Tag Archives: eReading

Month 11 of my Reading Challenge By Frances Colville

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I found it hard to decide what to go for first this month and spent a happy hour browsing my bookshelves.  In the end I chose The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson (Hodder & Stoughton paperback 2014).  Set in a debtor’s prison in 18th C  London, this is in places a grim read and the plot fell short of being 100% convincing, but the author is good on atmosphere, the main character is engaging and the book is a good choice for anyone who likes historical crime fiction.

Month 11 of my reading challenge Frances Colville

I had no idea what to expect when I began my next book A Little Life by American writer Hanya Yanagihara, knowing nothing at all about it other than it had been shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker.  But it hooked me in right from the first page.  What’s it about?  Friendship, identity, working out who you are and what your life is all about, pain, abuse, relationships, death, grief and love.  It’s challenging, harrowing and absolutely compelling.  And of all the books I’ve read so far this year, this is the one I would recommend most.  Currently available in hardback – published Picador – or on Kindle.

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What do you choose when you’ve just finished a brilliant book; one which has taken you a long time to read and which you can’t get out of your head?  For me, the solution is to turn to something familiar and reliable and completely different.  And as followers of this year of book reviews will know, that means in my case an Agatha Christie.  This time I picked up The Moving Finger – one of a batch I was given last Christmas.  I don’t think I’ve read it before though it’s hard to be sure.  Either way, I couldn’t remember the ending.  And of course neither the book itself nor the ending disappointed. Vintage Christie – and very enjoyable at that.  My copy is a Fontana paperback, reprinted 1971.

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This Little World edited by Sue Ashby is the sort of book you can dip in and out of whenever you have ten minutes to spare  It’s a collection of short stories from people who live in Dorset – some as young as 11 – and each story is located in Dorset.  Lots of variety and lots to interest anyone who knows anything about Dorset.  My personal favourite is A Smuggler’s Life by 12 year old Sam.  Available now on Amazon and will soon be published as an e-anthology.

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And I’ve also been dipping in and out this month of my copy of the works of poet George Herbert edited by W H Auden.  I studied Herbert for A level and there are certain lines from certain of his poems which still stick in my mind.  Writing in the first half of the 17th C his poems are all about religion, his understanding of it and his struggle to be worthy, but it isn’t the content of the poems which speaks to me but the beauty of the language and the strength of his belief.  Not I think a well-known or in any way fashionable poet but one who in my opinion deserves to be read more.  My edition is a Penguin paperback published 1973.

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Only one month left to go.  And so many books to choose from………………..

 

 

KOBO and Curtis Brown Announce Scholarship

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KOBO AND CURTIS BROWN CREATIVE INTRODUCE. KOBO WRITING LIFE 2013 SCHOLARSHIP

 

Any readers of Frost magazine who are interested in a writing career may be interested in this new scholarship from Kobo and Curtis Brown. Companies make tuition at London’s premier writing school accessible for three up-and-coming authors

 

Kobo, a global leader in eReading, and Curtis Brown, one of the UK’s premier literary and talent agencies, have announced that together the companies are introducing the Kobo Writing Life™ Scholarship to advance opportunities for three aspiring writers this year. The Kobo Writing Life Scholarship provides tuition fees for a writer in each of the following course: the three-month novel writing course, three-month writing-for-children course, and six-month novel-writing course. Each course is offered by Curtis Brown Creative and held at their London location.

 

“Kobo Writing Life is dedicated to supporting authors and is committed to allowing them barrier-free access to readers anywhere in the world,” said Mark Lefebvre, Kobo’s Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations. “Excellence in writing is critical and at the heart of an author’s success and we are thrilled to be able to work with Curtis Brown Creative to help writers hone their craft.”

 

“We are very excited to be partnering with Kobo on this initiative to open up our courses to writers who would not otherwise be able to study with us,” said Anna Davis, Director, Curtis Brown Creative.  “Kobo is an energetic supporter of new writing and a generous sponsor of this program.”

 

Applications are now being accepted for the three-month Writing for Children course held April-July. Applicants must complete the online application form and provide the first 3,000 words of their novel in addition to a synopsis. Details of the scholarship for the three-month writing-for-children course starting in September and the six-month novel writing course starting in February will be made available at www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk.

 

Curtis Brown launched its creative writing school in May 2011 as a way to reach new writers and foster their development as authors. In-depth courses are taught by industry experts including bestselling authors, agents and editors from Curtis Brown.  Kobo, through its self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life, and Curtis Brown Creative are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in writing and have partnered to develop strategic initiatives that foster the development of authors around the world.

 

This is the second project Kobo and Curtis Brown Creative have developed together. The companies also created the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Contest which resulted in a thousand, 100-word submissions to be judged by the author. The finalists will be announced on April 15 at London Book Fair.