#Arachne5 more thank yous

I’ve scheduled this to go live as we start our 5th Anniversary celebrations.

It’s a complex business starting and running a publishing house. People contribute crucial things at crucial moments and sometimes it isn’t until you look back you realise – if that hadn’t happened…

So thank you to all the people who do things without knowing and without being asked, or are so enthusiastic when asked I get over my own doubts and plough on – I’m bound to have missed someone, but here are most of the brilliant people who helped us get started and/or keep Arachne ticking over.

Bartle Sawbridge for introducing me to WooA Writing group something like eight years ago, giving me the structure to start taking my own writing seriously again, and for the rest of the members of WooA at the time, (Joan, Rosalind, David, Anna, Clare, Hilary) for being ace writers and getting me thinking (without saying anything to them) that we jointly needed a publisher, and also for introducing me to Liars’ League.

Liars’ League for being a bottomless cauldron of talent into which I dipped to find the writers for our first book, and especially thank you to Katy Darby for saying exactly the right thing when I approached her about it. If she hadn’t, this would have stayed a pipe dream, and also for co-editing and general cheerleading.

 

On the professional front, everyone at Inpress for not just doing what they set out to, in persuading bookshops to stock our books, but also providing all kinds of opportunities to explore the world of publishing through conferences and fairs made possible and affordable due to their bargaining chops.

Everyone at TJ International for producing such wonderful quality books in particular John Rance, for that first phone call (‘these are the questions you don’t know you need to ask us’) and being so approachable and reasonable and human!

Sabotage Reviews for the most reviews from any one source, and awarding us Best Anthology back in 2014. That plastic star thing is still sitting on the shelf above my desk.

All our Arachne Friends especially David, Jacquie, Pippa, Trefor, and Alison for their support.

Our supporters big and small on various crowdfunds especially Jonathan and Russell

and of course Arts Council England who have funded us twice.

And our authors and artists for coming up with inspired rewards for crowdfunds, especially Inua, Kevin Jill, Pippa and Jeremy.

On the maverick front…All the people who said YES when I came up with what felt like daft ideas, everyone at Lewisham Libraries (literally dozens of them, everyone has got involved and supported us), but particularly Alan Morrison, and Joan Redding (ex Lewisham, now at Carillion) who probably said yes (or more accurately, let’s do it) more than anyone in the known universe, and everyone at Better Libraries in Greenwich, particularly Rebecca Gediking (‘Of course we’ll open the Library at 7am on a Sunday’) and Debra Sullivan (‘This is what Libraries are for’), and many other libraries and librarians especially Gaynor Lynch Foley at RBKC. Greenwich University for a spectacular launch week for Outcome, especially Sarah Creech. Zoltan Abbot at Brockley Deli and Father Bates at St Hildas and Stuart Morriss at Misty Moon for hosting some pretty strange events without batting an eyelid. Dennis Harrison at Albion Beatnik for the most consistent hoster of events outside London. And of Course, V22 (Becca, Simon) for hosting tonight’s PARTY!

My dear friend Michele, who steps in and helps whenever she can and never flaps when things go pear-shaped.

All the other stepper-in-ers, especially Laura, Helen, Birgitta, Tessa, Judith, Catriona, Mark, Bartle, Stuart.

Another great friend, Muireann, for eagle-eyed proofing and cheeky margin comments, and regular company at supper on a Monday. Arachne would be a poorer item altogether without her.

Carrie and Wendy for batting ideas about, practical help with storage and logistics, and offering to be a formal advisory group.

Irena Hill for brilliant networking (she knows everyone) and idea thrashing.

Russell Potts (my dad) for vital help when needed, and telling me he’s proud.

And finally, just in case she thinks I haven’t noticed or don’t appreciate it, Alix, the best woman in the world, who comes to events she doesn’t want to come to (and doesn’t let it show), shares the driving on long hauls, fits holidays around festivals, sings with the choir, does front-of-house, staffs bookstalls and even reads for us. Arachne has a huge impact on her life, and wouldn’t exist if she wasn’t such a positive life force.

Here she is doing everything…

Happy Ending in Oxford

I don’t know how it happened but I didn’t post the videos from our Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed tour date at Albion Beatnik  in Oxford! Liam Hogan did a great job without any actorly support.

I will just remedy that…

 

There we go. A reminder of what a lot of fun we had choosing locality appropriate stories.

You can by a copy of Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed direct and post free here, of if you are in Oxford I expect Dennis still has a couple in stock, or if you are going to Liars’ League tonight, Liam will be there with a handful of books a pen for signing, and a hopeful expression.

How to choose a story for a reading

When you are touring a book of short stories, and it’s an anthology, it’s usually fairly simple – who can get there to read? and then a bit of tweaking, so that we don’t end up with wall-to wall-fantasy from a book that is less than 30% that genre.

When it is a single author collection however, with 27 stories to choose from, it is more complicated. The discussion goes something like this:

Author: these are my favourites. (list of 12 stories)

Publisher: Yes. This is my favourite, let’s have this one too.

Author: Or this one?

Publisher: It’s a bit long, what about an extract? No more than 10 minutes.

Author: So from here – until the cliff hanger?

Publisher: Yes, but leave out that paragraph, it doesn’t make sense without the beginning,

Author: I love this one too.

Publisher: It’s a first person narrative of the opposite gender. But I can get an actor.

