Sunderland Literature Festival 2015 Welcome to the

Sunderland Literature Festival, Important information our annual celebration of the written word, has something for everyone. • Children under 8 years must be The programme features many local accompanied by an adult at all events artists and authors, with highlights • For details regarding ease of access to including Kate Adie, Bethan Roberts any of the events please contact the and Bryan and Mary Talbot. host venue The majority of the events are FREE. • Latecomers will be admitted at the If you need further information about any organisation’s discretion event please enquire at the venue where the event will take place. If you haven’t been to the festival or a library service event before, look through the programme and try something new. You’ll be surprised at what’s on offer. We are using a variety of local venues, so you should be able to find something near to where you live. We’re organising some events just for schools. These are listed at the back of the programme. You can find out more from our Schools Library Service.

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Into Thin Air Arts Centre Washington 7.30pm Thursday 1 October A new play which explores the increasing pressure on everyone to Tillytoo Tales succeed at everything. A slick, intelligent exploration of how we cope in an Houghton Library 10 – 11am increasingly pressurised world. Presented Sandhill Centre Library 1.30 – 2.30pm by Precious Cargo. Contact Arts Centre Tillytoo Tales (Elizabeth Baker) Washington for ticket information. specialises in storytelling for children and brings a passion for teaching and drama. She says “stories give the teller and the listener an opportunity to journey into a different world, to explore the past, to tell tales and to have fun.” Join in the fun and Friday 2 October explore tales with a local flavour! Visually Impaired Ancestry Readers’ Group Taster Session Washington Town Centre Library Houghton Library 10 – 12noon 10.30 – 11.30am Investigate your family history with this The group meets monthly and new short introduction on how to use the members are welcome to share their Ancestry website. For further details love of books. contact Houghton Library. Nifty Fifties City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm £2.50 on the door Bernard Hope will give an enlightening talk on John George Lambton and Monument.

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Caroline Roberts Love, Family and Betrayal - Tales Saturday 3 October from a Debut Stephanie Author Yearnshire - Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Mary Ann Cotton, Caroline Roberts is a debut novelist, living in Northumberland, writing contemporary Murderess or women's fiction, with themes of love, loss, Misunderstood family and betrayal. Caroline will read extracts from her book and answer Matriarch? questions from the audience. Caroline will Houghton Library 11 – 12noon also talk about her writing experience and journey to publication. Stephanie Yearnshire, MBE, a retired superintendent with degrees in criminology and criminal justice, worked The across the world and won awards in the Sunderland Story USA and Australia for her policing work. Mary Ann Cotton preceded Jack the Sunderland 6.30 – 8.30pm Ripper and over an eight-year period 6.30pm: Refreshments with reflections poisoned her victims and in most cases on what Sunderland means to her from benefited from their insurance money. In Kate Adie. this talk, Stephanie will question whether 7pm: Sunderland on Film this was the last of a long line of deaths by her hand or if she was a mother caring for A new film showcasing Sunderland’s her family against a background of vibrant past, using archived footage put poverty and poor medical facilities. together by the North East Film Archive from the 1900s to the present day. Join us for a trip down memory lane with plenty of surprises. More information and tickets for the evening (£2) available from Local Studies Library at City Library, Fawcett Street Tel: 0191 561 8439.

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Mari Hannah Dr Martin Dubois Crime Writing Alice at 150: Lewis City Library 1 – 2pm Carroll and the Mari Hannah is the multi-award winning Invention of author of the DCI Kate Daniels series. An ex-probation officer, living in Wonderland Northumberland, Mari has set her novels The Canny Space, around the North East region. With her Holy Trinity Church, Church Street East first standalone novel, ‘The Silent Room’, 1.30 – 2.30pm out this year, Mari will talk about her crime novels and life as a writer. Dr Martin Dubois is a Lecturer in Victorian Literature at Newcastle University. This talk explores the background to Carroll’s story, examining his friendship with the real girl who would be transformed into the fictional Alice, as Monday 5 October well as revealing the literary traditions that inspired his nonsense writing. 2015 is the 150th anniversary of the publication Rhyme Time of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Houghton Library 10 – 10.30am Join our Children’s Centre team for a Age UK fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions. Sunderland Writers City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Age UK writers meet weekly to share ideas and support fellow creative writers. New members welcome. Monday Reading Group City Library 2 – 3.15pm The Group will discuss Joanna Trollope - Second Honeymoon. The group meets monthly. New members welcome.

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Lorna Windham Code of Honour Tuesday 6 October and other Rhyme Time historical novels Shiney Row Library 9.30 – 10.30am Houghton Blind Club, Rectory Park 1.30 – 2.30pm Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes North East author Lorna Windham has a and actions. diverse back catalogue, having written several books on the dark and dangerous history of the region, as well as poetry and Rhyme Time stories for children. She will be reading extracts from her latest work in progress - Washington Town Centre Library a romantic Jacobite trilogy called ‘Code of 10 – 11am Honour’ and will be discussing these Join our library team for a fun, lively historical novels. session of songs, rhymes and actions. Ancestry Story Time Taster Session City Library 11 – 11.30am City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Bring your toddler along to our weekly story time and instill a love of reading Investigate your family history with this from an early age. These sessions are a short introduction on how to use the great way to introduce young children to Ancestry website. For further details libraries. They can join, take out books on contact City Library. their own library card and become members of the Bookstart Bear Club. Blue Bell Reading Group Blue Bell pub 7 – 8.15pm Join the Reading Group for a lively discussion of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The group meets monthly. New members welcome.

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Dr Michael Green Creative Writing Wednesday 7 October Houghton Library 1 – 3pm A Professor of English and Creative Rhyme Time writing at Northumbria University, City Library 10 – 10.30am Dr Michael Green will discuss ‘Writing in the Academy - how creative writing Join our library team for a fun, lively postgraduate courses can help your work’. session of songs, rhymes and actions. Foyle Street Kate Fox Writers Poetry Workshop Washington Town Centre Library City Library 10 – 12noon 1.30 – 2.30pm Foyle Street Writers meet weekly to share Kate Fox is an acclaimed poet, writer ideas and support fellow creative writers. and stand-up comedian from the North New members welcome. East. Join Kate in this fun, inteactive poetry workshop. Tiny Tweeties Sandhill Centre Library Little Chatterboxes 10.30 – 11.15am Fulwell Library 2 – 2.30pm A lively music and song session for pre- Pre-school stories and rhyme session. school children involving puppets, songs, dancing and instruments. The Tiny Tweeties duo have performed on CBeebies Wellness and their music resources are used in schools across the globe. Engaging and Readers’ Group creative fun for little ones! Washington MIND 2 – 3pm The group will discuss John Le Carre – Coalfields Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. The group Reading Group meets monthly. New members welcome. Hetton Library 10.30 – 12noon The group will discuss Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep. The group meets monthly. New members welcome.

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Norman Kirtlan – The Mary Bell Case Thursday 8 October Sandhill Centre Library 2 – 3pm Norman Kirtlan is a retired police officer and forensic artist of 30 years. His National sketches have helped identify the Poetry Day perpetrators of many crimes in the region over the years. In this session, Norman National Poetry Day, the annual mass will look at the historic accounts of celebration of poetry and all things children who turn to murder, including poetical. the Mary Bell murders that shocked North East – and the country – Ancestry in 1968. Taster Session Washington Library Houghton Library 10 – 12noon Readers’ Group Investigate your family history with this short introduction on how to use the Washington Town Centre Library Ancestry website. For further details 5.45 – 6.45pm contact Houghton Library. Join this monthly reading group for a lively discussion of Anita Shreve – Lives of Anna Woodford Stella Bain. New members welcome. Poetry Workshop City Library 2 – 3pm Anna Woodford lives in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her collection Birdhouse (Salt, 2010) was a winner of the international Crashaw Prize. Join Anna for a poetry workshop celebrating National Poetry Day.

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Washington Village U3A Readers’Group Saturday 10 October Washington Town Centre Library 2 – 3pm The group will discuss Linwood Liz Million Barclay – Trust your eyes. The group Mixed Up Animals meets monthly. Sandhill Centre Library 11 – 12 noon Liz Million has been an illustrator and People’s Republic author of children’s books since 1999. Liz of Poetry comes from Darlington and visits schools, libraries and museums all over the world Arts Centre Washington 4pm to talk about her work and to show people A pre-show workshop – participants how to draw. will hone their performance poetry In this Mixed Up Animals session, skills and be invited to take to the stage Liz will work with you to design in the evening. your own crazy creature. Contact Arts Centre Washington for Suitable for children ticket information. aged 5+. Arts Centre Washington 7.30pm Come and celebrate National Poetry Day Mari Hannah at A Firm of Poet’s participatory revolution. A quartet of poets face the Crime Writing audience; in turn they step up to the mic Bunny Hill Library 12noon – 1pm to perform their poems. Featuring local Mari Hannah is the multi-award winning poets Rowan McCabe and Jenni Pascoe. author of the DCI Kate Daniels series. An Contact Arts Centre Washington for ex-probation officer, living in ticket information. Northumberland, Mari has set her novels around the North East region. With her first standalone novel, ‘The Silent Room’, out this year, Mari will talk about her crime novels and life as a writer. Friday 9 October Rhyme Time Hetton Library 11 – 12noon Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions.

