The Word Cloud

Thought it would be fun and friendly if those coming to the Festival of Writing in March introduced themselves here...

I'll start:

I'm an author and have been a Writers Workshop editor for several years and am on the organising team for the Festival. I do the programming and some of the event management. I especially like to interfere in the menus and choice of wines. (I worked in the wine trade for a while, telling supermarkets and offies which wines to sell. Note the villain in my novel Fateful Deception is a wine merchant...).

I thought the Festival a jolly good idea as no one seemed to be doing a proper event for writers to meet the industry. So that's the aim of it all. Having a great time with fellow writers, learning lots from exciting workshops and our super key note speakers are just fringe benefits.

I will be found in a super relaxed state come March 2011 as at the Festival last year I had my five month old baby with me (yes, he was staying on campus!). The wee one is not coming to York 2011 therefore Ladbrokes is unlikely to give you odds on me being at the front of the queue for the bar Friday and Saturday (and Sunday...) evenings. Friday I am giving a mini-course on Characterisation with rom com author Jane Lovering who is great fun. If you want to get your novel published my argument is that its your characters that will make or break your story. But I would say that as I can't plot....

More about me at my author website: www.kateallan.com

This is a great idea, but I don't know yet if I can make it. I just wanted to say I never read novels like Fateful Deception, until I read Fateful Deception. I shall go to bed with A Restless Heart.

Thanks Nancy. It's such a pleasure to know that you've enjoyed them. :)

Hi,

My name is Claire. I'm from Barbados, but I live in Japan right now. I'm an unpublished YA writer, and although I have been hanging around the online publishing world for a while. I've only just moved to the UK as opposed to US publishing world.

I'm registered for 2011, so I'm looking forward to seeing you there Kate. And you Nancy :)

Claire Dawn.
http://aclairedawn.blogspot.com

Hi all

Hi I'm Tors (which is short for Victoria - just don't call me Vic or Vicky). I was at York '10 and it was fantastic, I've made so brilliant friends from there.

I currently work as a nurse in A&E. I started writing stories at junior school as a task to improve my writing. Back then I used to write about my favourite film and music stars. Now I write sci-fi for YA. I'm currently on chapter six of a piece with a working title of 312, which has a dystopian edge to it.

Hi I'm Liza, York 2011 will be my first Writer's festival and I am very excited about it. I started writing this year as a hobby and have now finished the first draft of my first ever novel- a romance with an urban fantasy twist. I'm hoping to get it editted and polished by next March.

Hi I'm Gary aka Mcallan, and hoping to be in York for my first festival too. I have finished my novel and at the moment the full MS is being looked at by an agent. So fingers and everything else crossed! I have been writing for about 10 years, and finished another novel 6 years ago. It was rejected many many times! Hopefully I can dust it off and re-work it soon. Looking to meet many friends at York and just talk and talk!

Hi, I'm Gerry. About fifteen years ago I wrote a sung-through rock-opera (called 'Prodigal'). Things being what they are, it never got performed, but there's still some good music in it. I have written a few other things - before and since - one of which I hope to bring with me to York: the biography of a little known but amazing character from last century (publisher, Lorian press, USA - all being well).

Last year when I turned up I hadn't eaten for several days. I suspect our room in the Travelodge just outside Leicester had hosted someone with violent gastro enteritis. Well, we had to get it somehow, and I wouldn't have liked to be in the room after us. Was much relieved to find I was no longer infectious when I turned up at York. (That is, no one subsequently complained of violent two-directional purging, so far as I know.)

Enjoyed York very much last year in a spaced out, unreal sort of way. Hope to have my brain in residence this time. (Ditto the contents of my tum.)

Hallo! I'm Jane. My day job involves writing non-fiction books and also the astrology column in Bella magazine, plus editing other people's manuscripts. I am also an editor for Writers' Workshop. I've always worked in publishing, whether as an editor or an author - I don't think I'm fit for anything else!

Hi there, I'm Steph, and like Tors, John and others who've already posted - i woz there in 2010.

Hi, I'm Emma, and I was at York last year too - I had a fantastic time, but was very busy Book D0ctoring and giving workshops; this year Harry has kindly said I can have a session or so free. I also had to miss the Gala Dinner last year, so I'm looking forward to that, as well as everything else.

I'm a novelist and I also write short fiction. I teach writing for Writers Workshop and the Open University. Like Jane/Spangles I'm an editor for Writers Workshop too. I'm just in what I hope will be the end-game of my third novel: details of the first two are here: http://www.emmadarwin.com/ and I blog about writing here: http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/

Hello, I'm Mark and I needed a lie down after York 2010 - it was a brilliant event and as warm a group of people that I have ever met.

I wrote my first novel in 2008 and have spent much of the following 2 years learning to write - with the help of WW, writing group, some writing events, other writers, wordclouders, and a bit of coaching. There are days, during the long edit of draft Version 7, that I feel another trip to the Post Office is due. I want to start the next novel before March.

I'm a soppy but proud romantic, make great jam and am slightly obsessed by the notion that words and music are a combination too good to be confined to songs.

I wasn't a wordclouder before York 10 but have been since so I'm:
- doubly excited about meeting other Clouders in person
- bound to say something stupid like 'excuse me, are you Spangles' to someone who isn't
- tempted to come as a badger

Hi, I'm Debi - another survivor from York 2010.

