Wednesday 6 March 2013

Literary Evening at Bebington Library

On Thursday 7th (tomorrow), I'll be amongst a group of writers who'll be reading some of their work to an audience at Bebington Library, Wirral. Two other members of Riverside Writers, Tim Hulme and Peter Hurd, will also be taking part but I have no further details about who else might be.

If I'm not mistaken, the event has been organised by the 3Ls. I think the event starts at 7.30pm, and I have no idea if there's an entry fee.

My apologies for the rather vague information, but it's all I have!

I hope to see you there!

Friday 1 February 2013

Hettford Witch Hunt: Series One [Kindle Edition]

Hettford Witch Hunt: Series One

"With subtle humor and a charming regional voice, James Rhodes cleverly crafts a story of vengeance, mystery and witchcraft. Deftly weaving the ordinary and supernatural Rhodes leads readers along a path strewn with dreary workaday details offset by exciting glimpses of an otherworld that threatens to destroy the safety of the mundane."

- Kirsten Imani Kasai, Author: Ice Song, Tattoo, Del Rey Books

Imagine if Buffy the Vampire Slayer were the sort of overweight middle aged man that drank real ale and went for long countryside walks. With a slick sitcom format this novel is a must have for fans of paranormal comedy.

In the Eighteenth Century two sisters were convicted of witchcraft in Hettford village and their spirits continue to be a menace to the local community. The Hettford Witch Hunt is dedicated to destroying this threat. Nobody may believe them, nobody may reward them and they might not ever accomplish very much but nonetheless they remain devoted to their cause.

This is a collection contains all six episodes of Series One of the occult sitcom Hettford Witch Hunt. Plus the bonus Christmas episode: The Spirit of the Holly.

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Riverside Writers

I would like to begin by thanking Tony Franks-Buckley for inviting me to write for this site, an offer which I am most happy to accept. 

Time flies, hmm?  I have chaired meetings of Riverside Writers for the last nine years; and much fun it has been, too.  We're a lively, friendly and informal group who meet in West Kirby Library, Wirral - usually on the last Monday of each month unless a Bank Holiday coincides with this, in which case we meet one week earlier.  Meetings start at 7.30pm, and after a catch-up of each others' news we share our efforts for that month's group project. 

We started running optional group writing projects a few years ago when we felt the need to focus the group on actual writing, rather than just talking about writing.  So each month we set ourselves the task of creating a poem or short story using a set theme, location, an interesting photo or an opening sentence, for example.  It's ok if a person diverts from the original idea, as the purpose is simply to offer a starting point.  The results have been both interesting and fun, and people who have regularly participated in the project have found that they written pieces which they otherwise may not have thought of and, more importantly, their skills with the craft of writing have steadily improved.

Riverside Writers have played host numerous speakers over the years, including Marc Gee (Al's Lads), Jon Mayhew (Mortlock), Colin P Davies (Tall Tales of the Iron Horse, The Bookmole) and Anthony Peake (Cheating the Ferryman).  We have also held public readings, sometimes as part of Wirral Bookfest but also independently.  Several members have also participated in Wirral's festival of SF/F/H, called Parallel Dimensions, which has attracted writers from across the UK.

In 2012, Riverside Writers published an anthology of original short stories and poetry by our members. 

The blurb reads:  "Romance, heart-ache, treachery and death! Eighteen stories and poems inspired by the sea, from a group of imaginative writers who live surrounded by water on the Wirral peninsula in England."

The contributors are:  Tim Hulme; Andy Siddle; Adele Cosgrove-Bray; Peter Caton; Nikki Bennett; Ruth Ann Titley. 

Seaside Stories (ISBN 9781301150069)  is available as a FREE download from Smashwords, where it is offered in a variety of formats.

A second group anthology is already being planned for 2013.  This, too, will be produced as an ebook.

If you are looking for a Wirral-based creative writing group, do feel free to come along to any of our meetings.  Whether you're a published author or totally new to writing, new faces are always made very welcome at Riverside Writers.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Write on Wirral December 2012 Edition


The December edition includes short stories, poems, and the continuation of our serial The Memoirs of Hector Hornsmith.

