August 2012 - Events for Writers, Bloggers and Book Lovers

I know this is terribly late, but there are still quite a few bookish events happening in between now and the end of the month that are worth a mention. 

So buckle up! There is plenty going on.

REGULAR EVENTS

Geek Up Event

While some of these are already gone, these are worth keeping in mind as they happen on a monthly basis. 

Mon 20th Aug ~ Geek Up takes place every third Monday of the month at The Continental in Preston and it's a dedicated networking event for people working or interested in the Internet & Technology Industry. As a blogger I fantasy trying this one. If you have attended it already, let us know what you think of it. 7.30pm, free admission. More info here. 

Mon 27th Aug ~ scRibble Creative Writing Group meets at The Continental the last Monday of every month to share their work and exchange feedback. Free, 7.30 start. Further information here.

The New Continental's Open Mic Night takes place the first Thursday of the month and is particularly good if you are a poetry writer. More information here. Admission is free, 8.30pm start, but if you are planning to perform, you must get your name down beforehand. 

Burnley Writers Circle meets the second Saturday of every month offering workshops, writing challenges, feedback and writing competitions. You must become a member (£15 per year) and sessions cost £2 per person towards room hire and coffees. More information here.

Spotlight - Lancaster Litfest's Open Mic night takes place the third Friday of the month and works as a platform for poets, writers, comedians and musicians. Please contact Tel:  01524 62166 for more information.

Lunchtime Classics happens once a month and is a 40 minutes introduction to works of classic literature by hearing it read out loud. Time: 1pm Tickets: £4/ £2 (Concession) Please contact Lancaster Litfest Tel:  01524 62166 for more information.

BOOK CLUBS

If you would like to join a book club during the summer holidays, check with your local library. Lancashire Libraries run a series of book clubs for all ages, from children to adults, and they are currently hosting a reading challenge for children as well as story telling days for little ones. For more information visit their website by clicking here. 

AUTHOR VISITS AND SIGNINGS

Tues 21st Aug. ~ Historical novelist Philippa Gregory launches her new book, The Kingmaker's Daughter at Waterstones Liverpool, 7pm, Tickets: £5. Find out more here.

Wed 22nd Aug ~ author Robert Williams visits Chatburn Library to talk about his new book How The Trouble Started - 7pm, free event.

Wed 22nd Aug ~ YA writers Garth Nix & Michael Grant visit Waterstones Piccadilly to talk about their new books - A Confusion of Princes and BZRK respectively. 6.30pm Tickets: £2. More information here. 

Thu 30th Aug ~ As part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas, celebrated journalist Lydia Cacho visits Foyles Bristol to talk about her new book Slavery Inc. - The Untold Story of International Sex Trafficking. A talk that will, without a doubt, give you food for thought. 6.15pm, free but booking necessary. Read more about it here. 

INTERESTING EXHIBITIONS & COMPETITIONS

Open Sketchbook @ Foyles

From now until Sun Aug 26th Foyles is hosting The Art of Bookselling Exhibition where they are showcasing the original work, from painting to illustration, photography to design, of your favourite booksellers. The Gallery @ Foyles, 9.30am-5pm, Free.

Again, until Sun Aug 26th Foyles at Charing Cross Road in London hosts the Open Sketchbook, an exhibition showcasing the work of sketch artists Dimitri Dzneladze. On the last three years, Dzneladze has sat in their busy Soho Cafe sketching away, trying to capture the life and the comings and goings of Foyles bookshop. I bet this one will be fascinating. And if you're a regular, you might just see something you find very familiar. :) 9.30am-6pm, free event.  More information here. 

Fri 31st Aug is the deadline for The AESTHETICA Magazine Creative Writing Competition for Poetry and Short Fiction writers. Don't miss the opportunity to enter. More details and requirements here. 

LOCAL EVENTS

Clitheroe Candle Light takes place on Saturday August 25th from 7.30 to 11pm. And to top it all off, Qzine (read my review of it here) will be doing a special menu for the occasion. Contact the restaurant for more information or get hold of them through Facebook. 

Preston Guild 2012 starts on Fri Aug 31st and follows through to Sep 9th. The Guild takes place every 20 years and it celebrates all things Preston based or originated. Parties, music performances, showcases... It's all going on in Preston. So don't miss out! More info here. And if you are a video camera aficionado, why not have a look at the Preston Motion Picture Project and get involved?

So there you go folks. In a way, it's a good thing I'm late! There was so much going on this month that I think I would have to have written two posts anyway! 

Have a wonderful Summer Holiday!