Scottish Association of Writers Conference and Competitions

The Scottish Association of Writers is an umbrella organisation and you might be a member of it. If you’re a member of an affiliated writing club or workshop such as Edinburgh Writers’ Club or Umbrella, then you’re good to go.

GO WHERE?

SAW runs several events and chief among these at present are an October day, 25th, called Write Up North; an annual conference, 2015 27th – 29th March, and in June 2014 the Write Down South day in Dumfries.

Write Up North has three associated competitions, but as the closing date is now past, I won’t list them here. The event’s key speaker is Bob Davidson of Sandstone Press and it’s held in Inverness Town House from 9.30 – 4pm. Contact Jen at jen.butler@blueyonder.co.uk £30 fee includes lunch.

Annual Conference is an altogether bigger event. Booking opens Wednesday 1st October 2014 for March 2015 and everything you need to know is on the SAW website where you may download a pdf giving all the speakers and all the competitions. That’s Here.

Keynote Speaker is ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF 

Competitions are for members of SAW only (including for this event the Open categories. Please check the pdf for full rules and terms)

There are Open competitions and competitions you may only enter if going to the conference and ONE hybrid.

Hybrid? The annual conference has a Scholarship competition which is open to enter, but if you win, then you are expected to attend the conference as the prize is Free Accommodation for the weekend.

Scholarship for 2015 is a 45 minute Drama for the stage. Judge is Danny McCahon. Closes 28th November 2014

The several novel competitions close on 28th November ’14.

Also Open is Castles in the Air Story, fable or mystery 2,000 – 2,500 words. Prose fiction. Judge Russel McLean. Closes 16th January ’15

There are entry fees for all the competitions and they vary. Again, please consult the pdf for full details.

The long list of shorter competitions includes short stories, articles, writing for children, poetry, flash fiction…and more. Looks to me like something for everyone.

So, get going on the early deadline competitions and have your entries ready in good time.

No details for Write Down south 2015 are currently available.

 

http://goo.gl/pASdjp Mariah’s Marriage amazon US

“Oh, Mariah, let us not quarrel. We will be married within the month. At least your papa’s house contains plenty of books. You may practise throwing them.” anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/NxYxj5 Mariah’s Marriage UK

http://goo.gl/PKptQg Bella’s Betrothal US

 …a solitary figure ahead among some gorse and shrubs. Charles thought she made a beautiful picture in her riding habit with the exquisite hat Jenny Menzies wished to inherit. He thought the girl might get it sooner rather than later if he followed his instincts. At that precise moment, he wanted to shake Bella hard. Then he would lock her in the castle in Strath Menzies and hold her forever. anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/5RBzIm Bella’s Betrothal UK

https://www.omnilit.com/product-bella039sbetrothal-1312055-162.

html https://www.omnilit.com/product-mariah039smarriage-1173550-149.html

Abandoned Places as Inspiration: And a FREE Flash Fiction story by me.

Des Res World War II

Rhobin’s ask this month is for an idea of how abandoned places have acted as inspiration for our writing.

 

 

 

 

 

The very first short story I sold and saw published was called Stereotypes. (Scots Magazine, DC Thomson, Dundee). It was inspired by an overgrown and apparently abandoned garden the children and I used to pass on our way to their school every morning. The story was about a lady professor and a male cleaner finding love when he becomes her cleaner and it was told in the form of the notes employer and employed left for each other.

That house wasn’t described as anything like the one in the picture and I haven’t as yet found a story for that picture. I took it while visiting a house in West Scotland which had once belonged to my husband’s maternal family. The picture represents the cooking facilities available to a family bombed out of Clydebank and housed in the chauffeur’s flat. The flat was part of what had been the stable-block and has enormously tall doors.

The Laundry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regular visitors to this blog may well recognise this picture which I have posted before and which has inspired a fair bit of my writing. I knew as I went round this laundry complex that I was going to write about it and I have. Two flash fiction pieces: Sibling Rivalry, at Shortbread, and The Laundry Wife’s Daughter, at Writelink, have so far been published online. The Laundry Wife’s Daughter won first prize in a competition.

However, I knew there was still a biggie to come and when the Romantic Novelists’ Association asked for the beginning of a novel featuring a new take on a fairy tale – I got it. It’s the novel I’m currently working on and I’m back in Edinburgh, 1819. Watch this column for more news.

So abandoned places certainly fire my imagination. I’m really looking forward to finding out what my fellow round robinner’s have described. I’m followed by Judith Copek, but you can click on any of the links below to take you to another post on this subject.

<ahref=“http://www.skyewriter.com/blogging_at_the_beach”>Skye Taylor</a>
<a href=“http://www.helenafairfax.com/”>Helena Fairfax</a>
<a href=“http://connievines.blogspot.com/”>Connie Vines</a>
<a href=“http://the-doodling-booktease.tumblr.com/”>Rachael Kosnski</a>
<a href=“http://www.marcibaun.com/”>Marci Baun</a>
<a href=“http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/”>Judith Copek</a>
<a href=“http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/”>A.J. Maguire</a>
<a href=“http://mizging.blogspot.com”>Ginger Simpson</a>
<a href=“http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/”>Beverley Bateman</a>
<a href=“http://rhobinleecourtright.com”>Rhobin Courtright</a>

http://goo.gl/pASdjp Mariah’s Marriage amazon US

“Oh, Mariah, let us not quarrel. We will be married within the month. At least your papa’s house contains plenty of books. You may practise throwing them.” anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/NxYxj5 Mariah’s Marriage UK

http://goo.gl/PKptQg Bella’s Betrothal US

 …a solitary figure ahead among some gorse and shrubs. Charles thought she made a beautiful picture in her riding habit with the exquisite hat Jenny Menzies wished to inherit. He thought the girl might get it sooner rather than later if he followed his instincts. At that precise moment, he wanted to shake Bella hard. Then he would lock her in the castle in Strath Menzies and hold her forever. anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/5RBzIm Bella’s Betrothal UK

https://www.omnilit.com/product-bella039sbetrothal-1312055-162.

html https://www.omnilit.com/product-mariah039smarriage-1173550-149.html

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Edinburgh Writers’ Club began life in 1947 and still goes strong today. I’ve written about the club elsewhere, Lothian Life. so I won’t recap. Last night was the first night of our new season and we found ourselves in The Wash Bar.

The Wash Bar may be the sixth venue I’ve attended meetings in over my association with the club. It’s wonderfully apposite as it sits at the foot of the steps leading from The Writers’ Museum in Lady Stair’s House.

This season’s syllabus is directed at participation. You’d be surprised how many folk come along to a writers’ club, but never write or, if they do, never send anything out. so encouragement is us this year and we got off to a flying start with a visit by Shirley Blair,  fiction editor of People’s Friend.

Shirley posed a few questions about what we thought the 230,000 readers in their weekly circulation were seeing and surprised us by the changes in acceptable subject matter. People’s Friend remains a feel-good and gentle read, but the boundaries of social acceptance have shifted more than a little.

Then it was time to sharpen our quills and write a scenario based on three people in a given situation. The aim being to show characterisation. Three or four brave souls shared their work and Shirley was able to explain her reaction to it.

As with any magazine read several issues before submitting. People’s Friend Writing Guidelines can be found here.

Top Hint from the Fiction Ed: longer pieces are less submitted and therefore stand a better chance. She’s very interested in young romances at present and the word count that sets her pulse racing is 3,200 or 3,000.

Next meeting is on Monday 6th October. Historical Writing – Authenticity and Accuracy and is a talk by prize winning author Margaret Skea. Margaret’s book, Turn of the Tide is available here.

6th October is also the deadline for our Members’ only poetry competition.

