NORFOLK
LIBRARIES AND WORDS AND WOMEN LAUNCH GULL STONES AND CUCKOOS – A BOOK OF
CONTEMPORARY RURAL LIFE WRITING.
An anthology of
compelling and passionate stories, Gull Stones and Cuckoos is to be launched in
three local libraries in Norfolk this October; celebrating the results of a
unique creative opportunity for women living in rural and coastal communities.
The anthology has grown out
of Rural Writes, a partnership between Norfolk
Library and Information Service and Words and Women supported by Arts Council
England. Women of all ages and backgrounds from Gorleston, Watton and Swaffham
were invited to attend 10 weeks of life-writing sessions in their local
libraries led by two professional writers, Belona Greenwood, co-organiser of
Words and Women and award-winning poet, Heidi Williamson.
The result, illustrated by Rose Cowan and edited by Lynne Bryan and Belona Greenwood is a bold, honest and vivid narrative of local lives. Published by Unthank Books, it tells of lost halls, early morning walks, stillness, fairy-light skies, telescopes on allotments, the loneliness of grief and the adventure of new places in rural Norfolk. The writers in this book are new to writing but their stories and observations are compellingly authentic.
The collection
will be available to borrow from all Norfolk's libraries and to buy.
‘This project
shows how vital libraries are in bringing communities and people
together. The women who joined were strangers until they signed up to try
their hand at writing. They have made friends, supported and inspired each
other. The book itself, is fantastic but the fact the women’s writing groups
are continuing is enormously important and heart-warming’ said Belona Greenwood
from Words and Women
The book launches will take
place in Watton Library at 6.00 pm on October 26th,
Gorleston Library, 6.30 pm on the 27th and Swaffham Library, 6.30 pm on the 28th,
Rural Writes
doesn’t end with the book, all three writing groups continue to meet in their
local libraries and to post on the Rural Writes blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment