https://northernmedia.org/latest/north-east-writers-showcased-new-made-tyne-wear-series/

Please share this link to all people interested in writing. Full details of the whole six part series ‘Write On’ now available.

‘Write On’ – a six part documentary series showcasing contemporary writers from the North East – will air on Made in Tyne & Wear from 3^rd September.

Written, directed and produced by David Jewell, the series focuses on a range of contemporary writers from the region, several of whom have worked extensively with Northern Film + Media.

The first episode features international crime author Mari Hannah, whose book The Murder Wall is currently in development with Stephen Fry’s Sprout Pictures and had its origins in the NFM and BBC drama development initiative North East Voices. Also featured later in the series is the acclaimed horror novelist Stephen Laws.

Award winning film screenwriters Martin Herron and Gavin Williams give practical advice on writing for the cinema and explain how they accessed the industry and progressed to on screen success.

For anyone interested in producing their own movie, filmmaker/ director Andy Mark Simpson offers a masterclass in how to produce a full length feature on a micro budget.

Freelance journalist and author Phil Penfold describes his career writing as a film and theatre critic, giving his own unique take on a range of showbiz names.

For those interested in writing and in what it means to be a writer, who want tips to improve their own work, or have ever dreamt of making a career in the industry, these are the must-see documentaries.

‘Write On’ will be broadcast initially on Made in Tyne and Wear but is soon to be available nationwide. Watch on Sky, Virgin Media or Freeview, or view live online.

Broadcast schedule:

Episode 1  Mari Hannah: Sun 3rd Sept at 10 am, repeated Wed 5th Sept at 1 am, and Thurs 6^th Sept at 10 am

Episode 2  Andy Mark Simpson: Sun 10^th Sept at 10 am, repeated Wed 13^th Sept at 1 am, and Thurs 14^th Sept at 10 am

Episode 3  Gavin Williams: 17^th Sept at 10 am, repeated Wed 20^th Sept at 1 am, and Thurs 21st Sept at 10 am

Episode 4  Martin Herron: 24^th Sept at 10 am, repeated Wed 27^th Sept at 1 am, and Thurs 28th Sept at 10 am

Episode 5  Stephen Laws: 1^st Oct at 10 am, repeated Wed 4^th Oct at 1 am, and Thurs 5^th Oct at 10 am

Episode 6  Phil Penfold 8^th Oct at 10 am, repeated Wed 11^th Oct at 1 am, and Thurs 12^th Oct at 10 am

"Write On" is a six part series featuring contemporary writers

"Write On" is a six-part series featuring contemporary writers from all aspects of the creative industries. From police procedural thrillers by international crime author Mari Hannah through to the horror novels of Stephen Laws, professional authors explain aspects of their craft.

Award winning screenwriters Martin Herron and Gavin Williams give practical advice on writing for the cinema, whilst Journalist and author Phil Penfold talks of his career writing as a  movie/theatre critic, giving his own unique insight  into some household showbiz names.

If you've ever thought of being a film writer then filmmaker/ director Andy Mark Simpson explains how you too could make your movie, taking you through making short films to writing and producing your very own feature on a micro budget.

If you're interested in writing and writers, want tips to improve your writing, or have ever dreamt of making a career in the industry then these are the must-see documentaries.

"Write On" launches on 3rd September 2017 with award winning international crime writer Mari Hannah whose novel The Murder Wall is currently in pre-production with Sprout Pictures.

“Write On” is available on the Made In Tyne and Wear channel but is soon to be available nationwide throughout the UK.

Watch on Sky, Virgin Media or Freeview or view live on line by visiting www.madeintyneandwear.tv

 Please share this post with all of your contacts who are interested in writing or the creative industry.

100th Post

It's great to be back into my blogging again after a couple of months or more of absence without leave. For my 100th post I thought it was time for a makeover, so I've trimmed off a lot of the the side column, and got rid of the pages, to simplify everything and hopefully make the Screenscribbler blog quicker to load. I haven't got it just how I want it right now, and it may look more like a building site with all the holes left from the stuff I have removed. The background picture, I took in Ephesus on my camera and Photoshopped it to get the desired effect to promote my book of the same name. That will remain in place until I have a picture that will promote my current work in progress entitled Midnight At The Alhambra. 

It is my current work in progress that has kept me from blogging, because I really have the bit between my teeth on that one at the minute. It is set in Texas, and involves ranches, rodeo, a small town movie theater and murder!

I am well into my fourth chapter, of around 3000 words a chapter, and it is coming along nicely. 

I am going for a darker plot this time and it is my debut into crimewriting.

