Festival of Writing 2013

This looks really good - has anyone been before? 

For three days in September, the Writers' Wokshop commandeers the York University campus and fill it with aspiring writers, best-selling authors, book doctors, top agents and publishing legends. It’s a very special gathering filled with serious, professional advice on the craft of writing and how to finally get yourself published but it's also bursting with bonhomie.  We’ve yet to run one which hasn’t resulted in at least several delegates landing themselves with agents and publishing deals, everyone else has gone away happy and energised. It really works.

Literary Agencies represented at this year's Festival will include: Rogers, Coleridge & White, AM Heath, Conville & Walsh, Blake Friedmann, Andrew Lownie, The Marsh Agency, Lorella Belli Agency, DHH Literary Agency, Sheil Land Associates, The Blair Partnership, Lindsay Literary Agency, Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, Greenhouse Literary Agency, Wade & Doherty Literary Agency, Hardman & Swainson, Caroline Sheldon, Watson, Little Ltd, The Agency, Andrew Nurnberg Associates, Darley Anderson Literary Agency, Greene & Heaton Ltd, United Agents and PFD. The Publishers. We're thrilled to welcome: Donna Condon (senior fiction editor on the Piatkus list of Harlequin (UK) Ltd), Suzie Dooré (Editorial director at Hodder & Stoughton), Jenny Geras (Publishing Director of Arrow,/Random House), Alison Hennessey (senior crime editor at Harvill Secker/Random House), Jane Lawson (Editorial Director at Transworld/Random House), and Francesca Main (Editorial Director of Picador in the UK).  The Keynote Speakers Festival Welcome & Keynote Address with Adele ParksAdele always dreamed of being a writer and her first novel - Playing Away – was published in 2000; that year the Evening Standard identified her as one of London’s ‘Twenty Faces to Watch.’ She's gone on to publish eleven novels in eleven years, all of which have been Times Top Ten bestsellers. And she's been described as one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women’s fiction writers in the UK, with over two million copies of her work having been sold, and having been translated into 25 different languages.  Closing Keynote Address with S. J. BoltonSJ (Sharon) Bolton grew up in a cotton-mill town in Lancashire and had an eclectic early career which she is now rather embarrassed about. She gave it all up to become a mother and a writer. Her books have been shortlisted for several international awards, including the CWA Gold Dagger, the Theakston's Old Peculier prize for crime novel of the year, the International Thriller Writers' Best First Novel award and (four years running) the Mary Higgins Clark award for best thriller (Awakening actually won that one). Her latest book, Dead Scared, was published in April 2012.

New Children's Literature Blog launch today! 'Space on the Bookshelf'

Nicki Thornton, Jo Wyton and I have been busy with our new venture, a children's literature blog 'Space on the Bookshelf' and it Blog launch today!

'Space on the Bookshelf' celebrates Children's Literature and the people that promote children's books. With features, and our unique 3D reviews, featuring reviews by adult readers and child readers side by side, plus author interviews profiles, and editor interviews. 

This couldn't of happened with out Abingdon Writers, which is where we all met - so thanks guys! And please check it out! It all kicks of with Mo O'Hara's 'Big Fat Zombie Goldfish!

Press Here to check out Space on the Bookshelf!

The Times Chicken House Children’s Writers Competition 2013 - Long-listers from Abingdon Writers!

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to share some good news, Nicki and I have both been long listed for ‘The Times, Chicken House, Children’s writers Competition 2013’... 

Big thanks to everyone who've helped critique the Manuscripts to get them in good shape before they were submitted.

New Agencies

New Agencies...

The lovely Bryony Woods has set up her own Literary Agency with Ella Diamond Kahn, and they're taking submissions, so check out the web-site and twitter...

http://dkwlitagency.co.uk/submissions/

@DKWLitAgency

Plus another - Hardman & Swainson is a new agency and taking submissions for adults,  Middle Grade  and YA...

  

submissions@hardmanswainson.com

Self Publishing Conference

If anyone fancies self publishing - this may give you a feel for what it's all about. I'll probably be going.
http://www.selfpublishingconference.org.uk/#/sessions/4563099679

Got a completed romance novel languishing on your laptop?

Then hurry up and enter this competition for Romance writers.

Piatkus Entice is offering the amazingly exciting opportunity to win one of three publishing contracts for a novel that will be published in the summer of 2013. We will be accepting entries in the following genres:

1) contemporary romance/women's fiction
2) historical romance
3) paranormal romance

One winner from each category will be chosen and their novel will be published as an ebook under the Pitakus Entice imprint.

Full details including ts & cs can be found by following the link above.

Sadly, you have to be a UK resident to enter so that counts me out but one of you could enter it!

Competition closes midnight 30th September so you'll have to get your skates on - thanks Mary for letting me know about this one and the New Talent Award (which only requires the first chapter rather than the whole manuscript)!!

Good luck if anyone enters!

G xox

Pitch Competition, for Children and Adult Writers...

Pitch Competition, for Children and Adult Writers...

Ok, sounds a little odd but there are a whole heard of agents judging and 'compete for your pitches'

You need to have a finished novel of Adult, YA or Middle Grade, and you only enter a 35 word pitch and first 150 words.  

Find out more about Pitch Maddness over at YAtopia 

DEADLINE 1st Spetember!