Our Next Meeting

A reminder that our next meeting takes place on Tuesday 2nd February at 7.30 pm in the Room at the Top at Felixstowe Library. The 500 word assignment is on “Snow and Ice”, a subject that affected us all recently and may even be returning this weekend! The 1,500 Open themed work will be undertaken by Angela and Ros.
Until Tuesday,
Keep Scribbling!

SPRING FEVER

* It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming! *

Okay so I’m an optimist, but every now and then there’s a little change in the air which to me hints at spring so in spite of this awful weather we’ve been having I know it’s definitely on its way!

Now a days, I look for the grass to start greening and verdant blushes on the hedgerows, but when I was small, the first sign of spring was always my ma’s washing blowing on the line!

She never hung out during the dark days of winter so to see sheets and shirts flapping between the apple trees was a sure indication of warmer days and better weather. Unfortunately this also concurred with Pa turning out his calves so a right royal row usually ensued as they invariably chewed Ma’s washing and left it festooned with slimy, green patches! Happy days!

No doubt you have similar spring time tales to tell. If so, you might like to have a shot at our annual Spring Fever poetry contest.

This year we’re doing things a little differently as ...

we will be publishing the top 20 poems in a special, Spring Fever anthology!

This is in addition to the cash prizes of

£50, £25 & £25

The anthology will be published through Lulu and will be similar to one I brought out a few months ago.
Sleet Shoots and Leaves

You’ve got up to 40 lines to evoke your spring time memories and if you wish, you can illustrate with an appropriate graphic. We’ve also provided a gallery of photographs in the event you have nothing suitable or just need a little inspiration!

Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work because this is ...

No ordinary competition!

All entries are posted to the contest website and are available for public viewing, voting and comments and ...

We’re giving you the tools to invite your friends, relations and work colleagues to vote and comment on your entry so that you not only gain exposure for your work, but you have a chance of making our Site Shortlist.

This Site Shortlist of 10 will automatically be added to our Judge’s short list making a total of 20 poems all of which will be published in the anthology.

Just in case you are thinking that this is a popularity contest being run at the expense of quality ...

I’d like to reassure you that it definitely is not!

The poem with the highest number of votes will not necessarily be the winner! Final judging is by human editor who will read all the entries!

Speaking of which, entries are limited to 100 so you have at least a one in five chance of seeing your work published in the anthology!

The contest closes the 21st March, 2010 but because of the entry limit you are best to register a.s.a.p. to be sure of a place and submit your entry when you are ready.

REGISTER OR SUBMIT YOUR POEM
http://www.writelink.co.uk/springfever
Best of luck!

Kinglake Publishing

Kinglake Publishing are willing to consider the work of new or unpublished writers as well as those already established. They encourage online submissions in order to save time and expense.

They cannot promise to publish the work of all those who contact them but promise to read synopses with care and in the case of mss will give brief reasons for being unable to accept for publication.

For those books we accept, they promise high standards at all stages.

See the website at www.kinglakepublishing.co.uk

An invite to the Celtic Summerfest

MIDSUMMER BALL - LITHA
Summerfest - a few days holiday celebration in Ireland
Host: ROCHELLE MOORE
Type: Party - Holiday Party
Network: Global
Start Time: Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 2:00pm
End Time: Monday, June 21, 2010 at 12:00pm
Location: IRELAND - Glendalough Hotel Co Wicklow

DescriptionIRELAND- MIDSUMMER BALL -(litha) & SUMMERFEST

ARRIVAL AT GLENDALOUGH HOTEL
SATURDAY 19th June 2PM

Link to Hotel: http://www.glendaloughhotel.com/

*Arrive Saturday 19th June at 2pm

*MIDSUMMER'S BALL 8PM (MIDSUMMERS BALL)
*Black tie or Traditional Robes/Regalia
*Communal Altar
*Guest Speakers
*Music - a band

SUNDAY - 20th June

* Breakfast
* Family Time-face painting, music...
* Stalls welcome (craft stalls,alternative stalls etc.,)
* Musicians - outdoor musicians welcome
* Walk through ancient graveyard, round tower, celtic cross and forestry to Upper Lake @ 2pm
* Informal Evening Meal 7pm
* Music Session Irish Traditional

MONDAY 21st June (Litha)

* Walk to lower lake to watch the Litha sunrise
* Breakfast on return approximately 8pm
* Depart hotel by 12 noon


EVENT HOSTED by ROCHELLE MOORE - AUTHOR & WITCH and member of the Felixstowe Scribblers

The Glendalough Hotel is the perfect location to come and experience the Irish countryside at its most scenic. Awake to sounds of the nearby waterways and the Wicklow Woodlands which define your time at The Glendalough Hotel, The original Victorian building has been completely refurbished and enlarged, but it remains the haven of tranquility it has always been.
Located by the ancient graveyard, roundtower and high cross plus the famous and most beautiful Glendalough lakes this is the perfect location for a Litha celebration.

