My biggest news for a long time is that I am, with some regret, leaving the National Academy of Writing.
It has been a ball, it has been hard work and it has been nearly three years of my life, three of perhaps the hardest, all told, with certain personal circumstances. And now it is over. As of today.
It's time, I know that. The commute to Birmingham was a bitch, I can't stress enough how I hated it. I worked hard to get to know the writing and publishing community there but I always felt like a bit of an imposter in their midst and family life in Nottingham meant I couldn't get to nearly as many book launches and events as I would have liked. I also wanted to focus back on my writing, as it wasn't drifting as such, but it had ramped down pacewise by some level. So, yes, it was time and I will miss it very much. I will certainly miss my colleagues at Birmingham City, as well as members of the NAW board, who were the ultimate support network and never let me down. I will miss Birmingham, which is so much nicer than you think, and all the good folks there who took me into their hearts and helped me do what I was trying to do. I'd like to say a huge thank you to all of those people here. You know who you are.
The best thing about it has been the students. At times the worst thing about it has been the students too, but I won't dwell on that. (Or elaborate. No!)
Mostly I want to celebrate who they are and what they have achieved. I'm really proud of them. They're good writers because we chose them carefully, and each had to spend a week on our campus in Birmingham to prove themselves before they were allowed to proceed with the course. That's a big deal; giving up your life for a week to study on course that might not have you in the end. That's commitment and commitment, in the end, is what turns someone who can write into someone who can get published.
I truly believe the student body at the academy is unique. They are self-starting, managing and initiating their own projects, full of ideas to make the course experience better and enrich their own learning. They read, and consider fiction written by other people deeply, as well as their own. They work hard. They have all, without exception, come on leaps and bounds since they started the course (even those who do not know it yet).
Below I've detailed everything they've done so you can see for yourselves. I think their achievements are exceptional. I'm inspired by their energy and motivation and expect big things of academy students in the coming years. I'm looking forward to reading reviews of their books in the Guardian and Independent and telling everyone that I taught them.
So far, my teaching career has produced just one star, Bradley McIntosh of S Club Seven fame. As I taught him maths, I cannot claim to have contributed nearly as much as the Brit school, where he went after I knew him. But I did give him his first commendation (or accommodation, as he called it at the time) and I always smiled when he danced into the classroom.
I like to think of my writing students in a similar way. The success is theirs; entirely down to blood, sweat and tears. But I always smiled when they danced into the classroom.
Nicola
PS You can buy a copy of their brilliant and very professionally produced anthology Finding a Voice here. Thanks to Imprimata for all their efforts and help with this.
NAW Student Achievements – as of March 2009
Tina Freeth
Published short story in Birmingham words pamphlet ‘Perfectly Formed’
Published short story in anthology ‘Original Skin’
Winner of SCRIPT Games playwrighting competition - one of five plays (ten minutes in length) chosen for to be performed at the B'ham Museum and Art Gallery directed by ex-BBC producer Kate Chapman (22 Nov 2008).
'Growing up on lard' published in The Map of Me - Decibel Penguin anthology (Nov 2008).
Contracted as writer by Franklin Watts Publishing for two titles in a newly created series (The Crew) for reluctant readers. The title of Tina's first book will be - 'Day of the Dog'.
'Aston Manna' (15 minute film) shortlisted for Screen West Midlands/UK Film Council funding for DIGISHORTS project.
Storytelling leader at Herefordshire Council's DESTINATION CHINA - Easter festival 2009
Short film script 'Lychees and Bingo Ball's' (an adaptation from own short story) has been chosen along with four others by the BBC Writers' Room who ran a competition BBC Bites in March 2008, looking for stories by or about the British Chinese community. The Writersroom are now looking for partnership funding to produce all five short films.
Featured on BBC Video Nation
Baljinder Gill
Completed 2 feature length scripts - "Walls Between Us" and "Don't Miss It - Live Suicide Tonight!" and also a short script - "Divine Intervention" which has made it through the first cut of the British Short Script Competition. There were 1500 entries and they've made the first cut to just over 400.
Federay Holmes
Federay has had a story published in literary magazine ‘Bad Idea’
Made third round of the Verity Bargate Award for play "Pull to Standing"
Audio play produced by the BBC which can be found here
Richard Howse
Made the top 20 in the Screenwriters’ Festival 2007 Fever Pitch competition and had his script sent to channel 4 for consideration.
Three issues of ‘Writing Tips’ broadcast in Litopia podcast to over 4500 listeners.
Completed work for Scholastic Children's Books on an ARG (Artificial Reality Game) for MG Harris's Joshua Files book series. Richard adapted the story from an original idea by MG Harris and co-authored the content of the game with her, which involves: blogs, interactive websites, video diaries, scripted dialogue, and a live event at the game's climax on the 27th March.
Fiona Joseph
Longlisted (last 25) in the Happenstance International Short Story Competition (Feb 2008)
Bobbie Darbyshire
Bobbie has now left the course, but will be publishing her first novel 'Truth Games' with Cinnamon Press this summer. She has also had another novel 'The Real McCoy' serialised, and short stories published and performed.
Robert Ronsson
Robert won the Button Bridge Books short story competition.
