Tag: AUTHORS

Transformations by Beth Brooke

~ JacciGoodingAuthor

Taking inspiration from sculptor Elisabeth Frink’s work, which at the time of writing is on display at the Dorset Museum, Beth Brooke has crafted beautiful and in some cases brutal poetry. Thus this new collection of ekphrastic poetry entitled Transformations and published by Hedgehog Press overflows such vivid imagery that to the reader it really does feel the works of art that inspired her live and breathe. Her offering Gourmand (one who enjoys eating and often does it too much) is deliciously dark, after all, who could not feel a tremor pass through them when presented with lines like ‘maggoty, they melt upon the tongue’ referring to bits of decaying flesh. Don’t worry though, we’re not talking human. I don’t think..! It’s the last two lines however that will make your toes curl. Beth’s view of the natural world is spot-on especially her ornithological observations.
In the wonderful poem Internal Monologue of the Wild Boar, line structure and word spacing make us really feel we are there with the boar as he snuffles gently across the forest floor gathering all to him. Acorns and crab apples are gobbled up with a ‘garnish of beetle’ as we ponderously wander the woods, nose down as earthy scents fill our nostrils and it is delightful.
Changing the pace is the next poem simply entitled Dog. Nothing exemplifies the happiness in this short poem than the line ‘howls with joy’ and you can feel the excitement and energy rushing off the page. Wonderful to read.
This gorgeous collection of poetry creates searing imagery through the thoughtful choice of words and their placement on the page. Not familiar with Elisabeth Frink’s work I certainly get an idea of it via Beth’s poems. For example in Chinese Horse I (Rolling Horse) although I cannot see the bronze I can see the horse, feel it’s strength and hear it’s pounding hooves through lines such as ‘I am body machine heart engine blood’ as the magnificent beast bursts into life, charging across the page with such vitality it is impossible not to feel the wind as it races by.

If you like poetry inspired by art and nature I cannot recommend Transformations enough. The poems are short, touching, clear in their message and in all cases emotionally moving in some way. And the image on the front cover? A favourite of mythology and folklore, the Green Man. A really enjoyable read.

Want me to review your work? Just message me!

South Warwickshire Lit Fest 2023

~ JacciGoodingAuthor

Well what a giggle that was! Not that I was there in the end – face down on my pillow for 86 hours and a thick red ‘You’re Not Going Anywhere Sunshine’ line on my Covid test. Yep indeedy folks, a year of planning and writing stonkingly funny Tweets and I missed it! Thank the God of Writers (is there such a thing?) (I bet there is) friend and author Jenny Heap stepped in and did a marvellous job opening, compering and closing the day, whilst the other team members and friends Lynn Macwhinnie and Gwyneth Box held the rest of the day together, along with a lovely gathering of volunteers. But there’s a lesson in there chums – always have a plan B and C!

Great big thanks must absolutely go to all our authors, poets, and workshop leaders: Dr Claire Millington, Emily Hunt, Gabrielle Mullarkey, Celia Rees, Erin Green, Louise Boland (Fairlight Books), Fran Hill, Gwyneth Box, Melissa Addey, Creative Writing Events.

Here’s a quick snippet from our feedback forms and I have to say dear reader, all the feedback we were given was stupendous. Thank you everyone who came – we couldn’t do it without you.

I know; if I had one, I’d blow it.

So next year I hear you saying? Well, another writing competition is on the horizon for January, so keep tuned!

South Warwickshire Literary Festival 2023

~ JacciGoodingAuthor ~ 3 Comments

As some of you may know last year was our first year at having a go at Doing A Lit Fest and we got so excited about it that this month sees us doing it again, this time in Harbury, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. We expanded our reach a bit by launching a writing competition in April and by the time you read this our winners will know they’ve won. It’s been a privilege reading work from so many authors; fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry and thankfully I didn’t have to judge any of the entries. Our three authors who did do the judging had a difficult job as we received so much great stuff. Where to start! Anyhow, it’s always great to win, right? but for those who haven’t on this occasion, the best advice is to just keep plugging away. I say this from experience! ‘Ah so what’ I mutter, as yet another rejection email slips into my inbox. ‘Clearly the world isn’t ready for my amazing writing just yet and where the hell is that bottle opener…?’

But here we are heading toward Saturday 23rd – here’s the postcode if you fancy coming along – CV33 9JE – all our workshops are now full but we have an amazing running order. Just look at this lot! Author Erin Green – she of the 12 romance and romcom novels – will be giving a talk on life as an agented and published author, sharing her insight and experience and telling it like it is to be a writer in the current climate. We delighted to have Louise Bolan, founder of the superb Fairlight Books giving the headline talk on everything you’ll ever need to know about how to get your work in front of a small publisher. Local author Celia Rees, author of award-winning Witch Child is joining us, historian Dr Claire Millington is opening the show with a talk about her children’s book set in Pompeii at a time when things got a bit hot and dusty, and no SWLF would be complete without our current Young Poet Laureate. Honestly, kids these days! Poetic, Talented, The Future!

Our workshops are full so sorry if you’ve missed out there – we won’t tell you about the fantastic stuff you are missing out on as that would be meany meany of us but do still nab a ticket and come along to enjoy our lunchtime Open Mic – oh that’ll be a hoot! Got a poem to perform, a flash to voice, or a short story to shout about? Now’s your chance! Oh and if all this delicious writery stuff isn’t enough, we’ll also have a raffle with some great prizes on offer. Books anyone?

To be sure to get a ticket please hop over to the SWLF website. There may be a possibility to buy on the door but numbers are limited and you know what they say…when we’re full, we’re full. Or something like that… See You There!

7 Tips for Clever Writing

~ JacciGoodingAuthor

A few blogs back I wrote about being inspired by art. Well, with that in mind, I painted this picture to give vent to my lack of artistic talent. Like it? Not bad is it. I like the way the lines all merge together in a conclusion of colour that burst from the screen.

Confession time.

It’s a photo. It’s a photo of the sky and some plants taken through a wibbly wobbly window but it looks ok doesn’t it! Think you’re looking at one thing, but really you’re looking at another. That’s the trick. Now turn that into clever writing.

What do I mean by clever writing? What even is that?! Do I even know?

I guess I mean presenting the reader at the beginning with what they think is one thing but by the time they get to the end realise it’s a different thing altogether – but in a good way. Isn’t that what they call a Twist? Or Plot? Or maybe even a Plot Twist?

So here’re a few tips for you, should be you interested. Just my thoughts and observations… nothing too taxing. Let me know if you agree…or not

  1. Do your research then write like you haven’t. Eh? Wha..? As in, make your story so natural that your readers are drawn in straight away, without any time to argue the toss or disagree with what you’ve written. Make sure you know what you’re writing about in terms of exposition, especially in historic fiction.
  2. Writing science fiction? Make your new world as relatable as this old one and your readers will be there from the get-go. With time and good pacing of chapters you can unfold your new world without anyone really noticing and then bam – they’re residents of your new world without even booking a removal van.
  3. Without doubt clever dialogue is the way forward. What is clever dialogue? Is it what you hear all around, every day? Or is it well structured, over-long and completely unlikely? Do we speak now as Mr Darcy spoke then? Be brief. Be bright. Be Clever. If in doubt, chuck it out.
  4. Nab yourself a clever idea which will grow into your story giving rise to a great plot. Clever idea huh? Well excuse me while I just pop down to the clever plot shop. Simple’s always best. Make it too complicated – too many brush strokes – and you’ll lose your reader. Say for example you’re writing a cli-fi, how about the seas suddenly freezing over rather than warming up? Oh Contraire I hear you gasp.  It’s a 180 to the current crisis, so why not?
  5. Characters always help in a story, don’t you think? Making them mad a genius or an astronaut lost in space s a bit too clever – you’d have to know a lot about geniuses or space to pull that one off effectively. Nah, go clever. Writing crime? Police procedure? Let’s have no more of the grizzled-nearly-sacked-maverick-cop with a penchant for late night whiskey, but something cleverer. A deaf detective? Could be interesting.
  6. Develop a good support cast. Could be a horse. Could be a kid. Could be an older gent or lady with a secret past. Make your support characters shine.
  7. Read. Read other authors; work out why you like what they write. Read authors you’ve never heard of in genres you’d never normally consider. Give it a go, and be clever about it. Obvs.

