The Story Sessions – Haunting Tales for Hallowe’en – video

So, Hallowe’en, or nearly, and we got together in The Ivy House to tell stories…

V.G. Lee told us a nasty story of revenge, The Passing Guest (from her collection As You Step Outside)  and a ‘true story’ of exorcism.

David Mildon gave us a ghastly take on the lengths to which some people will go in order to forget – in his Weird Lies contribution, Worms’ Feast which puts joining the foreign legion in the shade.

Cherry Potts showed us who a young girl might have been had she grown up, in Eye of the Beholder.

and David McGrath told us about Fanditha men and murderous coconuts in Arresting Coconuts. (Language warning!)

Fabian Acker was our first Testbed volunteer, bringing a brand new piece for the audience to provide feedback as part of the editing process.

If you would like to take part in a Testbed at a future Story Session, get in touch.

The Story Sessions – the first ‘Flash From the Floor’

You’ve heard of Flash Mob, you’ve heard of Flash Fiction? Well this is Flash From the Floor, where the audience is invited on stage for 100 words (about 1 minute) of on-theme fiction, (in this instance Hallowe’en) written for, or at, the event.

So here are the flash fictions created especially for our very first Story Session at Nunhead’s very own community owned pub, The Ivy House. From an audience of about 40 we got an excellent haul of nano stories, everyone agreed to their story being posted, so they are all here – all work copyright the writer-performer, actual video copyright Arachne Press Limited.

 

Videos of the headlining performers will follow shortly.

If you like the idea, join us at the Ivy House on Wednesday 13th November, for Armistice Tales, stories of War, Peace and Remembrance – with, perhaps, 100 words on the subject from you?

Weird Lies Observatory Launch Video 1

Here’s some video snippets from the launch of Mosaic of Air and Weird Lies at the lovely Royal Observatory on Tuesday.

Cliff Chapman reading Andrew Lloyd-Jones‘ wickedly funny ChronoCrisis3000,

and David Mildon reading James Smyth‘s poignant love story, Let There be Light.

The flickering uncertain light seems particularly appropriate for these two stories.

More video to follow, or you can catch another live reading (different stories) Saturday 5th October at Misty Moon SE13 7HS, 7.30 for 8.

Haunting Tales update

Our Halloween event at the Ivy House has another author signed up – David Mildon will be reading his magnificently creepy Weird Lies story, Worms’ Feast.

Photos from Weird Lies Launch

All photos © Andrew Petrie 2013

A few pictures from the launch of Mosaic of Air and Weird Lies at the planetarium at Royal Observatory Greenwich (who were absolutely LOVELY) . We had a glorious star show (hence the incredible lack of light in the reading pictures) and we had a song from Summer All Year Long, and some weird and wonderful stories.

The full gallery of photos can be found here 

Big thank you to Andrew for managing to get such great pictures in next to no light.

watch this space for video – need to edit it first!

Haunting Tales for Halloween

Halloween TalesA6We are hosting a free live literature event at London’s first co-operatively owned pub, The Ivy House. A beautiful traditional pub building almost next to Nunhead cemetery… Join VG Lee, David McGrath, David Mildon and Cherry Potts for an interactive evening of spooky live literature – think folk club with books. The audience is invited to contribute 100 word on-theme flash fiction (or poetry – but still 100 words) in the flash from the floor spot. Books sales in the interval – free ‘Books are my Bag’ bags to haul away all your Halloween book treats.

Possibility of a ‘work in progress’ spot for a brave author who would like to try out a fresh piece of writing on an audience. if you are interested in this slot, or in being an invited author at this or a future event, get in touch.

This is the first of two booked events at the Ivy House, if it goes well it could become a regular fixture. Come along and support the first community owned pub in London, and live literature!

Wednesday 30th October 7:30 for 8, hearses at 10.

The Ivy House
40 Stuart Road
Nunhead
SE15 3BE

Launching Science Fiction Stories at The Royal Observatory Spaceship not required

launch flyerTuesday 1st October The Planetarium, Royal Observatory Greenwich, SE10 9NF

Drinks in the foyer from 6.05 (building opens at 6), readings of Science Fiction stories from both Weird Lies and Mosaic of Air  from 6.45 in the Planetarium with star show.

RSVP to reserve your place, this is essential because the Observatory is in the middle of Greenwich Park, and access in the evenings is controlled and we need a guest list, and to alert you to how to get in (and more importantly out!) It’s an adventure – space suits not required, fortunately.

We will be reading:

James Smyth: Let There Be Light (read by David Mildon)

Cherry Potts: an Extract from Mosaic of Air

Andrew Lloyd-Jones ChronoCrisis3000 (read by Cliff Chapman)

Peng Shepherd Free Cake (read by Alistair Lock)

Richard Meredith The Museum of the Future (read by Henrietta Clemett)

Hope to see you there!

(Huge thanks to Marek, Rob and Ed at the Observatory for all their help setting this up, and to Sophie for the idea.)

Pre-ordering Weird Lies and Mosaic of Air

mosaic glyphIt’s always nice to know your marketing works – how do we know? People buy things!

We’ve just had our third pre-order for Weird Lies and first for Mosaic of Air. Yes, it’s modest, but its a start.

So to get the message really clear: YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT! You can preorder our September books NOW (at a reduced price) and you will receive them ahead of publication as soon as we have them, at the same time as the reviewers. (And if you know anyone who might review for us, please tell us.)

Of course, the absolute best marketing is word of mouth, so please tell your friends, family, colleagues, your bookshop, your library, your reading group, the person sitting next to you on the bus…

weird handsSomething else we’d like you to tell them is that there are only 28 hours left to back our Kickstarter campaign. I know, I keep on about it, but if we don’t get all the money we don’t get any, so a big thank you to Steven in the USA who is our star backer so far (most recent and most generous), and who has also just ordered a copy of each of the existing books and preordered both September titles: we don’t know who you are, but we like you! (Thank you also to Rebecca, Wendy, Heath, Clare, Doris, Kenneth, David, Stephen, Carrie, Gloria, Edel and Lyn, whose generous pledges mean an enormous amount to us.)

There are still some great rewards left, including a copy of Weird Lies Author Joshan Esfandiari Martin‘s short Film Test Driving on DVD or BlueRay, or a guided walk around the City of London for up to 12 people with award-winning blue badge guide, (and Arachne Author) David Mildon, or a HANDWRITTEN unique, one-off episode of ‘Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens’ from Weird Lies Author Jonathan Pinnock, featuring YOU (or a nominated other if you are thinking of it for a gift) as a named character. A guaranteed collectors item of the future. (If it wouldn’t mean giving money to myself I’d have that one… Ooh! if anyone is stuck for a birthday present for me…).

Obviously, not everyone is in the position to be promising us money, so if you feel passionately about what we are trying to do here at Arachne Press and want to help, check out our support us page, there are lots of things that will help us, including pre-ordering Weird Lies and Mosaic of Air. And don’t forget, you technical whizzes you can now get our books on Kindle and ePub devices from your prefered retailers.

London Lies Launch photos and video

A very successful launch for London Lies at the London Review Bookshop.  Stock of books sold out! No doubt they will be ordering more for their regular customers who couldn’t make it.

We’ll be posting more pictures and video soon.

Other events to celebrate the publication of London Lies in September: Wednesday 12th, Thursday 20th and Thursday 27th.