. For further details of the course, including costs, and a copy of the programme, contact Michael Fowler - Email: mj.fowler@btinternet.com   New Arvon Programme Make 2015 the year you put pen to paper and set your imagination free. Arvon, renowned for its five day residential creative writing courses and retreats, has released its new programme. Leading writers are tutoring the weeks, including Monica Ali, David Eldridge, Helen Macdonald and Paul Muldoon. Courses are held in three beautiful rural writing houses in England, and are across a wide range of genres, from Poetry and Fiction, to Screenwriting, Playwriting and Writing for Young Adults. More info: www.arvon.org/ * Arvon are on the lookout for a Centre Director, see below under Opportunities & Vacancies for further details. The Ultimate Winning Writers Workshop - Leeds  Do you dream of being a winning writer? Well, 2015  is the time to stop dreaming and start acting on that dream! Winning writing competitions is hard work but some people, apart from being talented, have the knack of winning more than one in a life time! We are bringing you one such person to share her tips and knowledge of how you can help yourself become a winning writer. We can't guarantee that you will win, but we are sure that after attending this Masterclass that you will feel more confident and better armed with experience tips and know-how after listening and working with the amazingly multi-talented Char March. When: Saturday, 28th February 2015 11:00 to 16:00 When: UNION 105 (East St. Arts), Chapeltown, Leeds Cost: £15.00/£12.00 [Inscribe members] To book:  Click Here    More info: inscribewriters@gmail.com 1-Day Creative Writing Workshops with Susan Elliot Wright - Sheffield Suitable for all levels, these one-day workshops are inspiring and productive – packed with writing exercises, readings and writerly chat – you'll meet like-minded people and have the time and space to explore your writing self. When: Saturday 28th February 2015 & Saturday 28th March 2015 Time: 10.30am to 4.30pm Venue:  Wesley Hall, Crookes, Sheffield S10 1UD Cost: £45 for either day, or £80 if you book for both More info: Click Here  Igniting The Spark Workshops - Halifax Join Gaia Holmes for a series of informal weekly writing workshops at Dean Clough, Halifax. The series of workshops are suitable for writers of all abilities and will involve a selection of practical and inspiring writing exercises to generate poetry or prose as well as gentle discussions of craft and technique. When: Tuesdays 5.30 - 7.00 pm Cost: £5.00, £3.50 concessions More info: Tel - 01422 369575/email - gaiaholmes@hotmail.co.uk SPOKEN WORD Fictions of Every Kind - Leeds  Live session - Monday February 9th: Fictions of Every Kind: Hearts, at Wharf Chambers social club, Leeds. Entry 19.30, £3 entry. Guest speakers: Nasser Hussain, reading from his new collection Boldface, and Suzannah Evans, award winning poet & the author of Confusion Species. There will be a writers' open mic and music from the band Red Trees. More info HERE Pies, Peas and Poetry for Pudding with Ian McMillan - Eckington A rare opportunity to see and hear one of the funniest men in British poetry is being organised in Eckington by the town’s writing group, We’re All Write. Poet, broadcaster, commentator and programme maker Ian McMillan will be performing a hilarious blend of memories and acute observations from his book “Talking Myself Home”. Where: The event is at Eckington Civic Centre, When: Tuesday 3rd March, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. Cost: Tickets cost £15, which includes homemade pie and peas. The poetry is for pudding! Details: Tickets are being sold in advance only, available from Eckington Library (01629 533748) or, for more info: Phone: 07870910837 / email: riley777alison@gmail.com / www.ian-mcmillan.co.uk WRITING GROUP NEWS Have you been thinking about joining a local writers group? Not sure where to look to find out what's happening in your area? There are lots of groups out there, all waiting to welcome you and to find out the details just click - here - this will take you straight to our group listings on the Writing Yorkshire website where you'll find all of the information that you'll need. If you run a group which isn't included then just send the details to us at: info@writingyorkshire.org and we'll be happy to add them to our listings (thanks to those who have already sent details on to us). YOUNG WRITERS Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster Young Writers Groups are always open and welcoming to new members (13s to 19s), here are some details.  Writing Workshops for young people aged 13-18 in Doncaster. Interested in creativity, imagination, words, images and objects? Want to explore new starting points, develop ideas, tell stories, create characters and meet other young writers? Then come to The Point Community Arts Centre (16 South Parade, Doncaster),  on Thursdays: We Meet up in the café area at 4.45. and share our writing between 5.00 - 7.00 pm. Workshops are free and refreshments are provided. More info: Sue Shaw: s.shaw123shaw@btinternet.com And if you're in Sheffield or Rotherham ............ Are you aged 14 to 19? Then we have groups for you as well! You don't have to think you're an amazing writer to join, you just need an interest in creative writing and having a go. The groups are very supportive, relaxed and informal and everyone is welcome. Workshops are generally once a fortnight, 5 to 7 or 5.30 to 7.30 with a munchies break in between  As well as writing workshops, we let groups know about other writing happenings like competitions, events and festivals. If you're interested or you know someone who is, say hello to Vicky: vicky@writingyorkshire.org If you're too old for a group but want to know what's happening in Yorkshire for under 25s, drop Vicky a line too. Wicked Young Writers' Award  The Wicked Young Writers' Award was established by the long-running musical Wicked in order to link the important messages of the production with a competition that would inspire young people to use their writing to look at life a little differently. Since its launch in 2010, they have received 17,000 entries to the award. Now in its 5th year, the Award recognises excellence in writing, encourages creativity, and helps develop writing talent in young people between 5-25 years old from all backgrounds and areas of the UK & Ireland. A shortlist of 100 entrants will be invited to a very special prize event at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in July 2015 and each will receive a published copy of their entry as part of the annual Wicked Young Writers' Award Anthology. Entrants aged 18-25 will have their entries published on the Wicked Young Writers’ Award website. More info: Click Here OPPORTUNITIES AND VACANCIES Arvon are looking for a new Centre Director at Lumb Bank. Would you like to work for Arvon, the home of creative writing, running one of our residential centres? Arvon is now recruiting for a Centre Director to lead Lumb Bank, our much loved Yorkshire house, formerly the home of Ted Hughes. If you are passionate about creative writing, and have a range of programming, management, practical and interpersonal skills, this job could be for you. See www.arvon.org/jobs for details. Closing date: 1.00 pm, 9th March 2015.   The Submission Process: Literary Agents in Discussion (York)  Sat 28 Mar 2015 (Booking places now) Join us at the York Literature Festival where we present a two-hour session solely dedicated to the process of submitting to a literary agent. Literary agents receive hundreds of submissions from writers each week. To help make yours stand out from the crowd and give your novel the best possible start on its journey to publication, join us at the York Literature Festival where we present a two-hour session solely dedicated to the process of submitting to a literary agent. This exciting event sees Writers & Artists in collaboration with York Literature Festival for the first time and brings together leading UK literary agents Julia Churchill, Oliver Munson and Jo Unwin who, in turn, will cover everything you need to know about how to put together a well-crafted submission package. More info & to book a place: Click here COMPETITIONS Post Card Poetry A short poetry competition from Bank Street Arts, in conjunction with The Poetry Business and South Yorkshire Poetry Festival. In 2013, Bank Street Arts invited a number of poets to participate in an exhibition of new writing as part of the 2nd Sheffield Poetry Festival. Their task was simple; to send a picture postcard – be it from home, work, or somewhere they happened to be visiting – featuring an original, handwritten poem on the reverse ‘that relates in some way to the location of the postcard’. These were then exhibited as part of the festival. The following year, the exhibit was expanded as part of Bank Street Arts’ own Poetry Festival, featuring work from almost 40 poets. In 2015, it’s your turn. Bank Street Arts will be hosting a Postcard Poems competition; as in previous years, your task will be to hand write an original poem on a postcard and send it to us here at Bank Street Arts. More info: Click Here BITS - We've run out of space but these "bits" are too good to miss. Leeds Indie Writers' Festival - Saturday 21st February 2015. More info HERE. Leeds Trinity University Writers' Festival - Wednesday, 25th March 2015. More info HERE. Healing Words Writing Workshop - Scarborough - Saturday, 7th March. More info HERE. Writing Yorkshire  Website  If you'd like to find out more about the full range of services that Writing Yorkshire offer, including mentoring, writers advice sessions, and membership then click here. If you want to send us an item for inclusion please email it to: info@writingyorkshire.org with "Newsletter" in the subject line. Writing Yorkshire provide information about writing events in the region, and run a variety of writing activities throughout the Yorkshire area. If you would like more information please email or ring Geoff on 0114 3830456 (answerphone, but we will ring you back). Thanks to all who provided information posted here. We will always endeavour to make sure that the information included is accurate but apologies in advance for any errors or omissions which may occur, any corrections or suggestions will be welcomed. We hope that you enjoy the newsletter. Writing Yorkshire is a limited company incorporated in England and Wales under company no: 7475298. For more information about all of our work, visit our website: www.writingyorkshire.org Tweet us @Writingyorks or find us on Facebook To be kept abreast of writing events and activities in the region or to let us know about events that you're running, please subscribe to our mailing list via the website, by emailing info@writingyorkshire.org or phone us on 0114 3830456 and leave a message.   Contact Details and information to: Geoff Briggs - Office & Information Manager Writing Yorkshire Bank Street Arts, 32 - 40 Bank Street, Sheffield, S1 2DS.    Phone: 0114 3830456. (Answer Machine) Email:             info@writingyorkshire.org Web:               www.writingyorkshire.org Twitter:       @Writingyorks or find us on Facebook:

Follow us on Twitter  | Find us on Facebook | Forward to a friend  Copyright © 2015 Writing Yorkshire, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted, either personally or by email, to be added to our Yorkshire Writers e-bulletin mailing list. Our mailing address is: Writing Yorkshire Writing Yorkshire Bank Street Arts, 32 - 40 Bank Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 2DS United Kingdom

Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) meeting 2 February 2015

The CWG met last night at Cleckheaton Library and P, M, J & I were in attendance, K, P, S and L having passed on their apologies.

Work In Progress Update: M informed the members that since the last meeting she had submitted a travel writing piece to her IWC (Itinerant Writers Club), I had edited the beginning of my crime novel TPB and entered it into the NWAs, and P had been working on the story that she and J work-shopped at the last meeting for a Writing Magazine first line competition (deadline 14 February).  She has been tinkering with it since the last meeting and has decided to send it off. 

P showed the members the March edition of the Writing Magazine (she is a subscriber so receives advance copies) which has a free supplement book The Writers Bank: a guide to rights and licensing, that may be of use.

Feedback Sessions: As K was not in attendance, M then shared her piece MSLD with the group (P kindly read it out to those who had not had chance to read it) for feedback.  M informed the group that she had taken out the last line of the short story from the feedback she had already received from the members via email, but J felt that this would depend on where the story was sent.  It was agreed by all that the visual similes (e.g. floozy garden) were fantastic and that the yearning of the character comes through, in a Reggie Perrin-esque way.

M revealed that two of her short stories had been shortlisted for a slim volume flash fiction anthology which was exciting news, we look forward to seeing them in print.

Workshops/Author Events: K told the other members about the upcoming Leeds Trinity Writers Day, the Leeds Indie Writers Day, the Huddersfield Literature Festival and the Leeds Meet the Agent event.

It was agreed that the feedback sessions at the next meeting would be for J (flash fiction), P (flash fiction) and K (beginning of crime novel) and they agreed to forward these to the members via email prior to the 16th.

K informed the members that the Friends of Cleckheaton Library was this coming Monday at 7pm at the 14th Scout building and it was agreed that those members that could, should come along to the meeting for support. 

P and J informed K that they were unable to attend the CLF planning meeting on Thursday. 

As only M had sent K three short stories for consideration for the planned CWG anthology, it was decided that all CWG members should send their pieces for consideration to the other members of the CWG as soon as possible.  It was agreed that the anthology would be best made up of short stories, flash fiction and poetry rather than sections of longer work, so every member should send 2/3 pieces for consideration at a future meeting where the best ones (as decided by the whole of CWG) can be chosen.  A suggestion for a title of the anthology was put forward by John: Mixed Nuts, for consideration.

The next meeting of the CWG will take place in a fortnight on Monday 16 February 2015 at 6-8pm in Cleckheaton Library.

Phoenix Nights Live review

Went to see Phoenix Nights Live at the Manchester Arena last night with my husband and although we were right up in the Gods, at least we were facing the stage (though for the last of the set, we half wished we had been sat at the sides).

Following the tragic beginning to the first show on Saturday night when Ted Robbins who plays Den Perry sadly collapsed on stage, thankfully he is resting comfortably in Manchester General and all TPC fans wish him a speedy recovery, I am sure the audience did not want such a dramatic ending to the second performance.

WARNING, contains spoilers



The show started with the eponymous Brian Potter (Peter Kay) coming down a in a stair lift only for it to break half-way down and Ray Von having to utilise his particular electrical 'skills,' whilst the Phoenix Club's house band Los Alanos (Les Campbell - Toby Foster and Alan - Steve Edge) entertained a lovely club-land mash up of top tunes such as Uptown Funk, which led into a lovely banter with the deaf signer.  Then followed a series of 'turns' featuring Kenny 'Dalglish' Senior (Archie Kelly), Young Kenny (Justin Moorhouse) and Holy Mary (Janice Connolly) who constantly reminded herself to open and close her flaps whilst picking out the tombola numbers.

The second half started with a full lights-flashing set of 'tunes' from Shabba himself Ray Von (Neil Fitzmaurice) which got the audience going, but it turned slightly sinister when he filled his decks with Too Little Boys, Jim'll Fix It For You and I Wanna Be In Your Gang.  A brilliant turn by Jerry St Clair (Dave Spikey), Psychic Medium Clinton Baptiste (Alex Lowe) and a wonderful finale with
Patrick 'Paddy' O'Shea (Paddy McGuinness) and Maxell 'Max' Bygraves (Peter Kay) who have a dance-off with the elderly Asian men and midget football fans (as featured in Ep1 S2).

We felt that the second half captured the essence of the show more than the first, but the Young Kenny turn as Meatloaf seemed out of place (possibly a last minute replacement for Ted Robbins' Den Perry, and if you have tickets for any of the other performances, you are in for a great night.

#phoenixnightslive #peterkay #TedRobbins

The School Gate Survival Guide by Kerry Fisher book review

This is not the sort of book I normally choose to read, it being a romance, but I thought I would try to expand from my normal genres this year and this is the first book that falls into this category.

BLURB:  Maia is a cleaner for ladies who lunch.

With mops and buckets in tow, she spends her days dashing from house to house cleaning up after them, as they rush from one exhausting Pilates class to the next.

But an unusual inheritance catapults her and her children into the very exclusive world of Stirling Hall - a place where no child can survive without organic apricots and no woman goes a week without a manicure.

As Maia and her children, Bronte and Harley, try to settle into their new life, Maia is inadvertently drawn to the man who can help her family fit in.  But is his interest in her purely professional?  And will it win her any favours at the school gate?

Maia Etxeleku comes from a background as far removed from her clients worlds that it is funny, but it is a huge shock to her when her favourite cleaning client, the elderly Professor Rose Stainton who was encouraging her to apply to study a degree, passes and she is left realising that apart from her children, her time with Rose was the highlight of her week.  Having to grieve on her own as her layabout husband Colin has no sympathy, she resigns herself to not only losing some of her income but the death of the dream of going to University.  But things are not as black as they seem, when the Professor's lawyers contact her to tell her that she has left a monetary gift to her in her will with the proviso that Maia use it to further her children's education at the prestigious Stirling Hall school.

Following a battle of wills with Colin, Maia does get him to agree to let the children go to the school, but they feel like fishes out of water surrounded by the elite, until that is, Clover comes to their rescue.  Clover is a generous and warm woman with a unique parenting and personal style who takes Maia under her wing and helps her negotiate the new world she is inhabiting, as does the Head of the Upper School, the enigmatic Mr Peters.

I enjoyed the playfulness of the writing, the Clover character in particular was very engaging, but was disappointed in the ending which seemed rushed and somewhat tagged on.  I had also guessed very quickly about her friend Sandy but I only had suspicions about the Professor.  For me, the romance was secondary to the cautionary tale that money cannot buy you happiness, only a confident sense of self-worth can, and I was just pleased that the characters were out from under the roof of the unsavoury Colin.

Previously self-published as The Class Ceiling, Fisher is now published Harper Collins, The School Gate Survival Guide is published by Avon Books UK.  Fisher has said on a fellow bloggers site that she is glad that this was part of her route to publication as it taught her how to make the most of her traditional publishing opportunity.  It is easy to see why the book was picked up by a traditional publisher as Fisher's open style pulls you in like you are listening to a friend telling you all about their weekend.  Her second book the Divorce Domino, where the middle-aged protagonist Octavia wants to feel young again, is due out in 2015 and she is currently working on her third novel about how secrets get more toxic as the pass down through the generations.

It's not just the kids who have the tantrums                                                               6.5/10

#TheSchoolGateSurvivalGuide  #KerryFisher  #AvonBooksUK  #HarperCollins