We Did It!

~ JacciGoodingAuthor ~ 2 Comments
Here we are!

We did it – our first south Warwickshire literary festival and what a brilliant turn out it was! The sun shone – which was just as well as we had to move our many authors outside to sell their books due to ticket sales.

Creating Characters with Terri and Jenefer

Our workshops were packed. Everyone seemed to have a great time and our workshop leaders delivered some fantastic content. All of them are to be commended – Hugo Kerr, Jenefer Heap and Terri Daneshyar, Cate West and last but not least Mslexia judge Audrey Niven. They were superb. From what our attendees told us it was an excellent day.

Well, are they?!

And our speakers in the main hall – well! The Young Poets certainly made an impact! We were blown away by their eloquence, observation and just damned talent! Award-winning young poet Emily Hunt drew much attention with her clever poems on nature, and Dan Wale, the Warwickshire Young Poet Laureate had us clapping almost out of our seats, and YPL runner-up Jolyon Summerfield also delighted us with his work.

HWA long-lister Author Bea Hitchman
‘The Fish’ author Jo Stubbs and poet Gwyneth Box

All our authors were wonderful and we owe a huge debt to them for agreeing to take part for nothing. A special thank you has to go to poet, author and translator Gwyneth Box who stepped in at the very last minute – Cinderella timing if ever there was any – when one of our speakers was unable to come – and delivered a great hour-long talk off the hoof. Superb stuff.

Oh, and cake? Did we mention that? Well, our lit fest attendees did. In droves! Apparently it was pretty good!

         So – plans for next year? You bet!

Already drawing up the schedule…

How To Create A Literary Festival Part 2

~ JacciGoodingAuthor

For those who read my previous blog regarding starting a lit fest with just a will and a thought and a maybe, here’s part two to let all you lovely readers know what’s been going on since July. Lists, mainly. Over the weekend I constructed the most recent To Do list, put it aside on Saturday morning to scrape up something red and sticky one of the SWLF cats had gifted me, only to find said list had made it’s way through space and time, reappearing down the back of the sofa on Monday evening. Not far short of fantastical I’d say. Maybe a goblin had squirrelled it off the table when I wasn’t looking and got up to mischief with it, ramming it between the cushions and the soggy Christmas peanuts just for lols.

What? You don’t have goblins in your house?

In between writing the list, losing it and then finding it again, lots of things happened at SWLF HQ.  Emails were sent and received. Freebie pens were designed and paid for. A dodgy looking map was created for the back of the festival programme. The merits of cooler weather were discussed with the postman. Twitter posts were written and discarded, then written again and scheduled to hit the twittersphere sometime this week. A surprised ewe was found wandering the village, questioned, cautioned and returned to the flock. Wednesday was spent gawping at the rain and wishing out loud ‘Go on, GO ON!’ as the lightning cracked the sky. And now here we are, Thursday, and back to the list.

            Here are just some of things I’d written down:

  1. Write Press release
  2. Contact radio stations
  3. Contact local newspapers
  4. Update Instagram
  5. Comfrey leaves
  6. Finish copy for festival programme
  7. Try for sponsorship again

Now…nothing very unexpected there apart from item 5. Comfrey leaves. Did I mean something else? Comfy sleeves perhaps? Between trying to write a press release and updating Instagram I am now confounded and sidetracked by my own very obvious comfrey leaves citation. Pick them? Boil them? Make them into a hat? You tell me. Perhaps it was a note that had slipped off my other list about compiling the guidelines for a writer’s group short story competition and somehow landed itself on the SWLF list.

What ever its meaning – which is now unknown to me – I hope I don’t get to the morning of September 24th and hear myself say ‘Oh!!!!!! Comfrey Leaves!’