News from Pen Tales

Dear Friends near and far,

We haven't forgotten about you. Not at all. We've been busy with life - 

and with our day jobs :)

We have some important PenTales news: 

We've decided to pass on the PenTales HQ baton from NYC to Berlin. 

From that great city, Louisa Loewenstein, a PenTales veteran as well 

as a journalist, photographer, and documentary filmmaker, will take the 

lead. Louisa shares our deep commitment to storytelling, and we 

couldn't think of a more competent and compassionate leader to take 

this project to the next level. She and her new partner Laura Trumpp, 

a Parsons graduate and Creative Director, have big plans for PenTales. 

We are thrilled to serve as advisers along the way. 

It seems like just yesterday that we sat in what is perhaps the last dingy 

cafe in SoHo and decided that - for no good reason at all - we wanted to 

inspire more people to share stories. .In fact, it was exactly three years 

ago last week. We didn't have a clear road map. We just knew that we 

liked to listen to and tell tales. And so we organized weekly storytelling 

classes in low-income areas across New York City, we passed out little

 notebooks to inspire our friends to collaborate on stories in creative ways, 

we invited friends and strangers to share their stories over good food and 

wine, and we spread our little idea about the power of storytelling in person 

(in the digital age) to over twenty-eight cities around the world (including 

Lahore, Damascus, Reykjavik, and Panama City).

It was fun, and we learned a lot about the world, our friends, and ourselves. 

The most powerful thing we're taking away? The knowledge that when you 

start something positive, good people join in and support you. And, that's 

where you come in. Thank you for shaping the PenTales adventure, and for

 listening to our story and sharing yours. 

We're excited for the second chapter of PenTales under Louisa's leadership. 

She'll reach out to you soon. You'll hear about her vision for PenTales, and 

of course get a chance to share your own.

In the meantime, thanks for everything, and don't be a stranger.

Warmly,

Saskia and Stephanie 

saskia.miller@gmail.com

stephanieursulahodges@gmail.com

PenTales is a project run by friends and friends of friends. We're trying to

build a culture where we slow down, ask each other questions, meet in

person, and, above all, listen. In all our various endeavors, people and their

stories are front and center. Just a little over three years old, our little tale

has just started.

We exist because of you. Got a talent? Bet you do! Pitch in. 

Just email and we'll figure out a way for you to get involved.

writepentales@gmail.com

“Explosive Reverberations”

Glancing through the files of Pen Tales I discovered the work sent in by our good friend Chris Shaw from way down there in Cairns relating to 9/11, a time that is recalled today as flood waters run across Ground Zero in New York, the after effects of the dreadful storm tagged Sandy.

Chris's tales are always a great read, but on something so devastating a time, he relays it the way it was in his life at that moment in time. Go on Scribblers, have a read: http://pentales.com/explosive-reverberations-by-chris-shaw-queensland-australia/ ... and remember.

The Scribe

Reminder about the next meeting

October, having an 'additional' Tuesday in the month, means that we will have to wait an extra week for our next gathering. It will take place on Tuesday 6th November in the Room at the Top with a start time of 7.30pm.

Please remember that attendance will cost £3 per meeting (unless you have paid the annual £25 membership fee which means free admission to all our meetings for the next twelve months).

The homework assignment for this meeting is for up to 1,000 words on 'November' - whether it is an event, a memory link, or something purely autumnal - the choice is yours!

Hope to see you all on the sixth...

Keep Scribbling!

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Prose & Poetry Prizes 2012 from The New Writer magazine

Prose & Poetry Prizes 2012  - just over 1 month to closing date - see below
The New Writer magazine  Autumn 2012 issue OUT NOW - see below
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JUST IN ... TNW 112 (Autumn 2012) Booker-shortlisted Alison Moore with a double whammy - a new short story, Trees in the Tarmac, and her not-to-be-missed account, From First Draft to Publication;  find out how It’s Different For Girls as Sally Quilford interviews bestselling novelist, Kate Long;  discover how writers do such odd things with Julia Anderson;  Drafting a Poem - all in the detail with Abegail Morley and Kim Moore, plus a superb selection of poems in this issue; also Love your Notebook, find out about My Ideal Editor and discover why writers use Double Spacing - it’s a hoot! All this and so much more … single copy and full subscription available at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm
You can also now follow The New Writer on Twitter and Facebook (see details below).
112 issues since 1996  ---  over 1,000 contributors  ---  full listing at:
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Prose and Poetry Prizes 2012from The New Writer magazineClosing date 30 November 2012Now in its 16th year, one of the most prestigious annual international competitions for short stories, flash fiction, 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.

