Joy Cowley's Writing Workshop

TO all the aspiring children's fiction and picture book writers out there - Check this out and mark it in your diary.

Award winning and notable Kiwi author Joy Cowley is running a writer's workshop in Auckland in February 2010. It will run over two days 27 and 28 February and there are a very limited number of places. It is described on the Storylines website as "intensive two-day course with this master storyteller, covering all aspects of writing for children and young adults (getting started, plot, character, voice, humour, writing disciplines, picture books, chapter books, YA novels, presenting a manuscript, getting support.)"

To find out more and to book your spot go to this Storylines link

The Great (and not so great) first line

We like to celebrate fantastic writing in the library. And there have been some truly fantastic first lines and openings to novels through literary history.

For instance, can you guess the novel from these first lines?

1. Call me Ishmael.

2. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

3. Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

(If you want to match your skill against some other famous opening gambits, try this trivia link)

But just as interesting (and sometimes exceptionally humorous) have been some not so great ones, which are celebrated every year by the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. This contest, in which contestants have to write the worst possible opening sentence to a non-existent novel, is now in it's 26th year. The award was named after prolific author Edward George Bulwer-Lytton who in 1830 wrote the novel "Paul Clifford" with the infamous first line "It was a dark and stormy night".

To give you some idea, the 2008 winner reads "Theirs was a New York love, a checkered taxi ride burning rubber, and like the city their passion was open 24/7, steam rising from their bodies like slick streets exhaling warm, moist, white breath through manhole covers stamped "Forged by DeLaney Bros., Piscataway, N.J."" (Garrison Spik, Washington, D.C. )

There are several genre categories. For instance in Fantasy Fiction the winner was "Toads of glory, slugs of joy," sang Groin the dwarf as he trotted jovially down the path before a great dragon ate him because the author knew that this story was a train wreck after he typed the first few words." (Alex Hall, Greeley, CO)

And the mental images of the Adventure fiction winner is an interesting one. "Leopold looked up at the arrow piercing the skin of the dirigible with a sort of wondrous dismay -- the wheezy shriek was just the sort of sound he always imagined a baby moose being beaten with a pair of accordions might make." (Shannon Wedge, New Hampshire)

Check out the full list of winners and a little of the history of this contest here on the Bulwer-Lytton 2008 contest page.

Snippets

Lots of snippets of book news for you all from the literary world.

Duffy Books in Homes and Whitcoulls have announced that they are going to join forces to give kids the gift of book ownership. The partnership is being launched this week. To find out more about Books in Homes go to their website http://www.booksinhomes.org.nz/foundation.htm

Meanwhile the 2008 Six Pack Three released in conjunction with New Zealand Book Month has hit the number one spot on the NZ Bestseller list. At only $6.00 it’s great value. And there is still plenty happening around the area in the last week of NZ Book month so check out the events page on the website http://nzbookmonth.co.nz/blogs/events/archive/2008/07/26/1406.aspx
And while you are there surf the blogs, competitions, and news.

I didn’t get a chance to post book reviews on the radio this week. So for the rest of the week in the 10.30 am book review on the Nine to Noon programme on National Radio, these books will be discussed.
24 Sept – Ngaio Marsh – Her Life in Crime, by Joanne Drayton
25 Sept – Urban Village, by Jenny Carlyon & Dianna Morrow
26 Sept – Children’s books
29 Sept – Dreams of Rivers and Seas: A Novel, by Tim Parks
30 Sept – A Beautiful Place to Die, by Malla Nunn

There was an interesting article in the UK Independent recently where Annie Proulx talked about how irritating the film “Brokeback Mountain” is to her personal life. Check out that article and other book news at http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/

Meanwhile the popular “Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer has hit a snag when some of the fifth instalment was leaked through the internet. These books are really taking off here at Rodney so fans will be a little disappointed. Find out the full story here http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSSP22059520080904?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews

If any of these links don't work (because I am having computer "issues" today), just cut and paste the addresses into the address field of your computer and hit enter.

That’s just some of the news in the book world this week. Ka kite ano

Podcast Poetry Competition

More Podcast Poetry entries have been uploaded. You can listen to them on the competition website http://mpdrlpp.blogspot.com/

Today is the last day for entries. All entries can be sent to rodneylibraries@yahoo.com.au

Thank you to all who have entered so far.

Montana Poetry Day Friday 18 July

If you've been into a library this week you'll notice that Montana Poetry Day is coming up tomorrow. Montana Poetry Day is part of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. Originally conceived as a way to increase interest in the poetry finalists, the day has taken on a life of its own. It is celebrated all over New Zealand with poetry readings, samplers and posters.

Rodney Libraries have been displaying poems and encouraging you to add your favourites to the Poetry Wall. Some libraries have an epic poem where you can add a line or two.

Tomorrow Wellsford Library will host Poetry Hour at 4pm where you can read your poems to an appreciative and supportive audience. All libraries will be giving away poetry samplers with poems from this year's finalists. Look out for poems on the pavement tomorrow as well. A couple of pictures from last year are in our Flickr stream.

We've had the first entries in our Podcast Poetry Competition. Listen to them from the competition website. There's still a few days to left to get your entry in if you're in Years 4-13.

Finally, here's a link to the Montana Poetry Day website where NZ poets have been sharing their poems.

Book launch "Keeping the Faith - travel the world" at Whangaparoaa Library

Authors Jocelyn Watkin and Kim Gabites will be launching the second edition of their book “Keeping the Faith – Travel the World” at the Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre in the Whangaparaoa Town Centre today at 2 – 2:45 pm.

