Lottie at the library!

#events #libraries #crediton #devon

I'll be at Crediton Library in Devon this Saturday, 11th July, to introduce readers to Lottie Lipton and her adventures. I'll be running a fun treasure hunt and codebreaking puzzle at this event which marks the start of the Summer Reading Challenge!

Oh, did I mention it's FREE? Bargain...

More at the linky: http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/cultureheritage/libraries/yourlocallibrary/mid_devon_libraries/crediton_library/events_at_crediton.htm

Dan Metcalf at the Torbay Bookshop

#devon #torbay #paignton 

My First Signing! Tomorrow I'll be at The Torbay Bookshop for a dedicated signing event. It's easily the best Indie bookshop in the bay, and I'll be there from 11am until about 1pm so come on down and chat, browse and buy!

EVENTS: Creative Coffee Mornings

#events #writers #artists #bloggers #crafters #devon #cornwall #somerset #dorset #wiltshire #bristol #bath

Sign up for events alerts HERE

So things have been a-changing round these parts, and I've been looking into exactly what I want StoryWorld to become. After much soul searching, I realise that I want to do loads (still). When we brewed up the idea of the business, it was to help promote literacy in the community. Which is still part of our remit, but I wanted to broaden our mission statement to allow me to do more, play more, experiment more. I came up with the broadest company motto ever, and encapsulated it in that big red triangle, above.

So my future is to DO COOL THINGS. Specifically with books and literature, I suppose, but not exclusively. The first thing I've done is to set up a mailing list, and this is to tell anyone who wants to know about some events I'm planning: Creative Coffee Mornings.

These are networking events for the creative people of the South West of England to come together and exchange ideas, stories, thoughts, moans, gripes, exclamations - whatever they want really. It's a place where writers, artists, illustrators, bloggers, crafters, musicians, dancers, etc can hang out and mingle, BUT I also want to provide some value, so each three-hour session will feature some talks by people in the industry, with a chance for a Q&A. Think of it like a tiny half-day conference, but with more time for the fun bit - tea and coffee!

Each will be based in a city or large area so you can take your conversations on elsewhere and have lunch, shop or carry on having coffee with your new-found friends and colleagues. I wanted to do this because as a writer, I know that most of the job is sat on your own, and it is important to meet people and exchange ideas.

SO: if you're interested, please sign up here (or in the ribbon above) and tell your friends. The more I get on the mailing list, the more likely this will be to happen soon. I want to do a few of these in different locations, and I need to get a sense of where you people are, and I promise not to spam you - this is a general appeal to help me with me market research. So go forth! Spread the word. Let's make this happen people!

EVENTS: World Book Day

#worldbookday #books 

Crackers and party-poppers all round, for it is World Book Day! The day when the whole globe gets together to celebrate all things booky.

I'll be at Bishopsteignton School in Devon to talk writing with years five and six, and storytime with the reception class! Children all over the country will be getting involved by spending their special book tokens, dressing up as their favourite book characters (which is why you saw seventeen Harry Potters walking to school this morning), and generally having a good read.

You can get involved by popping in to your local library, bookshop, reading books with your little ones, or visiting the World Book Day website. Have a ball, y'all.

EVENTS: National Libraries Day

It's National Libraries Day tomorrow, which means that libraries up and down the country will be celebrating and putting on events and competitions designed to lure you in. Check out the Official Website to search for what's on in your local area.

But you're reading a book/writing blog, so you go to your local library all the time, right? Right?

Well not so much, as many counties are having to cut library service budgets in the current economic climate, meaning library service point reduced by around 200, according to CIPFA.  So, despite well-meaning public and some tenacious Friends-of-the-Library groups, many may not have to opportunity to visit a library. 

So if you do anything tomorrow, pop into a library and show your support - take out membership, borrow a book or DVD, or even just walk in the door (many library services count footfall in their statistics, so you can show your support just by being there). Use them now while you still can...

EVENTS: National Storytelling Week

National Storytelling Week is an event designed to spread the joy of stories across communities, and to promote the act of storytelling as an enriching activity for all involved. Set up by the Society for Storytelling, the event is now in its fourteenth year. it started on Saturday the 1st of February and runs through until the 8th February. You can find local events and resources by heading over to the official website.