An 82-year-old teacher and theatre director has been given a three-book deal after writing her first novel.
The Great Lie, the start of Myrrha Stanford-Smith's trilogy, is a fictional look at William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe's rivalry.
The Brighton-born grandmother from Anglesey said she was gobsmacked to be offered the book agreement.
Read more over at BBC news...
Manchester's Poetica, the self-help poetry writing group, is on a mini tour! Catch them at the Eighth Day Cafe on Oxford Road at 6.15pm tomorrow evening (Wednesday 30 June).
Then on Wednesday 14 July they will meet at 7pm in the Kim By the Sea cafe in Hulme, (opposite Hulme Community Garden Centre) where they will showcase the work of some of their poets including: Andy N, Gaetana Trippetti, John Calvert, David Keyworth, Steven Waling, Richard Barrett and Dermot Moroney.
Members range from very experienced to the novice, and newcomers are always welcome. Bring copies of your work for discussion.
Photography – Len Grant & Penny Skerrett
Poetry – Linda Chase & Adam O’Riordan
Short Story – Adèle Geras & Nicholas Royle.
For information and entry forms visit the Festival website www.didsburyartsfestival.org/competition
The writer will be joined by high profile guests Blake Morrison and John Gray for the evening event at the University's Martin Harris Centre. The event will offer a unique chance to hear Professor Amis and his guests discuss the psychological and cultural roots of violent acts, and consider the ways in which writers from Shakespeare to JG Ballard depict and respond to violence.
Organisers at the Centre for New Writing expect a lively and stimulating evening which will conclude with a Q and A session, allowing members of the public and students to put questions to the panel.15 year old Brent's post goes global! An avid reader, 15-yr-old Brent wrote a post titled Gay teen blogger/book reviewer takes librarians to task over LGBT lit and thousands of people have been reading it since publicationlast week.
In his article Brent describes his disappointing encounters with librarians and libraries and what he'd like to see in a well-rounded young adult LGBT book collection (hint: not just coming-out narratives) and how crucial books with gay teen characters have been to his development as a proud gay teen.
Don't miss the discussion in the comments - many by librarians and authors, including Ellen Hopkins and Michael Grant.
(via LISnews.org)
Manchester’s independent book market is back and we'll be there too. Set in the tranquil surroundings of leafy 18th century St Ann’s Square, the market is a chance to while away the hours being inspired by some of the region’s finest writers and artists.
Organised in conjunction with Literature Northwest, the market first took place in the city in 2006, and offers book lovers an opportunity to buy directly from some of the UK’s leading independent publishers.
The market, which normally takes place over a July weekend, also gives shoppers the opportunity to hear live readings of poetry, fiction and children’s literature given by some of the North West 's most talented spoken word performers.
The market includes a truly diverse selection of works from photography to award winning poetry, comics to non-fiction. The event offers individuals of all tastes and interests the opportunity to sample literature that won't necessarily be found on the high street.
Visitors can also take time to pause from browsing the stalls or listening to readings for a bite to eat. The market takes place on 25 and 26 June in St Ann's Square. Opening times are 10am-5.30pm.
You'll find City Library at the corner of Deansgate and Jackson’s Row at Elliot House, 151 Deansgate. Have a look on StreetView. According to Google Maps it's a five minute walk from Central Library to City Library - directions are here.
William Tennant is a Manchester writer who has successfully published his first book, The Scars, on Podiobooks. Keen to "get something out there" he recorded the book in his back bedroom with an iPhone, a laptop, a coathanger and a pair of tights! With the help of Evo Terra at Podiobooks he was able to make it available on iTunes.
Anne Michaels' novel Fugitive Pieces (Bloomsbury) has won the 2010 Orange Prize Youth Panel Award, set up to celebrate the 15th year of the prize for women's writing.
The panel of six teenagers, recruited via Penguin's spinebreakers.co.uk website, chose the novel from a shortlist of six collected from winners over the past 15 years, including titles from Zadie Smith, Helen Dunmore and Andrea Levy.
Michaels will travel from Canada to accept the award at the Orange Prize celebrations on Wednesday (9th June), when the Fiction and New Writers winners will be announced.
Reserve Fugitive Pieces for free from the online catalogue. You can collect it from your nearest library and we will email you when it is ready to pick up. Don't have a library card? No problem - join online - it's free too!
The Youth Panel shortlist in full:
A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels
When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant
Small Island by Andrea Levy
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie
