Monday 10 November 2014

Our City of Literature

Nottingham is aiming to become a UNESCO City of Literature, an ambitious undertaking. The advice from Edinburgh - the first City of Literature - being, Before you apply, prepare to be dedicated.’

So what is City of Literature status? What are our chances of achieving it? And which other cities are in applying in 2015?
Being named a City of Literature by UNESCO would be a permanent accreditation. If successful we would join an established network of seven * like-minded destinations that share our love and knowledge of literature.
We have an incredible literary heritage which includes the poet Lord Byron. A leading figure among the Romantics, Byron was also a political revolutionary and fighter of independence. D H Lawrence is another of England’s finest poets and one of the 20th century’s most accomplished novelists. The son of a miner, Lawrence was born in Nottinghamshire and his most successful books are set here. Alan Sillitoe makes up our trinity of literary legends. As rebellious and unapologetic as Byron and Lawrence, Sillitoe wrote with a working class resilience that has inspired many of Nottingham’s contemporary authors. His first novel, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, is arguably the best book set in Nottingham. See some of the best novels set in Notts.
Byron, Lawrence and Sillitoe were writers that shook the establishment. They didn’t court controversy, it courted them. 
City of Literature status would see Nottingham working in partnership with the other Creative Cities, exchanging ideas and experiences to help sustain, build upon and promote our heritage and contemporary writing scene.
It’s not like Nottingham folk to celebrate our achievements. Too much like boasting. That’s one of the reasons we write. Somehow it’s not showing off if it’s written down. The pen is our microphone, the page our stage. Being an official City of Literature would unshackle us from our modesty and allow us to share our pride with the world. In addition to this, and the economic boost, the title would provide valuable inspiration to our many aspiring writers and help raise the below-average literacy standards in our inner-city schools.
UNESCO’s list of criteria stresses the importance of quantity as well as quality. When Reykjavik became a City of Literature the sheer number of new titles produced there was a factor. They have more writers, more books published and more books read, per head, than anywhere else in the world. According to the BBC, one in ten Icelanders will publish a book. Impressive stats that demonstrate a depth of writers, but Nottingham can compete. Like Rekyjavik we have a huge number of self-published and independent authors that burst from the many educational programmes and writing groups that thrive here.
Bids must be submitted by March 2015 and other cities intend to apply. Kampala is striving to become the first African city to be admitted into the network. Their bid, being led by the African Writers Trust, is gathering pace. I also understand that Barcelona is in the running. Their candidature, which is being led by Barcelona City Council, is apparently gaining support from the entire country’s book and publishing sector as Spain seeks its first City of Literature. * And then there’s Seattle.
According to the mystery author J A Jance, ‘Seattle has always been a reading town.' Now, the Seattle area of Washington State is home to Amazon, Starbucks and Costco, three powerhouses that greatly influence America’s reading tastes. 
One organisation that helps UNESCO decide which cities deserve the accreditation is PEN International, the non-political promoters of literature and freedom of expression. This might be good news for Nottingham as we excel in providing a voice for independent thought and celebrate diversity. Our Festival of Words being an example. I'm not sure how Seattle’s Amazon factor will sit with PEN.
Nottingham author Chris Nickson worked as a writer in Seattle so I asked him for his verdict on their literary merits compared with ours.
‘As someone who's lived in both Seattle and Nottingham, it's fair to say that both have their good and bad points. With Five Leaves, Nottingham has a thriving small press and independent bookshop. There's a good literary festival, and Nottingham Libraries are supportive of writers, in my experience. A good tradition, too, from Lawrence to Sillitoe to John Harvey and Alison Moore.
Seattle doesn't have a literary festival, but it does have a plethora of independent bookshops. Elliott Bay, by far the biggest, has writers from all over reading most nights of the month. It's a place that's very supportive of its writers, with a number of small presses and literary magazines. Interestingly, several British writers have made their homes there - Jonathan Raban and the late Michael Dibdin, for instance - and a number of American writers, too. It's vibrant, and has been for several decades. For a young city (the first white settlers arrived in 1851), it's quickly grown into a vibrant place. The underground and alternative in all forms or the arts thrives there.’
You won't want to hear this, and I'm sad to say it, but I do believe that Seattle has the edge for the title (and I'd even have to give it the edge over my hometown, Leeds, which says a lot).
It seems that the case for Seattle will be a strong one and, in the spirit of the creative cities network, it’s good that the Nottingham bid team is exchanging ideas with theirs. Demonstrating an ability to collaborate internationally is important. In recent times only one city a year has been given City of Literature status (Dublin 2010, Reykjavík 2011, Norwich 2012, Kraków 2013) * but the award is non-competitive - in 2008 Melbourne and Iowa City were both accredited - so good luck to all the applicants. UNESCO’s decision is expected in November 2015.
Nottingham's bid has good backing from a range of sources but we must encourage the whole of Nottingham to get behind us. Let's show how much we care about literature and literacy. To do this we must highlight our numerous innovative approaches to encouraging reading and writing at grassroots level. Only this week a new publisher is launching at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal. Dayglo Books will publish books for dyslexic adults and children. Using many special adaptations that include a new font, and following British Dyslexia Association guidelines, these stories will make reading accessible for the many dyslexic people currently ignored by the publishing world. Another project that impressed me was held in Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts. Authors from New Writers UK (founded and based in Nottingham) helped a group of children produce stories based on their local history. This generated an interest in the kids’ hometown and led to the publication of a collection of their proud words and illustrations. Copies of this book are now in the Notts libraries.
There are many, many other examples of Nottingham nurturing its talent. Our writing community supports and encourages writers, qualities that would make us a valuable member of the Creative Cities network. In fact, we are a natural choice. Tracing back to the tales of Robin Hood our city has an identity shaped by storytelling. We challenge authority, value free expression and fight our fights with words. Like Robin Hood we demand social justice and the right to a good time.
City of Literature status would be wonderful for Nottingham. I created this blog because I wanted to do my bit to help raise awareness of the groups and activities that exist in my city (many of them listed to the right), and to celebrate the best of our literature. I know how talented, creative, active and ambitious the people of Nottingham are. We are ready for UNESCO to acknowledge this. Please BACK NOTTINGHAM’S BID.

On December 1st 2014, four new cities were given City of Literature status bringing the total amount of Cities of Literature in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to eleven. They include Spain’s first city of literature, Granada.

Information about the new cities can be found here:








Other links of inspiration:
Iowa City, the third City of Literature, website and Video


 

 

 

 

Sunday 9 November 2014

Book Launch at Five Leaves, Nov 13

The Woman Under the Ground and Other Stories

Novelist Megan Tayor's outstanding first collection of short stories is to be launched at a party on November 13th at Five Leaves Bookshop Nottingham. 7pm.

Artist Nikki Pinder, who created the breathtaking cover design and an original line drawings for each story, will talk about her work and answer questions. A slideshow of the images will run throughout the event.

All welcome - no ticket required. Refreshments served.

 
Powerful and beautifully observed, ‘The Woman Under the Ground’ is novelist Megan Taylor’s first collection of short stories. The writing is brooding and mysterious with finely drawn characters, so often the victims of absence and loss: a child taken to a neglected museum by her forsaken father; a woman revisiting the scene of an ended affair; a couple taking a road trip to try to reconcile the death of their daughter…
From dark adult secrets to night visitors to the dangerous passions of small girls, these stories explore fractured relationships and moments of self revelation with an uncanny honesty and insight.
Megan Taylor is the author of How We Were Lost (Flame books, 2007), The Dawning (Weathervane, 2010) and The Lives of Ghosts (Weathervane, 2012).
 

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Haunted - workshop and launch

If you enjoy reading ghost stories, or fancy trying your hand at writing a ghost story then you won’t want to miss the Haunted event at Nottingham Central Library on Wednesday 12th November.

Haunted
Writing Ghost Stories
12 November 2014, 6pm to 7pm Nottingham Central Library

A haunting evening at Nottingham Central Library! As the nights draw in, what better way to face the darkness than with some traditional ghost stories?
Ghost stories are an enduringly popular form of literature, from the classics of Dickens and MR James to modern tales from the likes of Susan Hill. But how do you go about creating the perfect supernatural tale? This workshop will explore how to build atmosphere and deliver a strong scare that will stay with your reader for a long time. Delivered by acclaimed writing tutor and horror author Alex Davis, this workshop has sold out many times in the past, so book early to avoid disappointment!