DEPOSITS E50.00 per person (non refundable) - BY APRIL 3OTH 2010
PAYABLE TO: PAYPAL
Kashmiragents@gmail.com
celticmagickaltours@gmail.com

ENQUIRIES: EMAIL
Shaunwhelan1@gmail.com

FACEBOOK GROUP:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=248695510628

Rochelle is offering a free place to celebrate the Celtic Summerfest

Understanding Book Publishing Seminar

To enlarge simply click on image.

Report of our last meeting

EMAIL ADDRESS
scribblers@btinternet.com

http://scribblers2010.blogspot.com

For all your research and information
visit your local Felixstowe Library
and the Suffolk Record Office .

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 19th JANUARY 2010

Apologies: Ruth, Debbie, Trish, Sue, Rosie, Barry and Simon.

Present: Dick, Peter, Tony, Liz, Linda, Sandy, Cathy, Sarah, Ros, Angela, Amanda, Shaun, Ally, Jane and Dave (chair)

Welcome to Sarah who came along for her first meeting.

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

The evening was devoted to the anonymous competition for the Bill Budner Trophy. A really good turnout for the meeting with some excellent and high standard work produced. It was unfortunate that three writers were unable to participate in the competition itself.

Tony is appearing in Springfield Follies pantomime production of Babes in the Wood at the Kesgrave Community Centre on Saturday 30th January, Friday 5th and Saturday 6th February. Details of times and prices are posted on our weblog at http://scribblers2010.blogspot.com
A long established amateur dramatic group, the Springfield Follies support local charities.

Also on the weblog are details of the Bristol Short Story Prize that has a £500 first prize, £350 second prize and a £200 third prize. Worth looking at!

The Platform:

Jane read Song of the Day written by Tony.
Ally read Mrs Matilda Debenham written by Ros.
Amanda read There’s a Way written by Dick.
Angela read Sarah’s Revelation written by Amanda.
Ros read Seeking Pamela written by Dave.
Sandy read Bubbles in the Air written by Angela.
Linda read Winning Dog written by Peter.
Liliane read A Mark of Independence written by Jane.
Tony read Through the Eyes of a Child written by Sandy.
Peter read Just a Kiss written by Ally.
Dick read The Real Princess written by Liliane.
Dave read Past Love written by Linda.

The result, producing the ninth different winner in nine stagings of the competition was as follows:

1st place Bubbles in the Air by Angela.
2nd place A Mark of Independence by Jane.
=3rd place Through the Eyes of a Child by Sandy.
=3rd place The Real Princess by Liliane.

Congratulations to Angela on her victory and well done to everyone else for helping to make this another phenomenal success.

It is a mark of the high standard of writing amongst our Scribblers that a different member has won the trophy on nine separate occasions

A picture recording the presentation of the trophy is on our weblog at http://scribblers2010.blogspot.com

Next time:

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 2nd February at 7.30 pm in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library with a 500 word assignment on “Snow and Ice”, a subject that has affected us all in recent weeks.

The 1,500 Open themed work will be undertaken by Angela and Ros.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!


********

Springfield Follies Pantomime

To enlarge simply click on the image.

The 2010 Bristol Short Story Prize

To enlarge, simply click on the image.

The Ninth winner of the Bill Budner Trophy

Sandy Stafford (left) presents the Bill Budner Trophy to Angela Petch at the end of the ninth staging of the event.

Congratulations Angela and well done!

Each competition has produced a different winner - something of an achievement and testament to the literary skills of the Felixstowe Scribblers!

The New Writer reaches its century

The New Writer 100th issue
No better time to subscribe to the magazine.
OUT THIS WEEK: our celebratory issue, TNW 100 (Jan/Feb 2010).

Special Offer at our website - 8 issues for the price of 6
TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION and we will start your sub with TNW 100 and also add TWO FURTHER FREE ISSUES on to the subscription that you require, whether 1, 2 or 3 year subs, in the UK or overseas.