Read it here  http://www.writeonwirral.co.uk/this-edition

Write On Wirral


Write On Wirral is an exciting bi-monthly webzine dedicated to articles and stories from the Wirral Peninsula.

http://www.writeonwirral.co.uk/

Meet the Write On Wirral Team.
 
 
 
Photographer L. Gerrard. Showing (from left to right): Michelle Pearson (Business Adviser), Carole Wilson (Illustrations and Design), Sheila Perry (Illustrations and Design), Gavin Chappell (Editor), Justine Robinson (Promotions). (Off-screen) Margaret Etheridge (Treasurer). Joining us for the Winter 2010 issue : Lisa Daniels (Assistant Editor).

Sunday 16 December 2012

Cheap Kindle Book Bargain



Hector Hornsmith Diary Entries & The History of Pirates in Wallasey.

$4.99 in Paperback $1.25 on Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/Hornsmith-Entries-Preface-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B008GNLJOY/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1355705048&sr=1-4

The History of Pirates in Wallasey has been somewhat over shadowed by the likes of Bristol and of course the Caribbean. Pirates & Smugglers have played a big part in the early history of Wallasey and is known only to the local people of the area. This book will introduce the world to the story of a little suburb called Wallasey. Situated on the banks of the River Mersey, it became one of the biggest smuggling haunts and later became a popular Victorian Seaside Resort in Britain. There have been plenty of rumours of Wallasey's piratical past and its connections with smuggling in the eighteenth century. Many local people know stories of Mother Redcap, and the legendary smugglers? tunnels beneath Wallasey. Mother Redcaps death, however, is linked with mystery; thousands of pounds worth of privateers prize money had been entrusted to her care, but after she died it was never seen again. What did happen to Mother Redcaps treasure Was it spirited away into the labyrinth of tunnels riddling Wallaseys bedrock and just exactly how was Wallasey Linked to Pirates and Smugglers. This is the Preface to Hector Hornsmith & The Torment of Tortuga. Hector Hornsmith speaks of his adventures with his good friend Captain John Gray & his Pirate Crew during the late 18th Century. They are the thorn in the side of King George III and his Royal Navy. Hiding out at Mother Redcaps when they are not at sea in the Inn itself and the network of tunnels that run beneath Wallasey. The Background of the main characters are contained in this book and explain just how Captain John Gray and his Pirate Crew found their way into Liverpool Bay and became housed on the shore line of Wallasey in Mother Redcaps Inn. Not all is plain sailing as whilst Captain John Gray is in search of "The Treasure of Treasures" Lord Captain James Vernon a former Slave Merchant now turned Royal Naval Captain, is in hot pursuit of the pirates as ordered by HRH King George III. for several years he has been hot on the tail of Captain John Gray but is yet to succeed but he grows ever closer to making his capture and is certain that he will soon be celebrating in the Kings Court as the man who captured Captain John Gray. These Diary Entries are the preface to the Historical Fiction book that is due out in the near future "Hector Hornsmith & The Torment of Tortuga" and this book also talks of the history behind the true facts of Pirates and Smugglers on the shore line of Wallasey. The hidden tunnels of Wallasey have been brought to life in the adventures with Hector Hornsmith and using true facts, giving the book an interesting twist that will enlighten the reader to just what it was like in the days of Pirates and Smugglers on the shores of Ye Black Rock. Not only is the book set on the Wallasey side of the River Mersey but Liverpool is also included as it was busy trading goods in and out of the port, that attracted smugglers to the area. Liverpool was a small fishing port which became one of the biggest cities in the world and is a well known city for its links to the Trans-Atlantic slave This is the beginning of the adventures with Hector Hornsmith and his travels around the world as a pirate and smuggler in the 18th century, avoiding the deathly pursuits of the British Royal Navy and searching for treasure that will make fortunes for him, Captain Bones and his crew, It all starts at Ye Black Rock.
 
Hector Hornsmith Diary Entries & The History of Pirates in Wallasey. $4.99 in Paperback $1.25 on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Hornsmith-Entries-Preface-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B008GNLJOY/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1355705048&sr=1-4

Thursday 13 December 2012

Book of Dead Names (Going Underground)

Book of Dead Names (Going Underground)
 
 
Three teenage runaways and a revenant occultist spell trouble.

First in the GOING UNDERGROUND series.

Previously published in www.schlock.co.ukand in the longer work GOING UNDERGROUND.