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Fiona Shaw Age UK Sunderland How to Edit Writers Your Work City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Washington Town Centre Library Age UK writers meet weekly to share 1 – 2.30pm ideas and support fellow creative writers. New members welcome. Novelist and University Lecturer, Fiona, will facilitate a workshop on “How to Edit your Work. Bring along a page of your draft Bethan Roberts - work (of no more than 500 words and double space) and discover first hand how Mother Island best to take the red pen to your words. City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Bethan Roberts won a Mark Blacklock - Jerwood/Arvon Young Writers’ Award for her first I’m Jack novel, The Pools. Her The Canny Space, second novel, The Good Holy Trinity Church, Church Street East. Plain Cook, based on the art 6.30– 7.30pm collector Peggy Guggenheim’s life in Sussex, was a BBC Radio 4, Book at Mark Blacklock grew up in Bedtime and was chosen as one of Time Sunderland (the family Out’s books of the year. My Policeman, the business was Blacklock and story of a young police officer, his wife, Son Jewellers in Fawcett and his male lover, set in 1950s Brighton, Street) and has since lived was selected as the 2012 Brighton City in Sheffield, Oxford, Tokyo Reads book and was an Irish Times book and London. His first novel, I’m Jack, was of the year. She also writes drama for BBC published by Granta in June 2015. I’m Radio 4, and short fiction (she has won Jack is the story of the Ripper both the Olive Cook and the Pin Drop short hoaxer – aka Wearside Jack- whose taped story awards). Her latest novel, Mother messages misled police to believe the Island, has won a Jerwood Fiction Ripper was from Sunderland. In this Uncovered Prize. She lives in Brighton session, Mark will discuss his novel. with her family. It will be advisable to wear warm clothing.

Monday 12 October Rhyme Time Houghton Library 10am – 11am Shiney Row 9.30 – 10.30am Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions.

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Coalfields Writing Group Tuesday 13 October Hetton Library 1.30 – 3.30pm Coalfields Writing Group meets every two Rhyme Time weeks to share ideas and support fellow Shiney Row Library 9.30 – 10.30am creative writers. New members welcome. Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes Dale Addison and actions. Maria: the hunting Rhyme Time season City Library 2 – 3pm Washington Town Centre Library 10 – 10.30am Sunderland author Dale Addison, will talk Join our library team for a fun, lively about his latest novel “Maria: the hunting session of songs, rhymes and actions. season” a powerful sequel to his first novel “Reaper in the Sky”. Bear and Butterfly Visually Impaired Arts Centre Washington 10.30am and 1.30pm Reading Group Puppetry, live music and storytelling Houghton Library 2 – 3pm combine in this charming story about The Group meets monthly and new love, loss and friendship, for children aged members are welcome to share their 4+ and their families. Presented by love of books. Theatre Hullabaloo and Theatre by the Lake. Contact: Arts Centre Washington for ticket information. Ancestry Taster Session Story Time City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm City Library 11 – 11.30am Investigate your family history with this Bring your toddler along to our weekly short introduction on how to use the story time and instill a love of reading Ancestry website. For further details from an early age. These sessions are a contact City Library. great way to introduce young children to libraries. They can join, take out books on their own library card and become members of the Bookstart Bear Club