 

 

http://goo.gl/pASdjp Mariah’s Marriage amazon US

“Oh, Mariah, let us not quarrel. We will be married within the month. At least your papa’s house contains plenty of books. You may practise throwing them.” anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/NxYxj5 Mariah’s Marriage UK

http://goo.gl/PKptQg Bella’s Betrothal US

 …a solitary figure ahead among some gorse and shrubs. Charles thought she made a beautiful picture in her riding habit with the exquisite hat Jenny Menzies wished to inherit. He thought the girl might get it sooner rather than later if he followed his instincts. At that precise moment, he wanted to shake Bella hard. Then he would lock her in the castle in Strath Menzies and hold her forever. anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/5RBzIm Bella’s Betrothal UK

https://www.omnilit.com/product-bella039sbetrothal-1312055-162.

html https://www.omnilit.com/product-mariah039smarriage-1173550-149.html

Sara Jayne Townsend’s Death Scene is Released

DEATH SCENE by Novels Now guest Sara Jayne Townsend releases today, 22nd September. Click the image to buy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://goo.gl/pASdjp Mariah’s Marriage amazon US

“Oh, Mariah, let us not quarrel. We will be married within the month. At least your papa’s house contains plenty of books. You may practise throwing them.” anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/NxYxj5 Mariah’s Marriage UK

http://goo.gl/PKptQg Bella’s Betrothal US

 …a solitary figure ahead among some gorse and shrubs. Charles thought she made a beautiful picture in her riding habit with the exquisite hat Jenny Menzies wished to inherit. He thought the girl might get it sooner rather than later if he followed his instincts. At that precise moment, he wanted to shake Bella hard. Then he would lock her in the castle in Strath Menzies and hold her forever. anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/5RBzIm Bella’s Betrothal UK

https://www.omnilit.com/product-bella039sbetrothal-1312055-162.

html https://www.omnilit.com/product-mariah039smarriage-1173550-149.html

What If? LM Blackburn’s giggle making story

LM Blackburn’s untitled story on p46/47 of Grind’s third edition, is a giggle-making answer to a question about the Scottish Referendum that hasn’t been keeping me awake.

It might now, however.

What if the referendum result on Scotland’s decision to Go or Stay is a draw, but one ballot box was lost over The Minch?

As far as I know, Blackburn isn’t a novelist, but the obvious talent displayed in this delicate handling of such a ticklish issue, deserves recognition. It’s here, folks:

Grind III

Wash the Soap Season

At this time of year, much work is being done in our garden by the Head Gardener, otherwise known as the DH, so it’s wise to wash the soap before trying to wash your hands.

We  visit many gardens and the picture is of a Cambridge college one taken early in the year. Fortunately, our house isn’t surrounded by the amount of space on show or my husband might need assistance with his efforts. While I like the flowers and his blackcurrants are truly wonderful, gardening is not my favourite pastime. It’s good to have separate but complementary interests.

One of the things we need to remember when creating characters who fall in love, is that the marriage, particularly in a historical romance, goes on for many years. The Heroine and her Beau need to have things in common that they can agree about or disagree over.

Mariah Fox finds herself caught up in Tobias’s argument about teaching when he asks her whether only she can do the teaching. Is it not the case, he wants her to consider, that a countess would be in a powerful position to enable teaching?

So, while I won’t be getting mud under my fingernails, I do have a few boxes of spring bulbs I’m keen to see planted up. Wonder where the gardener is…

http://goo.gl/pASdjp Mariah’s Marriage amazon US

“Oh, Mariah, let us not quarrel. We will be married within the month. At least your papa’s house contains plenty of books. You may practise throwing them.” anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/NxYxj5 Mariah’s Marriage UK

http://goo.gl/PKptQg Bella’s Betrothal US

 …a solitary figure ahead among some gorse and shrubs. Charles thought she made a beautiful picture in her riding habit with the exquisite hat Jenny Menzies wished to inherit. He thought the girl might get it sooner rather than later if he followed his instincts. At that precise moment, he wanted to shake Bella hard. Then he would lock her in the castle in Strath Menzies and hold her forever. anne stenhouse

http://goo.gl/5RBzIm Bella’s Betrothal UK

https://www.omnilit.com/product-bella039sbetrothal-1312055-162.

