Cleckheaton Writing Group (CWG) - 10 Year Anniversary

Hi Peeps

Monday 20th September - I attended Cleckheaton Writers Group for the first time, physically in nearly 2 years.  It was great to be in the beautiful Cleckheaton Library again. A lovely old building in which I've spent many hours. The room in which the group hold their meetings had been decorated and was all shiny and white.  There were familiar faces. Karen of course, plus Alice. There was also a new member Ria.

It felt like I hadn't been away.  Although I did enjoy the Zoom meetings I joined last year and first half of this year.

I even read out aloud the first chapter of "The Cubby-hole", my haunted house story.  As I read aloud I realised that this was the first time I had read aloud in the group in 10 years. 

Yes I've been going 10 years - since September 2011!!

Sadly I haven't got as far in my writing career as older members but that's my laziness to blame.

So what adventures found me at Cleckheaton Writers Group?  Here's the timeline:-

• Summer 2011 - I start writing a few short stories, wanting to get back to writing for the first time since I was a teenager.
• August 2011 - Split from daughters mum and move back in with parents.
• Late August - attend a one day writing workshop hosted by Calderdale libraries and held in the old Halifax library.  Meet fellow writers including Karen, who invites me to Cleckheaton Library as she holds a writing group there.
• September 2011 - Attend my first CWG meeting and love it. Meet new people and find a renewed love of writing.

So what are the highlights over the 10 years attending Cleckheaton Writers Group!!

• Meeting fellow members past and present - so many to mention, but here are a few that made an impression on me. Tony(the priest), Pauline(RIP), Andy, Dawn, Laura, Martin, Amanda, Sarah, Kathy, Alice, Gemma, Steve, Martijn and of course Karen herself who puts her time and effort into it and has done a great job keeping it going so long.

• Meeting some great authors on Group nights out, including Ann Cleeves with Karen in Brighouse.  Andy Mcnab at Cleckheaton town hall with most of the group and Phillip Pullman in Manchester with Dawn.
• 2 fantastic Cleckheaton Literature Festivals we arranged in 2015 and 2016. We worked hard and the festival's were great fun.  There was a good mix of authors and events, workshops and author interviews.  We met some famous authors and made friends with them.  These included Joanne Harris, Ian C Douglas,  Justina Robson, Leigh Russell and the late Helen Cadbury to name a few.

 

• Published 2 short stories in the Cleckheaton Writers Group story anthology "Reflections".  Which included a launch event and gave us all a taste of being a published author.

What have I taken away from my experience in the Writing Group over the last decade?

Well firstly time goes too fast. I need to get moving and get back to writing as everyone is passing me by.  I need to be more confident in my writing.

Although thanks to the group's author trips and attending workshops with members, I'm now doing these alone.  I've attended a few work shops plus loads of author events - usually in Waterstones Leeds.  I have also gone to Derby to larger all day events like Edge-lit and hope to go to UK Ghost story festival in Derby in November.

I hope to continue going to Cleckheaton Writing group but due to work clashes will probably go down to around 6 times a year.

Here's to the next 10 years - where hopefully we are sharing our published work with each other and helping newer writers (for a fee).

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Film Review

 

Hi Film Geeks

Took my daughter (who's a huge Marvel nerd), to see the newest film in their huge franchise. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

As a Marvel comics fan as a child I never came across this character, who's 2nd tier maybe 3rd tier compared to the bigger Marvel icons like Spiderman, Hulk, Fantastic Four etc.  He was Marvel's answer to Bruce Lee in the seventies, and so even I was new to the character.

The film starts in the past when ten mysterious rings are found by Shang-Chi's father - the Mandarin - who doesn't age because of the Rings he wears and gives him magic powers.  His greed for world domination takes over as he wants to be the most powerful person on Earth.

This leads him to searching a powerful mystical land which he finds but is guarded by a magical woman who beats him in a fight. They fall in love and he starts to live a normal life when they have Shang-chi and his sister.  Sadly his wife is killed by people he has wronged and he takes up his Rings again and starts building his army up. In the meantime he trains his young son to fight and be an assassin.

Fast forward to the present and Shang-chi is living a normal life in the USofA with his friend Katy when his father sends his men to bring him home.

Overall - even though Shang-chi isn't a well known character I enjoyed the story, even though it seemed familiar. The action and stunts are great and were worked on by Jackie Chan's stunt team, so the fights look realistic and good. Towards the end there is a bit too much going on but still watchable and it's different to most MCU films as it delves into the magical.  There is even a dragon in the film.

The actors (even though I'd not heard of many) gave good performances and looked to be enjoying what they were doing. Simu Liu was great as the title character,  as was Tony Leung as his father, the Mandarin. 

Ben Kingsley brought some comedy to the film, returning as Trevor Slattery. Last seen in Iron Man 3. His character even more hilarious.

I would highly recommend this film as it took the MCU into different territory, and I hope there is a sequel in the works.  The special effects were very good and the film was miles better than Black Widow.

Bels Score   -   10/10

My Score     -  9/10

September Update!

 

Hi Peeps

Hope everyone is well on this Autumnal morning. Autumn being my favourite time of year of course, as it's the best time to stay in on darker days and read and write.

Reading wise still reading Stormrider by David Gemmell but hope to finish soon.  Now I'm working I haven't had as much time.  Also still getting used to being up early and working all day is tiring me out for when I get home.

Writing wise is the same as above.  Once I get into a routine and not tired I can get back to writing.

Hope your all reading and writing.

Chat soon!

Neil x