Published short story in Birmingham words pamphlet ‘Perfectly Formed’
Published ‘Olympic Mind Games’, a young adult novel, which made the heady heights of Amazon top 500 after a very well managed marketing campaign.
Shortlisted for Impress First Novel Award, run by Impress book and University of Exeter’s Centre for Creative Writing for his novel ‘The Spaniard’s Wife’. This was also longlisted (25) in the Jane Wenham-Jones 'wannabe a writer?' competition.
Presented the awards at the Worcestershire Teen Book Awards 2007 ceremony at Droitwich Library on April 24, 2007.
Sold 7000 copies of 'Olympic Mind Games' to a financial services company in America called Mutual of Omaha. Mutual of Omaha sponsors the 'Break-out! Swim Clinics' which tour the USA finding and coaching new swimming talent and they are giving each participant in the program a copy of my book. Has now sold more than 9000 copies of OMG in the UK and USA.
'The Speed Trap' won a Writers' News competition and it will be published in the May 2009 edition of the magazine. (Robert has also been shortlisted for this prize three times previously.)
Rachel Pickering
Rachel has had first person articles published in the Guardian and Sunday Telegraph. As part of "Open Mouth Productions" she wrote, directed and performed show "Love, Honour and Obey" (four character monologues) in Hebden Bridge – it was a sell out and very well received.
Geoff Mills
Short poem ‘The Film’ published in issue 19 of Aesthetica
Wrote a series of introductions for 501 Great Writers - A Comprehensive Guide to the Giants of Literature.
Elizabeth Nichols
Finished her first novel 'Little Time Bomb'
Rena Brannan
Rena’s play ‘Baby's Wedding’, about a Korean mother who is in competition with her best friend to see who can marry their respective daughters off first, was shortlisted for the Yellow Voices play writing competition, run by the Yellow Earth Theatre. Shortlisted playwrights had the chance to meet the directors of the Birmingham Rep, the Young Vic and the Soho Theatre.
Rena also deserves a special mention for her participation in NAW projects. She has been part of teams in a number of projects, and co-ordinated two showcase events and various workshops. She's done an excellent job on everything she's been involved with.
Gabby Bulmer
Gabby has finished her children’s novel ‘Elemental Heroes’ and is now seeking representation for her book.
Sophie Ward
Publication of article in the Times
Commission and reading of story at the Vice Chancellor’s installation December 2007.
Other publications have included My Orphean Underworld in Sesame, Meat, which won first prize in the BCU Free Word competition, and Private Lives, a regular column for Crave magazine.
Sophie's latest short story has been published by New Fairy Tales
Sophie blogs here, and about books here.
Anna May Mangan
Article in the Sunday Times October 28th 2007 ‘Proud to be a Pushy Mother’
Has now published two features in the Mail on Sunday You magazine, one in Saga, came second in the Prima short story competition in November issue and placed second in the international Sean O'Faolain Prize.
Eveline Williams
Had an audio piece broadcast on Resonance FM
Tamsin Walker
Completed 2nd draft of novel and is now looking for representation.
Completed 2 feature film scripts - received interest from UK funder and director for one, German director and producers for another.
Commissioned by Bertelsmann to write and record a series of 39 stories for children, plus a series of scripts for animation
James Kennedy
After a stint finding his feet at many open mic and spoken word events, James jointly founded Wrote Under Publishing, a non profit co-operative in Birmingham. He edited magazines and promoted gigs, and in 2007 he was one of the ‘three’ in Wrote Under’s first publication, ‘The Underground Three: Three Go Mainstream’, a collection of poetry and prose. James’s performances have included experimental music and acting as well as poetry, and he has performed at many arts venues, including the opening of Eastside Projects gallery.
Kathleen Dixon Donnelly
Kathleen is a Senior Lecturer in public relations, in the Birmingham City Business School, and has received a RoLEX grant from the university's Center for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning [CETL] to develop an interdisciplinary course in public relations with the School of Media. This will expand the teaching of writing to students studying business degrees.
Finding a Voice
The following students were published in our annual anthology, Finding a Voice:
Bobbie Darbyshire, Robert Ronsson, Lucy Fussell, Fiona Joseph, Bruce Johns, Rachel Pickering, Eveline Williams, Gabby Bulmer, Sophie Ward, Ryan Davis, Rena Brannan, Tina Freeth, Gemma McErlean, Kathleen Dixon Donnelly, Nick LeMesurier, Elizabeth Nichols.
Showcases
The following students took part in our June show:
Sophie Ward, Robert Ronsson, Edmund Bealby-Wright, Mike Morrison, Bobbie Darbyshire, Bruce Johns, Tina Freeth, Geoff Mills, Richard Howse, Rena Brannan.
Our prizewinners were: Bobbie Darbyshire (Fiction), Sophie Ward (Screenwriting), Tina Freeth (Enterprise) and Robert Ronsson (Professional Development).