I write contemporary thrillers. The first two were published by Orion. The next three are sitting in my agent's drawer. I have been a WW editor for a number of years.

Together with Emma D, I'll be running one of the mini courses again this year (on voice). I'm also doing a workshop on breaking the rules and lots of Book Doctor sessions. But last year, some of the best stuff happened in between the sessions, off the timetable, when we all had the chance to mingle and share. This is what the Festival does so well IMO and what it makes it almost unique.

Looking forward to mingling with you all.

Hey,

My name is James and I live near Portsmouth, Hants. I’m a submariner by trade but having done ‘my time’ on boats I now lecture post grad in Nuclear Reactor Technology as part of Cranfield Uni (cos we use that there nuclear stuff to push the subs along ;-)

I have 2 completed novels, 1 is total pants and will never see the light of day! The second I like but needs considerable re write. However due to my time away, and a lack of continuity, I have kind of lost touch with my characters and so the re-write is on my things to do list until I can get excited about that story again.

I’m currently working on a third project which is a fantasy novel. I really like it and it’s going well. I’m coming to the FoW to try and gain some ‘tools’ and feedback on how to improve my writing and also to meet some people and maybe get some contacts for critique etc. I will also be attending a one day self editing course in Feb.

I’m a darn sight friendlier than I look and am hoping to share a few beers with many of you when we all get to York ;-)

All the best

Jock

Hello. My name is Jørn and I’m from Norway. This will be my first festival. I write mostly fantasy but also sf and horror. I have written mostly short stories but I also have some ideas for novels. I have been a member of the cloud for a year, but have not been very active.

I write in both English and Norwegian. For the time being I writing mostly in Norwegian as I am attending a Norwegian writing course. I’m looking forward to the workshops and hope to learn many new tricks

Dear Festival Clouders,

advance train tickets and some good deals are now available from
http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/

all best
JtF

Hi, I'm Laura, and I'm very very excited and nervous because this will be my first festival - really looking forward to it!

I write general fiction, probably more aimed at women (but not romance driven enough to be chick-lit) and I'm currently writing a novel about four flatmates growing up and how life doesn't quite turn out the way they thought it would at 18.

Really looking forward to meeting everyone! Did I mention I'm excited?!
Laura

Hi

I'm Maddy and this will be my first festival.

Bio :

I’m originally from California, but have lived in the UK for the past four years. I have a BA and a Master’s in creative writing so in that sense I have the whole writing workshop thing down.

I’ve completed one novel, my Master’s thesis, which despite a bit of outside attention from agents will probably remain my ‘drawer novel’, i.e. the one that had to be written so I could learn the craft, but doesn’t need to see the light of day again, and am currently working towards completing a second.

I’d like to think I write general fiction, indecisive as the term is, but I have a strong bent towards the literary side of general. My second novel, almost finished, is about cartoon animators in 1930’s and 40’s Hollywood. It’s character driven, but also very interested in the themes of art, the desire for control, and how we bring life to imitation.

The Festival:

I’m excited to be getting back to networking with the festival – I have been busy with my Novel for a year and apart from with my Fiancée I ‘don’t get out much’ – so please treat me patiently when you meet me! (Seriously I think I am half agoraphobic after a year at the keyboard and I really would appreciate it a lot if you could treat me kindly if I appear quiet! Thanks!!!)

So that’s me. I look forward to meeting everyone and will enjoy hearing your work, and about it.

Best Wishes

Maddy

Hi all!

It seems like a lot of people going to this Festival are new-comers, like me. This is great, as I won't have to be quite so nervous and, hopefully, I can make a friend or two.
Of course, since people return to the event, this also presages a really fantastic workshop. I am very excited to be throwing myself into the world of writing and trying something new.

I am, as many here, an aspiring author. I am focusing on women's literature and romance at the moment but I intend to branch out a bit should I be lucky enough to find a publisher. If you'd like to know anything else about me or my work, just check out my profile. Don't hesistate to send me a message.

I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Hello everyone,

I'm Adriana. It's my first time as well and I'm already brimming with excitement. I'll be travelling from beyond the east waters, all the way from Denmark.
If I have to commit to a genre, I'd say I write literary and short fiction. At the moment I'm working on a novel. Not published yet, but never losing hope.

I hope to meet you all soon!

Adriana

Howdy y'all,

Hi all, I just booked my train to York today. Very much looking forward to meeting you all. I've been writing seriously for about two years now, and am working on my third novel now. I seem to be writing crime, which is a surprise! See you all there

Hi

Dear Festival Clouders,

I saw somewhere (but this site's been giving me real jip today) writers worrying about SF and fantasy. Rx's this from John Jarrold ~ it's not giving away trade secrets to repost here:

Dear JtF

I thought you might like to see the full schedule of 2011 agency titles from major publishers in the UK and US.

The agency’s turnover has doubled in the last two years. Considering that the first major title – THE COURT OF THE AIR by Stephen Hunt – was published by HarperCollins in February 2007, I’m delighted with the growth to over forty titles in just four years. I think specialising in SF and Fantasy works very well – it’s a solid market that doesn’t go away. So possibly I’m in a better situation than a number of general agents, some of whom were bemoaning their lot to me at the London Book Fair last year.

best

So y'all know who to buttonhole then . . . With best regards and 36 days to go ~ JtF