html https://www.omnilit.com/product-mariah039smarriage-1173550-149.html

 

Fascinating I Am: Peggy Chambers: Dark Dystopian comedy

The Apocalypse Sucks by Peggy Chambers is another departure from the romantic world for Novels Now. Peggy describes it as ‘dark, dystopian comedy’. We’re always delighted to welcome authors from other genres. Here are Five Fascinating Facts from Peggy Chambers.

 

 

 

Fascinating Fact #1:

I ate warthog pizza one day for lunch in the outdoor dining room at a Zimbabwean hunting camp. Not many people can say that. No, it did not taste like chicken, it tasted like pork. I was very wary on that 2000 trip of myself becoming something’s lunch.  I loved the experience and would do it all again, the people were wonderful, the food exquisite.

Fascinating Fact #2:

I swam with the dolphins in Mexico after climbing the pyramids at Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula.  This was my dream come true.  I would love to see the pyramids in Egypt for comparison.

Fascinating Fact #3:

I married my high school sweetheart 42 years ago and we are still married today.  We have two children and five grandchildren and live in Oklahoma, the heartland of the United States.

Fascinating Fact #4:

I loved writing since I was old enough to hold a book. Marrying young out of the turbulent seventies and becoming a mother very soon thereafter means it has taken me some time to get back to it.

Fascinating Fact #5:

I write for therapy.  When my parents became ill fifteen years ago, I started writing again for the first time since college.  It was a great way to get my feelings out in the open and explore all that I was going through.  I became a grandmother the day after my mother died.  She didn’t get to meet her great grandson.  She would have loved him.

My current novel The Apocalypse Sucks is a dark dystopian comedy. If you can’t make fun of the apocalypse, what can you make fun of?  The world has come to an end.  But, some things never change – like bras wearing out – even at the end of the world.  And that means a trip back to the mall braving dangers along the way.  Sandra and Molly now live together in the building they used to work in before the virus hit.  Most of the people died quickly, but the survivors will never be the same.

The Apocalypse Sucks started out as a short story called “Bra Wars.”  After sending it in to a publisher, they suggested that I write five more stories to go with it.  The end result was a novel called The Apocalypse Sucks – a silly take off on all the apocalypse novels out there.  It stands alone as a satire.

Peggy Chambers

is a multiple genre, award winning author.  She is twice published, with another book on the way. She spends her days working in an office and her nights and weekends making up stories.  She attended Phillips University, the University of Central Oklahoma and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.   She is a member of the Enid Writers’ Club, Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc., Ozark Writers’ League, and Oklahoma Women Bloggers.  There is always another story weaving itself around in her brain trying to come out. There aren’t enough hours in the day!

You can find her at http://peggylchambers.wordpress.com/  where she writes a weekly blog. Like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BraWars, or connect with her out on Twitter at #ChambersPeggy.

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Association of Writers’ 2017 Schedule

The Scottish Association of Writers is an umbrella organisation of writers’ clubs, workshops, groups etc. if you are a member of an affiliated group, then you’re automatically a member of SAW.

I’ve had huge amounts of fun at the weekend conferences or schools over a longer period than I care to admit. The Schedule for next year’s one came out electronically last week. Competitions must be entered by due dated and one or two don’t depend on being at the conference.

Headline speaker is HELEN LEDERER.

Schedule is here SAW 2017 48th Conference Prospectus

Like what you see? Edinburgh Writers’ Club, in its 70th year of life, resumed September 19th at the Wash Bar, the Mound, 7.30 pm. Join, – full, country or housebound member – and you’ll be eligible.

Next EWC meeting is Monday 28th November 2016.