The following students took part in our showcase at Birmingham Book Festival:
Federay Holmes, Bruce Johns, Tina Freeth, Rob Ronsson, Edmund Bealby-Wright, Carol Burns, Roger Noble, Fiona Joseph, Dave Ewer, Geoff Mills, Nick Le Mesurier, Bobbie Darbyshire, Sophie Ward, Rena Brannan
The following students took part in our showcase as part of the December course day:
Fiona Joseph, Rob Ronson, Geoff Mills, Federay Holmes, Mike Morrison, Roger Noble, Sophie Ward
Showing posts with label Nicola Monaghan's News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nicola Monaghan's News. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Monday, 28 July 2008
Can't blog now, more heroes to meet...
I've not been a good blogger of late, I know that and I'm sorry. The thing is, I'm just not spending much time at all online at the moment. I'm reading loads, and writing plenty, but none of that writing has turned out to happen online (until today). My third novel is coming along and I'm also working on a script for The Killing Jar, which looks like it's found a producer, so all that's keeping me busy, busy, busy, as well as quite shiny and excited.
I've also had some fun this summer meeting my heroes. They are all heroes I've met before, but that doesn't take the shine off for me, they're still heroes. Chuck Palahnuik (one of said heroes) says in something I read once that you shouldn't meet your heroes, that they're bound to let you down by farting or belching. Well, I haven't heard any evidence of the above and, as I don't have much of a sense of smell, I wouldn't notice otherwise. So far, I've lucked out.
Of course, one of the biggest events of the year has been the 80th birthday of Alan Sillitoe, which has been celebrated in style. For the latest tribute, catch the next issue of Left Lion. They done 'im proud.
Most recently, I interviewed Irvine Welsh at the Broadway Cinema, where I used to work. I was quite nervous; I heard somewhere that he could be quite prickly in the wrong hands. Nothing could have been further from the truth. He was friendly, chatty and asked me about my books on more than one occasion! (Not during the actual interview - that would have been just wrong lol). I'd say you couldn't meet a nicer man. An editor at Random House once suggested to me that they felt the nastiness of someone's fiction had almost an inverse relationship with the personality of the writer. ie Nice guys write grim. So far I'm finding this adds up.
If you want proof of this, I'm interviewing Chuck Palahniuk soon. He's about the nicest guy who writes the grimmest stories. He comes so close to defining cult fiction, that's what his fans call themselves. If you fancy checking this out for yourself, it's 6pm, at the Broadway, Broad Street in Nottingham on Thursday 14th August. See you there. Don't fart!
N
I've also had some fun this summer meeting my heroes. They are all heroes I've met before, but that doesn't take the shine off for me, they're still heroes. Chuck Palahnuik (one of said heroes) says in something I read once that you shouldn't meet your heroes, that they're bound to let you down by farting or belching. Well, I haven't heard any evidence of the above and, as I don't have much of a sense of smell, I wouldn't notice otherwise. So far, I've lucked out.
Of course, one of the biggest events of the year has been the 80th birthday of Alan Sillitoe, which has been celebrated in style. For the latest tribute, catch the next issue of Left Lion. They done 'im proud.
Most recently, I interviewed Irvine Welsh at the Broadway Cinema, where I used to work. I was quite nervous; I heard somewhere that he could be quite prickly in the wrong hands. Nothing could have been further from the truth. He was friendly, chatty and asked me about my books on more than one occasion! (Not during the actual interview - that would have been just wrong lol). I'd say you couldn't meet a nicer man. An editor at Random House once suggested to me that they felt the nastiness of someone's fiction had almost an inverse relationship with the personality of the writer. ie Nice guys write grim. So far I'm finding this adds up.
If you want proof of this, I'm interviewing Chuck Palahniuk soon. He's about the nicest guy who writes the grimmest stories. He comes so close to defining cult fiction, that's what his fans call themselves. If you fancy checking this out for yourself, it's 6pm, at the Broadway, Broad Street in Nottingham on Thursday 14th August. See you there. Don't fart!
N
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Spaced...
There's a lot going on right now. Like Frankie, I am in Seattle, a business trip of my husband's that I've come along to help with. Meanwhile, I was on the radio today without even being in the country. How clever is that? You can listen again here as long as you get there in the next six days.
Someone pointed out to me last week that all the events going on should be up here and he was quite right, although I have been rather too busy doing them to have time for that blogging thing, you see. Anyway, here goes nothing...
I have a very interesting piece going out on Radio 3, the show called the Verb on Friday 4th April at 21.45. When I was commissioned on this piece, the producer suggested I may want to do something dramatic, or experiment with sound, so I set myself the challenge of writing a piece to be read with a piece of music. I'd already had a bit of a go at this, with the opening prologue to Starfishing, but I'd done that quite loosely because it was for print publication rather than recording, so didn't need to be an exact science. I chose a longer piece of music this time, seven whole minutes. It was the most challenging piece of writing I've undertaken in a while and took a whole day's work, with lots of reading aloud to check the timings. Finishing it was extremely satisfying and exciting.
Thursday 3rd April I'm at the Bookcase in Lowdham for my Notts launch of Starfishing. Frankie is coming along, and will be writing about it afterwards. She's having fun with this postmodern side she's discovered in herself and has no intention of crawling back into her book anytime soon.
Saturday 12th, I'm hanging out at the New Street branch of Waterstone's in Birmingham to chat to customers and sign some books from 11am till 3pm. Thursday 17th, 7:30pm, I'm talking and signing at Waterstone's Nottingham. Nottingham Central Library are having me on Monday 21st April at 2pm. 26th April is my appearance at the Cuirt festival in Galway, 5pm.
