Tag: #Events

All about us

ALL ABOUT US

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To provide a safe, inclusive and constructive environment for local writers to share and discuss their work.

We meet twice a month on a Thursday evening at 6.00 pm, our venue for the group meetings is Anna’s which opens just for us so as a thank you, we purchase drinks and food if required from the bar to consume during the evening. Our events are held here as well at 7pm.

Our group meeting includes a catch-up of all bookish news, competitions, events, submissions and writing-related opportunities. A group exercise is given by one of our members, which is normally a fun way to get your brain thinking about words, sentences and writing. A sharing of work for general discussion and constructive feedback for the writer. Planning for future events. There is also a book swap at Anna’s. 

We then have an event given by an author, illustrator, journalist, critic, poet, writer, publisher or anyone that is local to Folkestone and Kent in the book industry of some description. The talk is about an hour then we have a Q&A session for everyone to participate in. We have a day each week to meet and write, anyone can pop along to these, bring your notebook or laptop to get some words down.  

There is no charge for our events, everyone is welcome plus we are very friendly. Our members have produced two anthologies with the next published in May 2023 they are all available on Amazon. 

Our dream would be to build a community of ‘bookish’ people and offer Writing Retreats in Folkestone.

Exercises

HOLIDAY EXERCISE

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I know sometimes the holidays can get a bit boring if you are on your own or not seeing many visitors or even just missing doing what you love…….writing!

I have an exercise for the ones that would like to do something creative, this is, as always, a choice so stay calm and just write. Even if you don’t have time to edit, that’s ok as you are writing and that’s what you love to do.

These three photos are the prompts so pick one of them and write something, this can be a story, poem or prose but no more than roughly 2,000 words.  If you are a planner of any sort could we see your planning when you read the story to us, this is optional but might give someone a helping hand or ideas of how they could plan a story. Or do you want to try planning? This is a good place to have a go, as I am sure we will have a good Q&A when we read the stories, which will be on the 13th January 2022.

For the illustrator’s, would you combine these photos for a book cover or just use one? Describe how you would go about doing a front cover using these pictures, you will have to make up the genre or title so we know how the cover goes with the story. 

Have fun, we look forward to reading some in the new year.

Meetings

CHRISTMAS BUFFET GET TOGETHER

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On the 9th December from 6pm, we will be having our end-of-year celebration with a Christmas buffet. Everybody is welcome including partners and if you are thinking about joining the group then pop along and meet us all during a relaxed and friendly evening. There will be a nominal charge per person which Matt is working out from The Hideaway.

The members will each be writing a verse for a Christmas card which we will share during the evening.

Our two anthologies will be for sale, Ghosts By The Sea and Doorways To The Sea also if any members would like to bring a couple of their own books so others can see what they have done and buy them or get the link from yourselves then that would be great.

This will be a good time to get to know others from the group and maybe discuss any ideas for next year.

Karen

Meetings

EMOTIONS TASK

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Our next group meeting is on the 4th November starting at 6pm for people to get a drink, network and eat, then we start the meeting about 6.45

Our topic for the evening is emotions, the task set by Andy will be to write about 100 words transferring from one emotion to another. If you use any books like the one above please bring them along to share with your work.

See you on the 4th.

Meetings

THE RETURN OF OUR GROUP MEETINGS

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The Hideaway – Thursday 30th July 2020

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After welcoming everyone, discussing the social distancing and leaving all names plus numbers as per the recommendations from the government, then the drinks were bought with some eating as well, we then got underway.  It was great to see you all after such a long time.

It was a good turnout for our first meeting since this awful pandemic started with twelve of us meeting and apologies from Debby, Matthew, Carol, Mary and John.

Tony decided that the Zoom would not work as needed someone to ‘man’ it.  Facebook messenger was suggested but think that would have the same problem.  Mark suggested that we film it and then put it on the website.  I will talk to Hannah as she may have a suggestion.

Debby asked me to mention the Hythe Festival 25th to 27th September, Facebook page here.  They are thinking a book marquee for workshops, readings and selling your books.  I will update when I hear more but keep the dates free if you can.

Author events – These may be people we know or our own members giving a talk.  I will chat to Charlie Gallagher as he could do a local talk.  Also, our member Paul who writes children’s books offered to do one, I thought this would be good as not had a children’s author visit us.  I had Andy Markwell booked to do a talk about photography for book covers in November so hopefully, that will still go ahead.

Roll-up banner – Tony met up with Roger to ask about the progress so it is still in hand and going ahead, we must remind him in a couple of weeks and see how it is progressing.

Our Anthology – Andy did some calculations so we are looking at the 5 advent calender stories, which may need a polish off by the writers.  Then another 15 stories of about 1,500 to 5,000, I am thinking 2,000 is an average word count.  It would be good to have a couple of poems and some illustrations or photos to mix it all up.  Should we have a children’s section at the back with a story and poem in there for our young readers?  The theme has always been ghostly set in Folkestone but you can mix that up into romance, comedy or anything, as you are all great writers.  I can ask Andy Markwell to assist us in the cover photo.  We will aim for Halloween, Christmas or Easter lol

Sharing of work – It was great to hear what everyone has been up to on their writing journeys and listening to the poems and stories we all shared.

