Issue 350 22nd August 2014

Rising Brook/

Holmcroft/

Baswich/Gnosall

Libraries are

under threat.

Please note the next library workshop will be

on Monday 1st September 1.30pm Will contributors please keep sending in

contributions for the bulletin. Thank you

2

Things I learned today: it really isn’t a good idea to wear cream coloured trousers when one is boiling blackberries for jam. Having a good cry is a safety valve when one is a Carer.

It isn‟t a good idea to put an eco-long-life type light bulb into a dimmer switched system ...

Some plumbers don‟t like it when customers state categorically that they won‟t pay for half hourly labour charges and want fixed price quotes.

Taps! What is it with modern metric taps that fail after a few years use? Victorian brass imperial taps are still going strong. Style over function ... Give me function every time.

Have you taken part in the online library consultation yet? Please do. Thank you.

SAVE RISING BROOK LIBRARY!

Random words : sculpture, facsimile, excelsior, joyful, garden, cheese Assignment : I don’t really need two/to

Obviously, as a Parkinson’s sufferer I was ‘sort-of’ thinking about Robin Williams

No-one can know the thoughts inside your head,

The way you feel can often be disguised.

Your closest friends could easily be led,

By clever tricks, your secret un-surmised.

One more poor soul to walk the Parky way,

A painted smile that never reached your eyes.

A heart turns cold when life in disarray,

For who you were in broken tatters lies.

If you try hard, kick heels and play the game,

You need not lose as often as you win.

The key is clear, although a rotten shame,

To set your mind, accept the state you’re in!

Look at yourself, find out just who you are,

And in whose life you really are the star!

The words of wisdom!! However ten minutes later I was in a rant and raving strop because Parkinson’s wouldn’t

let me do what I wanted to do!! (LP)

www.issuu.com/risingbrookwriters

NEW: 2015 poetry collection

“Defying Gravity” Submissions now open

RBW 2015 poetry

collection

“Defying Gravity”

Submissions now open.

DO NOT DELAY

Once we’re full, we’re full.

4

Latest Competitions: The Flambard Poetry Prize 2014 | Closing Date: 01-Sep-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions/?id=1621 Poetry Rivals 2014 | Closing Date: 17-Sep-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions/?id=1624 Black Country Living Museum Annual Poetry Competition 2014: Conflict & Contemplation | Closing Date: 27-Sep-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions/?id=1622 War Poetry for Today | Closing Date: 27-Nov-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/competitions/?id=1623

New Magazines: here/there:poetry http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/magazines/emagazines/?id=730 Pending Poetry http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/magazines/magazines/?id=729

New Exhibitions: Tom Phillips' Illuminated Tweets | 09-Sep-14 to 26-Oct-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/exhibitions/current/?id=94 An Unknown Soldier: An Exhibition by Henningham Family Press | 04-Nov-14 to 04-Jan-15 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/exhibitions/current/?id=97

Latest News: The Rialto: Editor Development Programme | 14-Aug-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=1213 London Literature Festival | 13-Aug-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=1212 Papa is a Poet | 09-Aug-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/acquisitions/?id=1211 Young Poet Laureate of London | 03-Aug-14 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=1206

Pessimism and Optimism

Am I The Clown?

The sad old clown has let the greasepaint dry, And cracks appear when tears begin to fall. In days of old, the laughs would make you cry, An old routine, fetch bricks to build a wall. The puppet frowns as strings are pulled too tight, Once more to dance to someone else‟s tune, Jump through the hoops if timing is just right, Or left on shelf next to a burst balloon! A ring-side seat, the best view of the show, But then the wall comes crashing down on you, With sad old clown and puppet you must go, Walk over bridge and quickly out of view. As greasepaint slips, and strings become untied, No-one is there to count the tears you cried!

NO!

No sad clown here, you rise above it all, No depths to plunge, the winner of the game. Stay in attack don‟t let them know you fall, See through their eyes, one person and the same. With hope in place, determination strong, Reach for the goal, although it hurts like hell. You can be proud, so sing a happy song, Each time you feel something is going well. When days are long and nights are all too short Take time to rest, recharge, renew, revive, Good health is not a product to be bought You are in charge, from front seat you can drive. No clown lives here, no puppet on a string, I‟ll never throw my hat into the ring.

6

The Gardening Tips series was produced by well known local gardening expert Mrs. FM Hartley as monthly gardening items which featured on an audio news-tape produced locally for partially sighted people. (Link To Stafford & Stone Talking Newspaper. Link To R.N.I.B.)

As such the articles are meant to be read individu-ally and not as chapters of a book. The articles were written over a period of some 7 years. RBW is absolutely delighted that Mrs Hartley has agreed to some of her words of gardening wisdom gathered over nine decades being reproduced for our benefit by her son, Alan.

Gardening Tips Week Ending August 6th 2010.

Hello Folks

Hope you have some bright gardens full of flowers, or productive vegetable

patches now. Seed catalogues will be sent around in the post anytime now and af-

ter the very hot dry spell we have just had, it is time to look round, see what has

survived well and then decide what to grow next year. Some plants which have

done well that come to mind are, Lavender, of which there are several different

colours, various Sages, Thymes, Sedums and Dianthus. Instead of growing from

seed you may want to try taking some cuttings from your existing plants. Laven-

der cuttings can be taken by carefully pulling off new side shoots with a heel.

Then trim off tidily and push about 6 or 7 cuttings in round the edge of a 1 litre, or

5 inch pot, filled with a gritty compost. Water the pot lightly and put it in a plastic

bag with a short thin cane supporting the bag to make it look like a tent. Then keep

it in a cool place and when the cuttings are rooted pot them separately until they

are growing well enough to go out in the garden. With Thyme you just take off

small shoots, but without the heel and otherwise treat the same. I put three Dian-

thus plants in a fairly shallow terracotta bowl last Summer and they looked very

bright making a brilliant splash of colour. After they had been left out all Winter

and Spring came, they suddenly seemed to spring into life again and flowered as

well as before. They had been left close to the house wall for shelter though. They

have just had their dead flowers cut off and we are now waiting to see if more

flowers will come.

Geraniums, or should I say Zonal Pelargoniums, have really been very bright this

year. I usually give mine a good drink in an evening as this is the best time for wa-

tering them, not during the daytime. Geranium cuttings can be taken once again,

but do not use rooting powder when trying to root them and keep them almost dry

throughout the Winter. They will root more easily in the house than in the green-

house as the cold damp Winter air of an unheated greenhouse can be too humid for

them and can cause leaf rot.

Any large leaves on Tomato plants can be cut off now to let the sun and light in to ripen the

fruit. My soft fruit is doing well this year even though it has been dry, with some going in the

freezer and some in fresh fruit salads. We picked lots of Blackcurrants and even had our first

few berries on our Josta Berry bush, but the Gooseberries didn’t do so well. The fruit on one

of the Blueberry bushes has already ripened, but the other one is a different variety that will

follow on. In the Winter my son dug up and divided the Yellow Raspberry canes which have

now filled out and we already picking some berries although they are supposed to be Autumn

fruiting.

Gardening Tips For Week Ending 9th August 2009

It doesn’t seem long since we were putting the clocks forward and with the longest day

now gone the nights are drawing in already, but everything in the garden is still looking bright

and cheerful in spite of all the dull weather and heavy soaking it has been getting.

The Tomatoes in the greenhouse are doing well and I must make a special note of the name of

them, as some of the trusses are 17-18 inches long with tomatoes from top to bottom. They

are a new variety of Tomato that produces “pop in the mouth size ones” and it is strange how

one will always find it’s way into ones mouth when picking them!

Runner Beans are flowering, but the bees seem to have gone on holiday, as they are not set-

ting very well. Gooseberries and Black Currents have done well this year, but the wet has

spoilt some of the Raspberries. The wet has prevented me from doing much in the garden, but

I have at least managed to get the Forsythias cut back although it was a bit late. They will

catch up, as will the Phlomis Fruiticosa that I have cut back severely now it has flowered.