I also have a piece in this month's Left Lion and next month's Marie Claire so watch out for those.
I'm off to give in to my jetlag.
Nicola x
Someone pointed out to me last week that all the events going on should be up here and he was quite right, although I have been rather too busy doing them to have time for that blogging thing, you see. Anyway, here goes nothing...
I have a very interesting piece going out on Radio 3, the show called the Verb on Friday 4th April at 21.45. When I was commissioned on this piece, the producer suggested I may want to do something dramatic, or experiment with sound, so I set myself the challenge of writing a piece to be read with a piece of music. I'd already had a bit of a go at this, with the opening prologue to Starfishing, but I'd done that quite loosely because it was for print publication rather than recording, so didn't need to be an exact science. I chose a longer piece of music this time, seven whole minutes. It was the most challenging piece of writing I've undertaken in a while and took a whole day's work, with lots of reading aloud to check the timings. Finishing it was extremely satisfying and exciting.
Thursday 3rd April I'm at the Bookcase in Lowdham for my Notts launch of Starfishing. Frankie is coming along, and will be writing about it afterwards. She's having fun with this postmodern side she's discovered in herself and has no intention of crawling back into her book anytime soon.
Saturday 12th, I'm hanging out at the New Street branch of Waterstone's in Birmingham to chat to customers and sign some books from 11am till 3pm. Thursday 17th, 7:30pm, I'm talking and signing at Waterstone's Nottingham. Nottingham Central Library are having me on Monday 21st April at 2pm. 26th April is my appearance at the Cuirt festival in Galway, 5pm.
I also have a piece in this month's Left Lion and next month's Marie Claire so watch out for those.
I'm off to give in to my jetlag.
Nicola x
Saturday, 22 March 2008
Happy Saturday...
STOP PRESS - PICTURES FROM LAUNCH PARTY IN SPECIAL SLIDESHOW HERE------->>
(aren't I clever? Lol)
Starfishing is officially launched into the big, wide sea and it's slightly scary and very exciting, like most voyages out in the big waves of the book industry. I had my party on Wednesday in the City, at an old haunt, Browns on Old Jewry. I used to attend said establishment on a regular basis when I worked for Trading Technologies, as our office was around the corner on the Poultry. It was odd to be back there in that it didn't feel strange at all. It felt like coming home. It was the best kind of party. Just the right amount of alcohol, and friends from all the different times in my life. One from sixth form (my husband Chad), a couple from University, some from my time in the City, others who studied on the MA with me, and yet more who are more recent acquisitions, as well as quite a few people I'd never met before. It all made for a very pleasant evening and a good number of books sold, even though many of the people who came had already bought a copy ahead of the event. I'm now looking forward to pushing the book out into Nottingham waters via The Bookcase in Lowdham.
For the first time in a long while, I've been inspired to get out some canvas and a paintbrush. Part of this is to paint a rather special piece for a friend of mine, an 'in' joke of a picture, you could say. It was something I said I'd do in a less than sane moment but now I really want to. I'm also painting a Peppa Pig for my niece. Perhaps a less ambitious project but it's her birthday and I wanted to give her something a little bit different. Peppa Pig and her friends look easy to draw, but once I got started I began to realise why these little characters are so appealing. They're not that easy to get right - an exercise in the art of perfect proportion. I haven't drawn anything for years and this was a good way to get back into it.
I feel at a bit of a crossroads creatively. I'm not about to give up writing and try to sell my Peppa Pigs, but I do have all sorts of ideas running off on their own without my permission! I want to write a script for The Killing Jar, then I think that Starfishing would be easier, and make a great movie. I'd love to start my next novel; except I don't feel quite ready. There are so many ideas washing round and round my poor little head it's like a spin cycle in there and I feel slightly sick. Also, for the first time in a long while, I can feel my hair on the back of my neck. Yes, indeed, for those of you who thought I still looked like this, I've grown it all back, as you will see from my launch pics.
Maybe I will just stop and chill for a little while, and enjoy the parties.
Pictures from the launch toot sweet I promise... See the slideshow over here ---->
Nicola xx
(aren't I clever? Lol)
Starfishing is officially launched into the big, wide sea and it's slightly scary and very exciting, like most voyages out in the big waves of the book industry. I had my party on Wednesday in the City, at an old haunt, Browns on Old Jewry. I used to attend said establishment on a regular basis when I worked for Trading Technologies, as our office was around the corner on the Poultry. It was odd to be back there in that it didn't feel strange at all. It felt like coming home. It was the best kind of party. Just the right amount of alcohol, and friends from all the different times in my life. One from sixth form (my husband Chad), a couple from University, some from my time in the City, others who studied on the MA with me, and yet more who are more recent acquisitions, as well as quite a few people I'd never met before. It all made for a very pleasant evening and a good number of books sold, even though many of the people who came had already bought a copy ahead of the event. I'm now looking forward to pushing the book out into Nottingham waters via The Bookcase in Lowdham.
For the first time in a long while, I've been inspired to get out some canvas and a paintbrush. Part of this is to paint a rather special piece for a friend of mine, an 'in' joke of a picture, you could say. It was something I said I'd do in a less than sane moment but now I really want to. I'm also painting a Peppa Pig for my niece. Perhaps a less ambitious project but it's her birthday and I wanted to give her something a little bit different. Peppa Pig and her friends look easy to draw, but once I got started I began to realise why these little characters are so appealing. They're not that easy to get right - an exercise in the art of perfect proportion. I haven't drawn anything for years and this was a good way to get back into it.
I feel at a bit of a crossroads creatively. I'm not about to give up writing and try to sell my Peppa Pigs, but I do have all sorts of ideas running off on their own without my permission! I want to write a script for The Killing Jar, then I think that Starfishing would be easier, and make a great movie. I'd love to start my next novel; except I don't feel quite ready. There are so many ideas washing round and round my poor little head it's like a spin cycle in there and I feel slightly sick. Also, for the first time in a long while, I can feel my hair on the back of my neck. Yes, indeed, for those of you who thought I still looked like this, I've grown it all back, as you will see from my launch pics.
Maybe I will just stop and chill for a little while, and enjoy the parties.
Pictures from the launch toot sweet I promise... See the slideshow over here ---->
Nicola xx
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Crazy, mad, exciting times
I'm not talking about when I first met my husband, which this title could describe just as easily, but about the last few weeks.
I think people split quite neatly, sometimes. Those who like marmite, those who don't. Those, like me, who make lists, and those, like my husband, who don't. Actually, the hubby does have a 'to do' list on his iGoogle page. It has two items on it. 'Make a million pounds' and 'Sort out photos on computer'. I love this difference in scale. Personally, I am a total sad list making person, and my lists have recently exploded, what with articles and press and events, a new blogging project and all the other things associated with the release of Starfishing. But it's also partly because I keep setting myself extra things to do. It's like I can't sit still.
The National Academy of Writing has been interesting recently. We've had a good number of masterclasses but, possibly the climax, was when our president, Melvyn Bragg, received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University and put some time aside to speak to our students afterwards. It was a small, intimate session, and Lord Bragg had a definite message about the editorial process, and the need for some real, honest voices to help you grow and improve as a writer. I'm hoping it hit home. Our students are doing well, with lots of publication and competition credits, but there's always room for one person to say 'find someone you can trust who will be honest with you.'
Sometimes it seems like it's the most crazy, mad, exciting times that bring out the writing in me and now is no exception. Despite it being the most crazy, mad time to do it, I have also started my next big project. And that's exciting.
I think people split quite neatly, sometimes. Those who like marmite, those who don't. Those, like me, who make lists, and those, like my husband, who don't. Actually, the hubby does have a 'to do' list on his iGoogle page. It has two items on it. 'Make a million pounds' and 'Sort out photos on computer'. I love this difference in scale. Personally, I am a total sad list making person, and my lists have recently exploded, what with articles and press and events, a new blogging project and all the other things associated with the release of Starfishing. But it's also partly because I keep setting myself extra things to do. It's like I can't sit still.
The National Academy of Writing has been interesting recently. We've had a good number of masterclasses but, possibly the climax, was when our president, Melvyn Bragg, received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University and put some time aside to speak to our students afterwards. It was a small, intimate session, and Lord Bragg had a definite message about the editorial process, and the need for some real, honest voices to help you grow and improve as a writer. I'm hoping it hit home. Our students are doing well, with lots of publication and competition credits, but there's always room for one person to say 'find someone you can trust who will be honest with you.'
Sometimes it seems like it's the most crazy, mad, exciting times that bring out the writing in me and now is no exception. Despite it being the most crazy, mad time to do it, I have also started my next big project. And that's exciting.
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
A little advert...
My new novel, Starfishing, is out very soon indeed, the beginning of next month, and is available on pre-order now. If it's the same as The Killing Jar, it will be out and in the shops, as well as being sent out from online places, very soon indeed. Read more about it here or order it here, here or here!
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Happy New Year
So it's 2008. I can't quite believe it, really. I remember looking ahead at my life as a child, and thinking how I'd be soooo old in the year 2000, twenty-eight! I could hardly imagine it. And here we are, eight years into a new millennium.
More surprising still, the publication date for Starfishing is almost here. Being involved in publishing means you end up living ahead of yourself somewhat. I've been working towards March 2008 for nearly two years now. When I first heard the date, like y2k, it seemed a long way in the distance. I soon got used to it. And now it has crept up on me, unannounced.
I've been very busy with all the usual stuff since the year set out, so nothing has changed so far. I don't feel too much older. It was my niece's birthday today. She told me 'I don't feel eight yet. I still feel seven!' I know what she means.(She was a millennium baby, in case you're struggling with the maths.)
I saw my agent a few days ago. He came to speak to my students at NAW, which was jolly decent of him. We managed to get twenty minutes or so in to talk about what I might write next and it was quite an inspiring conversation. I have all sorts of ideas floating around my head now, and a few fastened down tight inside my notebook too. No! I'm not going to tell you here. You will have to wait and see.
And I need to overhaul my website. My current one is a good example of something that looks pretty, but has been designed with totally no regard for scaleability. And I should know betterer, with my background in software design! This is going to be a big job, and needs to be done soon, to accommodate all the changes for Starfishing. Oh the joys of self-employment!
