Story Friday Quilt of Stories: Call for submissions
Published: 21 March 2015 | by Clare Reddaway
Story Fridays is a Live Lit event that takes place in Bath every two months. Held in the cosy atmospheric vaults of Burdall's Yard, we choose six or seven writer-performers to read their stories on a theme. After the sell-out success of January's Story Friday about the 1980s, our March event is inspired by a patchwork quilt.
This Story Friday springs from writer Clare Reddaway's mother's patchwork quilt. When Clare's mother died, she found the quilt unfinished, in a suitcase in her garage, with carefully cut out blocks waiting to be sewn.
Clare asked craftswoman Emily Langdon to finish the quilt with the materials in the suitcase. Emily made it into a beautiful object, chock full of memories for Clare of summer dresses, kitchen curtains, favourite pyjamas.
Looking at the quilt, every piece of material has its own story. And Clare decided to use it as inspiration for a bunch of new stories to be read at a Story Friday. Maybe you have your own quilt full of memories? Maybe you love quilts - maybe you hate them? Maybe you sew, or remember your mother or grandmother sewing? Or grandfather, come to that. What does the slide of silk or the rasp of denim mean to you? If you'd like to write a story, please interpret the quilt theme as widely and wildly as you like.
Clare Reddaway's mother's patchwork quilt - Photo supplied
SUBMISSION DETAILS: We are looking for short stories or monologues, fact or fiction (but mainly fiction), maximum 2,000 words. 2,000 is a maximum though - we've had some lovely flash fiction in the past. No poetry please.
The event will be held on Friday 13th March 2015 at Burdall's Yard in Bath.
Deadline for submissions is Monday 2nd March. PLEASE check that you are available to come along on the 13th March before you submit. We like the writers to be in the audience for these events, even if they are not performing.
Two wonderful professional actors, Olly Langdon and Caroline Garland of Kilter Theatre, are very happy to read your story if performance gives you the jitters. Let me know in your email when you submit if you'd like someone else to read your piece.
Do email me at
clare.reddaway@btinternet.com, give me a ring on
01225 428 469 or go to the website
www.awordinyourear.org.uk if you'd like more information.
If you want to know what kind of stories we enjoy, have a listen to some of the readings at previous Story Fridays which are available on the website.
If you'd like to see more quilt photographs, there are some on the website
www.awordinyourear.org.uk/story-fridays/story-friday-march-quilt-of-stories/For more information:
Contacts
Email Clare at
clare.reddaway@btinternet.com
Call Clare on
01225 428 469
Website
: www.awordinyourear.org.uk
- Clare Reddaway