Phlomis make a large shrub and are very showy, with soft, furry, silvery grey leaves and fairly

large, bright, yellow flowers that the bees love. We have three Buddleias that are beginning to

flower now, a very dark blue one, a white one and a yellow one.

The food, in the compost, in baskets, tubs and window boxes will all have been taken up now

by the plants, so you should feed them each week.

The Hazelnut bush I grew from a nut bought at the greengrocers about 6 years ago has now

made a large bush that had some lovely catkins on in the Spring and yes, this year we will

soon be picking our own nuts! Fortunately I have not seen any squirrels round where we live

yet.

Amaryllis bulbs from previous years should either, be in flower, or coming into flower, so

gentle watering should be done, then, when the leaves start growing, start feeding them. My

red one, which has flowered each year for about 5 years and a pink and white one for about 3

years, are now both in flower yet again.

Lavender has been lovely this year, but do remember that when the flowers

have all dropped the plants should be cut down to just above the old wood,

but not into the old wood as that will not shoot again.

Well that’s all for now.

Cheerio. Frances Hartley

8

http://www.risingbrookwriters.org.uk/DynamicPage.aspx?PageID=84

www.issuu.com/risingbrookwriters And on our Facebook page

Kit Marlowe and Rick Fallon span the centuries on the trail of murder and

mayhem surrounding the mysterious silver chalice which appears

and disappears every 500 years

LIBRARY CONSULTATION A PERSONAL RESPONSE

Wednesday 6th August a consultation on the Library document was held at County HQ. 7.00-9.00 Most of

the big issues were not on the agenda, particularly for Stafford where the future of the central library now at

Shire Hall was not discussed. Nor was the role of the Wolverhampton University which is planning to build

a campus, allegedly, but whether with a library and whether there could be a joint facility like the Hive in

Worcester was out of bounds.

My personal observations were that the consultation was on an unacceptable reduction of service, but that

the status quo cannot be defended. The world is changing and a chance to tackle the decline of the book and

need to provide internet services is possible. But not on the County Council agenda. Why no discussion of

opening hours when the libraries are closed when people can attend and open during working hours when

they can’t?

I really doubt that the CC can sustain even the planned 3 tier system as its core funding will be stretched.

However the plan is for 3 tier and here it is

LIBRARY EXTRA

Bizarre title for the grade 1 service, only available to 4 libraries. Newcastle, Burton, Lichfield, Newcastle

LIBRARY CORE

Grade 2 service, includes Stafford i.e. the central library, the old Shire Hall which is sold off.

LIBRARY LOCAL

The HIT AND HOPE proposal. Run by volunteers (aka the community) in areas where there is low take up

so no real interest by local residents. No chance of surviving.

24 libraries, including all the 3 Stafford local libraries, Holmcroft, Baswich, Rising Brook.

Users of the 3 locals should certainly link up to consider what is to be done. However they are all badly lo-

cated hard to find. As a community facility a library has to be accessible to the community. But the bottom

line especially at a time of cut backs is that the current level of service is minimal and to survive there has to

be some extra funding.

STAFFORDTHE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND THE UNIVERSITY

The elephant in the room was Wolverhampton University. The Shire Hall is being taken over and plans

mooted for a campus. But will library facilities be provided? If so this could generate finance. Without fi-

nance the decline cannot be averted

The Hive in Worcester, joint council and university facility and very successful, is a model for what could

be done and on the back of this decline could be reversed. But that would only be a Stafford solution.

The bigger issue of what local libraries are for is the second elephant in the room. Most are not community

facilities, so why not? If libraries like Gnosall and Penkridge are at risk of going to the wall, what has gone

wrong?

Stafford as the centre should be able to sustain a viable 4 library pattern. But how?

Trevor Fisher 13 8 2014

RBW EDITOR NOTES:

STAFFORD Conservative MP Jeremy Lefroy has taken part in the consultation and says in his newsletter his constituents can email him

for a copy of his response, which makes some useful observations (Penkridge library/JRR Tolkien connection) and suggestions:

jeremy.lefroy.mp@parliament.uk you must put in your name and full contact address for a reply.

