The Felixstowe Book Festival.

Coming up this weekend is the Felixstowe Book Festival. 

The Felixstowe Scribblers and the Orwell Writers' League have teamed up for a two hour workshop in the Furneaux Suite, Orwell Hotel, Felixstowe. I'll be running a flash fiction session during the workshop but there's plenty more for aspiring writers. The Orwell Writers will provide a fun and inspirational creative writing activity.  Our slot begins at 2pm on Sunday 30 June and ends at 4pm. Also look out for our display boards in the hotel that pay tribute to the Unnamed Soldier. There are still tickets left and all at a remarkably low price of just a fiver!

Not only that, but the Felixstowe Scribblers 2019 Anthology will be on sale at this event. That's just £5 for hours of reading!

Come and join us!

Meeting report

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 18 June 2019

Present:

Dave, Tony, Liliane, Beryl, David, Carole, Anne, Georgina, Justin, Steve, Liz, Cathy

Apologies: 

Jim, Derek, Jane, Hazel, Kay

Business: 

Anthology – Dave took advance orders from those present – will be here in time for the FBF. We will be selling them at our workshop event, not at the FBF bookstall.

FBF complimentary tickets – so far Tony, Georgina, Anne and one other have asked for tickets. This leaves one spare ticket. They’ll be available to collect at the door of the Furneaux Suite at the start of the workshop session (2pm).

Flash fiction session – photograph/picture for inspiration:

Plenty of pictures/postcards/photos to choose from, and after the usual groans about our selections, and several changes, we spent thirty minutes trying to pull together stories from the images we’d each finally settled on. Hard work, but some excellent pieces came from it, so very worthwhile.

David – Waiting

Carole – Jolly

Beryl – This beautiful world

Tony – All things bright and beautiful

Cathy – Fright

Dave – None today, none yesterday, none tomorrow

Justin – Ruin

Steve – Unititled

Liliane – The apartment

Liz - Untitled

Anne – Sea View terrace

Georgina – Scotch on the rocks

Next meeting:

2 July, when the 1000 word homework topic is Lazy Old River.

An inspired evening...

The photographic flash fiction evening proved to be another success for the attending members. Ten of us met, ten of us groaned at the photos chosen randomly, ten of us eventually spent half an hour in excruciating agony trying to come up with a viable story.

Guess what?

Everyone did!

Some were absolutely hilarious, others tremendously well written... an evening we all enjoyed despite the early misgivings.

Well done everyone for bringing in a real selection of photographs and for giving our brain boxes a little creative exercise!

News: The anthology is ready for collection from Gipping Press and the anthologies will be with us tomorrow. Orders from those present amount to nearly a third of the total print and there are still other members who may wish to order. It's a good start. We are keeping the cost at £5 which means little or no profit but with the kind donation from Debbie and the money from HSBC  I think we will be okay!

Don't forget the Felixstowe Book  Festival - our workshop slot is shared with the Orwell Writers League and will be from 2pm until 4pm in the Furneaux Suite at the Orwell Hotel on Sunday 30th June.

Our next meeting falls after the Festival, on Tuesday 2nd July when the homework theme of up to 1,000 words is "Lazy old river"

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!

This Tuesday - our next meeting!

Our next meeting is on Tuesday next, 18 June, in The Room at the Top with our usual start time at 7.30pm when we will lock the door .

If you remember  this will be a photographic flash fiction session so we ask that you all bring along a photograph or postcard. Once placed face down on the table and shuffled, you will all choose one photo (but not your own!) and use that to prompt your story. We expect to write for a maximum of thirty minutes before sharing your creative gems with our group.

Just a little update on the anthology. Beryl, Georgina and myself checked the proof copy from Gipping Press and discovered a few minor errors which the printers have kindly rectified, the final proof accepted and our anthology will shortly be printed. I anticipate it will be ready during this coming week. Can't wait to have a copy in my hands!

FREE TICKETS for our event at the Felixstowe Book Festival. We have two names asking for a ticket which leaves three up for grabs. The event is in the Furneaux Suite at the Orwell Hotel on Sunday 30th June from 2pm to 4pm. This is a joint event with the Orwell Writers and will encompass some fun stuff with OWL and a flash fiction session (starting just after 3pm) which we are running. Not only am I hoping to give away our free tickets but am also hoping you will give us your support at the Festival. It is an opportunity to enjoy two hours on a Sunday afternoon being creative!

See you all on Tuesday!

Until then, 

Keep Scribbling!!!

Meeting Report.

Minutes of Scribblers meeting held on 4 June 2019

Present: Dave, Tony, Liliane, Beryl, Jim, David, Carole, Gerry, Jane, Anne, Georgina, Justin, Derek, Cathy
Apologies: Steve, Liz, Kay

Business:

Bank signatories – the issue is finally resolved. Beryl was already a signatory. Dave and Cathy have now been confirmed as signatories. Agreed that we will remain with HSBC, since changing banks would just be too much trouble.

Anthology – Dave waiting for proof copy – one or two issues still with cover image.

Felixstowe Book Festival – four complimentary tickets for the workshop session available. Can anyone wanting a ticket let Dave or Cathy know. If more than four are requested, names will be drawn from a hat to decide who gets them.

