#jennashworth

[bibliobethblog]

Evening everyone from a bit of a wet and gloomy UK 🇬🇧 Today I’m taking part in the #sixbookcoverchallenge #treesoncovers which I was tagged in by the lovely @always_need_more_books and @nicki_mags I’ve chosen six beautiful hardbacks that are still on my TBR but now I’m looking at my shelves, I could probably do a paperback edition too! 🤔😂 Let me know if you’ve read or want to read any of these books, I’d love to know your thoughts. Come chat to me in the comments! #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksgloriousbooks #tbrpile #booksimexcitedabout #harperlee #gosetawatchman #therunningsky #timdee #thesearcher #tanafrench #fell #jennashworth #theislandofmissingtrees #elifshafak #weareallcompletelybesideourselves #karenjoyfowler #beautifulbooks #eyecatchingbooks #ifeeltheneedtheneedtoread #bookswithtreesonthecover https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQuI_0g7Dr/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ladyk23]

GrrrlCon 2017

Last summer, I attended Kerry Ryan’s Write Like A Grrrl one day intensive workshop in Brighton, on the recommendation of my good friend Lizzie.

I’ve been writing on and off since I was 16, but my limited education and lack of confidence in my own abilities have always held me back in actually doing anything about it. For about 10 years now I’ve known that my dream job involved writing. And not in the administrative sense of replying to customer queries that I have had in my day jobs. Ideally, I’d be writing about movies as that’s my other great passion. The problem is that with no qualifications or experience, you really can’t get a job in that world. And my experience at school was such that I could never see myself going back to a classroom environment.

All that changed with Kerry’s course. Firstly, she is super friendly and not at all judgemental. I even felt comfortable enough with her to confide in her during that first meeting that I am a writer of fan fiction. Something only my fandom friends and a handful of trustworthy close friends knew at the time. She was enthusiastic about that, and most importantly, didn’t make any of us read our work out loud that day.

The other great thing about the WLAG course was that I met a group of amazing women writers. We’re all very different in our styles of writing, our approach to writing, what inspires us etc, but by god what an amazing group. At the end of the course Kerry advised us all to keep in touch if we could, meet up occasionally. She said it would be invaluable, and it really has been, in so many ways. We have helped each other when one of our group was homeless for a few months. We have talked through break ups, and encouraged each other on our writing journeys with tea and cake and weekends away.

For anyone interested, Kerry is holding another one day intensive this July in Brighton. If you are struggling to write or to find a community of writers with which to discuss your work, I cannot recommend Write Like A Grrrl highly enough.

But I am writing this blog to talk about something else entirely. Grrrl Con. A weekend long convention arranged by Kerry (@writelikeagrrrl), Jane Bradley of For Books’ Sake (@forbookssake) and Claire Askew (@onenightstanzas). And what a weekend it was.

Friday morning began with a train to Manchester. My best friend had sent me off equipped with screenshots of a map of Manchester, showing the way from Victoria station to Ziferblat - the social space hired by Grrrl Con to house all of us eager to learn ladies. Of course, I immediately got lost and a lovely Mancunian man helped me find my way.

I was going to be there with three of the women from the Brighton WLAG group, but as I have family up north I’d come up a few days earlier to see them, and so arrived at Ziferblat knowing only Kerry. My anxiety levels were through the roof because my brain was telling me it’d be just like school, where I knew no-one and no-one would like me. I kept to myself and took a seat for the opening keynote address, notebook in hand. Quickly the room started to fill up and a lovely grrrl called Rebecca came and sat next to me. I tried not to scare her away and asked her about her writing. Of course she asked me too so I was brave and admitted the extent of my writing was pretty limited to fan fiction. “Oh what kind?” she asked. Shit. I never considered for a moment that someone would ask me that. Deep breath. “Well it’s kind of specific…” I said. She nodded her encouragement for me to continue. “Err, it’s about the actor Jeremy Renner.” A look of recognition and a smile crossed her face. “Oh wow that is very specific,” she said, a small laugh, “about his life?” I was amazed that she knew who he was as most people look confused when I say his name, until I say he was in Avengers. “Sometimes, other times about characters he’s played.” We continued to chat until we were called to attention, and I think I knew then that the weekend was going to be much better than I’d anticipated.

Our keynote address was by Novelist Jenn Ashworth (@jennashworth) who came to talk to us about ‘Finding the courage to write and keep on writing’. I soon discovered that she had spent time in my home town of Preston in her youth, and I felt like I was listening to a kindred spirit with some of the things she was saying. How school wasn’t a fit with her, how she didn’t really have friends, how she found solace in books. And most importantly about how as women we often have to ‘don armour’ to protect ourselves, and that courage can be found in being vulnerable. She also talked about her community of writer friends and how much she takes from the support they give her. I was almost in tears. Her words resonated so clearly with me and the courage I have gained from the group of writers I have in my own support group.

Some pearls of wisdom that I took from Jenn’s talk included - Don’t let research get in the way, if you wait until you know everything you’ll never write it. If you find when you’re writing that you need more information on something, block it off and write ‘need info on…’ The first draft is your guide to what you need for the second draft.

Jenn then read an excerpt of her novel Fell which sounded intriguing. As we took our first break of the day Jenn signed copies of her book and spent time talking to every person in the queue. Unfortunately this meant that the break overran into the first workshop of the day. I had to abandon my wish to get myself a signed copy of Fell, but Jenn was kind enough to answer a question I had for her on Twitter afterwards. And once payday comes around I’ll definitely be placing an order for Fell.