SCC seemingly has over £63 million in reserves. In Lincolnshire a High Court judge has ruled library closure proposals were not legal

and indicated library closures were a political act. If you have not taken part in the online (or forms available in library) consultation

please do so asap. Even better email your County Councillor (email contacts are on the CC website) and tell them what you think of them

for threatening our libraries. Thank you.

RBW FICTION PROJECT FOR 2014/15 NOTES: ( CHANGES )

Story so far. There isn't one! Not yet, just a few plot strands ...

We have a place, a few names, some with a few character traits. What we need is more input into the plot lines, a few sub-plots would help as well.

This is a listing of what we have so far as a thinking aid. Place: Sometime in the 1890s The Grand Cosmopolitan Shipping Line Chain: The Nasturtium Hotel (GNH) in Trentby-on-Sea

a place that has a similarity to Southampton, this fair city is twinned with Murmansk and has a decided international flavour about it. Despite recent squabbles with Russia, France and certain other countries all rich spending foreigners are welcomed – particularly those with £££$$$ and other currency in their purses/pockets/reticules/wallets.

Time Span: Between the arrival and departure of the clipper ship The Star of Coldwynd Bay. About 3 weeks.

Hotel: The GNH is owned by The Cosmopolitan Shipping Line and is the usual Victorian Hotel. It has three classes of accommoda-

tion, that are roughly: Suites [1st floor] for those with money and the POSH nobs. Rooms [2nd and 3rd floors] for the not so well off.

Accommodation [tiny attic rooms, top floor back] for anyone else Staff:

Basil Bluddschott (70's) – Manager Mrs. Cynthia Bluddschott (20's) - 2nd (trophy) wife of Basil

Daniel Bluddschott (40) – Son of Basil by 1st wife Miss Marian Bluddschott (35) – Daughter of Basil by 1st wife Mrs. Natasha Bluddschott (34) – wife of Daniel

Roberto Manchini - Italian chef; has the hots for Natasha who returns the compliment. Mrs. Bertha Buckett – Laundress Peter, the porter There will also be a gaggle of sundry maids, porters etc.

Guests: Lady Vera Accrington and Lady Gloria Stanley – a couple of old biddies with a chequered past who are enjoying themselves

their Ward Dorothy ... much admired and taking elocution lessons from Winter Gardens performers Major Martin – May be the ADC to the Prince of ?? The Russian Prince of ?? Referred to as Mr. Smith; even tho' everybody know who he is.

Daphne Du Worrier - Writer Capt. Fowlnett – Recently appointed skipper of the steamship The Star of Coldwynd Bay. He may be a little short on experi-ence as his last job was skipper of the IOW ferry. [Hey! How difficult can it be to find India or China?]

St. John Smythe – Tea planter with holdings in Assam. The Maharajah of Loovinda and valet George

The Sheik of the province of Kebab. Walter Wales – Travel writer for Thos. Cooke.

Music Hall turns playing at 'The Winter Gardens', Also staying the GNH some in suites some in the Accommodation class. Miranda Barkley – maybe mistress of the Prince of ??

Dario Stanza – singer Vesta Currie – hot stuff on the stage Cystic Peg – Medium / Seances

Dan Fatso – Charlie Chaplin type ALSO listed:

Opium – not then illegal Ivory + Diamond dealer Boniface Monkface Jade - A rare Jade Buddha with spiritual & heritage significance is specifically noted by its absence..

NOTES: CHECK THE DATE! Q. Victoria is Empress. Osborne House IoW is her fav. des. res. 1. Gas lighting or oil lamps – no public electricity supply about for another couple of decades; unless the hotel has its own

generator, electrical lighting is out. 2. Horses and carriages in the streets, steam trains for long distances and on the dockside. Trams may be available in some

areas. 3. Limited number of phones, usually locally between ministries or business offices. Messengers or Royal Mail normally used. Telegrams are available.

Thoughts ...

