No meeting this week!

I know its late reminding you about the fact that there is no meeting this week! Too many Tuesdays in October! It means our next meeting will be on Tuesday 6 November when we hold the first competition in memory of our lamented friend Mairead. This is for a story of up to a maximum of 1,000 words on Halloween, a ghost story or something spookily supernatural. Looking forward to it already!

The usual competition rules apply - that is, typed entries that have no name or identifying mark on them. The winner, thanks to Bridget, will receive the crystal ball she has so kindly donated in tribute to Mairead.

If you believe in the supernatural then I wonder of Mairead is having a little laugh at my expense. I have been unable to post any information on our weblog about the forthcoming competition, nor, incidentally have I been able to post anything in relation to the recent Bill Budner competition. I am sorry about that but, with time limited on a personal basis, I have yet to find the time or the expertise to help me. (Don't get old - it's not worth it haha!)

Having said that, for those who don't yet know, my grandson Noah was able to leave hospital and go home - his proper home - last Friday after spending the first ten weeks of his life in Addenbrookes and Ipswich hospitals. I can't tell you how thrilled my wife and I am. Nearly as thrilled as his parents!

I had a message from a former member of ours, Alex Price who kindly sent the following information. Thanks Alex!

Keep Scribbling!!!

Dave

Free Writing Workshops

hosted by Quay Place

	NOV6 Tues15:00 NOV13 Tues15:00 NOV20 Tues15:00
	Quay Place Key Street, IP4 1BZ Ipswich, Suffolk

Details

As part of National Novel Writing Month Quay Place is offering a FREE space for you to find time to write.

It's as part of NaNoWriMo, an international project to encourage you to write a novel between 1 and 30 November.

This is an opportunity to work on a current project or start something new, share your work with others or find inspiration for that first sentence.

Quay Place Writer in Residence, writer and mentor Liz Ferretti, will be on hand to help.

Every Tuesday in November, 3pm - 7pm. No booking needed.

Meeting report

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 16 October 2018

Present: Dave, Tony, Beryl, Steve, Liz, Kay, Jim, Derek, Georgina, Cathy
Apologies: Anne, Liliane, Bridget, Hazel, Gerry

Business:

Meg Reid, organiser of the Felixstowe Book Festival, has some guest authors for 2019 who have written books about WW1 and WW2. She wondered if Scribblers could mull over any ideas for incorporating the wartime theme into their session/s at the festival. Currently Meg has nothing specific in mind; it might even be that this element isn’t expanded on, but she just put the idea out there for us.

Beryl’s novel – one or two IT hitches to overcome, but she hopes it will be printed very soon.

Competition:

Good to report that there were nine entries for the Bill Budner trophy. Beryl and Cathy did the readings, and as the evening rolled out, it became obvious that it was going to be extremely difficult to select just three for the top three places – such a variety of style, content and topics!

However, select them we did, and Tony kindly worked out the results.

Tony scooped first place with ‘Stacey Burnett’, beating Georgina’s tale ‘Sanctuary’ by just one point. Derek followed up in third with ‘The chimes of Big Ben’, only two points behind Georgina. This must be the closest run thing for a long time.

Remaining stories were:

Beryl – Takeover

Kay – Dog’s breakfast

Dave – Ticking clock

Liz – The drop in

Steve – A day at the office

Jim – Every Saturday night

After the usual photos of the winner being presented with the trophy, then a group picture, the meeting came to an end.

Next meeting: 

6 November. This is also a competition meeting, this time in memory of Mairead. A tale of Halloween, ghosts, magic, or spooky goings on where we will be competing for the crystal ball trophy that Bridget so generously purchased for the group. It will be a poignant meeting for all of us who knew and loved Mairead – she always wrote such superb tales on these themes – perhaps we can emulate her talent!

It's that man again!

This evening's Bill Budner Trophy meeting was another captivating competition. Each entry, read by Beryl and Cathy alternately, captured the attention of those present and caused so many headaches at the final hurdle - choosing a winner.

Each story was worthy of the top spot - in fact every story gained  several votes, it was that close.

