Greenacre Writers Anthology shortlisted

Very pleased and proud that our anthology has been shortlisted in the National Association of Writers Groups annual anthology competition.

If you have ever produced a collection of writing you will know about the labour of love that goes into getting it published.

If you would like the opportunity of being selected for our next anthology, enter our short story competition....

Meet the Writer: Rosie Canning.

We're proud to announce that Rosie Canning, co-founder of Greenacre Writers, is featured on The Word Hut's 'Meet the Writer', along with one of her winning flash fiction stories, Tree Love.  The interview gives Rosie's take on the writing process and how she approaches her writing.

Read the interview here

Reflections on The Greenacre Mini Literary Festival

Andrew Bradford discussing his book
Live Eels and Grand Pianos

The first Greenacre Writers Mini Literary Festival on 26^th May 2012, was a great success. We were treated to a mix of literary styles which entertained and educated us. The talks and readings from five authors, Paolo Hewitt, Alex Wheatle, Andrew Bradford, Emily Benet and Lane Ashfeldt, along with a selection of nine readings from members of Greenacre Writers varied from serious to light-hearted, raising tears and smiles along the way. We had planned a varied programme but found that themes of belonging, difference and change linked the readings strengthening my core belief that whatever our age, race, culture, religion, social class, ability - whatever demographic one chooses - we all have far more similarities than differences.



Paolo Hewitt relaxing after his opening talk
listening to fellow guests.

Each writer brings unique life experiences and ideals to their writing and whether writing directly from life, as several of us did, or simply using fleeting experiences and observations on which to base a story, we all write about what matters to us. Writing can reach readers of differing attitudes and beliefs, and in so doing can help break down the barriers than often divide society. Some of the readings we heard may well have made us question our own attitudes. Writing should make us think but it should also entertain and I believe our afternoon of readings succeeded on both counts. The comments below say it all.

　

Alex Wheatle at the book signing session.

‘Many thanks for the mini-lit festival …I think it was very successful. I particularly enjoyed the readings from Alex Wheatle.’ Ruth

‘I was most impressed with Paolo Hewitt - that's writing! And Emily Benet's other name should be Miss Fizzy - great fun. And I liked Anna Meryt’s poems, ‘Shoes’ and ‘Bulawayo‘. I'd never attended that type of event before, but can see the attraction. Roll on your second event!’ Lynn

‘The readers from Greenacre were full of surprises… both Judith and I were really interested in the work we heard and talked about it. The guest authors were amazing, the Brixton Bard (Alex Wheatle) had me on the edge of my seat.’ Josie

Here's to next year! For both of us, the mix of readings was stimulating and entertaining. Now looking forward to reading the books I was tempted to buy. . .’ June



Emily Benet signs her book.

‘Thank you so much for organising an excellent event. I loved the format, loved the readings and wouldn't change a thing.’ Wendy

‘What a pleasure to hear all (and I mean ALL) the writers reading their short stories, flash fiction, poetry and excerpts. Well done organisers and roll on the next Greenacres Literary Festival (forget the mini bit) - let it grow big. I thoroughly enjoyed it - thank you.’ Liz

‘Indeed it was an inspiring afternoon. Feedback from my friends confirms their enjoyment and appreciation of a professionally run event.’ Keith

We would like to extend our thanks to our brilliant authors, the members of Greenacre Writers and, of course, our audience for making the day one to remember. What a foundation on which to build next year's event.

2nd Greenacre Writers Short Story Competition

Greenacre Writers Short Story Competition 2012.

The winning entries will win cash prizes and will be published on this blog and our website and in the second Greenacre Writers Anthology.


Genre: Fiction

Word count: Maximum 2000 words

Prizes: 1st Prize £100, 2nd Prize £50, 3rd Prize £25
(3 Runners up: Greenacre Anthology)

Entry fee: £5 per entry (£5.50 on-line) 

Closing date: 31st October 2012

Judge: Paolo Hewitt

About the judge: Paolo Hewitt is a former journalist and author of over 20 books. He has written for Melody Maker and NME, and The Sunday Times. Among other books, he is author of The Jam: A Beat Concerto, The Small Faces: The Young Mod’s Forgotten Story, Getting High: The Adventure of Oasis, and Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records. His two excursions into fiction include the novels, Heaven's Promise and The Mumper which was recently made into the film, Outside Bet. His highly acclaimed autobiography, The Looked After Kid brilliantly chronicles his time growing up in the care system.

Entries may be made by post: e-mail greenacrewriters@gmail.com for entry form or enter online:  Here

Ways into Creative Writing - afterword from the last workshop

Two days after the last Greenacre Writers workshop, we are left with some vibrant images from the writing that was produced. In our book that means the quality of writing was good. Many participants had done relatively little writing and some claimed none at all. One felt quite intimidated by the other writers in the workshop and thought her attempt rubbish, but by the end of the session and after the last exercise, Secret Treasure, she realised that she too could write good stuff.

