May 2012

Hi,

Its me again, back with another monthly update.  You know, it isn't until I do these monthly updates that I realise just how much I've done to warrant feeling the need for some well deserved R & R (which was in the form of a long weekend in Whitby this time around).

The WBN event at Blackhall Writers' went well.  There were 15 people in attendance which filled the small space in the library nicely.  We had refreshments, readings and gave away free books.  I received some rather pleasing feedback for my short story which I've now edited and am currently looking for an appropriate competition or magazine to submit it to.

May saw the final few weeks of the New Playwrights Lab I've been attending at ARC.  To finish off the sessions ARC held a short play festival where our 15 minutes plays were showcased to local audiences and a pannel of judges who were to select a winning play to be developed further.  Unfortunately my play was not selected although I wasn't too saddened by this as I have other projects that are going to take presidence over play writing in the next few months. 

I was invited to 3 events this month to read at.  The first was Tyne Rhyme and Wine, part of the Jesmond festival.  (I actually missed my own awards ceremony for this event  as Tyne Rhyme and Wine landed on the same evening as the awards for the Annual James Kirkup Memorial Competition 2011.  I came runner up in this competition, organised by Red Squirrel Press.  My poem 'Transported' is in the runners' up anthology).  The second was the Advanced Writers' Showcase at Middlesbrough Library where I found myself dressed up as a Suffragette demanding the vote for women in a polite poetic manner!  The third reading was at a new arts exhibition at Elliott's Cafe in Middlesbrough.

I've also still been working in the school for the Shake the Dust project.  The Shakers I've been working with have been doing extremely well and our team are just about ready for the regional final at ARC mid June.

The other biggy in June is the Middlesbrough Lit Fest.  There's loads going over the 2 weeks of the festival with workshops and readings and performances for audiences to enjoy.

And that's all I have for this month so its goodnight from me and hope you 'tune in' same time next month for another catch up.

Chris.x.