Book Launch - "Haunted"
12 November 2014, 7.30 to 8.30pm Nottingham Central Library

Boo Books is proud to present HAUNTED, a collection of spine chillers written by a host of local authors and international talent. Join Boo Books editor Alex Davis and a range of authors for readings, Q+A and book sales on the night.

Tickets for each event cost £2.50; a joint ticket costs £3.50.
To book, telephone 0115 915 2825 or email enquiryline@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

For more information, or any queries, contact Alex Davis at boobooks@hotmail.co.uk

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Book Festival & Fayre in 10th year



10th New Writers UK Book Festival & Fayre 
Saturday 25th October, 2014, 10.00am to 5.00pm     

For Readers. For Writers. Free to attend.

At Nottinghamshire County Council’s County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham  NG2 7QP 
  
The programme:

10.00am BBC Radio Presenter Mark Dennison opens the Festival

11.00am A J Dalton
Creative Writing Workshop and Talk: How to Approach Publishers. A J Dalton is a highly acclaimed dark fantasy author.

12.00noon Nicola Monaghan
A talk from the award-winning author and professional writing lecturer.

1.00pm Michael Cox
The children’s author will be giving a talk about his books in his own wonderfully entertaining style.

2.00pm Awards Presentation for the finalists of the New Writers UK Creative Writing Competition for Children and Young People 2014.

3.45 to 4.30pm Question and Answer session with our panel of guests
Plus Cherie Zamazing, author of 'Peter's Pebbles'. Cherie will be participating during the day helping younger children create their own pebble paintings.

Free admission, free parking, refreshments available, books for sale, face painting for younger children, advice and support for new writers.



Review, Festival of Words



Nottingham Festival of Words 2014

With around fifty different listings (the majority free to attend) there was something for everyone that’s ever used a word.
 
Taking over the city

Lyric Lounge

The Nottingham Festival of Words thinks outside the book. An example of this was found at the Contemporary Art Gallery where words came alive, and not a book in sight. This ‘storytelling special’ and celebration of the spoken word was hosted by the East Midlands’ Lyric Lounge, a group of performers, poets and storytellers. 

The packed programme presented a dilemma, should I begin with the performance poetry or attend a storytelling workshop? The bar was featuring shows from Mark Gwynne Jones and Little Machine. I’d seen Mark before and loved his sideways glance at the human condition. As tempted as I was hear more of his unique crossover between poetry and observational comedy I tossed a coin.

Tails - for the workshop. 

Sophie Snell was offering this taster session on the art of oral storytelling. A full-time professional storyteller, Sophie had recently become chair of Tales from Two Cities, combining groups from Nottingham and Derby. This new super-group was formed after the sad passing of Pete Davis, founder of Storytellers of Nottingham.

Five minutes in and I was sat there with just one other punter, listening to the laughter and applause rising from the room below. Then the other guy gave it the old is that my phone? trick and slipped out never to return. 

People did eventually filter through, providing Sophie with eight of us to teach. She began by telling a gory story based on an old tale called The Hand of Glory, a myth about the dried and pickled hand of a man who has been hanged. This hand can be used by thieves to unlock doors and render people motionless. With Sophie’s changes of pace, facial expressions and body language, it was evident that we were in the presence of a fine storyteller, combining many of the skills of an actor, comic and writer. 

There’s a rhythm to her stories, much like music. And, as with a chorus, there’s often a repetitive section of rhyme that encourages the audience to join in as they come to know the words. 

The language uses minimal description that’s highly visual. In just a few words the listener has enough to form a picture in their head. Many writers could learn from this. 


It seems that to be a master storyteller you must first master the story. The tale travels along in the same order every time but each telling can be different, adapted to fit the needs and makeup of the audience. Each scene or plot point appears as an image in the teller’s head. The describing of this image and transition to the next can allow for flexibility, making each version different from the last, in theory. 

