Wishing you a very...

For 

success, good health and happiness!!!

So...

KEEP SCRIBBLING!!! 

From us to you...

Merry Christmas to you all...

Hello Scribblers!!!

Well it has finally arrived - the time of year to enjoy the celebrations with our families and friends.

I would like to thank every one of you for your wonderful support at Scribblers, for all the help from collecting the key to setting up, then tidying up before and after each meeting but more than anything for just coming along and sharing your wonderful creative words with us.

I know 2019 has provided some unwanted challenges, not least the HSBC debacle which has now been overcome, and the magicians act that saw our refreshment supplies disappear! For some there have been health issues to overcome.

At least that was offset by the production and success of our anthology which I hope will be repeated in 2021 and, of course, our participation in the Felixstowe Book Festival.

Mainly I have to say thank you to each and every member, old and new, who has come along to enjoy the ambiance of our group but not forgetting our overseas members in France and Australia who have helped us along our journey. Thanks too, to our committee.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you and a Happy and prosperous New Year. Oh and Happy Hogmanay to a certain gentleman of the group!

Bless you all but, remember...

Keep Scribbling!!!

Dave.

Mavis and Dot...

I know many of you won’t know me – but happy Christmas, one and all. I enjoy keeping track of your news, even though I no longer live in Felixstowe.

I wrote “Mavis and Dot” when I lived in Felixstowe, after my best friend died. All proceeds from sales go to Cancer Research and this week I sent off a cheque for £530. The book will permanently sell for this charity.

I changed the locations to Sussex, where I now live, but it was inspired by Felixstowe.

If you’re looking for a last-minute stocking filler, the book is available from Amazon. See link below!

Have a wonderful time, all of you, and all the very best for 2020.

Happy scribbling!

Best wishes, 

Angela Petch

Books:

The Tuscan Secret

Now and Then in Tuscany

Mavis and Dot

Meeting Report.

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 17 December 2019

Present:

Dave, Liliane, Georgina, Martyn, Stephen, Jane H, Kay, Jane B, Tony, Arlette, Cathy, Suzy, Gerry, Justin, Steve

Apologies: 

Derek (probably until Feb 2020), Liz, Beryl, David, Carole, Rani

Business: 

Writeathon – currently with Liz, who is the lucky (?) person to be finishing the tale. She hopes to have it done by mid-January.

Supplies – contents of both boxes condensed into the one lockable box kindly donated by Georgina’s mother.

Weblog – Dave to meet with Georgina to hand over the running of the weblog to her

Post Christmas meal – was to be the White Horse at Felixstowe again, but their chef has left. Liz to check out the new menu etc before we commit to booking.

Tony reminded us that Felixstowe Radio is repeating the Suffolk Reading Festival on Thursdays 

at 6.15. 

Readings of homework: Short pieces only, to allow for the remainder of the session being spent eating Christmas goodies and chatting! And this is a good point to say a big thank you for all the tasty items everyone brought in to share, and to wish all Scribblers a Happy Christmas.

Jim – An appeal

Kay – Those were the days

Georgina – Ding dong merrily on high

Justin – The man in the photograph

Martyn – Handwritten poem

Suzy – Christmas biscuits

Jane B – I never took the biscuits

Liliane – Old acquaintance

Steve – Kermit the frog

Jane H – The twelve days of biscuits

Tony – Shadows of the past

Dave – A deep memory

Next meeting: 7 January. Homework theme/topic is ‘Danger, keep out’, a maximum of 750 words

2019... over and bowing out.

It was a really enjoyable evening at Scribblers with a healthy attendance of fifteen Scribblers providing  wealth of talented writing - a simple 300 word format encompassing either "Shadow of the Past" or "Who ate the Biscuits?" or both, or in Jim's case neither. He's never really got over the loss of Marks and Sparks closure in Felixstowe and laments the loss of his favourite underwear!

The 300 words idea came from Justin and, quite honestly, it provided a very fitting end to our writing year.

There were plenty of nibbles available at our little party and fortunately there was little left over - just the way we like it!

There was a positive move with a lockable box provided by Georgina for our mugs and provisions which should remove the recent problems we have endured.

We had news from Derek about Sue and all the group wished to send their thoughts to them both. Here's to a happier New Year for them.

This weblog will be organised by Georgina next year after a handover takes place in January from Dave.

Good news! Justin has been named runner-up in a Writing Magazine competition!

Our writeathon is rapidly coming to an end - having been passed to the final writer, Liz. Looking forward to seeing the result after her Xmas holidays.

