'Bloody Scotland'

Just received an email to tell me that my competition entry for the Bloody Scotland short story competition didn't make the shortlist.  Am I upset, yes because I thought I had a chance.  The email arrive a little late, due to the wonders of modern day communication I had already found out via Twitter.  The story was one of three that I'd sent off a couple of weeks ago.  As I said, I am a little disappointed but these are the first competitions I've ever entered, and next time I enter this one I will remember to at least mention Bloody Scotland.  Lesson learned!

More Soon Chez x

Theakston's Crime Writers Festival Harrogate

The Old Swan, Harrogate

Despite the heat I had a truly fabulous time at Harrogate this year. 
                                           

Yurt on the Lawn

Love those deckchairs ; D

I went alone to the Crime Writers Festival this year, so I treated myself and stayed at The Old Swan, the hotel made famous by Agatha Christie.  Christie stayed there during her 11 day 'disappearance' in December 1926, which resulted in a major police man hunt.

Christie has never spoken publicly about that time and the whole event remains a mystery.



Creative Thursday

Having attended the previous three Creative Thursdays, I must say that this years offering was the best ever.   M R Hall and William Ryan were inspirational in their 'Constructing Character and Plot' workshop, and I particularly enjoyed Callum Sutherland's interactive session on forensic science.  All three agreed to an interview for CrimeWarp, as did Henry Sutton, who ran the other useful workshop on' Learning from the Greats'.    
The day was long, it was packed full of information that I know will only enhance my writing and it was a brilliant start to the festival.

Some of the best of the rest.....

There was so much going off that it was hard to pick my best moments, but here goes;

Meeting up with my fellow CrimeWarpers  and getting my tee shirt has to be the best moment but it just wouldn't be Harrogate if I didn't run into Mel Sherratt, she is so lovely.




The special guests were amazing, but for me the highlight had to be Sarah Millican interviewing Lee Child, she was so funny and was the perfect foil for Lee's dry wit.  I caught up with Sarah in the foyer and she agreed to pose for a photo with me, she is as fabulous in the flesh as she is on TV.


And who would have thought that discussing human remains identification would be so humourous. I saw a new side to Val mcDermid as she interviewed to Professor Sue Black OBE she was hilarious.


The other panel that stood out for me was the special event 'Vera'.  I met Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn after the event and they were both great.  Ann agreed to an interview with CrimeWarp.

At breakfast the next day I ran into Paul Rutman, the screenwriter on the show and he agreed to write something too!

Other highlights for me were meeting up with and getting a chance to talk with fabulous writers such as;   N J Cooper, Ian Rankin, William McKillaney, Simon Kernick and Elizabeth Haynes;  Having a CrimeWarp team and almost winning the quiz and finally getting Lee Child to autograph a book for my friend Jo.  

Finally getting that autograph for Jo

Liz Mistry, Simon Kernick and me.

Me with William McKillvaney

Preview of next year's event

More Soon - Chez x

#twittersilence

I have a twitterpage; https://twitter.com/Chez49 and I'm also on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/cheryllwriter.rawling . I don't tweet or post very often, but I do check up on both sites daily.  I have always found social networks friendly, useful platforms with which I can find out about the things I want to know about; writing competitions, festivals, new books, and authors. They also make it very easy for me to keep in touch with my friends.  I've learn't and am still learning an amazing number of things from people I would never get to talk to in 'real' life.  It is such a shame that it's being spoiled by the mindless activities of some people.

I don't want to read tweets from idiots, (trolls, I think they're called), threatening to 'rape' a woman because they don't agree with her campaign and/or politics or threatening to bomb another person because of their religion/beliefs.  Nor, do I think that social network sites are a place for bullying and intimidating other users. If I disagree with a campaign I will ignore it, the same with politic's.  If someone is getting on my nerves I can stop following them or unfriend them, I won't even read their tweets or posts.  I don't have to verbally abuse or threaten them, they are allowed to voice their opinions just as much as me.

Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can hurt you too.   OK, so words can't physically hurt you but they can cause a lot of mental anguish.  If a 'faceless' follower on twitter threatens you, you have no idea who s/he really is, how close they are to you or if their threat is really serious and that is frightening.

I have decided to be silent on twitter today, I don't think people will miss my tweets, but I do support the right to be able to voice my opinions without the fear of abuse or threats.  I also feel that twitter should manage the site better and not allow these idiots to ruin, what for most of us is, a site full of friendly, informative and helpful people.

More Soon - Chez x