The first workshop I had was with Rosie Garland (@rosieauthor) on ‘Silencing the internal critic’. As someone who listens to hers far too much (in all aspects of life sadly - not just writing) I felt I would get a lot out of this workshop, and Rosie certainly didn’t disappoint. There are 5 pages in my notebook filled with gems from this workshop. One of which was to find my “crime scene”, the point in my life when my internal critic started speaking to me. Despite my useless memory I felt I could pin-point this moment precisely to when my fiancé told me my writing aspirations were a silly dream that nothing would ever come of. Well fuck you Ken.

Rosie also told us to remember that the first draft is you telling yourself the story. It’s the sketch that lives under the painting. It’s the starting blocks to give you something to build on. Rosie, you rock. Tell Mavis to do one.

Before we knew it the morning sessions were over and it was time for lunch, which is when my grrrls finally arrived in Manchester. I joined them for some food and a quick catch up and then we headed off for our afternoon workshops.

Mine was ‘Making Art is hard and that’s okay’ a zine workshop for wannabes, imposters and would be creatives with Sasha de Buyl-Pisco (@sashadebuyl).

And here, for anyone who wants to see, is my creation…

It’s about my friends and what you all mean to me. Yeah I’m a sap, so what?

We finished the day with a ‘Path to Publication’ Panel chaired by Jane, and featuring the aforementioned Rosie Garland and Grrrl Con organiser and novelist Claire Askew, alongside poet and playwright Afshan Lohdi (@ashlohdi).

Lots of talk on what the path looked like for them (clue - it was very different for each of them), and sage words of advice and encouragement for us all. My take away words of wisdom were “You can only have a first book once, so make sure it’s ready.” Thank you ladies.

Right, who’s ready for day 2..?

[ruseg]

Twitter. I am editing the second issue of this journal - the theme is DISEASE and I want your submissions. Hybrid experimental works, creative-critical, lyric and personal essay, poetry, photography and comics, collage, artworks etc. http://bit.ly/2FmnVn1 @LuneJournal

— Jenn Ashworth (@jennashworth) January 9, 2018

[bibliobethblog]

Monday is book haul day! Hello my lovelies and hope you’re well. Today I’d like to share three new hardbacks that have been calling my name. The first is Crudo whose cover I am absolutely obsessed with! It’s a short novel as well so shouldn’t take me long once I get round to it. Secondly, we have Jenn Ashworth’s latest novel, Ghosted. I’ve never read anything by this author before but I couldn’t resist when I heard the incredible synopsis. Finally, we have Honeycomb by the incredible Joanne Harris. I haven’t read anything by the author for a little while but do adore her writing so looking forward to this! I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! Have a great week everyone 🤗😘 #bookstagram #booklover #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddict #beautifulbooks #hardbackhaul #icouldnthelpmyself #icouldntresist #crudo #olivialaing #ghosted #jennashworth #honeycomb #joanneharris #yaymorebooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9R73Rryjv/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bibliobethblog]

Hello everyone and hope you’re having or have had a great Saturday! For today’s #stacksaturday I’m doing a #blackbooksstack which I was tagged in by @firstpagetolast 🙌🏻 These gorgeous hardbacks are a mixture of books on my TBR and books I’ve still to read. My favourites include Just After Sunset, Unsettled Ground and Daisy Jones And The Six. Out of the remaining three on my TBR I’m probably most excited to get to Ghosted as I’ve heard great things about the author. I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammer #tbrpile #favouritebooks #blackstack #bookstagramchallenge #unsettledground #clairefuller #hagseed #margaretatwood #ghosted #jennashworth #daisyjonesandthesix #taylorjenkinsreid #justaftersunset #stephenking #ninthhouse #leighbardugo #gettingexcitedaboutbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CQT97J1LCct/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bibliobethblog]

Hello everyone, hope you’re having or have had a super relaxing Sunday 😌 I’m going to start every Sunday off now with a new challenge - the #alphaauthorstack courtesy of the lovely @puellalegit ⁣ Today I’ve got ten books for you with authors whose surname begins with A:⁣ ⁣ A Guide To Being Born - Ramona Ausubel ⁣ The Harmony Silk Factory - Tash Aw⁣ The Power - Naomi Alderman ⁣ Dearly - Margaret Atwood ⁣ The Ruby Slippers - Keir Alexander⁣ The Girl In The Tower - Katherine Arden⁣ Fell - Jenn Ashworth⁣ The Book Of Echoes - Rosanna Amaka ⁣ A God In Ruins - Kate Atkinson ⁣ The Truth And Other Lies - Sascha Arango⁣ ⁣ All these books are still on my TBR! I know, I know, it’s shameful 🙈 I’d love to know if you’ve read or want to read any of them though. Let’s have a chat in the comments! ⁣ ⁣ Have a great week everyone! 🤗😘⁣ #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #tbrpile #bookstagramchallenge #aguidetobeingborn #ramonaausubel #theharmonysilkfactory #tashaw #thepower #naomialderman #dearly #margaretatwood #fell #jennashworth #therubyslippers #keiralexander #thegirlinthetower #katherinearden #thebookofechoes #rosannaamaka #agodinruins #kateatkinson #thetruthandotherlies #saschaarango https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ3-TrGg7d6/?igshid=1s0xzsfnlohdz