American poet Brian Turner will be flying into Manchester this Thursday (19^th April) as part of a UK visit and offering a special poetry-writing masterclass workshop at Manchester Metropolitan University. He’ll also be reading from, and talking about his work, and happy to answer your questions.

 

The session will run from 6-8pm in room G.08 on the ground floor of our Sandra Burlslem Building (the Law School, accessible via All Saints, opposite the MMU Student Union: CLICK FOR MAP).

 

The masterclass is free and open to all, although places are limited; please email James Draper on j.dr...@mmu.ac.uk to book. You can find out more about Brian here: BRIAN TURNER.

April 17th, 2012 - 13:25pm

Reading for the first time in Manchester, multi-award-winning poet, essayist and nature writer Kathleen Jamie will launch her new book Sightlines. ‘Kathleen Jamie subtly shifts our focus on landscape and the living world, daring us to look again at the ‘natural’, the remote and the human-made. She offers us the closest of perspectives, inviting us to gaze at vistas of cells beneath a hospital microscope, the pores of a whale’s jawbone under restoration, light filtering through trees. … Written with precision, delicacy and personal recollection, Sightlines invites us to pause and look afresh at our surroundings.’

 

Kathleen will be reading from and talking about her work, and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event.

 

Date: Friday 27^th April 2012

Time: 6.30-8.00pm

Entry: Free – all welcome (booking not required, but email:

events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats)

Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill,

Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY

Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk

 

The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org

 

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

April 3rd, 2012 - 15:18pm

 

 

GIANTS of children’s literature will descend on Manchester this year to celebrate the North’s largest children’s book festival.

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy unveiled the full programme for the festival at a noon launch event at New Charter Academy, Ashton-u-Lyne, on Monday, February 20.

On the guest-list will be best-selling writers Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials, The Golden Compass) Cathy Cassidy (Daizy Star series), Tracy Beaker creator Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Rosen, author of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.

The 2012 Manchester Children’s Book Festival – a biennial celebration of reading
– will be eleven days of fun, events and activities to inspire children to read. It runs from June 28 – July 8 at the University and at theatres, libraries, galleries and museums across the city.

 

 

Mother

Carol Ann, who is hosting the festival on behalf of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), said: “Since I became a mother, I’ve found myself writing more and more for children, so, when I was appointed Poet Laureate, it felt natural that my first major event should be a children’s book festival.

“We staged a four-day pilot in 2010 and I was delighted with the response. The 2012 Festival is even bigger and better – truly a festival for the city.

“Books are a vital part of children’s lives, as children need places where they can dream and fantasise, be Harry Potter, or Tracy Beaker. They need to be let their imagination run free without fear just as much they need to play football or dance.”

The Poet Laureate, who is also creative director of the Writing School at MMU was joined by university vice-chancellor Professor John Brooks at the event which saw the launch of the festival website www.mcbf.org.uk and festival brochure.

Next generation

Around 150 children from six primary schools in Tameside visited the Academy to listen to Carol Ann reading her fairytale ‘The Princess’ Blankets’ with music from John Sampson.

Professor Brooks said: “The festival this year is bigger and better with 75 different activities and a great opportunity for children to meet their favourite authors.

“As a University, we are committed to investing in the next generation and it is our belief that books and a love of books underpin a good education.”

Paul Jacques, New Charter Academy Director said: “We’re thrilled to be chosen as the venue for the festival launch and just having moved into a new £40m campus, our building is the perfect host for such a prestigious event.

“The city can now look forward to 10 or eleven days in the summer when everyone will be getting involved in reading.”

Enriching words

Carol Ann told the assembled children aged 10-17: “We are lucky to have famous writers but this is not about poets or authors, books are not just for writers but for everyone no matter where your interests lie or your career may take you. Access to books is an enrichment to any life.”

“Manchester Children’s Book Festival runs from June 28 – July 8 and features, among others, Philip Pullman, Cathy Cassidy, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen, Andy Cope (and Lara), Kate Fox, Adele Geras, Mary Hoffman, Liz Kessler, Justin Somper, Jackie Kay and Ian McMillan.

February 22nd, 2012 - 09:49am

In association with the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Manchester Writing School at MMU presents a fifth series of special evenings of poetry and music hosted by Manchester’s much-loved Poet Laureate. Carol Ann Duffy will be reading from her own work and presenting some of the country’s best new emerging talent: students and graduates of the Manchester Writing School, led by House Poet David Tait. Each evening will also feature a guest appearance from a poet of national stature.

Monday 30^th January 2012: Adam O’Riordan SOLD OUT!

with Matthew Byrne and Louise Stothard

 

Monday 19^th March 2012: Jean Sprackland

with Joseph Hobson and Linda Sunderland

 

Monday 30^th April 2012: Jonathan Davidson

with Martin Malone and Amy Rawsthorne

Start time: 7.00pm (music), 7.30pm (readings)

Venue: The Studio, Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH

 

Tickets: £10 (£7/£4 concession); price includes £1 book token for use at a special Blackwell’s bookstall on the night – and there’ll be an opportunity to get copies signed by the star poets in the interval, and at the end of the evening.