In the end, after a period of suspense whilst votes were counted and refreshments taken, the top three stories, in reverse order, were:

3rd place, Derek with "The Chimes of Big Ben."

Runner-up, new member Georgina with "Sanctuary."

Winner, by a single vote, Tony with "Stacey Burnett." Hot doggity, that man has done it yet again!

A technical fault means no photograph can be included at present.

Our next meeting is in THREE weeks time on Tuesday 6th November when we will hold our very  own atmospheric competition for the Mairead Reidy Crystal Ball which has so kindly been donated by Bridget. Mairead sadly passed away earlier this year and is greatly missed by members of both Felixstowe Scribblers and the Orwell Writers' League.

The competition will be run on similar lines to the Jack Wilkinson and Bill Budner, meaning no identification marks on your entries. Up to 1,000 words please, on Halloween or some spooky ghostly story - all the creepy kinds Mairead would have loved. There's an extra week to create something really scary... looking forward to it already!

Remember Keep Screaming!!!

The Bill Budner Trophy meeting.

It is the 32nd staging (if my maths are 'write') of this prestigious competition in memory of our late member Bill Budner. His stay with the group was all too short because of his untimely death on Valentine's Day, 2006. During his time with us, Bill built up a circle of friends and admirers of his prolific written words.

This is the second trophy in his honour, the original, fully inscribed with holders names, was presented to his widow, Maureen.

Originally the competition was held three times annually but is now held twice a year.  Along with the Jack Wilkinson Memorial Trophy and, very soon, the first competition for the crystal ball in honour and memory of our much missed Mairead Reidy, the Scribblers will have five opportunities per year to add their names to the growing list of successes.

Bill's meeting is next Tuesday, 16 October in the Room at the Top. The door will be closed at 7.30pm when the meeting will commence. Remember, you can write up to 1,000 words on any subject. Entries should be typed and any loose pages clipped together but there must be no identifying marks on the entry. Full competition details can be found at the top of this website.

Good luck and Keep Scribbling!!!

Dave

Meeting report

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 2 October 2018

Present: Dave, Tony, Beryl, Bridget, Steve, Liz, Kay, Hazel, Jim, Derek, Georgina, Cathy
Apologies:  Anne, Liliane

Business:

We welcomed new member Georgina to the group, introducing ourselves and briefly outlining our writing histories/interests.
Beryl confirmed that her long awaited novel may well be printed by the time we meet again – we expect her to come along laden with copies for us to purchase! Congratulations to her on this achievement.
Dave established that the kitchen area is now fully functioning again, with a new kettle for us to use.

Readings of homework

Dave – Vindictive

Bridget – I thought he would never change

Steve – Transformation

Derek – The courgette picker

Cathy – Turning point

Tony – The recluse

Beryl – By the lake – an excerpt from her novel

Hazel – Revolution

Kay – Newborn

Jim – Cheesy

Next meeting:

16 October. This is the Bill Budner trophy evening. Entries of up to 1000 words on a topic of the writer’s choice, printed off with no identifiers, pages stapled or clipped together. On arrival at the meeting, entries to be placed face down on the table, prior to being read out and judged.

Note that the following meeting (6 November) is also a competition meeting – the Halloween/ghost/magic one in memory of Mairead, where we will be competing for the crystal ball trophy that Bridget so generously purchased for the group.

This evening's meeting.

Another well attended gathering who, mostly, produced their stories on the homework theme "I thought he would never change."

As is the norm for our talented group, the stories were excellent and, even those off topic, were amazing too. This group goes from strength to strength with their abilities to adapt any of the multitude of subjects to create a work of near genius.

Power to the pen, Scribblers... (or maybe that should be to the keyboard these days!)

Our next meeting is in two weeks time on 16 October when we hold another  competition... this time it's in memory of a former member, Bill Budner when we will have the opportunity of winning his trophy.

The rules are simple, it is for attending Scribblers who are asked to write up to 1,000 words on any subject. The entries must be typed but show no indication of the author. Please staple your entry sheets together.

You will be able to mark your favourite stories to help determine the ultimate winner.

Good luck everyone!

Until the 16th...

Keep Scribbling!!!