Sophie trawls the internet, digging out folktales, often just the bones of a story, from which she can add the meat in her own style. It’s this that makes the old tales fresh and unique to each new storyteller.

We also learnt how important the venue is: ideally, one with no distractions that also allows the teller to read the listeners’ faces. The tips kept coming in this excellent session. Like, how to keep the stories simple, making them easy to follow and remember.  

Sophie admitted to having caught the storytelling bug and her passion for it shines. The immediate feedback oral storytelling demands must give the teller an adrenalin kick. The nerves, highs and lows akin to that of a stand-up comic. But finding the confidence to tell a tale? Sophie says it’s about doing it, practicing on your own, knowing the basic story then getting out in front of an audience. To prove her point, we told stories, to each other. Then repeated them, working on our timing. 


After Pete Davis did so much to raise the profile of storytelling in the city it’s good to know that, with Sophie, the art of spinning a yarn is in good hands. 

Tales from Two Cities hold regular storytelling evenings, alternating monthly between Derby and Nottingham. Many of these feature open-mic segments so give it a go. Sophie Snell also offers full day workshops to hone your skills. 

By the time we made it down to the bar area, LiTTLe MACHiNe - a South London acoustic trio that put classic poems to music - had just finished and the open-mic section was in swing. Poet Laureate for Lincolnshire Joel Stickley was MCing the bash and he was a good choice for the role. His Dave Gorman-esque style and generosity of limelight allowed the plucky poets and storytellers to showcase their diverse skills.  

From members of the Mouthy Poets to the rank amateurs, the poetry was accessible, and the standard was impressive, the audience equally so. A large crowd, sympathetic and encouraging, cheered each speaker to and from the stage whilst listening with the upmost respect during the performances. It made for a warm atmosphere, perfect for the spoken word. So much so that two members of the workshop found the bottle to join the open-mic. Proof, if needed, of the workshop’s success.


Headlining the evening was Shonaleigh Cumbers one of the country’s leading storytellers. She’s known from her Jewish folk-tales collected and passed down through generations. I’d attended her one woman show at the Playhouse a couple of years back and, unfortunately for me, many of the stories were making a repeat outing here. Still, she was on good form and generated much laughter and admiration from the crowd.  

The spoken word as entertainment is alive and well in Nottingham. 

With thanks to Martin from www.m-dash.com for the Lyric Loung images.

The Outburstables
I popped into town on Sunday and came home a changed man. Having collected a couple of Owen Jones tickets from the Five Leaves bookshop I ducked in the Nottingham Writers’ Studio’s open house to see something called The Outburstables. I’d no idea what to expect but headed down the ramp towards what sounded like a youth club. Uh-oh. Seeing a bunch of young people larking about and breaking into impromptu singing was not my scene and I was close to leaving when silence descended. 

A lady introducing herself as Nicci Robinson said that it was the soft launch of a memoir anthology titled Speaking Out. What followed was both devastating and inspirational. 

Words can entertain and thrill but they also have the power to hurt people and allow those that have been hurt to tell their stories.  

OutBurst is a group for young people aged 11-19 who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or are questioning their sexuality. They took turns to tell their stories. Several of these memoirs were heart-breaking. Tales of sexual abuse, assault, bullying, loss, grief, self-harm, attempted suicide, depression, and hope. These were people that wanted to tell their stories to help others going through similar situations. These were stories that needed to be told. 

The venue, that had been full of laughter and song, was suddenly filling with tears. But not those of the young. They were displaying astounding courage. Putting their stories out there. Opening themselves up. It was a privilege to be there but a shock of reality. It’s so sad to hear young people demonstrate such suffering, and frightening that this can even be due to nothing more than their sexuality. People need to read this anthology. The disgraceful levels of homophobia and bullying might not shock you but the way schools, parents, and care homes are ‘coping’ with it certainly will. 

There are moments of humour, and the way the group has come together is uplifting, but this is haunting evidence of the power of words, and the courage shown in speaking them.  

The anthology will be officially launched at Waterstone’s next month. I urge you to go along and buy a copy. 


Saturday 18 October 2014

Nick Toczek's one-man show

Dragon

Nick Toczek's Million Miles an Hour Show

Come and be entertained at Meadows Library on Wednesday 29 October at 2pm by best-selling author, poet, magician and puppeteer, Nick Toczek as he performs his amazing one-man show.
Be thrilled as he performs snappy poems, baffling magic tricks, fantastic tales and meet his wild and wilful puppets...all at breakneck speed!
This event has been organised by Friends of Meadows Library.
Check What's On for further details

Friday 17 October 2014

In Memory of Pete Davis

Storytelling 

Weds 22nd October (Derby) 8pm

Tales in Honour and Memory of Pete Davis
This evening will be a special tribute to Pete Davis, founder and mainstay of the Storytellers of Nottingham, who sadly passed away in August this year. Pete’s contribution to storytelling, and to the lives of those who knew him, is too great to let it go by unremarked. Tales of Two Cities wouldn't exist were it not for Pete, and so this month’s evening will be in honour and memory of him.
It’s being held in Derby (even though Nottingham might seem the more logical venue) as the Voicebox is fully accessible to ensure that everyone who wants to come is able to (and there will be plenty of cakes too)
Pete Sturgess is MC’ing and the evening will be filled with tales from the Storytellers of Nottingham in honour of Pete Davis.

At The Voicebox, Kensington Mews / Forman Street, Derby, DE1 1JQ. (Follow the inner city ring road from the A52 / Nottingham side of the city, past the Westfield shopping centre / M&S and turn off the roundabout where there is a sign for the Abbey Street carpark – park up there – it’s free after 8pm – and Forman Street is a side road along from the carpark).

Fantasy authors at Waterstone's Sat 18th

In Conversation

AJ Dalton, Tom Lloyd

WATERSTONE'S NOTTINGHAM BRIDLE
Saturday, 18 October 2014, 7:00PM
Tickets £3, available from the shop

The rising champion of Metaphysical Fantasy, AJ Dalton, will be in the Sillitoe Room at Waterstones Nottingham to square-off on stage with Tom Lloyd, the best-selling writer of the Twilight Reign novels. A talk about their new novels will be accompanied by a Q&A and a discussion of the current flavours in the wider world of science fiction and fantasy.

Further details:0115 947 0069

Monday 13 October 2014

Visit our Festival of Words


NOTTINGHAM FESTIVAL OF WORDS - 13-19 October

The festival kicks off today and there's loads of events to tempt you out. 

View the full programme HERE
Meanwhile here are some of the highlights:

Writing from China
Mon 13th, 7.30pm – 9.00pm
At Nottingham Writers’ Studio
An illuminating conversation about literature inspired by China, its people and its extraordinary history. Chinese American writer Karen Ma and author Rhiannon Jenkins Tsang will be joined in conversation by Will Buckingham. Cost £4.LINK

Faultlines

Tue 14th, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
At Sillitoe Room, Waterstone’s
In a world increasingly divided into haves and have nots, or believers and apostates, what is the role of the writer? Cost £5 (£4 conc.) LINK

Death Sentences
Wed 15th, 2pm-4.30pm
At The Galleries of Justice
A creative-writing workshop with Stephen Booth, Steven Dunne and Anne Zouroudi. Cost £30 (£25 conc.)
And at 7pm
Join Booth, Dunne and Zouroudi at the magistrates’ bench in the atmospheric Civil Court as they give readings. Cost £10 (£7 conc.) LINK

Lyric Lounge
Thurs 16th, 6pm
At Nottingham Contemporary
The East Midlands' celebrated travelling spoken word festival comes to Nottingham Festival of Words! A jam-packed programme of artists, live-literature, storytelling, workshops and open-mic for all to enjoy. Cost £5. LINK

Fri 17th, Events take place at University of Nottingham, Lakeside Arts and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.
 
Sat 18th, Events take place at Nottingham Trent and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.


Sun 19th, Events take place in the Market Square, Council House and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.  (last day of the Festival of Words)


Left Lion's literature editor James K Walker picks his highlights HERE

Saturday 4 October 2014

Literary Events this month in Nottingham

Literary and Spoken Word Events in Nottingham, October 2014

This month is rammed with great events to get you out the house.
 