(long conversation full of stereotypes about the people likely to come to each reading, which stories are most representative of the book, balancing light and dark, how often the author is willing to read the same story… leading to a long short list)

Publisher: OK, so which do we read where? I think this one is a shoo-in for Greenwich, it’s set there. And this one is about werewolves so the reading that’s up the road from Monster Supplies?

Author: Yes, and the Alice in Wonderland one for Oxford. Do you think the Art installation is too obvious for Hackney?

Of course, on the day, sometimes, we change our minds – but a lot of thought goes into preparing a reading, to make it a professional enjoyable evening out for the reading (listening) public.

So here is a little quizzette for you.

Which stories are Liam Hogan, Carrie Cohen, Lisa Rose and Annalie Wilson reading where?

Match the story to the venue!

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Stars
Temp
To be a Hero
Worming Advice For Werewolves
Miscellaneous, Spooky, Weird
Late
Feathers
Bring Rope
The Burden
Greenwich, Noon

Tuesday 25/04/2017 7pm Lewisham Library, Lewisham High Street, SE13 6LG with Carrie Cohen reading one of the stories (free)
Wednesday 26/04/2017 7.30 Burley Fisher bookshop, 400 Kingsland Road, Haggerston, E8 4AA with Carrie Cohen reading one of the stories (free)
Friday  28/04/2017 7.30  Albion Beatnik Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AA (£2 on the door)
lisa rose
Thursday  04/05/2017 8pm West Greenwich Library, Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN with Lisa Rose reading one of the stories (free)

 

 

annalie wilsonWednesday  17/05/2017 7pm The Story Sessions, Brockley Deli, 14a Brockley Cross, SE4 1BE with Annalie Wilson reading one of the stories. (free)

 

A busy week with Happy Ending

Next week you have not one, not two, but THREE chances to catch up with Liam Hogan as he has a busy week of touring Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed, plus an unrelated date at Book Showoff.

If you are in or around Lewisham drop into the library on
Tuesday 25/04/2017 7pm Lewisham Library, Lewisham High Street, SE13 6LG with Carrie Cohen reading one of the stories (free)

 

Haggerston, Burley Fisher books on
Wednesday 26/04/2017 7.30, 400 Kingsland Road, Haggerston, E8 4AA with Carrie Cohen reading one of the stories (free)

 

Oxford: Albion Beatnik on
Friday  28/04/2017 7.30  Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AA (£2 on the door)

 

 

Get yer readings, they’re luverly. Only three a week, catch em while they’re ‘ot!

Tottenham Court Road Thursday
Books Showoff is a monthly literary comedy night in the basement of Waterstones TCR. Joining compere Steve Cross for April’s edition are:
lots of other people including Liam Hogan
 – London-based writer Liam Hogan will be picking apart the economics of short story writing, using his recently published collection as an example. Trigger Alert: may cause authors in the audience to weep bitter tears.
£5

for those of you who missed it here’s Liam and Louisa Gummer (reading Valcon) at this week’s North Kensington reading.

There will be video eventually, trouble is being had with uploading.

With Paper for Feet by Jennifer A McGowan read at Albion Beatnik – Videos

the tour continues:

Wednesday 15/03/2017 7pm
Brockley Deli, The Story Sessions SE4 1BE

Thursday 16/03/2017 7.30
West Greenwich Library SE10 8NN

Thursday 30/03/2017 7.30
Words and Ears
The Swan Bradford on Avon BA15 1LN

Sunday 30/4/17 8pm
Buzzwords
Exmouth Arms, Cheltenham GL53 7LX

Briar Roses

Jennifer A McGowan reads her take on Sleeping Beauty, Briar Roses at Oxford’s Albion Beatnik.

More like this at The Story Sessions, Brockley Deli 7pm on Wednesday 15th March and West Greenwich Library 7.30 16th March both events free!

With Paper for Feet on Tour week 2

Here’s a poem from With Paper For Feet read by Jennifer A McGowan at Oxford on Friday at the lovely Albion Beatnik:

A Sort of Love Story

You can hear more from Jennifer at Lewisham Library, Lewisham High Street, SE13 6LG this Wednesday 8th March at 7pm, free entry, and refreshments laid on by the lovely library staff. It’s International Women’s Day, so expect a lot of poetry from a female perspective.

Tomorrow: North Kensington Library With Paper for Feet

Readings galore coming up.

Tonight in Oxford: With Paper for Feet author Jennifer A McGowan is at Albion Beatnik 7.30pm and tomorrow at North Kensington Library 108 Ladbroke Grove
North Kensington, London W11 1PZ at  2pm reading from the collection of myth based poems.

Here’s a sample from the launch: White Woman Walks Across China With Paper for Feet

Tomorrow: Albion Beatnik: With Paper for Feet

Readings galore coming up. Tomorrow in Oxford: With Paper for Feet author Jennifer A McGowan is at Albion Beatnik 7.30pm reading from the collection of myth based poems.

Here’s a sample from the launch: Pharoah’s Concubine

Saturday: Kensington With Paper for Feet

Readings galore coming up.

Friday  in Oxford: With Paper for Feet author Jennifer A McGowan is at Albion Beatnik 7.30pm and

Saturday at North Kensington Library 108 Ladbroke Grove
North Kensington, London W11 1PZ at  2pm reading from the collection of myth based poems.

Here’s a sample from the launch:  Something About Love