It‟s a Cosmopolitan Hotel at the time of Empire.

We need to get diverse folks from absolutely everywhere into the storyline.

We need to reflect the times ... not our times ... their times. Money talks ... Same as ever ... It don‟t

matter where you‟re from if you‟ve got pockets full of dosh and you‟re a big tipper!

RBW Library Workshop group are working on a script for the next book. Anyone registered with RBW wanting to join in please come to group or let us know by email asap. The ideas so far include a hotel in the 1890s with as diverse a mix of travellers about to depart by clip-per for the far east as it is possi-ble to squeeze into the plot. Obviously the action will take place in Trentby-on-Sea, twinned with Murmansk, and the establish-ment will be managed by Basil Bluddschott and his new wife Cynthia. If you‟ve ever watched a Carry On film you will have had all the training you‟d need to join in.

The annual joint project ...

The joint comedy is good practice in group co-operation, character building, plotting, dialogue, storyline arc etc and

besides it‟s hilarious to write.

What is more people actually read our free e-books ... Some brave souls even give us LIKES on Facebook

How unexpected was that ...

Once you‟ve written in one of our comedies you should be able to write anything equally as challenging on your own.

WHAT THE BRITISH EMPIRE GAVE THE WORLD (?) ACW Background of the 1890s ... The British Empire more or less invented the modern world in the English image. Tourism began with the Grand Tour (France, Italy, France, Greece) and Thomas Cook‟s first package tour.

The English began the first modern luxury hotel with the Savoy having electric lights, six lifts and seventy bedrooms. Sandwiches, Christmas cards, Boy Scots, postage stamps, modern insurance and detective novels all began from Empire and the English and Celts.

Not only did the British Empire have political and military might (an empire five times bigger than had been the Roman Em-pire), but had the economic clout of British steam, coal and steel.

WHAT EMPIRE ENGLAND WAS LIKE London was a place of great wealth and the nation was technologically advanced, with more sophisticated weaponry. The empire was created by political scheming as well as greed, but also of initiative, courage and supreme self-confidence.

The English of Empire felt themselves a blessed nation and people. Being the greatest empire in the world went to the English‟s heads. Cecil Rhodes gave his observation, that being born English was to have won the first prize in the lottery of life.

The English believed they were the best people in the world of the highest ideals of decency, justice, liberty and peace, but in truth empire came into being by young men seeking adventure and riches.

Ogden Nash‟s poem sums up the Empire English mind (that ruled the Celts as well as colonies from London): Let us pause to consider the English, Who when they pause to consider themselves they get all reticently thrilled and tinglish. Because every Englishman is convinced of one thing, viz; That to be an Englishman is to belong to the most exclusive club there is. And John of Gaunt‟s speech in Shakespeare‟s Richard II: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, This England, this nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings In England by 1891 prosperity had meant a huge rise in towns and cities, with 23 with a population above 100,000 other

than London, that was the city that ruled Empire. HOW EMPIRE MEN THOUGHT OF WOMEN - BOURGEOISIE AND ELITE

Empire mindset had a demeaning view of women to know their place in society, being excluded as movers and shakers in public life.

In my recent visit to a National Trust stately home, I came into what I thought was an empty study, but the NT lady was sat in one of the wing backed armchairs before the big fireplace. We went straight into the past. I bowed and scraped out

the door, Pardon me My Lady. She waved a condescending arm to remain. She told me her grandmother had been a scul-lery maid and I told her my granny was a Parlour Maid. The working class girl normally went into service before marriage.

History is not her-story. Politics, military officers, church clergy and university professors were male occupations. Even as writers or artists in the home, women published or exhibited under male nom de plume (assumed name).