Just heard that The Book People has gone into liquidation blaming their demise on the Amazon effect.

Our next meeting - can you believe it - is on January 7th 2020 when the 750 word homework is, "Danger.Keep Out!"

Until next time, Have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year but remember...

Keep Scribbling!!!

The final meeting of the year...

Well the year has really flown by - it hardly seems a minute since we were welcoming 2019 in. Here we are within days of Christmas and heralding in 2020 which promises to be a fascinating and exciting New Year.

To prove a point, and hopefully the photo from Jim will make us realise how the months have sped by!

Meanwhile Steven has emailed the following:

I was going through a rough time. Lost my job. My girlfriend left me. Then, in a public place I broke down and cried. A nice couple comforted me. Didn't catch his name but from his uniform he was clearly an army sergeant. Her name. Tina. My story was so moving and heart rendering they cried too. I said to them. You're kind but....don't cry for me Serge and Tina...

And a true story from me... Yesterday (Thursday) I attended the Orwell Writers' meeting at the Hotel of the same name. When I got home I realised my wedding ring was missing. I've lost a bit of weight but the ring hasn't and must have slipped off my finger somewhere. I checked everywhere at home, the car, the couple of places I'd visited before phoning the hotel. This morning I received a phone call from the hotel to say my ring had been found in the carpark and a guest had handed it in. How lucky is that. Both my wife and myself are so relieved. On the radio, and this is true also, they said it was national lost and found day!

During last week Cathy and I, representing both our groups, discussed the forthcoming 2020 Felixstowe Book Festival. We will share a three hour session along with the Café Poets on the MORNING of SATURDAY 27 JUNE. That will make a change! Details are yet to follow.

Hopefully we will have a lockable box for our mugs and provisions soon, courtesy of Georgina's mother. 

And now to our next meeting. A simple 300 word exercise using "Shadows of the Past" or "Who ate the Biscuits?" or both as prompts. After sharing the work we will have our annual Xmas Party  so please bring along a few goodies - not too much, I always say 'just enough that you could eat yourself.' We hate wasting food! Then, afterwards, it will be time to say farewell until next year!

Keep Scribbling!!!

Meeting Report.

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 03 December 2019

Present:

Dave, Liliane, David, Carole, Georgina, Martin, Jim, Steven, Liz, Jane H, Kay, Jane B, Tony, Arlette, Beryl, Cathy, Rani, Suzy.

Apologies: 

Steve, Anne, Derek, Justin, Gerry, Tom

Business: 

We welcomed the return of Suzy, currently visiting from Cornwall

Dave congratulated Kay on winning the Mairead Reidy trophy at OWL last week.

Christmas cards – agreed not to do cards within the group

Writeathon – nearing completion

Theft of coffee etc from our box. Until we come up with a better solution, Georgina will bring in supplies for each meeting rather than leave them at the library. She is also going to sort and replenish mug stock.

Weblog – Georgina will take it on – our thanks to her for this kind offer. Group had considered using Twitter as a social media tool but decided that unless we need to actively recruit new members, there is no point.

Derek’s partner Sue recently had a stroke, so Derek will be remaining in Yorkshire for the foreseeable future to care for her. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Tony reminded us that Felixstowe Radio is planning to repeat the Suffolk Reading Festival on Thursdays at 6.15. Listen out for some of our work/readers!

Readings of homework: – theme ‘She touched his arm’.

It was interesting to see the variety of stories this inspired. Whether very short, or up to the maximum word count, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Martyn – 750 words – Reputation

Stephen – no title

Carole – St Jude

Jane H – 605 – Underground

Beryl – 747 – Getting lucky

Rani – part of her ongoing work

Jane – 738 words – Rosie and Colin, a part of her ongoing work.

Suzy – 296 words

Tony – 734 – Fortress at the end of the world

Kay – 405 – Homecoming

Georgina – 747 – The love you give

David – 277 – She touched his arm

Dave – 750 – It happened on the tube

Jim – 698 – The river

Arlette – no title

Liliane – We call it the asylum

Carole also read her winning poem ‘Microwave oven’, which has recently been published in the Suffolk Poetry Society magazine. Congratulations to her for this success.

Next meeting: 17 December, when we will be listening to readings of the very short homework stories, then enjoying socialising over a few festive nibbles. Each member to bring a SMALL amount of food for the festivities – we don’t want piles of leftovers! Homework theme – choose between (or incorporate both) ‘Shadows of the past’, and ‘Who ate all the biscuits?’ 

