Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Felixstowe Scribblers wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

See you in 2011!

Keep Scribbling!

MEETING CANCELLED

Due to the inclement weather conditions prevailing in the Felixstowe area (Lots and lots of the white stuff and very icy roads) it has been reluctantly decided that it will be asking too much of you all to struggle to the meeting. I appreciate it would have been a nice gathering but we can arrange a New Years evening instead.
I would just like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Bye for now.
Barry.

MEETING CANCELLED

Due to the inclement weather conditions an early decision has been made to cancel tomorrow's Scribbler's meeting at the Library.

In view of the state of the roads and footpaths it is the only sensible decision.

So we are sorry to say that

TOMORROW NIGHT'S MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED!!

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 4th January 2011.

Approaching their target .... can you help just a little?

Charity Xmas Dip

There are some folk that are brave, others that are mad and even more who deserve our support. From dear Jane and Jack came this recent plea -

"Jack + I have madly volunteered to do a charity Xmas Day Dip in the North Sea! It's in aid of a local Hospice and we're hoping to raise at least £250. If any of you kind souls would care to donate any amount at all it would be gratefully received, and then you can feel smug at 10am on Xmas Day morning when you're opening your pressies in the warm and I've got hypothermia. Think I might start drinking quite early that day. Anyway if you're interested, visit our page http://www.justgiving.com/Jane-Bailey0 but please don't feel obliged, I know how expensive this month is for everyone."

Anyone prepared to help break the ice on Christmas morning.....?

Good luck Jane and Jack and remember....

Keep shivering!

Our final meeting of the year...

Just a little reminder that the final meeting of 2010 will be held next Tuesday, 21st December at the usual place.

It will be a 'four word' exercise for half the meeting (four words on individual pieces of paper) into the hat and we write around them for twenty minutes or so, then when we have had a little digest of the results we will digest some of the nibbles we have brought.

I hope as many as possible come on Tuesday (more nibbles to be had) but for those who cannot attend I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas from myself and the committee.

Have a happy holiday.

Best wishes.

Barry

Evening Star's Felixstowe Extra 15th December 2010

Simply click on the images to enlarge.

Ruth up for yet another award.....

Simply click on image to enlarge.

This was published in the Felixstowe Extra supplement of the Evening Star Wednesday 15th December.

Keep winning, Ruth!!!!

The Evolution Continues – only on WritingRaw.com!

The December 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.

WritingRaw also supports 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! Or, perhaps you would like to partner in some way with WritingRaw (column, monthly essay, writing tips, etc.). We are open to ideas…

Or, use the Writing Raw Book Store to promote your novel or poetry collection: If you have a novel or collection that you would like to place in our store, we would be more than happy to do so – for FREE. Just send us a copy of the cover of the book (jpeg, bmp, etc. – please don’t send pdf), a brief synopsis, and a link as to where the material can be purchased.

Use our Shout Out boxes on the site to let others know what you think of a piece of writing, or to just… well, shout out about something that you think our readers would like to know. Nothing wrong with a little self promotion!

Also, be sure to check out the NEW announcements on WritingRaw.com’s Home page from writer’s group and organizations worldwide. Discover meeting places, organizations offering fellowships, contests, and a variety of other useful websites all dedicated to writers of every level.

NEW this month

The site has been overhauled and updated with more NEWS, ART, CARTOONS, something we like to call – THE WALL and various other pages and features that we are sure you will find both entertaining and informative.

NEW Column: Life Unaccustomed by Alex Wardwell
Why are we giving Alex Wardwell his own column? Because, from the writing we have seen, he is an amazing voice for his generation. He is reflective, a master of words, and slightly twisted – and you know how WE like twisted. Future columns of “Life Unaccustomed” will definitely make you sit up and notice his distinctive and original view concerning general life observations, or even him just playing around with words and how he can twist them into little vignettes of literary art. We start you off gentle… but, be prepared, Alex Wardwell will soon be taking you on one hell of a journey as he unleashes the voice of the next generation in the literary world. Welcome to... Life Unaccustomed, by Alex Wardwell

New Interviews by the following bestselling or award-winning authors:
Alan Dean Foster
Lorraine Heath
Scott Nicholson
Lynsay Sands
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Maureen Smith

NEW Page – Book Trailers!