All you have to do is click on our website: http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm scroll down to our secure online form and specify which subscription you require and we will add two extra issues to the end of your subscription and confirm the duration by email. This Offer also applies to all subscriptions taken out by post, paid by credit card, cheque, postal order while this offer lasts.

The New Writer email News is included free of charge in our subscription package. This monthly emailing to our subscribers covers breaking news of urgent interest to writers, important announcements that we receive too late for the next issue of the magazine, and many other useful items including market updates, competitions and calls for submissions.

Prose and Poetry Prizes 2010
from The New Writer magazine
Closing date 30 November
Established in 1997, one of the major annual international competitions for short stories, novellas, single poems, poetry collections, essays and articles; offers cash prizes as well as publication for the prize-winning writers in The Collection, special edition of The New Writer magazine each July (back copies available on TNW website).

Further information including guidelines and entry fees at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizes.htm

Writers can enter online at our secure credit card server at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/entryform.htm
Or, the entry form can also be downloaded from that page on the website and sent in the post with your entry.

Prose & Poetry Prizes 2009 results will be posted at our website towards the end of March 2010:
http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizewinners.htm

Good writing.

The New Writer
PO Box 60
CRANBROOK
TN17 2RE
United Kingdom
tel 01580 212626
admin@thenewwriter.com
www.thenewwriter.com

Mslexia Women’s Short Story Competition

Just a quick reminder to let you know that the closing date for the Mslexia Women’s Short Story Competition is just over a week away.
Closing date: 25 January 2010.
For full details go to: http://www.mslexia.co.uk/whatson/msbusiness/scomp_active.html


There is also a workshop designed specifically for the Short Story Competition, devised by Laura Fish.
For details go to: http://www.mslexia.co.uk/magazine/workshops/workshop_scomp.php

£2,000 pound prize at stake

The Acadamy of Children's Writers has launched its 25th Annual competition to 'Write a Story for Children'

With a prize of £2,500 pounds at stake it is well worth checking the rules and downloading an entry form from www.childrens-writers.co.uk.

The closing date is 31st March 2010.

Good luck!

New issue of Writing Raw

The January 15 issue of WritingRaw.com is NOW online: Writing Raw is a FREE literary ezine dedicated to new and emerging writers. Our goal at Writing Raw is simple - to serve the literary community with the opportunity to have their work online and out in the world. In this world of disappearing literary magazines, Writing Raw is providing the blank pages for writers to fill.

We also support other sites that help writers: www.WritingRaw.com believes in reaching out to other sites, writing groups, forums, and organizations. Contact us on how you can place a FREE banner, announcement or link on our site!

Our Next Meeting : The Bill Budner Trophy

A reminder that our next meeting takes place on Tuesday 19th January at 7.30 pm in the Room at the Top at Felixstowe Library. It will be another special meeting - the Anonymous competition for attending writers only. The prestigious Bill Budner Trophy will be awarded to the winner and held for four months until the next competition.

This is an open themed competition with a maximum of 1,000 words on, yes, any subject you like! Your entry should be typed if possible but not contain your name or any clue to your identity. On arrival please place your work face down on the table provided. A little later all attendees will be asked to select a story, have a few minutes to acquaint themselves with the content before being asked to read it out. Everyone present will be able to choose their top three choices and selected members will count the marks and declare the winner. The cup will then be awarded and be engraved by Scott at Mr Cobbler .

It should be another excellent evening's entertainment.

Until Tuesday,

Keep Scribbling!

The Wigtown Poetry Competition

The Wigtown Poetry Competition is now open for entries.

The Wigtown Poetry Competition is the largest in Scotland with a first prize of £2,500, runner up prize of £750, eight additional prizes of £50 each and a Gaelic prize of £500. The winning poem and runner up will also be published in the Scotsman, or its sister paper Scotland on Sunday and the winner will be invited to appear at the Stena Line Wigtown Book Festival 2010.

We would very much appreciate it if you could publicise the competition through your writers group at meetings or via email lists. If you would like me to send you copies of the application form then please just reply to this email.

Full details of the competition, along with the downloadable application form, can be found at
www.wigtownbookfestival.com/poetrycomp

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Many thanks,
Catherine Campbell

Arts Administrator
Wigtown Book Festival
County Buildings
Wigtown
DG8 9JH
01988 402 036

Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition

2010 Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition Launched!