Keep Scribbling!!!

What a superb meeting!

Our meeting this evening saw an amazing attendance of eighteen members including the welcome return of Suzy from St. Ives and a visit from Rani. Also attending was Kay who won the latest annual Orwell Writers competition. Well done Kay!

With a limit of 750 words imposed on our stories, it proved to be an excellent target that everyone met with ease. The subject for this evening was, "She touched his arm..." which produced some wonderful stories that would do justice to the BBC or any other broadcaster with a short story slot. We had sixteen stories but, should we ever be broadcast, the dilemma would be which story to choose!

The standard of writing has improved tremendously over the last year or so, each meeting producing even better content than before. It is a privilege listening to the words the Scribblers have written. Tremendous stuff!

Carol has been published in "Twelve Rivers" with her poem Microwave Oven, It seems to be a tradition in the household for husband David was published in the earlier edition of the magazine which is produced by the Suffolk Poetry Society. 

Talking of broadcasting, Tony tells us that the Suffolk Reading Festival Broadcasts should be aired once again on Thursday evenings at 6.15pm by Felixstowe Radio. There will be a number of stories from Scribblers of old. 

We mentioned a number of things that we are addressing, like seeking a secure way of keeping our provisions, the possible transfer of the weblog to Georgina's control, Christmas cards and the Christmas party and the progress of the Writeathon which is currently with Martin and leaves just one writer to finalise things, Liz! Looking forward to the end result which will be included on our weblog and is expected to be included in our 2021 anthology.

Before we go, please send your thoughts to Derek for his partner who suffered a stroke a few days ago.

Our final meeting of the year takes place on Tuesday 17 December when we have set a 300 word homework assignment using either or both of the following topics:

"Shadows of the Past" and "Who ate the biscuits?"

Following the story readings, we will have our Christmas Party. Please bring along some nibbles etc., but don't go overboard! Please bring only a small and manageable amount.

Until next time,

Keep Scribbling!!! 

Felixstowe Scribblers updates.

The minutes of the 2019 Annual General Meeting can be found above.

Also added above is the 2020 Programme of meetings.

Meeting Report.

The AGM.

First of all we must thank Liz for taking over as secretary for the meeting as Cathy had an emergency. Secondly to welcome Thalia to the meeting on one of her rare visits. She is Liliane’s granddaughter.

We had a very interesting and positive Annual General Meeting and the minutes will be forwarded round to all our members in due course.

For your information, the committee was re-elected, that’s Cathy, Beryl, Liz, Georgina and Dave.

We now have a new account in a different bank meaning that our funds will be transferred over and the HSBC account closed.

There was a date error in the proposed programme for next year - the social evening meal at the White Horse is on Tuesday 11^th February and not the 12^th as shown.

There is a likelihood that we will have regular social meetings, - not all meals! – during the year. Watch this space.

Just to confirm all homework and competitions will have a maximum limit of 750 words.

Following the AGM we had a 15 minute flash fiction session using one or more of the prompts drawn out by Thalia. These were:

‘Along the Road’, ‘The Glass Smashed’, and ‘106 High Street.’

Liz in Cathy’s absence and was so interested in listening to the stories she forgot to make a note of the titles used, however, as Georgina said we seemed to have forgotten to put away our Halloween costumes as many of the stories had a supernatural twist. 

Kay Along the Road …a spooky tale about a derelict house in the Fens and its ghoulish inhabitants!

Martin Along the Road…a very literary inspired piece referencing Dylan Thomas.

Liz Along the Road the Glass Smashed… a domestic situation.

Georgina Along the Road… an atmospheric piece set in the Lake district when someone runs out of petrol and their phone battery dies.

Tony Along the Road ..containing play on words, a journey with an extra-terrestrial  guide.

Jane Along the Road… a tense story of a jealous man watching his ex-partner with a new man, danger is looming as the ex has a knife!

Derek The Glass Smashed… a story with a supernatural twist and a hand.

Dave ..No one believes a woman’s story and she ends up in a mental health facility yet the local vicar knows she is telling the truth but does not help her.

Liliane Along the Road…  a tree had been blown over by a storm and a driver reacts badly blaming everyone and even God for the disruption.

Beryl Along the Road … a young lady is unimpressed with her date but he finally redeems himself.

Thalia Along the Road…  walking along the road at night the character encounters cats. 

AGM minutes will follow in due course.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!!!

Dave.