It has been a busy time, another set of videos I’ve only just had time to edit and post:
We took part in the Archway With Words Festival back in September, reading from a variety of books at Archway Library. (5 books, 5 authors, for our 5th anniversary…)
Carolyn Eden, Free White Towel, Liberty Tales
Cherry Potts, Mirror, Lovers’ Lies
Wendy Gill, A Little Favour, Shortest Day, Longest Night
Katy Darby, The Horror, the Horror, Stations
Liam Hogan, Crossroads, Happy Ending NOT Guaranteed.
Having a story published in Stations in 2012 was such a thrill. I had just completed a Masters in Creative writing, ( as a very mature student!). I remember being the only one of the cohort at the graduation ceremony, who had signed a publishing contract! Since then, one of my stories was chosen for the inaugural anthology Words and Women One, and I was delighted to have another story published last by Arachne Press in Shortest day, Longest Night.
Occasionally, I dabble in songwriting, and have written and released a charity Christmas single. In 2012, I also wrote the first draft of a musical, putting an original story to the music of the award-winning retro jazz band Caro Emerald. If I’d thought that getting a story published was difficult – and it is – getting a musical to a West End stage often has a gestation period of a decade! However, persistence has paid off, and with Arts Council support and a few re-writes That Man had its West End debut at The Hippodrome in 2016.
That Man copyright Darren Bell Photography
Come to the PARTY on the 8th September.
We had a bit of a technologically challenged evening at Albion Beatnik. I won’t go into the whys and wherefores but there’s no video, no photos and the sound recording cut out temporarily too.
Here’s what I managed to salvage!
All but the first few words of Wendy Gill reading A Little Favour
Sarah James reading At the Hotel de la Lune
Pauline Walker reading Left of Earth, Right of Venus
A tiny bit of David Mathews reading Mouse
David Steward reading The Cutty Wren
You can catch us on tour Sat 14/01/2017 3pm Wivenhoe Library, High Street Wivenhoe, Essex
Stories: Rosalind Stopps, Cherry Potts, David Steward, Katy Darby, Poem: Lisa Kelly
Buy the book: Shortest Day, Longest Night
Help us crowdfund for the rest of the tour and the next books
It’s twelfth night, and the official end of the festive season, so as you pack up your Christmas baubles, here’s something to cheer you up: your opportunity to experience the entire evening of Longest Night, in the same order as the audience, but without me waffling on in between, and without the mulled cider, unless you happen to have some to hand of course.
Wassail Vocal Chords
A Little Favour by Wendy Gill Read by Annalie Wilson
Past Three a Clock Vocal Chords
At The Hotel De La Lune by Sarah James Read by all the actors
Naughty Baby Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Midwinter Wife by Cherry Potts Read by Annalie Wilson
Ba Ba Lamie Noo Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Life Between Lives by Sarah Evans Read by Patsy Prince
Solstice Carol Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
https://youtu.be/P9iL6VDTazk
How We Know the Cold is Coming, or October by Abigail Beckel Read by Annalie Wilson
The Cold Time Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Mouse by David Mathews Read by Lorraine Spenceley
Dunstan Lullaby Vocal Chords
Spooning by Abigail Beckel Read by Annalie Wilson
Soulmate Annalie
Dancing To Silence by Neil Brosnan Read by Lorraine Spenceley
The Snow it Melts the Soonest Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
The Lover.s Ghost Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Vigil by Abigail Beckel Read by Lorraine Spenceley
Crossing the Bar Vocal Chords
Dunking For a New Sun by Bob Beagrie Read by Saul Reichlin
Drive the Cold Winter Away Vocal Chords
What He Doesn’t Know by Frances Gapper Read by Patsy Prince
Waves Annalie
Doubting Thomas by David McVey Read by Saul Reichlin
We Will Be Heard Annalie
Left of Earth, Right of Venus by Pauline Walker Read by Patsy Prince
The Astronaut Annalie
Arachne Author Wendy Gill (Dalston in Stations) has written a musical:
That Man based on the songs of Caro Emerald
You can see it previewed for one night only at
The London Theatre Workshop 65 New King’s Road SW6 4SG
Friday 1st August 8pm.
See you there!
The festival is held at Red Door Studios, Masterman Road, East Ham, E6 3RW
Just thought I’d mention, its three days almost exactly until time runs out on our funding bid. If you’d like to support us, please take a look at the pitch – you can have a laugh at me and Katy being distracted by every butterfly that flew past, and remaining oblivious of the trains roaring by at the bottom of the garden – one of the few decent patches of sun so far this ‘Summer’, a bit like today.
And in the meantime, watch a whole bunch of Arachne authors talk about their writing ambitions…
© Arachne Press 2013
Paula Read and Jacqueline Downs like to be in motion
Emily Cleaver writes when her child is asleep
Wendy Gill would like a greenhouse!
Lennart Lundh loves his computer, Michelle Shine loves her writing group
Stations and London Lies contributors tell us about the writers they admire
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