NEW Book Trailer Page!

HOW TO LAND A LITERARY AGENT: "First Get a Platform" by Jeff Rivera

YOU KNOW YOUR QUERY LETTER SUCKS WHEN ... You Send CC it to Agents at the Same Time by Jeff Rivera

NEW Between the Sheets - An email book review with Ditch and Weeb: Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

NEW Allbooks Reviews

NEW Review from First Texas Publishers

NEW 5 Books to Read by Ditch

NEW: Rib Raw: New poems, rants and raves!

NEW: Books in the Store

And even more........

Advertising "Drift"

Ally has made a trailer for her book "Drift" which she hopes will be accepted for publication soon.

To watch this intriguing piece of artistry go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSNM3zZ8IBo

All the more amazing as Ally had never used Windows Media Player. She says "It was good fun and I was so pleased with the end result I uploaded it to you tube."

Go on! Have a look!

Helping Ruth

My novel, The Woman Before Me, has just been nominated for the People's Book Award and - like the X factor - the winner is decided by public vote. I'm 50 votes away from the most popular book so could I please persuade you to vote for me? Here's the link:

http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/section.php?id=6
It doesn't take long to do, is free, and all voters have the chance of winning prizes including tickets to the live final (televised on Sky).

I'm really grateful for all support & hope you don't mind me being cheeky like this.

Thanks,

Ruth

Who is our local poet laureate?

Do you know who your local poet laureate is?

United Press has the only national listing of poet laureates accessible to the public. You can see it on our website. However, we need to ensure that this list is up to date. If you know of any poet laureate who is missing from the list we want to hear from you.

At United Press we feel that we should celebrate our poet laureates and there should be even more. What do you think?

If your area does not have a poet laureate, why not?

Similarly, if you feel that someone in your area is worthy of being your poet laureate, tell us about them. We want to know.
Many thanks,
Luke Redgrave.
Luke@unitedpress.co.uk

Welcome to the BBC writersroom newsletter.

BBC Future Talent Award
--------------
Are you a student or recent graduate of one of the BBC at MediaCityUK partner organisations in the North of England?

BBC writersroom and BBC at MediaCityUK are offering a fantastic development opportunity for emerging drama and comedy writers.

Find more information on our opportunities page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/future_talent_award.shtml
Rapid Response: In the Red
--------------
The winners of our Rapid Response: In the Red competition have now been announced. Read the winning scripts, along with commentary from our judges.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/2010/11/in_the_red.shtml
Scripts
-------
Our scripts are in PDF format - if you can't read them, download Adobe Reader from http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/categories/plug/acrobat/acrobat.shtml?intro
Accused
Episode 3: Helen's Story by Alice Nutter & Jimmy McGovern
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/accused_episode3.pdf
Atching Tan
Radio 4 Afternoon Play by Dan Allum
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/atching_tan.pdf
Ivan and the Dogs
Radio 4 Afternoon Play by Hattie Naylor
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/downloads/scripts/ivan_and_the_dogs.pdf
Don't forget you can browse through all of the scripts in our script archive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/script_archive.shtml

Submitting your script to BBC writersroom
-----------------------------------------
Want to write for the BBC? Find out what to send us on our script submissions page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/submissions_writersroom.shtml

Blog
----
Alice Nutter blogs about writing 'Helen's Story' with Jimmy McGovern for brand new BBC One drama, Accused; Dan Allum talks about portraying Travellers on Radio 4, and an update from Michael Jacob on creating comedy for the CBeebies audience.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/

Opportunities
-------------
Little Pieces of Gold
Deadline: 10 December 2010
Showcase your short play at The Etcetera Theatre, London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/little_pieces_of_gold_2011.shtml
New Playwrights' Award 2011
Deadline: 17 December 2010
£1,500 cash bursary for emerging Scottish playwrights.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/new_playwrights_award_2011.shtml
Theatre Trail Writers Competition
Deadline: 31 December 2010
Have your play performed at next year's Arundel Festival Theatre Trail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/arundel_theatre_trail1.shtml
Little Brother's Big Opportunity
Deadline: 31 December 2010
£1,000 prize to develop an original television drama idea through to treatment stage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/little_brothers_big_opportunity.shtml
TC Adrienne Benham Award
Deadline: 11 January 2011
£2,000 seed commission for promising playwrighting talent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/tc_adrienne_benham_award.shtml
Future Talent Award
Deadline: 14 January 2011
Opportunity for students in the North of England.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/future_talent_award.shtml
The Sitcom Mission 2011
Deadline: 14 February 2011
Submit your 15-minute sitcom script for showcase in front of an industry panel.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/the_sitcom_mission_2011.shtml
Primetime
Deadline: 14 February 2011
Opportunity for new Northern Irish writers to have their original drama broadcast at 9pm on BBC One Northern Ireland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/primetime1.shtml
Soho Theatre: Verity Bargate Award 2011
Deadline: 11 March 2011
£5,000 prize and a residency at Soho Theatre for a new play that stands out from the crowd.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/verity_bargate_award_2011.shtml

TRIBUTE TO A TEXAN LEGEND

It's many years on and many years gone,
Since December six, eighty-eight,
And his final song had echoed out
Within his homeland Texas State.

The voice that passed away that day,
Was more than desperate and sad -
He'd never sing alive again
And that, my friends, was all so bad.

Yet in our minds, our hearts, our homes,
Melodies linger on and long,
Down the volume, he'll still be heard
So high above his mourning song.

A man whose life was full of grief,
His wife hit by a killer truck
Claudette died on her motorbike.
Then another tragedy struck.

Two sons died in the burning flames -
Gone were Tony and Roy DeWayne -
At his Hendersonville homestead.
Just how could he survive the pain?

Deathly anguish and bitter thoughts,
Replaced with professional calm
He rose again above his grief,
His loyal fans were in his palm.

Each song he sung, a masterpiece
The Texan sang so beautiful,
Etched on the world's eternal disc
Voice unquavering, powerful.

Listen to his ballad "Claudette",
His "Crying" and his "Blue Bayou".
Then "It's Too Soon to Know" and yet
If "Only the Lonely" weren't true.

"In Dreams" of his "Pretty Woman",
Was he "Running Scared" from "The Crowd"
Way down to his "Sleepy Hollow"
To write and sing, vibrant, aloud.

Record, perform, on stage his act,
Immense applause that will not end.
As the world pays great homage to
"'Roy Orbison"' - Texan legend.

© Dave Feakes

Latest Mslexia competition

To enlarge - simply click on the image

Tuesday: Our Next Meeting

Just a gentle reminder that you have had sufficient time now to find
something to write about. As you know the subject was 'anything' and you can take it however you like.

Don't forget this will be the penultimate meeting for the year; the
next will be half taken up with a short bit of creative writing and
then a general long tea break and hopefully cheery get together before
Christmas.

See you all on Tuesday.

Barry.

Charity Xmas Dip

There are some folk that are brave, others that are mad and even more who deserve our support. From dear Jane and Jack comes this plea -

Jack + I have madly volunteered to do a charity Xmas Day Dip in the North Sea! It's in aid of a local Hospice and we're hoping to raise at least £250. If any of you kind souls would care to donate any amount at all it would be gratefully received, and then you can feel smug at 10am on Xmas Day morning when you're opening your pressies in the warm and I've got hypothermia. Think I might start drinking quite early that day.

Anyway if you're interested, visit our page
http://www.justgiving.com/Jane-Bailey0 but please don't feel obliged, I know how expensive this month is for everyone.

Thanks
Jane & Jack.

I'm sure they would appreciate your help - even if it's a blanket and a bottle of brandy (for Jane) and a cup of tea for Jack...

Good Luck!

Forces stories and poems - competition.

Time is running out to enter this competition which offers prizes of £500, £200 and £150 for the top three entries respectively and also runners-up prizes of £25. The entry fee is just £3 for each story or poem submitted.

The competition closes at midnight on 17th December. For details simply go to
http://fass.kingston.ac.uk/kup/competition/