Author Feedback on longer work:
Dave read approximately 2000 words of his novel, working title ‘Pauline’. There was some very thoughtful feedback from the group. All of us were totally engaged with Dave’s characters, and keen to know how the story progresses.

Reading of homework: 
It goes without saying that the stories were varied – with eleven people reading out, it was hardly surprising! The topic, Photograph Album, inspired some excellent work.

Gerry – Negatives
David – The photo album
Carole – The accident
Jim – Adam and Eve and Sissy
Justin – Sharp deviation of route
Anne – The best picture in the album
Jane – Going digital
Derek – The capture of light
Beryl – Great Aunt Cissie
Tony – Three sisters
Liliane – Autumn leaves

Next meeting:

18 June, when it’s our photographic flash fiction evening. Everybody needs to bring in a postcard or photo. These are put face down on the table and shuffled, then we each take one, and use our choice to inspire a story which we write during the meeting. 

An update:

Since the meeting, the proof of the anthology has been received and is being checked by all three of the editorial team.

Remembering Dick...

Spotted in this month's Ipswich 24. This 

was one of Dick's favourite events at 

Landguard Fort.

How wonderful to see him mentioned as 

The Man in Black ghost tour, and of his

book, "Things That Go Bump In The Fort."

An update with thanks...

For those who may not have heard, HSBC have relented and allowed us access once more to our accounts. As such last night we were able to repay the kindly Scribbler who covered our Library rental. Thanks to him our accommodation continued unhindered!

Thanks should also be passed to Beryl who spent weeks in a never ending battle with HSBC who, even now, have never admitted their mistakes nor properly apologised for the gross inconvenience we have suffered.

Thanks to Georgina for helping to organise contact with Gipping Press over the anthology cover. It all seems to be going fine now and we look forward to the final part of the jigsaw - the anthology!

For those who attended last night's meeting, thank you all for some wonderful feedback, suggestions and discussion on "Pauline." It really was appreciated. Thank you.

Dave

OH NO!!!

Here's a message of great importance from one of our long term members... Guess who?

"Well folks, the bad news is that on Thursday 0900-1100, I shall be back on Felixstowe Radio 107.5 fm, or via  internet. Be ready for 60's, 70's and some brilliant current independent artists. Tune in folks. The music promises to be much better than the presenter."

Yay!!!

It's our Tony!!! 

What a meeting!

Felixstowe Scribblers had a very healthy attendance this evening.

First on the agenda was the news, at long last, that HSBC has relented their stance and given authority for our signatories to be recognised. Great news despite receiving no apology for the terrible treatment we have received after their own mistake five years ago when completed mandates were handed over to a member of staff... That's enough of that for the time being.

The main thing is that we were able to repay the kindly Scribbler who offered and paid for our accommodation at the Library. He prefers not to be named but he knows who he is...it's a BIG THANK YOU from us!

Secondly we understand that the problems with the cover image have been sorted and sent to Gipping Press. Hopefully things will get moving very soon. Can't wait!

The evening's author feedback session featured Dave's "Pauline," a story that began from a remark by our old friend Ray Foster suggesting something could be made from a homework piece Dave had written. And so it came to be. 30,000 words or so and one of the characters just didn't feel right. Taking the character out reduced the size by two thirds and meant a virtual re-write. Reading out two passages from this, Dave received excellent feedback and will act on one or two very constructive suggestions.  He thanks everyone for their morale boosting discussion that followed the radings.

After a welcome coffee break, the Scribblers delivered their 500 word work on "Photo Album" and what a marvellous mix of stories we had the pleasure of enjoying. Well done to everyone!

Our next meeting, the last before the forthcoming Felixstowe Book Festival, is another flash fiction event, this time with a slight difference to normal. It is one of the photographic sessions we do from time to time. Simply bring in a photograph of a person or persons, a place or something of your choice - perhaps a train a boat or a plane - and we'll have fun shuffling them up and allowing you to draw one photo, (not your own!) to write about. It is always an enjoyable evening. It takes place on 18th June with a usual start time of 7.30pm.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling! 

Ongoing banking problems

Copyright of Jim McMillan who

understands the complexities

of banking!

Our next meeting...

This Tuesday (tomorrow, 4th June) sees us staging our next meeting. This time the onus is on me to deliver a passage or two from my ongoing novel followed, from my point of view, some feedback however critical. Then, and perhaps more significantly, we will share our 500 word stories on "Photo Album."

 The meeting begins at 7.30.

This last fortnight has been quite stressful... The first and ongoing problem is with HSBC. For some reason I believe they think we are a business and not a group of like minded writers. We still have no access to our accounts. HSBC ignore the fact that their own Felixstowe branch fouled up five years ago - their mistake which is causing so much distress - Hard black and white evidence of our meetings outlining the appointment of signatories five years ago is not sufficient! Every time they demand more and more information, each time it is supplied, it doesn't meet their criteria. Even the Ombudsman has failed to acknowledge our communication. It goes on and on. Somewhere along the way HSBC has to allow access to our funds. The media and the MP spring to mind...

Additionally, we still have a hiccup with the cover design for the anthology but, hopefully, this will soon be sorted.

See you tomorrow at Scribblers!