Wrekin Writers have launched their 10th Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition, inviting writers to submit short stories of 1200 words or less. There is a small charge of £3 per entry or £5 for two entries. You can enter as many times as you like. The competition is open to everyone and the stories can be on any subject.

To celebrate the10th anniversary of our competition we have increased the prize money:

First Prize is £150 and Publication
Second Prize is £70 and Publication
Third Prize is £40 and Publication

The closing date for entries is 12th July 2010. To read the 2009 winning story and to download an entry form with the full rules please see our website www.wrekinwriters.co.uk or you can send a stamped addressed envelope to:

The Competition Secretary
29 Christine Avenue
Wellington
Telford
TF1 2DX

The stories we received last year were very enjoyable to read and it was difficult to select just three winners. This year we are hoping that the increased prize money will motivate even more people to create great stories for everyone to enjoy. The three best stories will be published in the Wrekin Writers 2010 Anthology.

The Fabulate Project

I am emailing you is to let you know about a project we have recently started, aimed at creative writers with all levels of experience, from all backgrounds. The project is called “Fabulate” and all the details can be found on the website…

http://www.fabulate.co.uk

…but in short the idea is to create a collaborative story written one page at a time, based on submissions by numerous authors, each a maximum of 500 words each. Submissions are reviewed anonymously by the authors peers (if they choose to take part as a reviewer), with the most popular submission being chosen as the next ‘page’ of the story. The project is free for anyone to join, but we do have measures in place to prevent abuse!

The aim is to publish the completed book, so this could provide a unique opportunity for new/part-time writers to get work published – successful contributors will also earn a cut of any profits the project makes!

I hope you find this project as exciting as we do, and would consider sharing it with your members/students/website visitors – we have recently received backing from the Manchester Literature Festival and Sheffield’s “Off the Shelf” Festival of Writing and Reading, who have kindly agreed to help promote the project.

Ryan (on behalf of the Fabulate Project)

Hate march cancelled

Muslim group Islam4UK has cancelled controversial plans to hold an anti-war march through Wootton Bassett - the town which honours repatriated British soldiers.

Petition

This is a petition forwarded to the Scribblers to ban the proposed hate march through Wootton Bassett - definitely worth sparing the few seconds this takes… and forwarding on !

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/template/v-1.0/module/petitionsPopUp.jsp?article=2793654

Our Next Meeting - The Anonymous competition for the Bill Budner Trophy

The meeting takes place in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library, on Tuesday 19th January at 7.30pm for the coveted Bill Budner Trophy.
This is the special anonymous competition on any subject for the Bill Budner Trophy. It is for attending writers only and the guidelines are produced below.: -
 Short stories or poetry up to a maximum of 1,000 words on any topic.
 Work must be typed (on single sides of paper).
 Entries must be completed before arrival at the meeting.
 Work must be anonymous - so no names or identification marks on the paper.
 All work will be placed, face down, on a table, and each writer, at a given time, will collect one entry and have a short time to familiarize themselves with it.
 The stories will then be read out to the group with everyone present marking them and selecting their top three entries.
 At the end of the evening all the marks will be entered anonymously into a box and then counted by designated members of the group.
 The winner will be announced and The Bill Budner Trophy presented to them by the previous winner.
 The trophy will be engraved by Scott at Mr Cobbler in Felixstowe.
 The trophy will be held for four months(or as decided) until the next competition
 The holder undertakes to return the trophy to Felixstowe Scribblers and advise any change of address.

Health Watch : An Evening Star CAMPAIGN

Recently published in the Ipswich Evening Star, Dave Feakes has his say on the NHS treatment he received. He suggests everyone supports the Evening Star campaign.


Simply click on the image to enlarge.

AGM Report

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
THE ROOM AT THE TOP, FELIXSTOWE LIBRARY
TUESDAY 6th JANUARY 2010

Our membership remains fairly healthy although attendance slipped during the final meetings of the year. Of course not everyone is able to attend regularly but the uniqueness of Felixstowe Scribblers means that membership, however infrequent the visits, remains open to all for as long as they wish.

This year we saw the third Bill Budner Competition sponsored by Maureen Budner who again donated cash prizes in her husband’s memory. Bill’s memory is also kept alive with our regular in house ‘anonymous’ writing competition next being held on 19th January. It has been heart-warming to know that on each of the eight occasions held there has been a different winner each time, something of a testament to the ability of our writers.

