Bangor Cellar Writing Group

We are under constuction!

2011-03-30T21:02:00.003+01:00

The next few weeks are going to see some changes to this blog, up and coming events, dates , competitions etc will all be posted here, but for the moment we are a site under construction!

Please feel free to email any suggestions directly to me shanhendry@Sky.com, what do you want to see here?

Our next meeting will be on Monday the 18th at the Blue Sky Cafe in Bangor.

The poetry critique group will be held on Thursday the 14th of April, at Cafe Rosso (opposite Poundstretcher) between 7 and 9pm. You don't have to be a member of the writing group to attend the critique group.

Look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

BCW

No January Blues at Blue Sky

2010-02-05T14:35:00.002Z

Great to see another great turnout for the January Cellar meeting, with 4 new writers attending for the first time.

If you remember all the way back to just before Christmas, we had a competition with the theme 'The Gift'. Many short stories were submitted but not enough poetry. The closing date for the poetry competition is now the 8th March, so there's plenty of time left to get inspired.

Now some dates for your diary:

The February meeting will be the third Monday as usual (15th February - day after Valentine's Day!)

The March meeting will now be the 22nd March not the 15th as there has been some confusion over dates at Blue Sky.

No news from Critique Groups but the various groups will be notified when dates are arranged.

Great to see a Cellar presence at both POETica and the Poetry Wales event recently. I look forward to getting my POETica ringtone off Alan Dawson, Po-et-i-ca, Po-et-i-ca, ooh, ooh, Po-et-i-ca...

Till next time, happy writing!
CW

2010

2010-01-14T21:53:00.002Z

Happy new year to you all! Christmas and indeed 2009 feels like such a long time ago now. Before I took my Christmas break, I heard that we have some winners in our midst...

Firstly congratulations to Carol Croxton who won the Cellar Group's short story competition with her story The Witch, the Dragon and the Christmas Tree Fairy. Secondly, well done to Debz Hobbs-Wyatt who won the Daily Post's short story competiton with her story Coming Home. Well done to you both!

Hope to see you all next Monday, 18th January, 7pm.

Here's to another year of writing!
CW

Mmm

2009-12-02T22:31:00.002Z

The Cellar Christmas meal is tonight in Blue Sky - I wonder who will win the short story competition (theme is 'The Gift')?

See below for the latest newsletter.

More later...

CW

Cellar Newsletter 2

Next Meeting

2009-11-10T21:31:00.002Z

Remember - the next meeting will be on the 16th November!

See you all there
CW

POETica featuring Tim Roberts

2009-10-27T17:57:00.000Z

POETica

A China Sausage Dog

2009-10-19T22:13:00.003+01:00

Tonight's meeting got off to a great start - Mary told the group that she had received a highly commended email following her entry to the Hay Short Story competition. The theme had been 'Lost'. Mary read her entry 'Pretty and Me', and we all thoroughly enjoyed it (ignoring her "are you bored yet?" question) Well done Mary!

After some quick introductions, tonight's special guest Lisa Blower read her winning entry 'Broken Crockery' which won her the Guardian's short story competition. She wrote the story from the point of view of a child, in tribute of her grandmother, who's bluntness she admired. When she received the phone call, she thought she'd been disqualified for mentioning Margaret Thatcher. She is now working on a novel, written from the point of view of a lady in her 70s, looking back over her life.

Enveloped from the past were handed to some members - back in October 2008, those present had to write what they aimed to achieve during the year. Did you achieve yours?

CW

When Shall We Meet Again?

2009-10-18T17:28:00.002+01:00

Autumn just seems to be flying by at the moment - as I type, I can see our garden covered in brown leaves and the tree is bare with only a football stuck on its branches. Soon it'll be time for pumpkins, fireworks and then, dare I say it, Slade on the radio.

Another thing that has come round quickly is the next Cellar meeting which will be held tomorrow, 6:45pm at the Blue Sky Cafe.

As mentioned previously, Lisa Blower will be our special guest. Who is Lisa? Scroll down for more details.

Other news this week includes a Cellar presence at the 'Writing from Bangor and Beyond' lectures. The afternoon began with readings from the work of well-known writers who have been the focus of research at the University's School of English, including John Milton, William Shakespeare and R.S Thomas, in a session chaired by special guest, the Earl of Powis.

Three poets currently writing in Bangor (Ian Davidson, Carol Rumens and Zoe Skoulding) read some of their work and the afternoon closed with the extended conversation between novelist James Hawes and Philip Pullman. Pullman appeared as a thoughtful and genuine character, with his raven daemon perched on his shoulder.

That's all for now - time for some flammin' hot Monster Munch.

CW

Excited Dogs and Wine Gums

2009-10-11T18:07:00.006+01:00

After much umm-ing and ahh-ing about the weather, some members of the group made the journey to Moelfre for another one of Phil's walks.

This time it was a circular around Moelfre with a few ancient ruins on the way.

Joining Phil was Jean L and her charming granddaughter Jenny, Rachel, Lowri, Andrew and his two daughters Emily and Lucy (both on their second Cellar walk, so should be pros by now). And of course, the group wouldn't have been complete without Jean's dog Indie.

After Andrew made a sneaky trip to the shop, the group set off through some fields, which included one that had some sort of root vegetables growing in it. Soon after, they spotted their first burial chamber, which the smaller members of the group could crawl under and on top. Luckily no zombies were to be found.

Further down the road, they came to a second burial chamber in Capel Lligwy. Again the kids went down to the dark vault, enjoying poking their hands out of the floor above and generally scaring everyone.

Next stop was the ancient village of Din Lligwy. As Jean and Andrew absorbed the information boards, Lowri enticed a dog from the neighbouring field to crawl under the fence and frolic with Indie. The problem was, the dog wouldn't go away and was having way too much fun to listen to its owner.

The group soon ended up in Lligwy Beach and followed the coastal path back to Moelfre, passing the memorial for the Royal Charter and numerous dog walkers (much to Indie's enjoyment). Lowri explained to the group how people chopped off the fingers of the bodies washed up on the shore after the sinking of the Royal Charter, so that they could remove the valuable rings off their swollen fingers.

After a quick break and a wine gum each (so that's why he went to the shop!) the group continued to Moelfre. The day ended, as always, with well earned cake and coffee (this time in Ann's Pantry), where they tempted Rachel into having millionaires' shortbread (didn't take much persuasion) and Jenny's hedgehog lost an ear.

CW

Special Guest

2009-09-29T18:36:00.006+01:00

Just read the minutes from last Monday's Cellar Writing Group Meeting - Lisa Blower, winner of the Guardian Short Story competition is the special guest at the next meeting.

Not only that, but it will be the AGM - Debz is happy to chair the group for another year, but if you have any other thoughts, email her.

CW

Newsletter numero uno

2009-09-24T22:12:00.001+01:00

See below for the first ever edition of the Cellar Writing Group Newsletter - let me know what you think...

Cellar Newsletter 1 Final Version

Let's blog again

2009-09-24T21:37:00.002+01:00

Welcome to the home for the Bangor-based Cellar Writing Group. This space is intended to welcome new guests to the group, and keep current members updated with all the Cellar happenings.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please leave them in the "comments" field below, so we can start a discussion if necessary.

Thanks, and we'll see everyone in person again soon!

CW