SYLVIA KENT'S READING & WRITING FORUM

A history and lifestyle journal www.swwj.co.uk

Monday, April 25, 2016

UPCOMING GUEST ON BOOK CLUB MOLLY LOOBY - LISTEN IN LIVE ON THURSDAY APRIL28 @ 11.30am

 
Molly Looby is to be a guest on BOOK CLUB presented by Michelle Ward, one of Phoenix 98fm's favourite presenters.  Listen in at 11.30am to us both talking reading, writing and what's going on in the local book fraternity. 

Molly is the young author of ZA and many other works that will hit the headlines one day. She lives in sunny Essex, England and spends almost all of her time hunkered down at the desk under her stairs with her imaginary friends. When not talking to the people in her head, she can be found singing too loudly when she’s alone or getting frustrated at the PlayStation.

Achievements include a 315,000+ total NaNoWriMo word count, a Shakespeare Award for services to Literature created by her A Level form tutor, and a Zombie Run medal. 

Lots of readers want to know more about the NaNoWriMo event that takes place worldwide every November and we're hoping that Molly will put us in the picture. Listen in?

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Our Super SWWJ President Victoria Wood's passing today

Victoria with her prizewinning cake on the Great British Bake Off.


Everyone is so very sad at the news of Victoria Wood's passing today.  How delighted we were when she agreed to be our present, just as her idol, Joyce Grenfell was in past times.  Today, we heard her talk on BBC Radio 4 about meeting Joyce backstage when Victoria was six. Coincidence, too, to learn that Joyce was Victoria's inspiration when she began writing her monologues.  

Here she is as a guest of honour at our Society's 120th anniversary celebrations at Stationers' Hall in London in 2014.  What a lovely day that was!


Monday, April 11, 2016

COME TO THE HISTORY FAIR - SATURDAY 16 APRIL


Sunday, April 10, 2016

SCRIBES' GATHERING AT CHELMSFORD LIBRARY "MEET THE AUTHORS"

 
Another great MEET THE AUTHOR gathering at the city's Chelmsford Library yesterday.  Good to relax with fellow writers and meet some of our readers.  Molly Looby was our latest author and editor-in-chief at Molten Publishing.  Here she is (right) with our organiser Maggie Freeman and below are the six authors with Chelmsford Librarian Lindsey Jones.

Maggie and Molly



Jim Reeve, Sylvia, Maggie, Lindsey, Malcolm, Molly and Heather

Tuesday, April 05, 2016

COME ALONG AND MEET US ON SATURDAY?


Monday, April 04, 2016

NATIONAL AND COMMONWEALTH WIDE CELEBRATIONS AHEAD FOR OUR QUEEN

Date for your diaries


Such excitement ahead for those able to get to The Mall in St James's Park on Sunday 12 June  2016.   There you will find the largest ever street party in the world in celebration of our Queen’s patronage of over 600 charities and organisations on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

We have already been 'cleaning for the Queen' in Billericay (it was snowing at the time) but the place looked a little better.
 
The Patron’s Lunch will be the climax to a fantastic weekend of celebrations. It will begin with a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 10th June followed by Trooping the Colour on Saturday 11th June and culminating in The Patron’s Lunch as the celebratory finale on the Sunday.
 
The Patron’s Lunch will be a major event recognising the un-relenting support and service  that our Queen has given to the community over her 63 year reign. And it is this commitment to helping others that is cause for a National and Commonwealth wide celebration, with the very people she has helped over the decades being at the centre of this event.

Sunday, April 03, 2016

END OF THE ESSEX BOOK FESTIVAL FOR 2016 - ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

This year's Essex Book Festival has been one of the most successful in our seventeen-year history.  Loved meeting Hannah Lowe at Shenfield Library last week especially as had already  listened to her award winning new book broadcast on BBC Radio 4's BOOK OF THE WEEK programme.  Really clever stuff - fascinating story.  We had a good chat with her in the green room and listened to her talk a little later in the library. Members of our Billericay Book Club came along  which was great. Hannah's book LONG TIME NO SEE was also included in our own monthly radio slot on Phoenix 98fm with presenter Michelle Ward. 


Jane, Sylvia Hannah and Viv
Earlier in the month the Essex Book Festival provided another super event at Canvey Island. Wish I could have given credit to each and everyone.  On 23 March I attended  Zoe Howe's presentation of her book studying the life of Dr Feelgood's Lee Brilleaux: Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman was excellent. Loved meeting her and all the staff at Canvey Island Library. A huge thank you to them for their hospitality and - oh those gorgeous cakes and bread pudding they baked and spoilt my diet for the week.  Will return!