However, I have not abandoned comedy, which to quote the late great Irish comedian Frank Carson, "it's the way I tell 'em." In other words my comedy is in the narrative and the larger than life characters I tend to go for. I'm hoping this project won't take longer than a year, but it's not easy with a demanding full time job. 

I will continue to add my current reads, and review on Amazon and Goodreads, I just won't keep them on so long and clutter up the blog any longer. 

By the way, my five day promotion when I offered all three books for free resulted in 555 downloads from which I had four lovely reviews in Britain and two in the US. So if you would like to add to that total, I will be eternally grateful.

Free Comedy Adventure Bonanza (for 5 days only)

From today for five days only I am giving away all three of my comedy adventures. I want to get my work out to a bigger audience. This is more important to me than any financial return. All I ask is if you have enjoyed any of them, please jot down a couple of sentences in the form of a review, either on Amazon or https://www.goodreads.com/ or both. Enjoy.

Please click on the widgets on the right column to take advantage of this offer.

Humbled By A Tree

Monumental Olive Tree Of Palea Rumata

I've had a wonderful break in Crete, having spent time exploring the island, enjoying the beach, meeting new people and in between all of that, lots of lovely reading and lots of lovely writing.

Midnight At The Alhambra is well underway and I'm writing around 3000 words a chapter. I needed the holiday to kick-start the novel. My plan is in place and I am motoring along quite nicely, now that I am back home. 

Crete has motivated me, there is no doubt about that. Visiting towns and villages that were occupied during WW2 and suffered atrocities affected me deeply. Also the olive tree (pictured above) which is 3000 years old and still producing olives. 

I wanted to spend some time alone with this tree, I mean a lot of time. Time enough to get to know one another. I wanted the tree to whisper it's secrets, all what it has seen over the centuries from Minoan times. I felt something with this tree, I felt that wherever I am, whatever I see, there is always a story to be told. Am I being odd, or is this normal behaviour for a writer?

At Last: Ephesus

Inspired by my visit to Ephesus, the project started as a screenplay with a working title of "Fairfax Goes To Ephesus." It ended, after a second visit to Ephesus, as the third of my series of comedy novellas.

Like many men, Fairfax Freeman has endeavored to please the woman in his life. Only in Fairfax's case the 'woman' is his vitriolic mother, Myrtle, for whom there is no pleasing.
Redundancy from his long term job has put him even lower in his mother's esteem, so in a bid to restore some faith in him, he has sacrificed some of his redundancy money on an all-inclusive package. Sipping cocktails by the pool all day was having the desired effect. But there was one thing Fairfax wanted to do for himself. After spending many hours reading books on the ancient region of Anatonia, he wanted to see Ephesus. His mother was determined to ruin his trip to the ruins. One old man, Demetrius, was resolved to ensure Fairfax saw the old Byzantium trading port in all its glory.

Please support me as a writer by clicking this link Ephesus  to download from Amazon.

Thank you.

My next project is underway entitled "Midnight At The Alhambra," a full length novel in the crime thriller genre.

Back from Harrogate

'The Festival has now been running for twelve years, my third visit and there certainly appears to be no letup in its popularity evidenced by full houses at every event.I arrived on Thursday in plenty of time before the award ceremony and opening party. The Crime Novel Of the Year went to Belinda Bauer for 'Rubbernecker,'   which I bought but haven't read yet, but the story sounds interesting with a young lad with Asperger's who sets out to solve a murder.

The Outstanding Contribution Award went to a very special lady, Lynda La Plante.

For the following two and a half days I had a hectic schedule of one gig after another with a celebrated list of authors in conversation or being interviewed including the BBC's Mark Lawson who estimated he has interviewed some 3000 authors in his time, was now being interviewed as a crime novellist himself with his book 'The Deaths.' 

 

On Friday evening, I was lucky enough to have a complimentary ticket to the sellout session of 'Robert Gailbraith in Conversation with Val McDermid' at the Royal Hall Harrogate. I was in the second row. 

Denise Mina as ever was sheer joy to listen to and very inspirational. John Harvey announced he had just written his last crime novel and we were given insights into the world of publishing, screenwriting and film and TV production. The 'Special TV Panel: Broadchurch,' consisted of the creator, writer and executive producer Chris Chibnall, actors Olivia Colman and Jodie Whittaker, and the writer who turned the screenplay into the official novel, Erin Kelly.

my personal favourite just had to be Lynda La Plante. On a wet Sunday morning she brought the sunshine to Harrogate. She was inspiring, hugely entertaining and loved by all. A most worthy winner of the Outstanding Contribution Award to Crimewriting.