Tag Archives: Cherry Potts

Weird Lies Kickstarter Crowdfunding campaign goes live

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We thought we’d try something new and see if we can fund our next Liars’ League Anthology Weird Lies through crowd funding.

9781909208100

Final cover design for Weird Lies copyright Kevin Threlfall

If you’ve not heard of this before, it’s where lots of people band together to support a project with small(ish) amounts of money, in return for rewards, which in our case range from a thank you and one of our gorgeous badges, via (signed) copies of books (Cherry Potts, Katy Darby, Alex Smith), an exploding tea flower (also Alex, and no, I don’t know what it is either), a cake recipe that features in a story (Peng Shepherd), actual cake (Katy) and story critiques (Cherry & Katy), right through to a signed DVD of Joshan Esfandiari Martin‘s short film Test Driving, a personalised, handwritten Mrs Darcy vs the Aliens story from Jonathan Pinnock, original artwork from Richard Smyth and a guided tour of the City of London from David Mildon.

Our authors are pretty special and I would like to thank every one of those who offered a contribution again, publicly. You are WONDERFUL.

We have 30 days to raise the money, and if we don’t raise it all we don’t get ANY. So if you know anyone who might help us fund this project, PLEASE pass it on to them!

Weird Lies is a distillation of the weirdest ideas Liars’ League authors have come up with. I suppose the current term is ‘speculative’ although I don’t much like that – what fiction isn’t? When I was working out what order to set the stories out in the book, I was labelling, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Myth, Down Right Peculiar, trying to make sure I didn’t clump genres together: DRP came up quite a bit!

You can see our crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter here

Arachne Authors talk about the writers who influence and inspire them

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Stations and London Lies and Lovers’ Lies contributors tell us about the writers they admire

Andrew Blackman, Bartle Sawbridge, Rosalind Stopps, Adrian Gantlope, Joan Taylor-Rowan:

Paula Read, Caroline Hardman, Anna Fodorova, Cherry Potts

© Arachne Press 2013

Harrow Cityread – the video

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Our final Cityread event showcasing Stations at Gayton Library, Harrow:

Wendy Gill on packing up for a never-ready son’s move to Dalston

Cherry Potts on the ghosts of Rotherhithe:

Bartle Sawbridge on an Estate Agent’s spiel hijacked by a local:

and Paula Read on love burgeoning in Canonbury:

© Arachne Press 2013

Interview with Cherry Potts in Inkapture

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Read a rather long interview with Cherry Potts in Inkapture Issue 18 April 2013 all about Arachne Press and what on earth possessed an apparently sane person to embark on this particular journey

 Inkapture is a literary e-magazine, founded in 2011 providing a medium for international writers to communicate their art to others on the largest scale – through the web.

Published quarterly, in March, June, September and December, Inkapture aims to find creative writing of diversity and originality, to publish unique and quality work – from authors of poetry, fiction and other writing – which may have previously been overlooked.

Arachne Press at the Keats Festival Writing Workshop

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Saturday 25th May 2013 10.30-1.30 £10
Keats House, Keats Grove, Hampstead NW3 2RR

Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email then at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk to book.

Bitter-Sweet

Scents and smells for character, atmosphere and inspiration

…what soft incense

(Keats)

Explore writing using all the senses, but particularly smell, with Cherry Potts, author of Mosaic of Air and Tales Told Before Cockcrow, editor of London Lies, Stations and Lovers’ Lies and owner of Arachne Press.

Bring a large notebook and lots of pens, and expect to write. Weather permitting a stroll about the garden may be included. If you have a scent that means a lot to you, (and it is portable) bring it with you!

Suitable for all levels of experience, and for fiction writers and poets.

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Keats Festival Arachne Press Author Reading

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Saturday 25th May 3-4pm £5 keats house
Keats House, Keats Grove, Hampstead NW3 2RR

Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email them at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk  to book

As part of the Keats Festival we are reading from Lovers’ Lies, and Weird Lies (which is due out in September 2013)

Focusing (loosely!) on the elements of Keats’ life not directly involved in poetry: science, medicine, and nature, Arachne Press bring you stories of the Garden of Eden, conversations with tadpoles, a meeting of minds across disciplines, and love, repression and an old-fashioned approach to doctoring.

From Lovers’ Lies:
The Painter and the Physicist Tania Hershman (read by the author)
Mirror Cherry Potts (read by Will Everett)
Something Missing Bobbie Darbyshire (read by the author)

From Weird Lies
What Does H2O feel like to the Tadpoles? Tom McKay (read by Kim Scopes)

Writing on the Move Writing Workshop

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the

old vinyl

factory

1st June 1-4 pm. A walk and site-specific workshop for writers of all levels of experience. Come and explore The Old Vinyl Factory site in Hayes
Blyth Road
Hayes
UB3 1HA

The factory was home to EMI from the 1900′s right through to the 1970′s, though most of the buildings date from the 20′s: everything from Caruso to The Beatles was pressed here.

Compare old and new, derelict and refurbished, crowded and empty, sound and silence. Use the site as inspiration for writing. Work with all your senses to develop atmosphere, character and plot – we might even throw in some music.

There will be a brief introduction  in the  Vinyl Lounge:vinyl

Followed by a guided walk (roughly 45 minutes) around the interior of the refurbished Shipping building (including archive exhibition)  and the currently derelict Cabinet building; and the exterior of the power house (if weather fair). Followed by a two-hour writing workshop back in the colourful Vinyl Lounge.

Workshop run by Cherry Potts, author of Mosaic of Air and Tales Told Before Cockcrow, editor of Stations, co-editor of London Lies and Lovers’ Lies, and owner of Arachne Press.

Bring a notebook suitable for make notes in on the move, and pens. More technically advanced writing gear is welcome once we settle in for the workshop, but might not be suitable while we are walking.

cabinet interior 2Caution: Some walking surfaces in the derelict areas are very uneven with varying surface materials, and there are one or two steps and thresholds to get over, and other potential tripping hazards. Sensible shoes essential! If you have mobility issues please get in touch before booking.

Part of the Hillingdon ArtsWeek. Booking essential as places are limited. £14. tickets from: Compass Theatre

Ample parking on site, Hayes & Harlington Station 10-15min walk. Buses locally.

CityRead Harrow, Gayton Library, 30th April

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Cityread London (1)I’m getting to know bits of London I’ve never explored before,  we are off to Harrow, to Gayton Library, 5 St John’s Road, Harrow, HA1 2EE for our final CityRead gig of this year on Tuesday 30th April 7pm.

Join Cherry Potts (Rotherhithe), Wendy Gill (Dalston), Bartle Sawbridge (Shadwell), Paula Read (Canonbury/ Honor Oak Park) for stories of history that climbs out of the mud to speak, maternal relationships, poetry and property, and either life changing experiences in the North or homelessness and home baking in the South depending on what mood Paula is in.

Stations - perfect for your commute