Women of the bourgeoisie, nouveau riche and elite did not go out to work and have careers. Women lived at home until married off. But at least by 1891, there had been the 1870 Married Women‟s Property Act (before then a woman‟s property all run by

father, brother or husband). Women did not normally have much educational opportunities, save teaching their own daughters at home. Women were expected to stay home or else do good works in voluntary or Christian missionary work, or as hostess to soi-

ree dinners in the home to further her husband‟s standing and career progression. Women were restricted to domestic life, in charge of servants. After dinner, women retired to an upstairs drawing room for a women only social, whereas the men remained at the dinner

table to drink brandy and smoke a cigar. Men believed that women could not hold worthwhile opinions about anything outside the home and that independence was

unfeminine. Men believed men and women lived in separate spheres of life, to the point that the Reform Acts of 1832 and 1867 gave not one thought to extending the vote to women.

Women were not supposed to be carnal beings, only succumbing to her husband‟s embraces to have a child and divorce was rare. Women‟s minds were thought just intuition and an educated woman was a silly idea, the men thought, and women should

keep to bettering their skills in sewing and dealing with tradesmen. In the Victorian age, the middle class came into their own, so restrictions on women became rigid. The lady presided over the servants and never set foot in kitchen or laundry house, not even flicking so much as a feather

duster.

And a lady was named the Mrs John Smith as belonged to her husband, when announced at charity balls, coming out balls (for daughter to be shown to suitable suitors for her hand in marriage), weddings and benefit lunches. If an elite woman gained an education, she could not flaunt it in public or suffer being mocked, called blue stockings.

Empire was a masculine dominated society. Women who had hoped for marriage had to show no learning.

Although women could attend such august universities as Cambridge, they could not sit the degree exams to get a certifi-cate, to such an extent that women doctors had to qualify in Scotland or abroad.

The Respectable Society ideal was a hierarchical division between men and women. Men held honour, decency, stoicism, and bravery as an ideal. Women were expected to be stoical, motherly, submissive and chaste.

I really don‟t need two ... The story continues

„I really don‟t need two,‟ said the Maharaja of Loovinda returning the necklace to the sweating individual. „One will be quite sufficient. I‟ll take this one.‟ A long manicured fingernail pointed at the selected gems displayed on the table.

„The usual terms, your Lordship?‟ replied the man with the crimson neck who was clearly much relieved now a purchase had been agreed.

„His Lordship expects the necklace to be added to his account,‟ whispered a voice. The merchant sighed and bowed. That was aristocracy the world over: buy now, pay later. As if free extended credit was a divine right, up there with hot and cold running dancing girls and five course breakfasts.

„Tell his Lordship that will be absolutely fine,‟ said Mr Boniface Monkface, rapidly roll-ing his rejected stock into a velvet bag and securing the bag inside a secret waistcoat pocket.

„That will be all,‟ said the valet urging Mr Monkface into the corridor. „And don‟t for-

get my percentage. You still owe me for the tip off over those ear-rings,‟ he whispered holding on to the tubby man‟s arm.

„Which he still hasn‟t paid for,‟ replied the dealer tugging out of the valet‟s grip. ‟You‟ll get yours, when I get mine, old son.‟

The ugly exchange went unseen. The Maharaja, complete with new necklace in his pocket, had already departed for the conservatory where an afternoon tea dance afforded an opportunity for significant social interaction of a discreet nature. He was not disap-pointed, Lady Vera Accrington and Lady Gloria Stanley had already arrived as the string quartet were warming up, and there squeezed between the generously padded matrons sat their ward, Dorothy, the most beautiful debutant of the

Trentby season. Skin of peaches and cream, an hour-glass figure, curls of spun gold and an accent like a stevedore but one couldn‟t have everything.

Vera/Gloria CMH

'This is a bit of good isn't it our Vera?' the cheerfully rotund elderly woman said to her companion.

'The two of us in this posh hotel, hob-knobbing with the hob-knobs. Look at tea, all cucumber and us sandwiches! Mind you, they do do a good breakfast, if you nag a bit. Do you think we've become posh

as well?' 'It's a turn-up for the books, for sure Gloria? That solicitor bloke turning up to tell us that a whole lot

of distant relatives had popped their clogs leaving us some cash and a title or two apiece. Lady Gloria

and Lady Vera no less, that's us. Not a lot of ready cash, hard luck, but all we've got to do is get out to that Cali-cutting place and we're rolling in it. Great Grandfather came up trumps after all.'

