Celebrate Townsville Festival

Celebrate Townsville is a 10 day arts and cultural festival.

The fun kicks off on Friday the 14th of June in Flinders Square at 5:45pm.

WiTS are taking an active part this year at the Mega Interactive Arts show being held on Both Sundays of the event where we will have a stand set up with books to purchase and advice to give. Then on Tuesday the 18th WiTS support Short Story readings.

To find out more about the festival visit their facebook page at facebook.com/celebrate Townsville

WiTS much loved partner in writing crime TWPC is also all on board check out their blurb... It's better than mine. Damn you, Carla. Damn you. (add fist shaking at sky now)

May 13 HUMAN WRITES newsletter

Chocolat, historic house tales and Celebrate Townsville At Lit Hub, TWPC after hours ev. Wednesday fortnight. All Lit Hub sessions are free but we request a gold coin donation to help cover refreshments. May 8 & 22 Production team evenings for Writers In Townsville Society members and friends preparing an NQ stories anthology for your delectation. TWPC, Writers in Townsville and talented individuals (you know who you are!) are members of the planning committee. The NQ stories publication that you may have submitted an original non-fiction piece to,  will be hot off the press during Queensland Writers Week in October. June 5 Historic house tales - writing the stories of buildings that intrigue. "The greatest reward you can have is that you see your heritage being respected." – Dr Dorothy Gibson-Wilde, OAM [via ABC News] Dr Dorothy Gibson-Wilde a renowned historian has spent over thirty years researching the history of north Queensland and has worked extensively with the National Trust to preserve historic buildings, touring people of all ages through them and authoring many publications. Dr Dorothy was included in the 2012 Australia Day honours list. Join her at 7pm for what will be a truly engaging conversation. June 19 Through great reading comes great writing. We are joining artsnq Celebrate Townsville Festival with A Book Swap! Exchange a book that has inspired you and gain another loved by someone else. Bring a book and join the discussion on June 19. Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa, 7 pm. Join Librarian Alison Miles and Chef Polly Ross for a tempting exploration of books featuring food, relationships and cooking classes. One lucky participant will be rewarded with a lucky door prize of a cooking class giftcard (terms and conditions apply). deStudi Cooking School, 17A Hyde Park Centre, Cnr Kings Road and Woolcock Street, Hyde Park, QLD, 4812 10.30am - 11.30am, FREE Presented by:  CityLibraries in collaboration with deStudi Cooking School http://www.destudicookingschool.com.au/contact.html Readings around town with Stories for Adults... Public readings of short stories from local and international authors. This event is proposed to be held bi-monthly but this will be depend on the availability of local writers to read their original stories. The sessions which will probably be 1 hour long are to include selected short stories and poems. Come to the launch of CityLibraries 'Stories for Adults' to find out more or email info@twpc.org and we will let you know of future dates. Shari Tagliabue, Editor of Townsville Eye will launch the CityLibraries 'Stories for Adults' on Thursday. See you there... Tuesday 18 June 6.00-7.00pm Aitkenvale Library Thursday 20 June 12.15-1.15pm Flinders Street Library meeting room Light snacks served at both sessions for the launch. FREE Bookings are required. Book online or ask your friendly library staff.  This program launch is presented with support from Writers In Townsville Society Inc (WITS) witsnq.blogspot.com.au, Townsville Writers and Publishers Centre (TWPC) twpc.org and Celebrate Townsville arts and cultural festival (14-23 June 2013)

Heritage Day...Already???

OH MY GOD!!

Tomorrow is the Sunday the 19th of May and that means that it is Heritage Day!

So come to Ye Olde park at West End Cemetery between 10am and 2pm and celebrate Heritage Day with WiTS. We'll be there with a heap of books to sell (so many Authors from WiTS have their own books to sell this year), some advice to share and some laughs to be had.

Be there. Go on, I dare you. 

Love of Books short story competition

Got that inner writer working there, huh?

Got some life event that you just need to tell the world about?

Then this may just suit you well. Love of Books has helped two WiTS members get themselves published and now they can help you too. Follow the link to the competition details; it's a great prize and worth the effort.

Love of Books short story competition

THE SONNET Appreciation & Writing

 

Does the sonnet evoke William Shakespeare, John Keats or other poets of old?  Well, poet Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke will not only take you on a guided tour of the history of the sonnet, he will help you to appreciate some sonnets from before The Bard picked up a quill right up to the twenty-first century.

And after lunch, you will have the opportunity, with Michael’s help, to write a sonnet or two of your own!

When:   Sunday 10 March, 10 am to 4 pm

Venue:   Main meeting room, Aitkenvale Library

Cost:      Free  (please bring a plate to share for lunch)

Enquiries invited and bookings requested to Michael on 0400330914

Anthology Workshop.

Here is an invite from the seriously overworked but extremely appreciated Carla Huchinson-Read from the TWPC

Dear all,

For any WITS members or people interested in submitting a piece to the Anthology you may like to come to:

Lit Hub on Wednesday 27 February with guest speaker Dr Ariella Van Luyn

For Artful Life Stories: Collecting and Exploring Oral Histories in Fiction and Nonfiction

This one hour presentation will help writers to know how best to 'capture' true stories and write them engagingly and accurately. This is a great opportunity for writers of military history, sporting clubs, the history of companies/organisations and family stories. Starts 6pm at the Townsville Writers Centre Inc, Riverway Arts Centre 20 Village Boulevard, Thuringowa Central. carla@twpc.org

More about Ariella

She is newly appointed Professor of the Masters of Creative Writing program at JCU. In 2012 as President of the Oral History Association of Australia - Queensland, Ariella Van Luyn was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards for her unpublished manuscript Hidden Objects which is based on oral histories recorded in Brisbane.