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Amy McLean – Celestial Land Wednesday 14 October and Sea Tiny Tweeties City Library 5.45 – 6.45pm Amy McLean spent her City Library 10 – 10.45am childhood between her Fulwell Library 2 – 2.45pm Aberdeen birth town and A lively music and song session for pre- the North East of England. school children involving puppets, songs, She studied English dancing and instruments. The Tiny Literature at the University Tweeties duo have performed on CBeebies of Sunderland and in 2004 she graduated and their music resources are used in with a first class degree and a published schools across the globe. Engaging and dissertation about Lord Byron. Influenced creative fun for little ones! by her spiritual background, Amy often focuses on the spirit world in her writing. Her debut novel Walk On explored the Foyle Street concept of Angel, and she Writers frequently calls upon the parallel timelines between past and present, City Library 10 – 12noon heaven and earth. When she’s not writing Foyle Street Writers meet regularly to or visiting Hampstead, Amy can be found share ideas and support fellow creative indulging in the cinematic careers of writers. New members welcome. Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton, uploading videos on You Tube, and dangling toy mice for Medora the cat. Justice Reading Group Bar Justice, Sunniside 6 – 7pm The group will discuss Paula Byrne, Belle the true story of Dido Belle. The group meet the second Wednesday of every month. New members welcome.

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Norman Kirtlan – The Mary Bell Case Thursday 15 October Houghton Library 6 – 7pm Norman Kirtlan is a retired police officer Poetry and forensic artist of 30 years. His sketches have helped identify the Reading Group perpetrators of many crimes in the region City Library 10 – 11am over the years. In this session, Norman will look at the historic accounts of Meet likeminded poetry lovers to discuss, children who turn to murder, including read and write poetry. The group meets the Mary Bell murders that shocked monthly. New members welcome. North East England – and the country – in 1968. Ancestry Taster Session Houghton Library 10 – 12noon Investigate your family history with this Friday 16 October short introduction on how to use the Ancestry website. For further details contact Houghton Library. Book Chat Reading Group Nifty Fifties Back on the Map, Villette Road City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm 10 – 11am £2.50 on the door Join this group for a lively discussion of First World War Soldiers talk – Amy McLean, Celestial Land and Sea. Margaret Thynne. New members welcome. Rhyme Time Hetton Library 11 – 12noon Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions.

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Rob Sinclair Howard Linskey Author of the David Blake series, No Name Rise of the Enemy Lane is the first in a series of books set in the North East area featuring journalists City Library 2 – 3pm Tom Carney & Helen Norton with Rise of the Enemy, is a detective Ian Bradshaw. Howard thrilling spy novel of previously worked as a journalist betrayal and revenge set in writing for regional newspapers. the shadow of the Kremlin, and it draws from Rob’s Mari Hannah own experiences as a Multi-award winning author of the DCI forensic accountant. Rob worked for many Kate Daniels series. An ex-probation years for Ernst and Young, travelling the officer, living in Northumberland, Mari world for office ‘raids’, interrogating fraud has set her novels around the North East suspects and receiving death threats and region. With her first standalone novel, dealing with governments accused of ‘The Silent Room’, out this year grand scale corruption. John Nicholson Author of the Middlesbrough based Nick Guymer novels. Born in Hull and raised in Stockton-on-Tees, John has been writing professionally for the whole Saturday 17 October of the 21st century. Crime Authors Panel Washington Town Centre Library 1 – 3pm Join our crime authors panel to ponder the peculiar pleasure of crime fiction. Sheila Quigley International bestselling author of ‘Run for Home’ the first in the Seahills series. Living and working all her life in the North East, undertaking many and varied jobs, Sheila found her true calling as author in 2004.

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Stephanie Age UK Yearnshire Sunderland Writers Mary Ann Cotton, City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Murderess or Age UK Writers meet weekly to share ideas and support fellow creative writers. Misunderstood New members welcome. Matriarch? The Ship Isis Pub (in the snug), Time Bandits 26 Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ Battle of Britain 6.15 – 7.15pm Washington Town Centre Library Stephanie Yearnshire, MBE, a retired 2 – 3.30pm superintendent with degrees in criminology and criminal justice, Experience the sights, sounds and worked across the world and has won smells of the Battle of Britain era awards in the USA and Australia for her with handling collections, simulated policing work. air raids and a host of extras. Performed by the Time Bandits as part of Battle of Mary Ann Cotton preceded Jack the Britain commemorations. Ripper and over an eight-year period poisoned her victims and in most cases benefited from their insurance money. In this talk, Stephanie will question whether this was the last of a long line of deaths by her hand or if she was a mother caring for Tuesday 20 October her family against a background of poverty and poor medical facilities. Rhyme Time Shiney Row Library 9.30 – 10.30am Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes Monday 19 October and actions. Rhyme Time Houghton Library 10 – 11am Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions.

