Okay. 

Here's the scoop. If you want this?

You need to be here at 11:00 Saturday the 5th of October.

Don't be late.

4...3...2... Oh, to Hell with it...1!!!

Put your hands in the air. Up there. Up there. Yea.

That's right folks, read and believe. Read the magic words below and absorb them.

The time.

The date.

The place.

PROMOTIONAL EVENT: SATURDAY 5^TH OCTOBER 11am at STOCKLANDS

 Voices of the North 

will be on sale. Come along and meet some of the authors.

Ever wondered how the North Queensland Cowboys got their name, why Albert Abdul-Rahman doesn't eat flowers, what an old tree marked for execution thinks of  life in Townsville, or why it snows in the Burdekin every summer?

All these questions, and lots more, are answered in Voices Of The North, a collection of 90 short stories and poems published in a new book  commemorating the Writers In Townsville Society's 40th Anniversary. 

Voices of the North celebrates our unique North Queensland lifestyle.

Ben Hur wanted to be as big as this. Cecil B. Demille dreamed of producing something like this. But all it took was a group of plucky writers, a little idea and a hell of a lot of work to bring this to its fruition.

So come along on Saturday. Meet the authors. Buy the book and spend your long weekend in bed with a good read. 

Now when was the last time you did that?

7...6...5

Hey there...

Come a little closer. Check this pic out.

It has nothing to do with writing or WiTS. I just think it's a cool picture of a tank.

This is a cool picture too. And it's not a tank.

Know what it is? It looks like my year twelve end of year exam paper. 

WRONG!!!

It's a book. The Book. WITS book. That's right. You're excited, you're Big Keving right now. I know. It's cool to go a little crazy. But patience is your ally at this time. Soon, my friends. Very soon.

Watch this space.

Winners are Grinner's...

Apparently anyway, I've never won a darned thing in my life. Maybe a meat tray, and there was that birthday raffle, yea that was a good one. Oh, and the hand of my wife. I won that fair and square, had a fight for the rest of her though...

But I digress...

...here read this.

First prize in WITS anthology Voices of the North fund raising raffle was a painting- Early Morning at Picnic Bay - by local artist Yvonne Scott. 

 Congratulations Dominique O'Brien.

Second prize 'A Bundle of Books' kindly donated by WITS authors was won by David from Wulguru.

Well done folks. What a scoop. And look, here's a pic.

10, 9, 8...it has began.

OH MY GOD!!!!!

It begins!!

The countdown to the premier event of the year has began.

Is it the Olympics you ask? NO!

Is a Kardashian not on the cover of a magazine? My god man, are you insane. I have a better chance of seeing a whale walking down my street. And no it's not that either.

...

Oh for heavens sake I'll just tell you.

read the below from WiTs esteemed president and sigh contentedly. 

WITS SPREADS ITS WINGS-  Lori Hurst

Voices of the North is a celebration of Townsville & North Qld lifestyle. Sixty-five authors have contributed a collection of more than ninety stories & poetry.(hallelujah brother) 

The anthology has provided a unique opportunity for first time or unpublished writers to add their voice; to blend their stories with those of more experienced authors. (hell yea)

The resulting anthology is a rich blending of stories brought to life by striking photographs. The proofs are fabulous. Passion & perseverance has paid off!!! 

(Hands in the air everybody... lets see them. Ok, not the best medium for that)

 

 

Less than five weeks to the LAUNCH on 4th October. Promotional  event & book sales at Stockland on Sat 5th October. 

A what's on notice of what's on.

I copied this from an email I received. it's a bit of a data dump but it's an interesting one, one that will make you walk away stroking your chin and saying "hmmm' to no one in particular. 

I had to remove the photo's because they didn't work. Apologies all round, accepted of course.

