Paperbacks & Raffle Hats

A 'Raffle Hat' Perhaps?

I'd like to celebrate the UK publication of The Herbalist (it's in the shops today!) & the release of the gorgeous new paperback edition - with a giveaway.  So to be in with a chance  to win a signed copy - just leave a comment and I'll put the names in a hat on Friday evening :)

And the winner is... Deirdre Mc Clay!
-so if you get in touch with your address Deirdre, I'll put your paperback in the post :) I got my son to pick the names from a hat, we did take a snap, but its too fuzzy to post up, well nine years olds -  they tend to move a lot!  Thanks everyone for entering and have a great weekend!

Radio Drama Writing Workshops

 

I really want to do this workshop. At only  €25 per person for a full weekend workshop, its an excellent opportunity to really learn the craft of radio drama, it covers radio script writing, performance, sound, recording... its hosted by the wonderful people at Sessions House Arts Centre in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny

They don't say what the class limit is, but I reckon at that price it will be booked up fairly quickly.

There are two dates are available -

5th/6th of October - 10-5pm  or 19th/20th of October - 10 -5pm

Radio Drama and Performance Workshop

'A radio play will be devised, developed, scripted and performed, specifically for and about The Sessions House Arts Centre, the old Court House and Gaol in Thomastown, Kilkenny. 

Incorporating the rich history of the building, participants will devise a short piece for radio which they will subsequently perform and record under the facilitation of playwright, Gillian Grattan. The workshop will explore the following; script writing, editing, acting, creating sound effects, character creation and development, microphone technique and the physicality of radio acting.'

Content: 

• Development of a story and plot which directly relates to Sessions House.
• Devising and writing of the script or scripts.
• Performance of the piece by participants for recording.
• Sound effects which will be sourced by participants as the project will be recorded in the traditional style: ie: no computerised effects.
• Music, an original piece to be devised by participants.
• Recording the piece, in a professional studio setting
• Performance of the piece to an audience in November at Session House.

For more information contact Mary 087 682 8904.

Writers Web TV!

Have you ever wanted to attend a workshop but couldn't because of lack of time, childminder etc...? Well, here's an exciting new resource for writers - workshops, but with a difference, they are streamed live with an in-studio audience of other aspiring writers. The aim is the same as with any good workshop -  to help emerging writers on their path to publication but they are online, free-to-watch, and live. You can watch them & communicate with the workshop leader using twitter, facebook or email. You can watch it live or download it and watch it later. This is what they have to say...

The shows are streamed from a multi-camera broadcast studio, complete with an in-studio audience of aspiring writers who will present some of their work for critique by the best-selling authors. Led by Vanessa O’Loughlin, founder of writing.ie, the panel will cover the key elements of fiction writing at every workshop, and furnish you with tips and advice to help you polish your writing and get it on the path to publication.

The first workshop Writing for Children and Young Adults will run on Saturday, September 28^th 10am-4.30pm (London time) with picture book authors & illustrators Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick and Michael Emberley; Emmy award winning director Norton Virgien of Brown Bag Films, and Literary Agent Polly Nolan. They will be joined by international bestselling YA authors Meg Rosoff and Oisín McGann, all giving their sage advice and talking the viewers through the colourful world of children’s and YA fiction.

Sign up now at WritersWebTV.com to join us on the 28th! Other upcoming courses include, Getting to the Heart of it: Writing Women’s Fiction on Tuesday, October 15th, Crime Pays: Writing Crime Fiction on Wednesday, October 30th, and Getting Published on Saturday, November 9th.

For more info - 

www.writerswebtv.com

info@writerswebtv.com 

Facebook or @writerswebtv

Culture Night - Reading in Naas Library

I'll be reading from The Herbalist, and other work, in Naas Library this Friday evening as part of Culture Night. 

The (very exciting) Kildare Readers Festival 2013 programme will also be launched on the night - so thats Friday 20th Sept - 6.30pm at Naas Library, Harbour View, Naas, Co Kildare. And its free, and fun, and everyone's welcome.

For more info call  045 879111

Acceptance Tights

I was at the launch of Lets Connect Art Exhibition in the Dunanmaise Arts Centre recently and really struck by Rachel Egans work. So I asked her over to talk about her art, in particular her ACCEPTANCE TIGHTS.

Can you tell me where the inspiration came for the Acceptance Tights Rachel, what was the idea behind it? 

The inspiration for the ACCEPTANCE TIGHTS came from a time when i was writing a lot of positive affirmations. One of the affirmations was inspired by Louise L Hay who wrote the book You Can Heal Your Life, she recommended the main Affirmation to say as 'i love and accept myself'. i had done some work before drawing tights and hanging them around my studio and i decided to use the word 'acceptance' to draw the tights as a feminist statement about how women do not accept themselves enough. 

Initially i used a tiny ink pen to draw a drawing of the tights and the lines of the words acted like the ribbed knit of a pair of tights. Recently i decided to actually write on a pair of tights and make the work more 3d, maybe my next piece i will do as a performance and wear them around!. i feel every time i write the word acceptance I am filling up my repertoire of positive affirmation and it acts like a sort of meditation for me that i constantly repeat as i go. The words start to radiate an energy then. 

You should definately wear them around! They are very striking pieces, beautiful, restrained and gently humorous. They are also incredible moving. Have you got any feedback, how do people react to the tights?

Yes, i have had some great feedback about the tights, i exhibited some drawings of them in the RDS Art Show 2011 and sold to 2 different women. They both felt an attachment to them and really liked the visual reminder hanging at home to 'accept' oneself. The tights are also a quirky drawing and have a humour to them. At the Lets Connect exhibition i had great reactions from some of the mental health patients the show was raising awareness around, where the patients really connected with the nature of the ACCEPTANCE TIGHTS.

What are you working on at the moment? 

At the moment i am continuing working on my LOVE TREES which was the first drawings i had done using words. A love tree is a tree inscribed with the word love and a lot of people commission me to add in special occasions for weddings or someone passing away or a special quote that someone likes. 

I am also working on other images to draw with words and trying to expand the work from paper drawings to other installation based works. 

Best of luck Rachel & thanks for coming over to talk about your work :)

 Rachel Egans sites are www.lovetree.ie & www.blackstudioprojets.com

'Let's Connect' Art exhibition runs until the 30th September at Dunamaise Art Centre, Portlaoise.

Let's Connect Art Exhibition

'Bitchy' by Niamh Boyce 2009

I'm honored to have three of my paintings included in an exhibition at the Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, this month. The are Bitchy (above), The Handless Maiden and Bird Woman. I haven't painted for a while now and really miss it, but this event may inspire me to find the time. The exhibition is called Let's Connect and is curated by the artist Angela Delaney. 

It will be launched by Kathleen Lynch

this Thursday at 5pm. 

Everyone is welcome!

The theme of the exhibition is -  

'how visual art intersects and contributes to our health and well being. The show brings together national and international artists Brian Maguire, Niamh Boyce, Geraldine O' Reilly and Eilis Crean, alongside artists using Laois Mental Health Services, looking at some of the significant connections between art and mental health.'

Exhibition runs till September 30th at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Church St, Portlaoise.

Angela and myself will also be facilitating a writing/mark making workshop in response to the exhibition called Mark My Words on the Monday 30th Sept from 7-9 which should be a lot of fun and is open to anyone who enjoys words or art - so if you want to fill the well of inspiration or  free up your creative energy - you can book a place through the Dunamaise.