The three exercises we set required the writers to write - no planning, no editing but to just get words down. What stood out most for us were the emotions and the visual images the writers conveyed: a child admiring her new shiny shoes, and her devastation of finding them spoiled after she had played heedlessly in the garden. The tender appreciation of an adult for her old teddy bear who has watched over her throughout the ups and downs of life; the delight of a child when allowed to play with the bright shiny jewels in her mother’s treasure box, the tragic desolation of a young woman who cannot cope with her depression.

Each of the writers brought something special to the workshop, not least our youngest writer. The observations of Smokey the cat, were brought vividly to life by her owner, 8 year old Summer who attended with her mother.

The exercises we carried out: Science Experiments (originally devsied by Mario Petrucci), Famous Monologues, and Secret Treasure.

We hope the writers enjoyed the workshop as much as we enjoyed running it and that it will encourage our 11 writers, aged between 8 and 80, to keep putting pen to paper. After all, there is a short story competition coming up very soon!

'Thank you Lindsay and Rosie for a great and productive afternoon - I am finally sitting down to write! Also, thank you for your patience and kindness to Summer. She said that she did not feel very confident when she first sat down, but after Lindsay said such positive things about her story, she felt "VERY CONFIDENT, MUM" and chatted about it all the way home.'

Alex Wheatle MBE is joining the Greenacre Writers Mini Literary Festival

We are honoured to have award-winning author Alex Wheatle MBE joining the Greenacre Writers Mini Lit Festival Saturday May 26th 2-5.30pm.

Alex Wheatle is the author of several novels, some of them set in Brixton, where he grew up.

Born in London of Jamaican parents, his first book, Brixton Rock (1999), tells the story of a 16-year old boy of mixed race, in 1980s Brixton. Brixton Rock was adapted for the stage and performed at the Young Vic in 2010. Its sequel, Brenton Brown, was published in 2011.
His second novel, East of Acre Lane (2001), has a similar setting, and won a London Arts Board New Writers Award. A prequel, Island Songs, set in Jamaica, was published in 2005, and a sequel, Dirty South, in 2008.
Other novels include In The Seven Sisters (2002), in which the scene moves to Surrey in 1976, where four boys escape from an abusive life in a children's home; and Checkers (2003), written with Mark Parham, was published in 2003.

In 2010, he wrote the one-man autobiographical performance, Uprising.
Alex Wheatle lives in London. He was awarded an MBE for services to literature in 2008.

Exciting News - Greenacre Mini Lit Festival: 26th May 2012

Greenacre Writers are delighted to confirm the authors who will be appearing at the Greenacre Mini Lit Festival, 26th May 2-5.30pm, Trinity Church Centre, Finchley, N12 7NN.

We are pleased to have Paolo Hewitt who is a former NME journalist and author of over 20 books. He has written for Melody Maker and NME, as well as Vogue Germany, Fare Musica in Italy and The Sunday Times. Among other books, he is the author of The Jam: A Beat Concerto, The Small Faces: The Young Mod's Forgotten Story, Getting High: The Adventure of Oasis, and Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records, as well as several works of fiction and his autobiography, The Looked After Kid. Paolo will read from various works and discuss the writing process.

Emily Benet's debut book Shop Girl Diaries began as a weekly blog about working in her mother’s unusual chandelier shop. Interest in the blog from Salt Publishing and Television Director, Chloe Thomas, led to the publication of the book in December 2009 and the shooting of the ‘Shop Girl Blog’ TV pilot (soon to be finished). Her blog was announced winner of the Completely Novel Author Blog Awards (published category) at the London Book Fair 2010. Her short stories ‘Camouflage’ and ‘Harry’ were selected for readings at Foyles while ‘Looking for Castles’ was the runner up of Word Market Short Story Competition 2008.

Andrew Bradford has written Live Eels and Grand Pianos, which is both a family memoir and a significant contribution to the social history of the twentieth century. It tells the story of the author's parents, Charlie and Kathy Bradford. Charlie and Kathy were seriously disabled by polio when they were young children. Charlie contracted the disease in 1909, when he was three, and Kathy in 1913, when she was ten months old. Live Eels and Grand Pianos tells the story of their extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.

Lane Ashfeldt's stories appear in various anthologies, from Portico’s rough and raucous ‘Punk Fiction’ to the rather more genteel ‘Dancing With Mr Darcy’. Prizes for her fiction include the Fish Short Histories Prize and a Jane Austen Short Story Award runner up prize. Her story, ‘Catching the Tap-Tap to Cayes de Jacmel’ (awarded a Global Short Stories Prize) is part of the Haiti fundraiser anthology ‘A Lime Jewel’.

Admission is free but by ticket only. E-mail greenacrewriters@gmail.com

'Trinity in May', is part of a small arts festival over 3 weekends in Trinity Church, involving music concerts, exhibition of paintings, a creative writing workshop 5th May (run by Greenacre Writers: Rosie Canning & Lindsay Bamfield) and other arts events.

Sponsored by Trinity Church with charity collection during 'Trinity in May' on behalf of the Stroke Group and Greenacre Writers will be raising funds for the Greenacre Bicycle Rally.