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 27 February at 5:30 for a 6pm start. There will be an opportunity to give a gold coin donation as you arrive.

Best wishes,

Carla.

If you don't go then you're...

...Not gunna be there. 

(for more info on the Anthology check out the page for all the details)

Time is running out on this one

I only just got this info myself... we're running out of time here and the notice is short but...

 Manuscript Assessment workshop... $20 to join in with light lunch provided... Aitkenvale library meeting room 10.00am -4.00pm... Sunday 3rd of Feb.... To register email:        witsanthology@gmail.com

Why are you still reading this?

Register before its too late!!!

You're still reading aren't you?

ANTHOLOGY – WORKING TITLE ‘A 20/20 VIEW OF TOWNSVILLE & REGIONS’.

  

Contents:

All entries must be non-fiction.

This gives us a very broad scope. Biographies, interviews, anecdotes, poetry-

must be recognizable as an account of an interview or an event & not obviously creative fiction.

You are only limited by your imagination here. We are surrounded by interesting characters & local celebrities all with stories to tell. 

Annual events, sporting activities, natural attractions- leisure areas unique to our region & unnatural events or at least unwelcome ones in the form of cyclones, floods & droughts.

What are we aiming for here? To encompass our lifestyle. We want to know what’s out there- capture it & weave your story around it. Our final presentation will incorporate a blending of the arts through diversity of material.

Anecdotal:

Humorous, (bit whacky even), contemporary, historical, sense of the past- enduring.

Articles-I nterviews

Cultural diversity

What stands out for you? Someone’s perspective on the importance or Spirituality or religion, Multiculturalism, indigenous perspective.

STYLE GUIDE

·         All submissions must be emailed as an attachment to: witsanthology@gmail.com

·         Submissions may be accompanied by a relevant photograph.

·         All photos must be scanned at 300 dpi –in order to fit onto page size.

·         Smaller photos will be included to fit with short pieces, poems etc.

·         Poetry is limited to one page -30 lines maximum

·         The majority of submissions will be limited to one page -500words

·         Longer pieces up to 1000-1200 words will be considered.

·         Including photographs the anthology will consist of approx.190 pages

·         The number of submissions included will depend on space available.

·         We are hoping to have space to include a short bio & small photo of the authors included in the anthology.

·         All content will be assessed on suitability for inclusion.

·         Accepted contributions may be edited.

·         Editor’s decision will be final.

·         All queries to above email address.

Submissions included in the anthology will receive a free copy

SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM WITS MEMBERS

Including annual events, local activities, sporting events, local identities, iconic images, areas of interest local to the region, cultural perspectives on life in Townsville & regions & more……

- a cane toad

- Steve ``Pricey" Price

- Magnetic Island

- Cotter's Markets

- A NQ Cowboys football

- The Crystal Creek bridge

- Bob Katter's cowboy hat

- Perc Tucker Gallery

- A stinger suit

- An ice cream from Frosty Mango

- A dress worn in the Goldfield Ashes

- A cane train

- The Burdekin River

- Palm Island ferry

- The Red Baron

- David ``Crusty'' Herron

- The Great Northern Hotel

- The Rockpool

- Skin cancer

- Tony Mooney's moustache

- The marina

- Townsville to Cairns bike ride (raising money for kids with cancer)

- V8s

- Chamber of music festival

- Shakespeare in the park

- Strand Ephemera

- The Burdekin Water festival

- Billabong Sanctuary

- Crystal creek/ Alligator Creek falls

- Castle Hill

- Cowboys/ Crocs

-Walking Castle Hill - Roller skating - Ice skating

The list is endless. Please don’t be offended if something dear to your heart is not included.

This is just a bit of brain storming activity.

Getting Short Story Submissions Just Right

Linked here for you is some great and very helpful info on how to get your short story submission looking its best and noticed for when you go after that big break.

Guide to the perfect submission.

First book published for WiTs member Shaun Allen

After a very long wait and several years of writing and messing around with it, WiTs Member Shaun Allen has self published the first book in his fantasy trilogy titled:

Weapons of War: Book 1 of the Zicastor trilogy.

Targeted for a Young Adult audience, Shaun believes that the book can be enjoyed by anybody who just wants to relax and is willing to go on a fantasy adventure.

You can find out more about the book and purchase it at Shaun’s blogsite:

 War of the Words

Wits Christmas Party

On Friday the 16th of November 2012, Richard and Stella Wheway kindly invited the members of WiTS to hold our annual Christmas party at their home. As we usually do, the members bought along plates and the thirteen members that attended enjoyed a delicious variety of dishes and had a very pleasant evening together. WiTS wishes its members, their families and friends a very Merry Christmas, and look forward to a creative and successful 2013.

{it's a little late, I know, check the previous post, but we survived the end of the world so here's to the new year :-) }