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Tiny Tweeties Lee Ridley - Washington Town Centre Library Lost Voice Guy 10 – 10.45am City Library 1 - 2.15pm A lively music and song session for pre- school children involving puppets, songs, Join Lost Voice Guy, winner dancing and instruments. The Tiny of the BBC New Comedy Tweeties duo have performed on CBeebies Award 2014, as he returns and their music resources are used in to the city where he made schools across the globe. Engaging and his stand up comedy debut. creative fun for little ones! He is the first comedian to tell his jokes using a communication aid. Expect laugh, giggles and a unique insight Shiney Row into living life as a disabled person. U3A Reading Group Rachael Kerr Shiney Row Library 10 – 12noon The Group will discuss Debbie Taylor – Non-traditional Herring Girl. This group meets monthly. Publishing Routes Houghton Library 1 – 2pm Story Time Rachel Kerr is the London based Publicity City Library 11 – 11.30am and Editor at Large at Unbound Bring your toddler along to our weekly Publishers. This session will provide the story time and instill a love of reading opportunity to learn more about crowd from an early age. These sessions are a funding and self-publishing. great way to introduce young children to libraries. They can join, take out books on Ancestry their own library card and become members of the Bookstart Bear Club. Taster Session City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Investigate your family history with this short introduction on how to use the Ancestry website. For more information contact City Library.

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Little Chatterboxes Fulwell Library 2 – 2.30pm Wednesday 21 October Preschool story and rhyme session. Rhyme Time Martin J Dougherty City Library 10 – 10.30am Worldbuilding: Join our library team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions. Creating a Place for it all to Happen Foyle Street Washington Town Centre Library Writers 2 – 3pm Martin is a published author of children’s City Library 10 – 12noon and adult fiction and non-fiction and Foyle Street Writers meet regularly to writes for television. He is also a martial share ideas and support fellow creative artist and historical fencer. In this session writers. New members welcome. Martin will talk about worldbuilding in the context of science fiction and fantasy Steve Chambers in particular. How to Pitch Starbucks your Work Reading Group City Library 1 – 2pm The Bridges 5.45 – 6.45pm Steve Chambers is a Senior Lecturer in The Group will discuss Naomi Wood – creative writing at Northumbria Mrs Hemingway. The group meets University.This workshop will demystify monthly. New members welcome. the art of pitching your work and show you how to pitch to anyone professionally and with confidence. Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood Arts Centre Washington 1.30pm Re-invented for 9-13 year olds this play is an unforgettable introduction to Shakespeare’s shocking story of ambition, greed and the abuse of power. Presented by Contender Charlie, China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre. Contact Arts Centre Washington for ticket information.

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Sunderland U3A Reading Group Thursday 22 October City Library 2 – 3pm The group will discuss Bram Stoker – Washington in Dracula. The group meets monthly. the Great War Peter Welsh The East End and The Garths Project Washington Town Centre Library 10 – 11am Holy Trinity Local historian and author Peter Welsh The Canny Space, gives a talk about Washington and the Holy Trinity Church, Church Street East Great War. 2 – 4pm and 6.30 – 8.30pm A joint project with Churches Ancestry Conservation Trust at The Canny Space. 50 local people have shared their Taster Session memories with us in some way – on film, Houghton Library 10 – 12noon by chatting, singing, sharing photos. We’ve tried to capture these memories for future Investigate your family history with this generations. They will be showcased at a short introduction on how to use the very special screening of the finished film. Ancestry website. For further details contact Houghton Library. Tesco Wearside U3A Reading Group Reading Group Tesco ( Retail Park) Community Room 6.30 – 7.30pm City Library 10.30 – 11.30am The group will discuss Helen Dunmore – The group will discuss Eric Lomax – The The Seige. The group meets monthly. New Railway Man. The group meets monthly. members welcome. Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood Arts Centre Washington 10.30am, 1.30pm Re-invented for 9-13 year olds this play is an unforgettable introduction to Shakespeare’s shocking story of ambition, greed and the abuse of power. Presented by Contender Charlie, China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre. Contact Arts Centre Washington for ticket information.