Still, I got my PLR statement and the library service are going to pay me some money because people have been borrowing my book. Like a special kind of new year bonus.
Happy 2008 y'all!
More surprising still, the publication date for Starfishing is almost here. Being involved in publishing means you end up living ahead of yourself somewhat. I've been working towards March 2008 for nearly two years now. When I first heard the date, like y2k, it seemed a long way in the distance. I soon got used to it. And now it has crept up on me, unannounced.
I've been very busy with all the usual stuff since the year set out, so nothing has changed so far. I don't feel too much older. It was my niece's birthday today. She told me 'I don't feel eight yet. I still feel seven!' I know what she means.(She was a millennium baby, in case you're struggling with the maths.)
I saw my agent a few days ago. He came to speak to my students at NAW, which was jolly decent of him. We managed to get twenty minutes or so in to talk about what I might write next and it was quite an inspiring conversation. I have all sorts of ideas floating around my head now, and a few fastened down tight inside my notebook too. No! I'm not going to tell you here. You will have to wait and see.
And I need to overhaul my website. My current one is a good example of something that looks pretty, but has been designed with totally no regard for scaleability. And I should know betterer, with my background in software design! This is going to be a big job, and needs to be done soon, to accommodate all the changes for Starfishing. Oh the joys of self-employment!
Still, I got my PLR statement and the library service are going to pay me some money because people have been borrowing my book. Like a special kind of new year bonus.
Happy 2008 y'all!
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Catch up
It has been a busy, busy, busy time for me the last few months. I'm gonna do this Reduced Shakespeare Company stylie to catch up.
NAW. 12 new students. Ace. Fiction module starts soon and is gonna keep me busy. External examiner (who is an agent) gave us a good report and we have all sorts of meetings coming.
Went to New York. Met my editor Alexis for the first time (gorgeous she is) Molly my publicist and Nan Graham and other Scribner types and their New York friends, including Alexis's boyfriend Postell, a very cool and funny guy who is an actor and musician. New York was fabulous, the way it always is. Caught up with my old friend Bekah and her new husband Patrick. Went over the bridge to Brooklyn for a reading at the Candy Store (great venue) and to eat Pizza with Laurie Collyer, scriptwriter of the stunning movie Sherry Baby and the (eventually to be I am determined) stunning movie The Killing Jar, and maybe even Starfishing. Watch this space...
Went to Waverton. It was, like, the polar opposite of New York. Award was presented at the golf club, which had been turned into a tribute to the book by organisers Wendy and Gwen. The two ladies and their husbands, the Peters, did us proud with a great night of food, as well as entertainment provided by yours truly :) I stood up and mumbled on about my book for twenty minutes or so and people seemed to like it. The consensus was that The Killing Jar did wonders to win out in Waverton, as there really are residents who will give you a mark of zero for using a four letter word. They can't have voted for me! They certainly wouldn't vote for Starfishing lol. All I can say is well done Waverton for enjoying being outside your comfort zone for the near on three hundred pages of my book. It does you credit.
Birmingham Book Festival madness ensues. I do all night workshops driving around the West Midlands. Yawn. (Not boring but TIRED). Bad cold does not help. Off to Brum again today to perform and record my Radio 4 story. It went down well and made one lady cry. Yay! (Does that sound cruel and heartless lol)
Went to Nottingham Creative Business Awards dinner. Ate great food and enjoyed clapping and cheering as we bigged up our special arty types for what they've been up to of late. Writers Studio did not win. Member of the studio Michael Pinchbeck did, for his play The White Album, which I have not seen but have heard great things about.
Meanwhile have received typset pages for Starfishing and am reading them, as well as putting finishing touches to the Crime Express story The Okinawa Dragon.
Novel number three? I can hear it whispering to me from down the road...
NAW. 12 new students. Ace. Fiction module starts soon and is gonna keep me busy. External examiner (who is an agent) gave us a good report and we have all sorts of meetings coming.
Went to New York. Met my editor Alexis for the first time (gorgeous she is) Molly my publicist and Nan Graham and other Scribner types and their New York friends, including Alexis's boyfriend Postell, a very cool and funny guy who is an actor and musician. New York was fabulous, the way it always is. Caught up with my old friend Bekah and her new husband Patrick. Went over the bridge to Brooklyn for a reading at the Candy Store (great venue) and to eat Pizza with Laurie Collyer, scriptwriter of the stunning movie Sherry Baby and the (eventually to be I am determined) stunning movie The Killing Jar, and maybe even Starfishing. Watch this space...
Went to Waverton. It was, like, the polar opposite of New York. Award was presented at the golf club, which had been turned into a tribute to the book by organisers Wendy and Gwen. The two ladies and their husbands, the Peters, did us proud with a great night of food, as well as entertainment provided by yours truly :) I stood up and mumbled on about my book for twenty minutes or so and people seemed to like it. The consensus was that The Killing Jar did wonders to win out in Waverton, as there really are residents who will give you a mark of zero for using a four letter word. They can't have voted for me! They certainly wouldn't vote for Starfishing lol. All I can say is well done Waverton for enjoying being outside your comfort zone for the near on three hundred pages of my book. It does you credit.