She paused to take a sip at her cup of tea. 'I can't say as how I feel posh, Gloria! Not exact like. Like this tea. Not proper tea at all, more sort of watered down too much second hand, if you gets me meaning?'

Gloria looked around, the feathers in her hat decapitating vase of flowers that had carelessly strayed too near, as she did so, and hissed. 'You've got to forget all that stuff, Vera. We're ladies of le-

as-ure now! All that money our old grandfather left us, when we gets out to Calcutta to collect it, is do-ing us a bit of good right now. Rich ladies of le-as-ure we is! You never knows but we could end up

married to one of the Nabobs or a Maharajah or something.' Being a bit hard of hearing Vera wasn't at all sure of just what Gloria had

said, but gave it her best try. 'Can't stand the stuff, Gloria. Gives me the wind

something chronic, pertic'lar on the cold toast they serves here. Don't know why us posh folks puts up with it! Toast should be red hot, dripping with butter

and at least an inch thick.' Holding her fingers about two inches apart she mimed eating, 'Not covered with that orange jam stuff! As for putting Nabob on

your skin, well I suppose it's good during the winter, if you're a bit chesty, but it's too pricey unless you really needs it.'

Gloria was too taken with being seen in a posh hotel to actually listen to

Vera. 'Could be right there, our Vera,' she lifted the pot and asked, 'More tea?' The waitress came across and asked, 'Anything more I can get you My Ladies?' She knew that these

two old biddies had one of the better set of rooms at the front of the hotel. Not a pricey as a suite but in her opinion, just as good – if you didn't mind sharing a bathroom and the odd smell from the cattle yard on market days. These two obviously didn't and were good prospects for at least a three-penny

tip. As her mother said, “Many a mickle makes a muckle”, she didn't know what a mickle or a muckle was but it sounded about right, and you didn't turn your nose up at a nice shiny silver three-penny bit.

'We'll wait until Lady Dorothy, our ward appears,' Gloria told her, 'when she shows up we'll have more tea and a plate of cakes to keep us going until dinner time. You run along and see to that foreign

feller in the other corner, my girl, he looks good for a tip, he does.' 'Oh no, My Lady, he's not foreign,' she dropped a slight curtsey and smiled as she said it, 'that's Si-

gnor Dario Stanza, the tenor who's appearing at the Winter Gardens. Claims to be from,' she wasn't

sure how to pronounce it, 'Nap-oh-lee, that Naples in Italy, he says, but he talks like somebody from Birmingham.'

Gloria liked the sound of the Winter Gardens, 'Is he any good?' she enquired, 'I likes a nice tune. One you can whistle while you‟re working things out on a daily basis.'

'He's not THAT sort of singer, My Lady. He sings them operatic arias, not funny songs from other shows, like Alice in Wonderland or those American ones.'

Neither Vera nor Gloria had ever heard an aria and deciding

that, as Ladies of Leisure, they should give it whirl; time allowing.

Plot Point: The Star of Coldwynd Bay will have to be a

steamship not a sailing tea clipper. Shame ... but it will carry more passengers.

INSPIRE : A celebration of poetry

and spoken word at St Chad's Church,

Stafford as part of the Stafford Arts

Festival hosted by Staffordshire's Poet

Laureate Tom Wyre.

In beautiful settings with wonderful acoustics,

many local wordsmiths will showcase their work

throughout the day, culminating with the

announcement of Staffordshire's Young Poet

Laureate 2014-15.

Any RBW poet if interested in a performance slot

can contact Tom through Facebook.

SEPT 6th ... 09.30am to 03.30pm

MESSAGE TO RBW: I am emailing you to let you know about an exciting new writing competition that the charity the National

Literacy Trust has launched with Bloomsbury Books. The New Children’s Author Prize is set to unearth brilliant new talent in writ-

ing for children. Unpublished authors who enter the competition will be in with the chance of winning a publishing contract with

Bloomsbury, publisher behind the Harry Potter series. The first prize will also include an advance of £5,000 and an exclusive print

run of the new author’s work.