Book online at www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk or contact the box office: 0161 833 9833

 

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

November 29th, 2011 - 15:09pm

The fourth in a new series of FREE events features historical crime writer Laura Wilson. Laura Wilson was brought up in London and is a graduate of the University of Oxford and University College London. She currently lives in Islington, is the Crime Fiction reviewer for the Guardian newspaper and writes a “Crime Fiction Masterclass” column for Mslexia magazine. Her novels include A Little Death (short-listed for a CWA Dagger award), Dying Voices, My Best Friend, Hello Bunny (published in the USA as Telling Lies to Alice, The Lover (short-listed for both a CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peter Historical Dagger), A Thousand Lies, Stratton’s War, An Empty Death, A Capital Crime and The Man Who Wasn’t There. Laura will be talking about her work and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event. Date: Thursday 24^th November 2011 Time: 6.30-8.00pm Entry: Free – all welcome (you can just turn up on the night, or email events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats) Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill, Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk Later in the series: Alan Hollinghurst (08/12/11) The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester www.qhotels.co.uk Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

November 23rd, 2011 - 09:47am

[caption id="attachment_989" align="alignright" width="200" caption="ITV's Scott and Bailey"][/caption] On Thursday 17^th November 2011 from 6 – 9pm Bafta Award winning writer Sally Wainwright and her co-writer, ex-Detective Inspector Diane Taylor will be visiting Manchester Metropolitan University to talk about the making of the Red/ITV show Scott and Bailey.  The second series of the Manchester-based Detective series starring Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharpe, is now filming in the city.    Sally and Diane will be talking about the series from first ideas, through writing and making the first series, and commissioning and writing of the second. Scriptwriting students from MMU and students of the MA in Creative Writing will be invited to ask questions about their own scripts and series in development.  We would like to extend the invitation to hear Sally and Diane, to members and prospective members of the Writers Guild. The event takes place in the John Dalton Building, opposite the BBC on Oxford Road, in room E32.  If you are not yet a member of the Guild but would like to join, and for further information about this event please contact j.wilkinson@mmu.ac.uk

November 16th, 2011 - 13:59pm

The London benefit, Poetry Cuts, organised by Carol Ann Duffy on 3rd June 2011, brought together 31 poets to read at a spectacular evening of poetry in the Logan Hall in London’s Institute of Education. The audience were enthralled by a terrific line-up including Carol Ann Duffy, David Harsent, George Szirtes, Hugo Williams, Gillian Clarke, Christopher Reid and John Agard.   Carol Ann said: “At the time of the ACE cuts to the PBS and to several much-loved festivals and important publishers of poetry, many poets and readers felt a sense of anger and grief. This event is intended to put a spotlight on the passionate support there is in the UK for our poetry institutions and to share, through poetry and audience, our love for our national art.”   If you missed the London event, but would like to support the PBS, the next benefit will be in the Cosmo Rodewald Hall in Manchester on Friday November 4th and once again we’ll have a brilliant line-up of poets, including Simon Armitage, Sean O’Brien, Bill Herbert, Vona Groarke, John McAuliffe, Jake Polley, Paul Farley, David Morley, Jean Sprackland, Julian Turner, Rommi Smith, Ian Duhig, Michael Symmons Roberts, Helen Mort, Jeffrey Wainwright and Amanda Dalton.   Join us for this celebration of poetry and support the PBS!   6.30pm, Friday 4th November 2011 Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, The University of Manchester, Bridgeford Street, off Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL Tickets: £10 – on sale now To book, please contact the Martin Harris Centre Box Office (Mon-Fri between 2-4pm) on 0161 275 8951.or visit www.quaytickets.com   The Manchester PBS benefit is a collaboration between the Poetry Book Society, The Manchester Writing School at MMU and the Centre for New Writing at the University of Manchester.  

November 2nd, 2011 - 18:01pm

The third in a new series of FREE events features author Naomi Alderman.

Naomi’s first novel, Disobedience, was published in ten languages, read on BBC Radio 4’s “Book at Bedtime” and won the Orange Prize for New Writers. In the USA, it was short-listed for the National Jewish Book Award and the Sami Rohr Prize. From 2004-2007, she was lead writer on the BAFTA-nominated alternate reality game Perplex City. In 2007, Naomi was named Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year and one of 25 Waterstone’s Writers of the Future. Her short fiction has been published widely and she was short-listed for the BBC National Short Story Award in 2009. Her second novel, The Lessons, was published by Penguin in 2010: “Universal in its themes of ambition, desire and betrayal, this spellbinding novel reflects the truth that the lessons life teaches often come too late.” She broadcasts regularly and writes a weekly games column for the Guardian. Naomi grew up in London and is a graduate of the universities of Oxford and East Anglia.

Naomi will be talking about her work and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event.

Date: Thursday 10^th November 2011

Time: 6.30-8.00pm

Entry: Free – all welcome (you can just turn up on the night, or email

events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats)

Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill,

Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY

Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk

Later in the series: Laura Wilson (24/11/11) and Alan Hollinghurst (08/12/11)

The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org

Sponsored by Q Hotels, The Midland, Manchester

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

October 27th, 2011 - 15:59pm

Jeanette Winterson will be discussing her memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette grew up in Accrington and based her bestselling first novel, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, on this experience.  The book went on to win the Whitbread First Novel Award and she has gone on to write many more novels and win many more prizes, including the Prix d’Argent. In 2006 Jeanette was made an OBE for services to literature.  Her new book is an extremely moving, and often very funny, exploration of life, love, families and identity. Copies will be available to buy at the event. Hosted by Dr Ellie Byrne.

Presented by the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University, in association with Jonathan Cape and the Royal Exchange Theatre.

Date: Sunday 30^th October 2011

Start time: 5.00pm

Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH

Tickets: £5

Book online at www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk or contact the box office: +44 (0) 161 833 9833

To find out more about Manchester Writing School events, activities and programmes of study (enrolling now for January and September 2012), go to: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool or contact James Draper on +44 (0) 161 247 1787 or j.draper@mmu.ac.uk.

October 7th, 2011 - 14:02pm

September 22nd, 2011 - 20:46pm