Further information on the Prose & Poetry Prizes including guidelines, prize money and entry fees at: http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizes.htm

Copies of The Collection 2011 are now available at the TNW website in the Single Copy window: http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm

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

Also, we can supply this year's printed entry forms on request to writers' groups and organizations in the UK – just let us know, no SAE required.

The 2011 Prose & Poetry Prizes winners are listed on this webpage:
http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizewinners.htm
Please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in the magazine or the competition.

Many thanks.

From the office of:
The New Writer

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UK Poetry Library's Website

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You can also read the work of poets – established and aspiring – from all over the world.

“The new website gives an opportunity for all poets – new and established – to show their work and have it reviewed by other poets,” said Claire Watson, Head Librarian.

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Meeting report 16th October 2012

This was a well attended and a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

We had apologies from Carolyn, Janet and Angela.

Those present were Dave, Dick,  Beryl, Caz, Liliane, Angie, Cathy, Sandy, Martin, Les, Mai, Tony and yours truly.

This was a meeting devoted to the different genres we had picked from last meeting.

Dave had the genre of a Western Story and in 'There won't be many coming home' he gave us the moving story of a mother who had already lost her husband and was now afraid she had lost her son in the American Civil war. This story was cleverly interspersed with the words from a Roy Orbison song.

Caz's genre was A child's story and gave 'Barney's tale' which told us her memories of a dog named Barney and the way it was given to her and her son in a farmhouse and her son's delight at this new friend.

Beryl and her Spy genre gave us 'Spy' which was a tale of a young girl and her friendship with Liz and the way she was manipulated into disclosing industrial secrets to her so called friend who subsequently lost touch with her.

Tony had Science Fiction,  not really a strange genre for him. He gave us 'Following wind/take off' strangely , a tale we could somehow follow about the members of a spaceship and their attempts to colonise the last planet on their visiting list.

Dick had Romance as his theme and we were given 'Just a letter' a poignant tale which turned out to be true, of his father's attempts to pair him up with the assistant matron at his nursing home and the way in the first instance Dick, being very proper, wrote a simple letter to discover her feelings.

Liliane told, through her Disaster genre a tale of 'Ascension day' the 2nd of May 1902 when the town of Pierre on the  Windward Island of Martinique was destroyed by a volcano . This was cleverly told through the guise of a letter, telling of the disaster on the Island of flowers.

Sandy had as her genre Sport and through 'Gone fishing' we were told of the frustration felt by a fishing girl friend while the season went on and how, although buying her a pink rod to accompany him to the river she could raise no enthusiasm for the sport or the rod, other than to wrap it round his neck.

Angie had Thriller as her genre and called her story 'The date' which told of a blind date organised through the internet and after a failed meeting in a pub the girl left to walk home and then was molested by a man but while in the process of defending herself she grabbed a rather sensitive part of his anatomy and gave it a wrench which made him fire his gun which alerted the police.

Cathy's genre Ghost story gave us 'No going back' a story of a young girl's dilemma in which after caring greatly for children and young people she took a young boy home for one night and was made to pay the price for her friendship. She now sought peace and quiet outside the town where she felt no longer able to wear her Salvation Army uniform.

Mai had Adventure as her genre and gave us 'Asu and the magic well'. This was a tale of a timid boy in a war torn country and how his father thought him a coward for his fears of many things but of how a lock of his mother's hair gave him the courage to believe he was now Prince Asu. He left the house and through much peril retrieved water for the family and the adventure gave him courage to do more brave things.

Les had An Historic Tale and entitled his poem 'From the horses mouth'. In his inimitable style he gave us chapter and verse about the battle of Hastings in 1066 and then of Robin Hood telling us the man was not really the romantic we are led to believe and then the story of the Armada and how Drake played bowls to the brink. In all the poem could quite likely be a source for alternative teaching.

Martin had Horror story and gave us 'Pressed for King George' a grisly tale of how a woman loses her sons to the press gangs into the Navy and how she made a pact with the devil only to find her sons returning as the living dead.

I was last with my Funny tale which I called 'The junction" a was some memories from the 60's when I was in Australia and how an enforced parking problem turned into a parking in the middle of a junction problem while we were working in the bush.