Birmingham Book Festival madness ensues. I do all night workshops driving around the West Midlands. Yawn. (Not boring but TIRED). Bad cold does not help. Off to Brum again today to perform and record my Radio 4 story. It went down well and made one lady cry. Yay! (Does that sound cruel and heartless lol)
Went to Nottingham Creative Business Awards dinner. Ate great food and enjoyed clapping and cheering as we bigged up our special arty types for what they've been up to of late. Writers Studio did not win. Member of the studio Michael Pinchbeck did, for his play The White Album, which I have not seen but have heard great things about.
Meanwhile have received typset pages for Starfishing and am reading them, as well as putting finishing touches to the Crime Express story The Okinawa Dragon.
Novel number three? I can hear it whispering to me from down the road...
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
The Left Lion mystery
The left lion in Nottingham's slab square is an institution. Everyone who grows up here has countless nights out that start there. Why the left lion? Nobody knows. Years ago, I'm told by older friends, it just used to be 'the lions' but it's evolved. How do you tell which one's the left lion? It's on the left hand side when you are facing the building, not standing outside looking out. There is even a (rather good) cultural magazine named after this most famous meeting place. And yet, although everyone claims to meet there, the place is rarely packed with people. How does that work? It's all a bit platform nine and three quarters if you ask me.
Today, though, there were hundreds of people there. The event was a meeting of minds or, at least, a photocall, for all of the creatives in Nottingham. And they came. And they all tried to stand at the front, which was quite funny to watch. Especially the girl in the hat who was just determined not to be moved backwards no matter what. You go girl! Lol.
All my creative friends have been banging on recently about how cool it is to work in Nottingham right now, and how there's a buzz, and how it truly is becoming a creative hub. I knew this. But to see it today in flesh and blood in the market square, it was quite something.
What's more, I met Troubled Diva, whose blog I've been reading for a while. And what a very nice man he is too. We talked blogging and people we knew in common, while drinking wine in the sunny mezz bar at the Broadway, and he had his caricature drawn. I love being a writer :) He was off to see Armistead Maupin afterwards, together with most of the Nottingham literazzi, but I didn't have tickets.
Talking of talking about blogging, I must point you in the direction of a new website I've been involved with which has just gone live; Bookarazzi. It's been put together by a support/networking group I was invited to join a while ago. It's a diverse group of writers who all have blogs and who all have book deals. That's probably as far as the similarities go. There are memoirists, chick lit writers, literary types, artists,... Actually, there is another couple of things they all have in common and that's talent and energy and ideas. Oh, that was three things. In fact, this is in danger of becoming a 'what have the Romans ever done for us' comment so I'll stop here. Visit the site. It is good there.
Today, though, there were hundreds of people there. The event was a meeting of minds or, at least, a photocall, for all of the creatives in Nottingham. And they came. And they all tried to stand at the front, which was quite funny to watch. Especially the girl in the hat who was just determined not to be moved backwards no matter what. You go girl! Lol.
All my creative friends have been banging on recently about how cool it is to work in Nottingham right now, and how there's a buzz, and how it truly is becoming a creative hub. I knew this. But to see it today in flesh and blood in the market square, it was quite something.
What's more, I met Troubled Diva, whose blog I've been reading for a while. And what a very nice man he is too. We talked blogging and people we knew in common, while drinking wine in the sunny mezz bar at the Broadway, and he had his caricature drawn. I love being a writer :) He was off to see Armistead Maupin afterwards, together with most of the Nottingham literazzi, but I didn't have tickets.
Talking of talking about blogging, I must point you in the direction of a new website I've been involved with which has just gone live; Bookarazzi. It's been put together by a support/networking group I was invited to join a while ago. It's a diverse group of writers who all have blogs and who all have book deals. That's probably as far as the similarities go. There are memoirists, chick lit writers, literary types, artists,... Actually, there is another couple of things they all have in common and that's talent and energy and ideas. Oh, that was three things. In fact, this is in danger of becoming a 'what have the Romans ever done for us' comment so I'll stop here. Visit the site. It is good there.
Saturday, 7 July 2007
The Waverton Good Read
I received an email this afternoon telling me I've won the Waverton Good Read. I'm very pleased and excited. I've been invited to a dinner and presentation in October.
The really cool thing about this prize is that it's voted for by readers in Waverton. Part of the aim of the whole scheme is to get people reading. I'm really proud to have won this on the basis of readers' opinions.
I'm now looking forward to finding my way to Waverton Village and meeting some of the readers in person.
Nicola
The really cool thing about this prize is that it's voted for by readers in Waverton. Part of the aim of the whole scheme is to get people reading. I'm really proud to have won this on the basis of readers' opinions.
I'm now looking forward to finding my way to Waverton Village and meeting some of the readers in person.
Nicola
Friday, 6 July 2007
Starfishing, across the universe...
So, the news from the coalface is that my editor is more or less happy with my latest draft. Perhaps some polishing, and she has a few questions, but no major work. Yay! The second novel is almost out of the way :)I said it was all over bar the shouting. Perhaps this is where the shouting begins.