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Friday 23 October Saturday 24 October Macbeth – Blood Our Teacher’s Will Have Blood a Troll Arts Centre Washington 10.30am Arts Centre Washington 11am and 2pm Re-invented for 9-13 year olds this play is A gleefully nasty tale from Dennis Kelly, an unforgettable introduction to writer of the award-winning West End Shakespeare’s shocking story of ambition, show Matilda the Musical. Suitable for greed and the abuse of power. Presented children aged 7 and over. Can the twins by Contender Charlie, China Plate and save the school from the child-eating Warwick Arts Centre. troll? Can they get brussels sprouts in peanut butter taken off the lunch menu? Contact Arts Centre Washington for Can naughtiness prevail? A Paines Plough ticket information. and Half Moon Production. Contact Arts Rhyme Time Centre Washington for ticket information. Hetton Library 11 – 12noon Join our Children’s Centre team for a fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions. Monday 26 October Amanda Rhyme Time Revell Walton Houghton Library 10 – 11am Join our Children’s Centre team for a The Shipyard Girls fun, lively session of songs, rhymes City Library 11 – 12noon and actions. Writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton, writing under the pen name Nancy Revell, was brought up in Sunderland and comes from a long line of shipbuilders. Her saga series ‘The Shipyard Girls’, published by Random House/Arrow, follows the fortunes of the first female workers in the Sunderland Shipyards during the Second World War.

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Age UK Sunderland Writers City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Tuesday 27 October Age UK Writers meet weekly to share ideas and support fellow creative writers. Rhyme Time New members welcome. Shiney Row Library 9.30 – 10.30am Join our Children’s Centre team for a Liz Million fun, lively session of songs, rhymes Illustrator and actions. City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Liz Million has been an illustrator and Rhyme Time author of children’s books since 1999. Liz Washington Town Centre Library comes from Darlington and visits schools, 10 – 10.30am libraries and museums all over the world Join our library team for a fun, lively to talk about her work and to show people session of songs, rhymes and actions. how to draw. Liz will work with children on ‘Every Drawing Tells a Story’, the theme of this year’s BBC Big Draw. Story Time City Library 11 – 11.30am Alice in Bring your toddler along to our weekly Wonderland Craft story time and instill a love of reading from an early age. These sessions are a Hetton Library 2.30 – 3.30pm great way to introduce young children to Washington Millennium Centre Library libraries. They can join, take out books on 2.30pm – 3.30pm their own library card and become members of the Bookstart Bear Club. Sheila Quigley Crime Novels Blue Bell Pub, Fulwell 6 – 7pm International bestselling author of ‘Run for Home’ the first in the Seahills series. Living and working all her life in the North East, undertaking many and varied jobs, Sheila found her true calling as author in 2004. Sheila will talk about her crime novels.

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Daniel Weatheritt Alice in Every Picture Tells Wonderland Craft a Story Washington Town Centre Library 2.15 – 3.15pm The Canny Space, Library 2 – 3pm Holy Trinity Church, Church Street East 1 – 3pm Every Drawing Tells a Story - The Big Ancestry Draw Workshop 2015 - with illustrator Taster Session Daniel J. Weatheritt. Have a go at drawing your favourite story book character/s and City Library 2.30pm – 3.30pm add them to a giant story book landscape, Investigate your family history with this plus drawing tips from Daniel. All ages short introduction on how to use the welcome. Equipment is provided. Ancestry website. For further details contact City Library. Coalfields Writing Group Hetton Library 1.30 – 2.30pm Coalfield s Writing Group meets every two Wednesday 28 October weeks to share ideas and support fellow creative writers. New members welcome. Rhyme Time Wizadora City Library 10 – 10.30am Join our library team for a fun, lively Magic Show – session of songs, rhymes and actions. Spooky Alice Bunny Hill Library 2 – 3pm Daniel Weatheritt Annerley Lord (Wizardora) attended a Every Picture Tells stage school as a small child and has a Story performed in many stage productions in the North East. Annerley then went on to Fulwell Library 2 – 3pm TV acting where she has filmed dramas, Come along and draw your favourite Alice short films and lots of commercials. She in Wonderland characters and get some thinks children's magic is fantastic as it drawing tips from illustrator Daniel J. gives the children confidence and feel good Weatheritt. A mixed media drawing about themselves. activity. All equipment is provided.