I would be very grateful if you could help promote the competition on the site for your festival or in any newsletters you send out.

There are full details here: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/authorprize and all the proceeds of the competition go to the National Lit-

eracy Trust and our work with children, improving their literacy and giving them better life chances.

Twitter

New Children's Author Prize from @literacy_trust offers £5k advance and contract with Bloomsbury.

Enter now http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/authorprize Pls RT

Facebook

Enter the New Children's Author Prize 2015 and you could win a publishing contract with Bloomsbury. The National Literacy Trust

has launched a new writing competition for unpublished children’s authors and they want to read your work! Submit a 20,000–40,000

word children’s story, targeted at children aged 8 to 12 to be in with a chance of winning a publishing contract and £5k advance. En-

tries cost £30 and the competition closes on 30 September. Visit www.literacytrust.org.uk/authorprize for more details.

Newsletter/website

National Literacy Trust and Bloomsbury Books announce New Children’s Author Prize

2015 for unpublished authors

A new writing competition to find the “next big thing” in children’s literature has being launched by the National Literacy Trust in

partnership with Bloomsbury. The New Children’s Author Prize is set to unearth brilliant new talent in writing for children.

Unpublished authors who enter the competition will be in with the chance of winning a publishing contract with Bloomsbury, pub-

lisher behind the Harry Potter series. The first prize will also include an advance of £5,000 and an exclusive print run of the new au-

thor’s work.

To enter, authors should submit a 20,000–40,000 word children’s story, targeted at children aged 8 to 12, with a 350 word synopsis

and a 1,000 word passage highlighted for judging in the early rounds. Entries cost £15 until 30 June and £30 after until the competi-

tion closes on 30 September. Stories should be emailed to: author.prize@literacytrust.org.uk. All proceeds from the competition go

towards the National Literacy Trust’s work in tackling low literacy levels in deprived communities across the UK. Visit

www.literacytrust.org.uk/authorprize for more details and how to enter.

If you are a subscribing email recipient to leave RBW Online is easy just email and say ‘unsubscribe’ and you will be immediately removed from the list. If you have any suggestions for improvement to this service please let us know. You don't have to take an active part to receive this workshop bulletin you can just sit back and enjoy the ride, but if you could send feedback, it is greatly appreciated. RBW Privacy Promise: A few simple contact details are all that are required and they will only be used for this bulletin service. RBW promise to:

Only send you details via the newsletter.

To never pass on your details to anyone else.

To always allow recipients to opt-out and unsubscribe at any time.

www.risingbrookwriters.org.uk

To contact RBW please use the website contact box.

PATRON Ian McMillan www.ian-mcmillan.co.uk

Present and Previous Memberships and Funders.

Rising Brook Writers strives to be compliant with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. RBW strives for accu-

racy and fairness, however, can take no responsibility for any error, misinterpretation or inaccuracy in any message

sent by this mode of publishing. The opinions expressed are not necessarily in accordance with the policy of the char-

ity. E-mails and attachments sent out by RBW are believed to be free from viruses which might affect computer sys-

tems into which they are received or opened but it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that they are virus

free. Rising Brook Writers accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage arising in any way from their receipt, open-

ing or use. Environment/ Recycling: Please consider carefully if you need to print out any part or all of this message.

To the best of our knowledge and belief all the material included in this publication is free to use in the public domain,

or has been reproduced with permission, and/or source acknowledgement. RBW have researched rights where possible,

if anyone’s copyright is accidentally breached please inform us and we will remove the item with apologies. RBW is a

community organisation, whose aims are purely educational, and is entirely non-profit making. If using material from

this collection for educational purposes please be so kind as to acknowledge RBW as the source. Contributors retain the

copyright to their own work. Fiction: names, characters, places and incidents are imaginary or are being used in a ficti-

tious way. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead is entirely coincidental.

This bulletin is produced by volunteers. The editor’s decisions are final and not open to discussion.

© Rising Brook Writers 2014 — RCN 1117227 A voluntary charitable trust.