The image here is work in progress for the jacket. It's all moving along nice and fast now. I wasn't sure about this at first, but it's growing on me.
I went to see Irvine Welsh at Bookslam in West London last night. He was class as ever. Funny and entertaining and he 'did the voices'. Chad always wants me to 'do the voices'. There aren't many to do from The Killing Jar that are far away from the narrator's Nottingham voice, so coming from Nottingham myself I can pull it off. The Essex and American accents in Starfishing are going to provide me with a bit more of a challenge methinks. Help!
Happy Friday.
Nicola
Monday, 18 June 2007
All over but the shouting...
I finished Starfishing today. Well, I say I finished Starfishing, and that is not really true. I finished my latest draft of Starfishing. My editor and then the Chatto copy editor have yet to get their sticky hands on it, so there will be more work to do, no doubt. In fact, even painting it this way is slightly misleading. I've just printed it out and will be reading it one more time tonight and making more changes before I email it to Poppy tomorrow.
Will this madness never end?
And the strangest thing of all happened a couple of days ago. The book appeared on Amazon, available for pre-order. A book available for pre order that isn't even finished yet? What a weird world we live in.
I am looking forward to having a normal life again, to keeping more normal hours, to being able to socialise with friends and watch DVDs with my husband.
Will this madness never end?
And the strangest thing of all happened a couple of days ago. The book appeared on Amazon, available for pre-order. A book available for pre order that isn't even finished yet? What a weird world we live in.
I am looking forward to having a normal life again, to keeping more normal hours, to being able to socialise with friends and watch DVDs with my husband.
Saturday, 9 June 2007
Blogger rules
So, I've moved my news page over to Blogger. This is for two main reasons. I was going to use MySpace, but they once deleted my whole account and, once bitten and all that. The second is that blogger rocks. It just does. Without wanting to be too disgustingly sycophantic, it's so easy to set up an account and post, and make it look pretty and professional. So here I am.
My second novel is going to be finished by the end of next week. I promised my editor this and, at the time, I did wonder if I was being a little ambitious. I'd had a workshop on the first thirty thousand words last weekend and there were so many points for discussion that I thought my head might explode. I wasn't quite sure how I could revise the novel and make it work.
But this morning, in the bath, I had absolute and divine inspiration. It came from nowhere as I read Come Closer by Sara Gran. I don't think it had anything to do with the book, though it's a great book. Still, it came, and I jumped out of the bath, all wet and inspired and rather archimedian, if that's a word, and wrote it all down. And now I know this book is going be all right.
If you haven't read Come Closer then do. It's the best book I've read for ages and ages. Thanks Maria for the recommendation.
Now I just have to write a story for the Bridport Prize - I've bought a postal order so I have to enter. That and write the long short story for Five Leaves Press. It's going to be called The Okinawa Dragon. I am most excited about being in a series with John Harvey and Stephen Booth, that has gotta be good.
Events this week: Tuesday 12th is very busy. At 3:30pm you'll find me in Waterstone's on New Street in Birmingham, for a NAW masterclass on the art of suspense led by Ken Follett. Then I'm off down to the Canal, to interview Mick Scully about his new book of gritty stories Little Moscow. Another recommend, great tight writing exploring the Brum underworld. Scary stuff, but my kind of thing. If you're anywhere near Birmingham and fancy coming along see the Tindal Street Press website for details. Next month, I'm doing my thing at the the Harrogate Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, so advanced warning on that. In fact, the above mentioned brilliant Nottingham crime writers will be fighting for a prize there too. How cool is that?
Right, moff to write them words, innit?
Nicola
My second novel is going to be finished by the end of next week. I promised my editor this and, at the time, I did wonder if I was being a little ambitious. I'd had a workshop on the first thirty thousand words last weekend and there were so many points for discussion that I thought my head might explode. I wasn't quite sure how I could revise the novel and make it work.
But this morning, in the bath, I had absolute and divine inspiration. It came from nowhere as I read Come Closer by Sara Gran. I don't think it had anything to do with the book, though it's a great book. Still, it came, and I jumped out of the bath, all wet and inspired and rather archimedian, if that's a word, and wrote it all down. And now I know this book is going be all right.
If you haven't read Come Closer then do. It's the best book I've read for ages and ages. Thanks Maria for the recommendation.
Now I just have to write a story for the Bridport Prize - I've bought a postal order so I have to enter. That and write the long short story for Five Leaves Press. It's going to be called The Okinawa Dragon. I am most excited about being in a series with John Harvey and Stephen Booth, that has gotta be good.
Events this week: Tuesday 12th is very busy. At 3:30pm you'll find me in Waterstone's on New Street in Birmingham, for a NAW masterclass on the art of suspense led by Ken Follett. Then I'm off down to the Canal, to interview Mick Scully about his new book of gritty stories Little Moscow. Another recommend, great tight writing exploring the Brum underworld. Scary stuff, but my kind of thing. If you're anywhere near Birmingham and fancy coming along see the Tindal Street Press website for details. Next month, I'm doing my thing at the the Harrogate Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, so advanced warning on that. In fact, the above mentioned brilliant Nottingham crime writers will be fighting for a prize there too. How cool is that?
Right, moff to write them words, innit?
Nicola
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