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Wizadora Magic Show – Spooky Alice Thursday 29 October Houghton Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Ancestry Annerley Lord (Wizardora) attended a stage school from a small child and has Taster Session performed in many stage productions in Houghton Library 10 – 12 noon the North East. Annerley then went on to Investigate your family history with this TV acting where she has filmed dramas, short introduction on how to use the short films and lots of commercials. She Ancestry website. For further details thinks children’s magic is fantastic as it contact Houghton Library. gives the children confidence and feel good about themselves. Foyle Street Holly Sterling Writers Every Picture Tells City Library 10 – 12noon a Story Foyle Street Writers meet regularly to share ideas and support fellow City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm creative writers. Local illustrator of children’s books, Holly Sterling will be showing how to create characters as part of this year’s Big Draw Lorna Windham event - Every drawing tells a story Code of Honour and other Historical Novels Washington Town Centre Library 10.30 – 11.30am North East author Lorna Windham has a diverse back catalogue, having written several books on the dark and dangerous history of the region, as well as poetry and stories for children. She will be reading extracts from her latest work in progress - a romantic Jacobite trilogy called ‘Code of Honour” and other historical novels.

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Holly Sterling Daniel Weatheritt Every Drawing Dr Who and Tells a Story the Tardis Sandhill Centre Library 10.45 – 11.45 Shiney Row Library 2.30 – 3.30pm Local illustrator of children’s books, Holly Come along and draw your favourite Sterling will be showing how to create Doctor Who characters and get some characters as part of this year’s Big Draw drawing tips from illustrator Daniel J. event - Every drawing tells a story. Weatheritt. A mixed media drawing activity. All equipment is provided. Nifty Fifties We Are Bronte City Library 1.30 – 2.30pm £2.50 on the door Arts Centre Washington 7.30pm A talk on the history of Herbal teas and A piece of comic theatre inspired by a sampling session. the real and imaginary world of Yorkshire’s literary siblings, Presented Wizadora by Publick Transport. Contact Arts Centre Washington for Magic Show – ticket information. Spooky Alice Washington Town Centre Library 2.15 – 3.15pm Annerley Lord (Wizardora) attended a stage school from a small child and has Friday 30 October performed in many stage productions in the North East. Annerley then went on to Visually Impaired TV acting where she has filmed dramas, short films and lots of commercials. She Reading Group thinks children’s magic is fantastic as it City Library 10.30 – 11.45am gives the children confidence and feel good about themselves. The Group meets monthly and new members are welcome to share their love of books.

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Rhyme Time Hetton Library 11 – 12noon and Mary Talbot Join our Children’s Centre team for a Sally Heathcote: fun, lively session of songs, rhymes and actions. Suffragette City Library 1 – 2pm Alice in Bryan and Mary Talbot’s first collaboration, Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes, Wonderland Craft won the Costa biography prize. Another City Library 2.30 – 3.30pm joint venture, Sally Heathcote: Suffragette Kayll Road Library 2 – 3pm was written alongside acclaimed illustrator, Kate Charlesworth and will be discussed. Includes a question and answers session.

Saturday 31 October Design your Own Aircraft – Children’s Craft Session Fulwell Library 10.30 – 11.30am Part of Battle of Britain commemoration come along and design your own aircraft to take home.

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Friday 9 October to Sunday 1 November Sunderland Family Arts Network This October Sunderland Family Arts Network will be delivering a wide range of activities suitable for all of the family as part of the Get Creative Family Arts Festival! From 9 October to 1 November a variety of events and workshops will be held throughout Sunderland including glass painting, creative writing, theatre, music and even Mad Hat-making. The Family Arts Festival is all about getting the family to be creative together and with more of our local organisations taking part there’s even more to do this October! You can find out more about the Festival and events by visiting www.familyartsfestival.com and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FANSunderland.

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Saturday 19 September to The photographs examine the Victorian obsession with cataloguing all of the Sunday 29 November natural world in its minutest detail, and discovering nature’s secrets by examining Picture the Poet flora and fauna under a microscope. Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens Saturday 25 July to Discover the faces of poets working today, including Benjamin Zephaniah, Simon Saturday 17 October Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy, in this touring exhibition from the National Jeffrey Dennis: Portrait Gallery. Ringbinder Picture the Poet is an exhibition of high quality photographs of living poets Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art touring to six regional venues. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary The exhibition project has been developed Art is pleased to present ‘Ringbinder’, a by the National Portrait Gallery working solo exhibition by Jeffrey Dennis, which in collaboration with the National Literacy will consist of a new series of paintings Trust and Apples and Snakes to build a and sculpture housed in NGCA’s targeted learning and participation reconfigured main gallery space. Aside programme at each regional venue. from staging a concentrated progression of the artist’s work made between 2011 For details of supporting events and and 2015, the exhibition will also attempt activities please visit the website to reflect on Dennis’ development since http://www.seeitdoitsunderland.co.uk/sun his initial profile in Britain was formed derland-museum-winter-gardens/whats- during the early 1980s. on or contact the Museum Learning Team on 0191 561 2323. Friday 11 September – Friday 24 July to Saturday 7 November Saturday 17 October Simon Senn: Nicola Maxwell: Fawcett Street The Backhouse Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Enquiry Exhibition Art (NGCA) is pleased to present a new Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art body of work by the Swiss artist Simon Nicola Maxwell’s new photographic series Senn. ‘Fawcett Street’, Senn’s first solo ‘The Backhouse Enquiry’ looks at the exhibition in the UK, is named after the history of Sunderland Museum and street that the NGCA is situated on. Library re-presenting some of the very first artefacts donated by Victorian philanthropist Edward Backhouse to what became Sunderland Museum, then the first municipally funded museum outside of London.