Our short writing exercises held regularly have usually been light hearted affairs with some extremely diverse and entertaining creations from the selection of words.

These in-house events have proved popular and brought variety to our meetings since they were first introduced.

This year our annual torchlight meeting prior to Halloween, raised concern with two members. In defence these meetings have been very popular and extremely atmospheric with many and varied tales of the paranormal. The general prognosis is that such meetings add another aspect of our creativity and certainly do not enter into devil worship.

We embarked on two major projects this year, the first with Barry, Jane and Les producing the 2010 anthology, a remarkable achievement gathering work from so many different writers from the past and the present. The content is very enjoyable and is a showcase to our group. Dedicated to some members who have sadly passed away in the last few years, profits will be donated to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice. It was both surprising and rewarding to receive a review of the anthology from the international review writer, Bernard Jackson of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in which every featured writer was mentioned and this was read out at the end of the meeting.

There was an excellent evening’s book launch which was opened by Ruth and Rachel Sloane and thanks go to them, to Kol Paterson for providing free of charge, the background music and, of course to the management of the hotel. Thanks also went to Dick for taking over the reigns when Dave was rushed to hospital a week before the launch.

We were invited to write a Murder Mystery for the Colneis School Parent Teacher association which was to be performed by Rushmere Players. Trish, Tony, Dick and Dave met for many weeks to create the play under the guidelines set out by the representatives of Colneis and Rushmere Players. It needed humour and a storyline which would leave all participants as likely culprits and this was produced. However we were informed it would not be performed and the Colneis evening was cancelled. The understanding is that it was too adult and that some of the humour would not work on stage.

On the social front we organised the Christmas Social in January (2209) when with after dinner speaker Roz Collyer who also hosted a group and a number of personal workshops on a very successful weekend. We had another lively beach party and, of course, ended the year with the Anthology Book Launch. Although no events have been planned for this year, plans are being made for an event in springtime which may include a guest speaker and workshops again.

Meeting formats will remain unchanged and the published programme (on the weblog) has been agreed. Some evenings will have a specific topic or genre attached to them with the 16th February on a history theme. This is intended to increase the range of our writing abilities.

We are investigating sharing a stand at the Art On The Prom event in the summer and will consider providing a static display which can be used at other events. Possibly the Library will hold a Poetry Day display this year to which some of our members may wish to contribute.

Time and personal constraints reduced committee meetings to just one meeting again in 2009 but the lack of need for these meetings indicate that we have been working positively.

With the breakdown of the felixstowescribblers.com website and the sudden inability to post on our weblog Dave decided the best thing was to set up this new weblog (http://scribblers2010.blogspot.com) Whether this remains our weblog or if we are able to revert to the original one will be decided in due course.

Former regular Ken is now living in Cyprus and has been building some websites via a hosting company at www.pickaweb.com for around £8.99 a year, food for thought.

Dave confirmed that he will remain as secretary until the 1st May 2010 which will mark ten years as secretary so it is now up to Felixstowe Scribblers to decide on a replacement. The remainder of the committee has been re-elected for a further year.

Again thanks to everyone who has supported the Scribblers over the past year with special mention to Liliane for religiously collecting the library key.

Hoping 2010 will be a successful and profitable year.

Felixstowe in the snow

For some lovely pictures of Felixstowe in the snow go to Felixstowe TV at http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4344&Itemid=30

How's your day?

The snow fell in about thirty minutes....glad to be indoors!

International Competition

Novel Competition to whet the appetite

New Publication

Annual General Meeting

TONIGHT

At 7.30pm at the Room at the Top in Felixstowe Library

the AGM.

THE AGENDA

1. Apologies for absence
2. In Attendance
3. Secretary's Report on 2009
4. Ratification of existing committee and or election of new officers
5. Treasurer's Report
6. Website and Weblog Report
7. Social Events
8. Structure of Meetings
9. Planning for the future
10. Publicity
11. Any Other Business

Our 2010 Anthology

Our 2010 anthology is dedicated to the memory of six Scribblers who have passed in recent times. The anthology contains work from some thirty-seven past and present members and is a bargain at just £5.00. Copies are on sale at both Magpie Books and Poor Richards in Felixstowe. Copies may be ordered by emailing scribblers@btinternet.com Profits will be donated to East Anglia's Children's Hospice, a really worthy cause.