The next meetings Homework set is 'November' and will be the first meeting of the new fees which are £25 for the year or £3 per session. Hope to see you all then

Barry.

One of the best meetings...ever!

The genre meeting proved to be very popular with a healthy attendance, most folk writing outside their personal comfort zones but... and this is what is best about the Scribblers... every single member presented a really excellent story, or in Les's case, a poetic re-write of some major events and characters in our history.

Such a lovely group of talented writers who have made meetings so friendly and enjoyable. Thanks to Caz for bringing along a lovely homemade cake. Much appreciated by all!

Get well soon Sally

Please send your thoughts out to Sally, Sandy's daughter, who has been unwell for some time.

Next meeting is on 6th November with the subject exactly that - "November".  Whether it is an event that took place during the month, or something a little sinister, it gives plenty of scope for some more fascinating stories.

A reminder that from this meeting, an annual fee of £25 fee will be raised and this will provide admission to all our meetings. If you prefer to pay meeting by meeting then it will cost £3 each time you attend.

The Scribe.

The Genre Meeting: Tomorrow Tuesday 16th October

Yes, the genre meeting is almost here. For those lucky ones who drew the genre they are happy with, then terrific! And for those not so lucky, it is a real challenge, but one the Scribblers will rise to.

That's what writers like, a challenge! So, at the meeting tomorrow (16th October) in The Room at The Top start time 7.30 pm, will allow us to hear the results of everyone's toils. Doubtless every Scribbler will have risen to the occasion - it all promises to be another very entertaining meeting!

Hope to see you there.

Finally a reminder that your new annual membership fees are due - £25 for the year - otherwise you can still pay on a meeting by meeting basis at £3 a time. The fees are being implemented to cover the cost of hiring our very comfortable accommodation.

Keep scribbling!

Prole Laureate competition

How to enter

By email (preferred)

poetrycompetion@prolebooks.co.uk

Poems to be contained within body of email

If entering by email, we recommend you use the PayPal button on our website.

By post:

Plain typed entries, one per page with contact details to

Brett Evans

Prolebooks

15 Maes-y-Dre

Abergele

Conwy

Cheques (GBP only) payable to Prolebooks

Single entry £3.00

Subsequent entries £2.50

Prizes

First prize £130 and publication in issue 10 of Prole.

 Two runners up prizes of £30 with possible publication.

Timescale

Open from October 2012

Entries to be with us by February 14^th 2013

Winners announced in Prole issue 10 and on our website by April 19^th 2013

Judge

DA Prince is a poet and reviewer with a long-standing appreciation of the energy and individuality of 'small' magazines. She has two pamphlets with Pikestaff Press, and in 2008 HappenStance Press published her full-length collection, Nearly the Happy Hour.  Publication of her second collection is due in 2014.

Full details can be read here: http://www.prolebooks.co.uk/page6.html

Website: www.prolebooks.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prole/236155444300?v=wall
News blog at: http://prolebooks.blogspot.com/
Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/Prolebooks
Reader/writer blog: http://readwriteblog.prolebooks.co.uk/

Next meeting: Genres!

I hope everyone has been successful transforming your genres into a 1000 word story. If there is anyone due to come to the meeting who does not have a genre to write about I still have a couple more I can provide. Just email me at the usual address.

Also this would be a good time to remind you that our time is due for starting to pay for our accommodation and time in the Library. From the 6th November we will reluctantly have to charge our attending members either £25.00 for a years subscription or a figure of £3.00 per meeting.

Hope to see you all next Tuesday.

Barry

Meeting Report for 2nd October

Yet another fine meeting.

With apologies from Cathy, Carolyn, Janet and Ray:
Those attending were  Dave, Dick, Lilian, Caz,Angela, Beryl,  Les, Martin, myself and Tony.Yet another fine meeting.
With apologies from Cathy, Carolyn, Janet and Ray
Those attending were  Dave, Dick, Lilian, Caz,Angela, Beryl Les Martin, Tony and myself  .

The subject of Happiness proved to be an easy one to translate into 1000 words, much easier for some than others (me)!

Caz was the first to give us her ideas on happiness. Called 'What is happiness' told of her joys and sorrows from first knowing she was expecting her son then through the joys of early motherhood and tragically the heartache of finding your child is ill leading to his being taken at a much too early an age. A very moving and sad as well as happy account.

