Troubadour Anne Lister Releases First Novel!

Writer-in-Residence Anne Lister's (Newport, UK, www.annelister.com) first novel, Slipping Through the Cracks, blends folktales, legends, and myths with 21st century London. A songwriter, a botanist, a teacher, an artistic child, and a well-meaning blunderer find their way through to another reality. Each of them have to face their own set of challenges until they work together with new allies in the final confrontation.

Anne is best known as a songwriter and a performer, and many of her songs have travelled around the world in the repertoire of other performers. She is also a storyteller, working with children and adults. A sequel to this novel is already in preparation.

Cover designed by Steve Purbrick

PATTI MARXSEN ANNOUNCES NEW BIOGRAPHY RELEASE DATE!

EARLY BIRD ANNOUNCEMENT: Because I wanted you to be among the first to hear the good news, my latest book Helene Schweitzer – A Life of Her Own will be published in the USA by Syracuse University Press in 2015.

Congratulations, Patti!

VANESSA GEBBIE WINS THE 2013/14 SUSSEX POETS' COMPETITION!

Vanessa Gebbie (Rigmer, East Sussex, UK) has won the Wellesley Wealth Advisory prize of £750 with her poem, "Graffiti." She is a Welsh writer, living and working in East Sussex. Winner of the 2012 Troubadour Poetry Prize, her debut poetry collection was published by Pighog in 2013. She has also written the novel The Coward’s Tale (Bloomsbury) and two collections of short stories with Salt Modern Fiction. Vanessa is a contributing editor of Short Circuit, Guide to the Art of the Short Story (Salt).

Artist-in-Residence Evelyn Dunphy Has Wonderful News!

From Evelyn Dunphy, who is conducting a watercolour workshop retreat at Anam Cara at the end of May, just sent this wonderful news. Many congratulations, Evelyn!

Dear Sue:

When I opened my email from the Art of Watercolour magazine,
I could hardly believe what I was reading; both paintings that I submitted ["Exuberance" and "Tea and Sushi"] were juried into the third stage of the World Watercolour Competition!

It's hard to take in, really. It's such a thrill; I keep reading the announcement over again just to see the words! When I read about the competition in the French watercolor magazine, The Art of Watercolour and thought "my goodness, what are the chances of ever making it even to the first selection with competition like this?" But my attitude is always "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and so I filled out the submission form, attached the photos of my paintings and hit "send."

I do know that reaching this level of a world-wide competition has the potential to open up opportunities for my painting career that I would not have dreamed of. Many of you know my story and can appreciate what it means to have started painting after being a "stay at home Mom" for many years, then working full time before finally taking the plunge to begin painting.

Thank you for being part of my journey.