The Wellbeing Centre – I have had to stop the storytime sessions here but if any of you would like to do something similar then please contact Sheree on Facebook messenger.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) – This will be for the month of November, I think we should all try to be involved with this, more so if we do have another lockdown as we can make a messenger group or WhatsApp group to keep everyone updated about what and how much they have written.  We can support and encourage each other.

Future meetings

Meetings held at The Hideaway, 16 Bouverie Rd West,

Folkestone CT20 2SZ  at 6.30 pm

3rd September – Ghostly writing to share and brainstorm

8th October – Group meeting plus ghostly writing & sharing work

12th November – Group meeting & sharing work

19th November – Andy Markwell, photography for book covers

10th December – Group meeting & Christmas meal/buffet

7th January – Group meeting

Contact: Karen 07967532899 or email: karensworld.writer.co.uk

See you all on the 3rd September at 6.30pm        New members always welcome

I have attached a poster of dates so if any of you can share that it would be good as I am not putting out posters in town myself.

https://folkestonewritebythesea.wordpress.com

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Meetings, News

NEWS – TONIGHT

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Hi, first of all I hope you are keeping well and safe. A few things have been bubbling away in the background and I would like to share the Zoom meetings with you that Tony has undertaken to host for the group.  Thank you Tony.

I am struggling with this lockdown so not really up for much at all, in fact I keep thinking I should be writing about all this as it will eventually be history that our future generations will read about and learn, but the motivation and thoughts are just not there.

Here is the message from Tony about how to connect with us tonight.

TONIGHT 6.55

 

Firstly, if you have not already done so, please make sure you have downloaded Zoom:

https://zoom.us/
Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011 …

The meeting ID is 788-8834-9662

The meeting Password is 132655

You may not have to use these figures.

I will open things up at 6.55pm.

I have now purchased a monthly subscription to Zoom, so there should be no issues about the meeting stopping suddenly.

That said, we can break again around 8pm in order that, those who wish to, can express their support for key workers.

I am planning now that we are joined each week by one or more local creatives to entertain us. This week, I am delighted to say that we have two popular artists for the price of one.

Some of you may know Helen Finn (Finn to her friends), owner of YoYo’s Street Food stall on the Old High Street. She is also a talented singer-songwriter, as well as fine interpreter of others’ work, and she will be singing and playing for us this evening.

In addition, I am so pleased that we will have Anthony White from Poets’ Corner reading his latest poem, “Isolation April 2020”.

With the 75th anniversary of VE Day on the following day, I invite attendees to read anything relating to the Second World War that is meaningful to them – poem, speech, personal reminiscence. Frank Butler and I are currently planning to read from the poets from that conflict.

It would also have been Robert Browning’s birthday, so if anyone wants to read from his work, they will be very welcome.

Ultimately, you are invited to read anything – a favourite poem, extract from fiction – or something you have written.

And if all else fails, I have another light Coronavirus inspired quiz for us to do!

Finally, if anyone would like to invite friends to join us, it would be great to see them too.

Look forward to seeing you this evening!

Tony Quarrington
 
(Owner, Tony’s Fabulous Folkestone: Voted Best Home Based Business in Folkestone 2019)
Telephone:     +44 1303 778543
Mobile:           +44 7738 624522
Blog:               www.tonyquarrington.wordpress.com/
See you all later
Karen
Author event 2019

KERRY BARNES

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Kerry is a local best selling author from Dymchurch, I think you would describe her books as gritty crime or as she says “you have to be a bit wicked to write them”. I must say I am looking forward to reading one of Kerry’s books, which I will review on my blog under reviews at Karen’s World.

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Kerry was due to attend the group as one of our visiting authors before we were all sent home for lockdown but hopefully we will see her later in the year.

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Available on Amazon here.

Author event 2019

MARK BROPHY

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Mark Brophy lives alongside the Royal Military Canal near Hythe in Kent. His first book, “The Prince’s Parade” is set in the area where he now lives, a unique wild area on the coast. The book tells the story of Hana, a young girl who moves to the area from London. She falls in love with her new environment and finds excitement but also solace in nature. When she hears that a housing development is planned nearby, Hana enlists the help of some rather unusual friends to stop it.

Mark chose to write this story to explore human relationships and how access to nature is vital for human health. Hana embodies the hope to be found in young people who often have a keen sense of place as part of the environment.
All profit from the book will go to the Save Prince’s Parade campaign, an organisation which has fought for many years to protect this space in Kent.
Mark has visited local schools, speaking to children about nature and engaging with them. He has various ideas for his next book but for now is enjoying talking to people about The Prince’s Parade. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit www.theprincesparade.co.uk

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