Not The Hay Book Festival
Sun 5th, 10am – 4pm
At Bartons, Chilwell, NG9 4AJ
Author Talks, Book Stalls, part of the Sunday market. Free to attend talks from authors Stephen Booth, Marianne Whiting, Julie Malone and Nick Thom.


Jazz & Poetry
Wed 8th, 8pm-10.30pm
At The Guitar Bar, Sherwood
The popular series returns, with jazz from Four in the Bar interspersed with poetry from Mahendra Solanki and Sue Dymoke. Suggested donation £4 (£2 unwaged) towards poets' travel expenses.

A Girl With A Book
Thurs 9th, 7.30pm
At Nottingham Writers' Studio
Written and performed by Nick Wood, directed by Andrew Breakwell.
What happens when the writer finds his research uncovers attitudes at odds with his liberal convictions? Can a Guardian reader really be prejudiced? The play also asks why a girl who wanted to go to school should become a target. Tickets £6, £4 for NWS members.
 
Telling Tales Children's Festival
Sat 11th, all day
Lady Bay, West Bridgford
Nottingham Kids’ Festival of Imagination is a not-for profit community event providing exciting opportunities for children between 3 and 13 years to get involved with the fun, imagination and creativity involved in the world of story-making.


NOTTINGHAM FESTIVAL OF WORDS - 13-19 October

View the full programme HERE
Meanwhile here are some of the highlights:

 
Between Languages / Idir Teangacha
Mon 13th, 4.30pm – 6.00pm
At Cappuchaino Café
Sheelagh Gallagher and Deirdre O'Byrne will discuss the influence of Irish language on Irish literature written in English.
 
Writing from China
Mon 13th, 7.30pm – 9.00pm
At Nottingham Writers’ Studio
An illuminating conversation about literature inspired by China, its people and its extraordinary history. Chinese American writer Karen Ma and author Rhiannon Jenkins Tsang will be joined in conversation by Will Buckingham. Cost £4.

Faultlines

Tue 14th, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
At Sillitoe Room, Waterstone’s
In a world increasingly divided into haves and have nots, or believers and apostates, what is the role of the writer? Cost £5 (£4 conc.) LINK
 
Death Sentences
Wed 15th, 2pm-4.30pm
At The Galleries of Justice
A creative-writing workshop with Stephen Booth, Steven Dunne and Anne Zouroudi. Cost £30 (£25 conc.)
And at 7pm
Join Booth, Dunne and Zouroudi at the magistrates’ bench in the atmospheric Civil Court as they give readings. Cost £10 (£7 conc.) LINK
 
Lyric Lounge
Thurs 16th, 6pm
At Nottingham Contemporary
The East Midlands' celebrated travelling spoken word festival comes to Nottingham Festival of Words! A jam-packed programme of artists, live-literature, storytelling, workshops and open-mic for all to enjoy. Cost £5. LINK
 
Fri 17th, Events take place at University of Nottingham, Lakeside Arts and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.
Sat 18th, Events take place at Nottingham Trent and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.

Sun 19th, Events take place in the Market Square, Council House and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. See programme.  (last day of the Festival of Words)


It’s a Long Way to Tipperary
Mon 20th, 2pm
At Nottingham Central Library.  
Irish Soldiers in the British Army found themselves on “the wrong side” when the fight for independence broke out in 1916. Deirdre O’Byrne discusses how these divided loyalties have been represented in literature. Cost £2.50. Tickets are available from the Central Library Helpdesk.  Call 0115 915 2825

 
New Writers UK Book Festival & Fayre X
Sat 25th, 10am-4.30pm

At County Hall, West Bridgford

Free to attend author talks, workshops and more. Nicola Monaghan, A J Dalton, Michael Cox and BBC Radio Nottingham’s Mark Dennison. Includes:  Creative writing workshops, How to approach publishers, Panel.

LINK


Author Talk, Martin Davies
Wed 29th, 2pm.
At Nottingham Central Library
Martin Davies, author of “ Conjuror’s Bird” and “The Year After” will be speaking about his new novel, “Havana Sleeping” a story of espionage, love and murder based on a real life case from the 1850’s. Cost £2.50. For tickets call 0115 915 2825 or email enquiryline@nottinghamcity.gov.uk