Open Mic Night

Open Mic Night
25th November 2010

This is the second Open Mic Night from the Verulam Writers’ Circle. The first was an event full of magic, mystery, mirth and on occasion morbidity, and this year’s experience is shaping up to be just as wonderful.
As part of the annual Short Story Week, the event is being hosted at The Goat, 37 Sopwell Lane, St. Albans, AL1 1RN on Thursday 25th November. Arrival time 7pm the readings begin at 7:30pm expecting to finish around 10:30pm, but don’t hold us to that.

You’ll find us in the front bar, just as you come in the front door, turn left and you’ll find us. The work read will be varied as suggested above and be prepared to laugh, cry and maybe feel fear, but this is all done in short burst, hence the short story element, you will also find a touch of the poetical amongst the creative works on offer. check out their websites.
All of the authors below and around another twenty will be reading their short stories, poetry or any other material they have selected for the evenings entertainment.

Check out these websites for more information on the talent standing up for your entertainment.

Toby Frost – creator of the Space Captain smith trilogy http://spacecaptainsmith.com/
Jon Pinnock – creator of the Mrs Darcy & the Aliens www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com
Ian Cundell - Journalist http://www.cundell.net/
Julie Mayhew – creator of the forthcoming 16 Days Since http://juliemayhew.co.uk/
Mandy Knight – comedian & writer http://www.mandyknight.co.uk/
Jenny Barden – her upcoming novel To the Ends of the World http://www.jennybarden.com
Oscar Windsor-Smith http://oscarwindsor-smith.blogspot.com/
Sandra Norval http://www.sandranorval.co.uk/12.html
Steve Barley http://www.stevenbarley.com/
Dave Weaver http://daveweaver-unreal.blogspot.com/

Added to this we have the honour of the amazing Mandy Knight who has agreed to take time out of her busy schedule to MC for us on the night.

So put the address in your Satnav and head on over. You will be in for an evening of great amusement.

SCBWI Agents Party

I don’t like travelling on trains and the underground is worse. But, I braved the crowds and wormed my way around the seemingly endless tunnels and resurfaced outside Charing Cross Station. A little walk down Villiers Street, left into John Adam Street, up the stairs at the Theodore Bullfrog and relaxed.

Having been unable to attend any of the other SCBWI events in London due to work commitments, I was pleased to find this meeting fell at a time I was able to participate. Approximately 50 authors and illustrators were in attendance and all to gain knowledge from Illustrators or Authors Agents.

Each of the agents spoke about their agencies and what services they provide. Those in attendance were: Eve White from The Eve White Literary Agent – www.evewhite.co.uk and PFD were represented by Daniel Neilson assistant to Suzy Jenvey – www.pfd.co.uk For the illustrators amongst the crowd were: Mark Mills from Plum Pudding – www.plumpuddingillustration.com and Edwards Burns from Advocate Art – www.advocate-art.com

After a very informative question and answer session, a great deal of networking took place. This was not only a time for authors/illustrators and agents to chat, but for the group to socialise, meet or reacquaint themselves with other SCBWI members.

Everyone in attendance had the opportunity to win a one-on-one appointment with an agent. There were five agents willing to participate including Jo Williamson of Antony Harwood Literary Agency – www.antonyharwood.com who was unable to attend during the evening. There were three very excited authors (one of them me) and two thrilled illustrators selected for this great opportunity.

The whole event was well organised and ran smoothly. It is through networking like this that we writers/illustrators keep abreast of trends, and get to chat with likeminded people. In this way you pick up tips and contacts that help you move forward in your work. It is also a chance to keep up with current trends and things to avoid writing about.

I guess trains aren’t that bad after all. Without them I wouldn’t have had such an excellent evening.

Submitting again.

Since reporting on the SCWBI retreat, I've been busily working away at preparing submissions. Research, re-writing and revising. But that is all done now, well for the three manuscripts I've just sent off. Technically I've sent five things out. Two of those five have been for the Winchester Writers Conference in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'll be able to go down this year. I'll miss my writing friends and catching up with their lives. And the networking that happens naturally. It is frustrating, but something I'll have to get used to. Two of the other manuscripts have gone to a publisher, after a positive conversation. they are both picture books. One simple but hopefully beautiful text, the other a text with a musical refrain. I can but hope they will be loved, just as I love them. The last manuscript has gone off to an agent, and this is a pitch for representation for my fantasy work, and the series I'm currently writing.
I love writing, fantasy and will one day be shouting on here saying I've done it but until that day occurs, I'll keep on submitting and writing.