LITERARY COMMUNITY Workshop 12 July at 7 pm Regional writers get published Jo Dutton, an Alice Springs based writer, knows all about the highs and lows of being a regional writer. Her third novel, 'From Alice With Love' was published this week by Allen & Unwin. Like all her novels, her latest From Alice With Love is set in regional Australia. It is set in the year of the Federal Governments intervention into remote Aboriginal communities and is a book that challenges the complexities of that time. Jo will be workshopping with local writers on getting published, as well as writing about your own region. Gerard Waterford is a narrative therapist who writes supported memoirs, one of which won him the 2008 Human Rights Award for Alone on the Soaks The Life and Times of Alec Kruger co-written with Alec Kruger. He will workshop the writing process of memoir and family stories. So no doubt, if you are passionate about writing about your land and way of life and are interested in some first-hand knowledge on being published, book now! Lit Hub 17 July at 7 pm We have turned two years old. You are invited to our PARTY! We are happy to announce the TWPC reached its 2nd birthday on July 1 this year! And we want to celebrate with what else but cake and our literary friends! Join us to mark this special occasion with a bang on Wednesday July 17. We will also launch of our new and very groovy website designed by awarding winning firm TBD. We hope to see you all there for what will be a spectacular night. We are looking forward to reminiscing along with you. Did someone say cake! And of course, celebrate many more years to come! iWrite 19 July: Benjamin Law Benjamin Law is a frequent contributor to Frankie, Good Weekend, The Monthly and QWeekend, and has been published in over 50 Australian and international magazines. He is also the author of The Family Law (2010) and Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (2012). Benjamin will be taking secondary school students through the world of freelance writing. He will run through the fundamentals of researching, writing and editing non-fiction stories for magazines, websites and newspapers. Everything from interview strategies and story ideas to story structuring and tone is on his list to cover with students! We are still taking school and group bookings. E carla@twpc.org for more information. Lit Hub 31 July 7 pm at Zizigo Bibigo: Foodie Writing  Join us as we delve into the delicious world of food writing. Indulge in fine Korean food at this new eatery with a group of local writers over a meal at Zizigo Bibigo. We will eat, relax and then, we will turn our critiquing hats on as we all try our hand at writing a food review. Pretend you are a trusted food critic of the Townsville Eye and give it your best shot! Or, if you're daring enough, take on the role of Matt Preston and have some fun with it! There is limited seating of 10. Pay for your own meal but book a seat now. Queensland Poetry Festival Roadshow 27 August The Townsville Writers and Publishers Centre is proud to partner with the QPF to bring the regional roadshow to Townsville. One day only Townsville! Schools Visits Poets Kelly-lee Hickey, Shane Rhodes, Jacqueline Turner and Eleanor Jackson first sights and sounds of Townsville will be while meeting with secondary school students on campus. Intrepidly they'll venture with care package in hand including map. X marks the spot to see as many schools in one day. Poet workshop, mini-poetry slam or performance. FREE however book your school visit early to avoid disappointment. carla@twpc.org Workshop Off the Page Get those words out of your notebook and into the world. Award winning poet and performer Kelly-lee Hickey will give you tips on how to present your work on the stage, the page and beyond, including practical information on editing, spoken word performance and collaborating with other artists. She will also share her knowledge of publishing, performance and skills development opportunities in Australia and beyond, with a focus on support for regional writers. When: 4-7pm Where: Townsville Writers and Publishers Centre Inc space, Riverway Arts Centre. This workshop is FREE but spaces are limited. To secure your place book here. Performance Set Fire To The Air: Poetry Readings Queensland Poetry Festival invites you to an evening of the finest poetry spoken in one strange word. Setting the night alight is the 2013 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence Shane Rhodes (Canada), the powerful quiet of Brisbane poet Eleanor Jackson, the startling poetics of Kelly-lee Hickey (NT) and the woven words of Canadian poet Jacqueline Turner. For one night only in Townsville, this is an evening not to be missed! When: 7:15pm Where: Riverway Arts Centre by the lagoon. This performance is FREE or $12/head for scrummy tea, coffee & dessert. To secure your place book here. OUR POETS   Kelly-lee Hickey (NT) blends poetry with performance and visual arts to explore the intersections between site and soul. Kelly-lee has performed her work across Australia and Asia, and is a previous winner of the Australian Poetry Slam. Her work has been published in Australia, China and New Zealand and her chapbook Thicker than Water won the 2011 Press Press Manuscript Prize. Kelly-lee has extensive experience and qualifications in community cultural development, working with festivals and individuals across Australia. Eleanor Jackson is two-time winner of the Midsumma Poetry Out Loud slam and recent National Poetry Slam finalist, Eleanor has featured at the Overload Poetry, Queensland Poetry, Sydney Writers, Melbourne Writers, Brisbane Writers, Anywhere Theatre and Woodford Folk festivals. Her audio poems have been published in Overland Journal, Going Down Swinging and the Cordite Poetry Review, while recordings of her work have been featured on RRR’s “Aural Text”, 3CR’s “Spoken Word”, ABC Radio National’s “Night Air” and the online poetry channel, “IndieFeed: Performance Poetry”. Her video poetry collaboration with Doubting Thomas “Just before you died” was the winner of the Queensland Poetry Festival Filmmakers Challenge in 2012 and has been featured on Wunce Magazine and Slam TV. She is the co-creator of several extended poetry works, having collaborated with fellow poet Betsy Turcot as The Belles of Hell and with multi-disciplinary artist, Doubting Thomas. These works include the two-woman poetry dialogue, She Stole My Every Rock and Roll; an audio visual remix and tribute to Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, DJ Thought Fox vs MC Lady Lazarus; and Chosen Family, which premiered in 2013. She is currently working on an audio installation of poetry works for the Exist performance art program at Metro Arts. Shane Rhodes (Canada) is the 2013 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence. He is the author of five collections of poetry, including The Wireless Room, Holding Pattern, The Bindery, and most recently, Err. His poetry has won numerous awards, and has been featured in national and international anthologies. Shane is the poetry editor for Arc, Canada’s only national poetry magazine. Over the last two decades, Shane has worked in developing Canada’s literary culture, giving poetry readings and lectures across Canada, leading a number of poetry workshops in different cities, and establishing Arc magazine’s first virtual poet in residence program, providing mentorship to new and emerging poets across Canada. Jacqueline Turner (Canada) has published four books of poetry with ECW Press: The Ends of the Earth (2013), Seven into Even (2006), Careful (2003), and Into the Fold (2000). She reviews for the Georgia Straight and lectures at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. She was the inaugural Arts Queensland Poet In Residence, which saw her tour through Western Queensland giving readings and hosting workshops. Your poem is better than mine - Eleanor Jackson a tasty sample to whet your appetite for QPF Regional Roadshow.

Ode to the spell check

A little humour to brighten a dreary Monday

Ode to the Spell Check –

Eye have a spelling chequer.

It cam with my pea sea.

It plainly marques four my revue.

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word.

And weight four it two say.

Weather eye am wrong or write.

It shows me strait ah weigh.

As soon as ah mist steak is made.

It nose bee four two long.

And eye kin put the error rite.

It’s rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it.

I am shore your pleased two no.

It’s letter perfect awl the weigh.

My chequer told me sew.

Thanks to Love of Books for sharing that with me. I think the lesson here is that computers can be fooled too... so don’t trust them!!!

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God...

The cover of WiTS long awaited anthology has arrived and I for one am impressed.

The anthology seeks to capture the very essence of the North and straight away it's kicking goals as this image shows North Queensland through the eyes of it's designer.

A massive thank you for Christopher Brunton from all at WiTS for your outstanding work on this project and we all long to see the finished product.

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.