Since its initial launch in August 2007, interest keeps growing in “Keeping the Faith – Travel the World”. It is a travel tale that many New Zealanders want to read - how to be a footloose, fancy-free and how to pay for it. The book was awarded a top 5-star rating by the on-line financial bookstore Good Returns, along with the warning: “This book changes lives”

Copies in libraries across New Zealand are in constant demand and the feedback from all ages and professions has been “inspiring”, “powerful” and “very readable”.

Kim says, “Keeping the Faith – Travel the World” tells the story of Faith MacDiarmid, a financial tactician and keen traveller. The book shows how easy goal setting and financial planning can be when there is a compelling motivator like travel.”

Jocelyn says, “It’s about journeys – Faith’s own, which shape her money beliefs and life, and those of her clients who get to live their dreams. The reader shares these journeys with Faith, peering over her shoulder like a pillion passenger, as she talks to her clients and helps them to take off on their travel goals.”

Jocelyn and Kim are keen to help other writers. At the launch, they will share their knowledge on how they co-wrote, published and now promote “Keeping the Faith – Travel the World” and they will also reveal their seven steps for successful travel saving.

For serious travellers, armchair dreamers, book lovers and aspiring writers this event has something for everyone, with a chance to have a longer chat with Jocelyn and Kim after their presentation. In addition, the Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre will have displays available of books from their travel and investment sections.

This event is open to everyone and is free of charge.

Book launch details:
Tuesday 1 July, 2 – 2:45 pm
Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre
9 Main Street, Whangaparaoa Town Centre,
Rodney
(09) 427 3710

The book is retailing for $30.00 and can be bought at the launch, or ordered via the website: www.keepingthefaith.co.nz

It was FANTASTIC

The Storylines Family Day at the Aotea Centre on Sunday that is! I had an exhilirating (and exhausting day) helping out there (taking my turn at being one of those volunteers we are celebrating this week). I have heard reports that there were record crowds there and if some of the queues and crowds following Babette Cole, Joy Cowley, Carole Wilkinson and Hairy Maclary around or at the facepainters or comics stands, then I can well believe it. The storytelling sessions were packed out. The craftmakers were busy. The Kids Lit contest went into sudden death and it looked like everyone there was having a wonderful time.

I had the pleasure of helping visiting American storyteller Cathy Spagnoli navigate the Aotea Centre to get to her sessions. She has travelled extensively through Asia, India and Africa and has some wonderful tales to tell, being truly passionate about the power of the story to open up the world to people. I loved the way she involved the audience, getting them to help her finish the story, or help her tell it in sign language.

Another storyteller I helped was the dynamic Apirana Taylor. This multi-talented man is a musician, poet, painter, actor and (I have since learnt from a local school librarian who heard him speak at their conference last year) an inspirational speaker. I can well believe all that, simply by listening to him tell the tales of Maui and Matariki, often using Maori musical instruments and string figures. Don't turn down the chance if you ever get to listen to him. Or check out some of his poetry and stories that we have in the Rodney Libraries collection.

Have I raved for long enough? Do you get the picture? Will you be there next year? I certainly will be.

Ka kite ano

Are you a writer? Enter the Western Districts Short Story Competition

21ST CELEBRATION YEAR --- 2008

$1500 in prize money is offered in the Western Districts Short Story Competition, open to any New Zealand writer. Entries will be accepted from June to closing date, and a prize giving will be held on 1 OCTOBER 2008.

The competition is sponsored by the WAITAKERE LICENSING TRUST and supported by the WESTERN LEADER.

Prizes are $500 (first)Plus Travel & Accommodation. $250 (second) $150 (third). In the Junior Section prizes are $150 (first) $100 (second) and $50 (third).

For information write to: P.O.Box 83-065, Edmonton 0652, Waitakere City

RIP Arthur C. Clarke

News came in late yesterday that prolific science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke passed away yesterday at the age of 90 years.

"Science-fiction writer, inventor and futurist Arthur C. Clarke has died, leaving fans bereft at the loss of his brilliance and creativity.
Clarke died early Wednesday after suffering from breathing problems, the Associated Press reported. He was 90 years old. He suffered from post-polio syndrome and was confined to a wheelchair toward the end of his life.
Clarke wrote more than 100 sci-fi books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey."
He is credited with coming up with the idea for the communications satellite and predicting space travel before rockets were even test fired."
source Fox News website (click for the full story)

We have many of his titles here at the Rodney Libraries so if you would like to revisit them (or read them for the first time) check out our catalogue listings for Arthur C. Clarke here.

Another Great New Zealander passes

Hone Tuwhare, one of New Zealand's most celebrated poets, passed away in hospital on Wednesday afternoon following a long illness but apparently in good spirits right to the end.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says Tuwhare made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand literature.
"Hone Tuwhare was a distinguished poet, playwright, and writer of short fiction. His poetry contained powerful imagery of our land, sea, and legends, and often expressed strong views on contemporary issues," Clark, who is also Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage said in a statement.
Hone Tuwhare's Tangi will be held in Kaikohe but a service will also take place in Dunedin. He is survived by three sons and many grandchildren.
Source (including picture credit)and full story: ONE News

Hone Tuwhare had his own website with news, poems and history at http://www.honetuwhare.co.nz/.
The New Zealand book council site also has a comprehensive biography of Hone Tuwhare and you can search the Rodney District Libraries catalogue here for the books we have in our collection.

Here is one of his poems from his 2005 collection entitled "Oooooo.....!!!

Just thinkin', and dreaming

I cannot cajole
the threatening herd
of clouds
in the sky, to
'back-off', nor
the rising insanities
of wind-whirls, and
an up-beat song
of blues tainted

morning-moanings,
rising
from my gravel-ly
Maori throttle -
just like a blues
song and comedic
solo, by my favourite
interpretive vocalist
horn-blower - Louis
Armstrong!!! O, yea!!! Bring it on
LOUIS... Bring
it on, Man!