Dick told us a story called 'The girl who loved dolphins'  Rosie was, from an early age a girl who loved animals and when dad told her they were to buy a sailing boat in which to travel the world she was overjoyed and listened to tales of warm seas and creatures called dolphins, that smiled at you.They set sail and encountered many sights across three oceans finally to end up in the Caribbean where she at last met the dolphins.

Liliane gave us 'The road back' another family story of a couple with problems and a three year separation with the wife wondering, on their eventual reconciliation , about her husbands fidelity during the period apart but deciding to set aside her fears of affairs. Then the family learn of Lucas, a boy who becomes accepted as a child of the family.

Beryl's 'Life before Annie' was a factual tale of the early life of Helen Keller who at the age of two, suddenly was struck down and became deaf and blind. This was believed at the time to be a result of scarlet fever but not proven to be so. Her early childhood was rebellious until she met Annie Sullivan who slowly taught her how to recognise objects and people and began a fifty year relationship.

Tony had us reeling in our seats with a hilarious tale of 'The happy world of the quantity surveyor-retired'
This told of the trip undertaken by this quantity surveyor and his eventual ride offered in a rainstorm. This proved to be the woman of his dreams who offered him a lift to her caravan where she proceeded to seduce him to the recitation of 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

Martin entertained us with a play with two characters, Joe, a young man and Lord Byron. It was a witty account of the conversation between the fabled poet and the boy where Joe challenged Byron to an 'Instant poetry' competition. Burns listened to Joe's account of the girl in the bus shelter and declared him the winner.

Les 's story was a general one of his feeling in the past and now telling of the happiness he and Joan enjoyed during her life and his determination to stay positive and enjoy life as she would want him to.

Dave gave us 'The Brown Envelope',   more of his Pauline story and how happy she was with her policeman, Billy. She received a brown envelope through the post and thought it was a bill but on opening she discovers she has won £5000 on the Premium Bonds and so promises to take Billy out for a fine meal that evening.

My contribution was titled 'The 33' a factual tale of the thirty three miners, trapped in the gold mine in Chile in 2010 and the way the men kept up their spirits and the eventual happiness on their rescue.

Angela gave us the tale of a recently promoted politician and his front bench job, the job the press had dubbed 'Minister for happiness'. His predecessor had been a woman whose former life as a journalist seemed not to be ideal for this life. Her career ended in a breakdown. This was spectacular as it happened in the Cabinet room and her career ended with peals of laughter at the demise of the Prime Minister with a faceful of porridge at a breakfast meeting.

Thanks to all attending the meeting.

The next meeting will be on the 16th of this month and if you were at the meeting you will have been given a genre for the next. All those not at the meeting can email me for a genre that is left.

Thank you all again and see you on the 16th.

Barry

Better than your average...

The quality of writing at each Scribblers meeting never fails to amaze. The homework theme of "Happiness" brought many smiling faces with tales of absolute excellence.

After hearing Tony's masterpiece it was unanimously agreed that we would never look on 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' in the same way again! The meeting brought so much pleasure and much discussion after each work. To be honest you could not get the same kind of entertainment in any theatre or cinema.

For those who missed the meeting they also missed an opportunity to share some of the best writing for many months. Hopefully more members will be present next time round when we hold our 'genre' writing evening - all present having drawn their genre. If you are intending to come along next meeting and missed tonight, then please contact Barry for your genre. That meeting will be on Tuesday 16th October and is the last one before charges have to be raised.

A reminder that from 6th October the annual fee of £25 giving free admission to all meetings in the following year, or, for those who prefer to pay meeting by meeting, the fee will be £3. These fees come into operation from 6th November.

Felixstowe Scribblers are sponsoring a Bloomsbury workshop on "How To Get Published" at the Book Festival next year. Details of location and time will be forwarded when known. Regular Scribblers members can reserve free places in advance of the event.

Finally on a happy note - our Les will be 80 years young next Tuesday, (9th October) - such a great character, so popular with everyone and he is a very useful writer too! Have a good one Les!

Les in party mood - also pictured Caz and Tony

Want to write a novel - in a month...?

Find out how to at

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Welcome!

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Can you help find April?

Our Next Meeting

"Happiness" is just around the corner... at least a thousand words on the subject will do! We meet again tomorrow evening (Tuesday 2nd October) in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library start time 7.30pm. Why not make us all happy and join us?

Keep Scribbling!

The Scribe