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Monday 12 October to 13 November Wor Women Exhibition Sandhill Centre Library A display exploring the roles of local women throughout the Great War. Black Cats Stories Washington Town Centre Library 1 – 8 October Houghton Library 12 – 22 October City Library 26 October – 27 November A touring exhibition creating a snapshot of what football means to the people of Wearside through digital storytelling. Wednesday 16 September to Thursday 8 October All We Are Saying Artists for Peace Sunderland Minster All We Are Saying Artists for Peace; national and international artists offer their thoughts on PEACE and our need to pursue peace this year and every year until it is globally achieved. The project is a non-partisan, non- religious, non-political creative statement for peace – whether that is cohesion, acceptance and understanding within local communities or peace at a global level.

Page 28 Sunderland Literature Festival 2015 Sessions for schools …

A number of events will be taking place in schools. For further information please Dan Smith contact the Schools Library Service. On Tuesday 20 October Dan Smith will Some of the events are listed below. discuss adventure survival stories for To celebrate National Poetry Day on young people .My Friend the Enemy Thursday 8 October Gary Cordingley, Jo (2013) was long listed for the Branford Colley and Valerie Laws will be delivering Boase Award and received a special interactive workshops. commendation at the North East Book Award. My Brother’s Secret was published Gothic in the in 2014, with Big Game following in 2015. 21st century Holly Sterling On Monday 19 October award-winning Holly Sterling a local freelance children’s author Alan Gibbons will guide students illustrator will talk to children about her through a 21st century update of the work, do some demonstrations and read classic vampire story, Dracula. He will from her latest children’s book Holly demonstrate how to set the scene, using graduated from Sunderland University lots of atmospheric description, begin to with an honours degree in Illustration and develop characters and create engaging Design. She was highly commended for dialogue. Alan Gibbons has won the Blue the Macmillan Illustration Prize and the Peter Book Award 'The Book I Couldn't Put winner of the Seven Stories/Frances Down' and sixteen other awards. He spent Lincoln Illustration Competition in 2013. many years as a teacher before becoming a professional writer.

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Bunny Hill Library Shiney Row Library Hylton Lane, Sunderland SR5 4BW Chester Road, Shiney Row DH4 4RB Tel: 0191 561 8103 Tel: 0191 561 3031 City Library & Arts Centre Washington Town Fawcett Street, Sunderland SR1 1RE Centre Library Tel: 0191 561 1235 Independence Square, Washington NE38 7RZ Fulwell Library Tel: 0191 561 3441 Dene Lane, Fulwell, Sunderland SR6 8EH Tel: 0191 561 5260 Washington Millennium Centre Library Hetton Library The Oval, Concord, Washington Welfare Road, Hetton DH5 9NE NE37 2QD Tel: 0191 561 6616 Tel: 0191 561 3878 Houghton Library Northern Gallery for 74 Newbottle Street, Houghton DH4 4AF Contemporary Art Tel: 0191 561 6383 City Library and Arts Centre, Fawcett Street, Sunderland SR1 1RE Kayll Road Library Tel: 0191 561 8487 Kayll Road, Sunderland SR4 7TW Tel: 0191 561 2760 Arts Centre Washington Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington Ryhope Library NE38 8AB Tel: 0191 219 3455 Black Road, Ryhope, Sunderland SR2 0RX Tel: 0191 561 4444 Sunderland Minster High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3ET Sandhill Centre Library Tel: 0191 565 4066 Grindon Lane, Grindon, Sunderland SR3 4EN Museum & Winter Gardens Tel: 0191 561 5800 Road, Sunderland SR1 1PP Tel: 0191 553 2323

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