Tuesday 24 March 2015

Mansfield Crime Cafe, April 7


EXCITING CRIME CAFÉ SPECIAL!

At Mansfield Library

APRIL 7th – 2pm

Author David Zelder

“How being kidnapped at gunpoint aged 11 years shaped my life and my writing”


Don’t miss this exciting talk by award-winning author and professional speaker David Zelder.

Through his writing and frequent radio broadcasts, David aims to bring to the attention of the public, the heinous crimes inflicted on women and children by trafficking gangs.

 

Free – booking advised

Tel 01623 651337

Thursday 19 March 2015

Dawn of the Unread scoops teaching excellence award

Congratulations to Dawn of the Unread

Guardian university awards 2015: winners and runners up

Universities have been awarded for their inspiring projects around employability, student experience and more. The award for ‘Teaching excellence’ went to Dawn of the Unread, an interactive project bringing back literary figures from Nottingham’s past.

Teaching Excellence:
Winner: Nottingham Trent University – Dawn of the Unread

Runner up: Nottingham Trent University – SCALE UP
Runner up: University of Sheffield


Here’s the latest edition ‘Mary Howitt’s Story’ words Alison Moore, art Corrina Rothwell.

Monday 16 March 2015

EMBA Shortlist Announced

YA, non-fiction, sci-fi, fantasy and poetry; the 2015 East Midlands’ Book Award shortlist has been revealed.  

Here are the runners and riders.


The Astronaut, the Cake, and Tomorrow by Matt Sisson (Author), Matthew James Kay (Illustrator).
Matt Sisson’s debut book was a labour of love. The West Bridgfordian spent three years writing the book which examines environmental and financial crises and how they’re connected. Sisson is a communications officer at Loughborough University. A chance meeting with the publisher Searching Finance led to him writing the book. His long-time friend Matthew Kay created the illustrations. Both men are in their early 30s.



Smart by Kim Slater

Kim Slater lives in Nottingham and works in the Education sector.  At the age of forty, she returned to Uni gaining a first-class honours degree and an MA, both in English/Creative Writing. Smart is her debut novel. It’s an uplifting story about a boy with learning difficulties out to solve the mysterious death of a homeless man. Moving and compelling this is a YA novel with a loveable character at its heart; a young boy that uses his art and unique mind to triumph in a world that doesn't understand him.

 
 
Common Ground by DA Prince
Common Ground is DA Prince’s second full collection of poetry. The poems here are graceful and investigative: they relish the space between a journey’s beginning and its destination, an opportunity to catch the world off-guard. Prince belongs to SoundsWrite, a Leicester-based poetry group for women, and attends the Poetry Society Stanza in Market Harborough whenever she can.

 
 
The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter (Fall of the Gaslit Empire Duology) by Rod Duncan
A finalist for the 2014 Phillip K. Dick Award, The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter is a fantasy novel from Leicestershire’s Rod Duncan, a published crime writer with a background in scientific research and computing. The novel follows Elizabeth Barnabus’ double life – as herself and as her brother, the private detective. She is trying to solve the mystery of a disappearing aristocrat and a hoard of arcane machines. In her way stand the rogues, freaks and self-proclaimed alchemists of a travelling circus.
“The East Midlands Book Award is a reminder of the exceptional writing happening in this region. I’ve been involved in the writing scene here for more years than I care to admit. But I’ve never seen a more vibrant, diverse and creative mix than we have right now. To be shortlisted is a great honour.” Rod Duncan

 
 
We Bleed The Same (The Anjelican Saga) by David Wilkinson
David Wilkinson’s debut novel is a work of science fiction. Wilkinson is a physicist and lives in Ashby de la Zouch. His stories are devoted to plot and characters. A visiting fellow at Nottingham Trent University, Wilkinson learned his trade with Writing East Midlands, and is now a member of the established Leicester Writers' Club.

 
 
Towns in Britain by Jones the Planner (Adrian Jones and Chris Matthews)
A lavishly illustrated book that looks at what is happening to our cities today, and is essential reading for those interested in urban design, architecture,and planning. Adrian Jones is a writer and consultant with over 30 years of experience of town and transport design/planning. He’s also an Honorary Doctor of Design, Nottingham Trent University. Chris Matthews is a local historian and graphic designer.

 


The winner of the East Midlands' Book Award for 2015 will be announced on 30 June at Bromley House Library in Nottingham.

 

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Call for Nottingham Monologues

Act 2, in association with Fowl Humour, are looking for 10 minute monologues, set in a public space like a pub, a bench or a café, to be performed in Nottingham in late May. They are inviting writers to send in scripts which explore the theme of honesty and have a Nottingham voice at the centre of them. They want to hear writers' honest opinions about the city, its spaces and what maybe normally goes unsaid.

The scripts will be read by a panel and the top 3 will be produced with all other submissions receiving written feedback. The winning 10 minute pieces will be expanded with support from Act 2 and form part of an exciting week of theatre in Hockley and the Lace Market at the end of May.

The brief
A script of no more than 6 pages for a solo performer, with zero to minimal tech, set in a public space in Nottingham, that could be in Hockley or the Lace Market.

Please send these via email to act2playwriting@gmail.com by 5pm on Friday 10th April.
The WEBSITE



 

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Dawn of the Unread nominated for Guardian University Award

Dawn of the Unread has been nominated for a Guardian University Award. A truly excellent initiative, Nottingham Trent University - Dawn of the Unread, is on the shortlist for ‘Teaching Excellence’ along with NTU – Scale Up and University of Sheffield.


Dawn of the Unread is an interactive graphic novel that is available across all media platforms (iPad, Android, iPhone, website). It was launched on National Libraries’ Day (8 Feb 2014) as a 16 part serial and finishes on 8 June 2015. Literary figures from Nottingham’s past (real and fictional) return from the grave to visit the city as it is today. There’s a zombie theme with our poorly read nation the zombies in need of saving. Keeping our great history alive and bringing our heritage to a new readership falls on the shoulders of local contemporary writers such as Alison Moore and Nicola Monaghan. Each commissioned writer has a different local icon to feature, and each chapter has a place of reading (library, archive or bookshop) at the centre of the narrative.
The chapters come out monthly and each one ends with the chance to join the Unread Library as there are optional tasks to attempt, with scores recorded on a virtual library card and the chance to feature as a character.
It’s a big project that has involved about 100 NTU students and provides much more than the comic stories. There are ‘how to’ videos at the end of each comic and loads of hidden content like essays about the characters involved that should engage many different demographics.
Dawn of the Unread is promoting our literary heritage and helping address the problem of our schools falling literacy levels using social media, Tumblr and Instagram, embedded links, visual storytelling, video, Apps, and modern means of communication to engage younger readers. And once you have their attention you have a chance.
Dawn of the Unread is suitable for 13 year olds and all people over that age.
 
 

Monday 2 March 2015

Sherwood Storytelling Cafe

SHERWOOD STORYTELLING CAFE LAUNCH

NOTTINGHAM: Sherwood the Divine Coffee House

THU 5TH MAR, 2015 Doors at 6.30pm, Event start 7.30pm

A Sherwood night of traditional stories, myths,folk tales legends and songs from some of the best storytellers in the East Midlands. Hear of cursed kings, wise fools and clever lads on brave adventures. Doors open at 6.30 pm for snacks and drinks. Last admission 7.15pm. Latecomers at organisers discretion.