A WRITING LIFE IS A STORYTELLING LIFE.

 

In this talk, we’ll celebrate the remarkable power of stories to move us, inspire us, absorb us and entertain us.

 

With anecdotes ranging from a poignant insight into the secret of success, to the most ridiculous extremes required to get a news story on TV…

 

Writing Stories will explore the art of how to write stories, along with the stories of writing life.

 

 

ABOUT SIMON

Simon Hall created and leads an award-winning course in writing, storytelling and public speaking skills at the University of Cambridge.

 

He has 20 books published, ranging from crime fiction to business. The most recent, Compelling Communication (Cambridge University Press, 2024) accompanies his university course.

 

One of Simon’s proudest achievements is the number of aspiring writers he has helped into publication, including many from Swanwick.

 

Previously, Simon was a BBC Television and Radio News Correspondent and presenter for 20 years.

 

You might be interested to know that Simon also once played football for the same manager who coached the legendary Pele, although to rather less impressive effect.

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LIFE IN A 21st CENTURY GARRET  - THE ADMIN YEARS!  

 

Writers...they laze around all day, gazing through windows, writing the occasional bon mot and quaffing laudanum, don't they?

Award-winning writers Emma Purshouse and Steve Pottinger talk about making a living as poets and performers at a grassroots level.  In this entertaining talk they'll blow the lid off the jar of popular myths associated with writing, wax lyrical about their punk attitude towards the arts, and share one or two poems along the way.

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ABOUT EMMA

Emma Purshouse is a writer, performance poet, experienced workshop facilitator and poetry competition judge. She performs at spoken word nights and festivals across the UK, often using her native Black Country dialect.  She was the first Poet Laureate for the City of Wolverhampton. 

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Her children’s poetry collection ‘I Once Knew a Poem Who Wore a Hat’ (Fair Acre Press) won the poetry section of the Rubery Book award in 2016. Her poetry publication ‘Close’ (Offa’s Press) was shortlisted for the same award in 2018.  Her debut novel ‘Dogged’ is published by Ignite Books. 

 

She is one third of the poetry collective ‘Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists’ who run slams, poetry nights, workshops, and poetry projects across the English Midlands.

 

Emma’s poem ‘Catherine Eddowes Tin Box as a Key Witness’ came 3rd in the National Poetry Competition in 2021. Her latest collection is called ‘It’s Honorary, Bab’ (Offa’s Press 2022).  

 

Emma is currently editor of The Blackcountryman magazine.

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ABOUT STEVE

Steve Pottinger is a writer, poet, and workshop facilitator, as well as being a founding member of Wolverhampton arts collective Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists, who run poetry competitions on behalf of literary festivals in the North and Midlands.

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He has performed the length and breadth of the country – including appearances at StAnza, WOMAD, Ledbury, and Morecambe Poetry Festival – and his work regularly appears online in CultureMatters, Yorkshire Bylines, and the Morning Star.

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His poetry – in written, video, or audio format – has won prizes or been commended in multiple poetry competitions.

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His seventh volume of poems, ‘snapshots from the fall of home’ published by Ignite Books, is out now.

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HOW TO CATCH A MURDERER.

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This talks covers a little bit about Russell's career, firstly as a uniform officer and then as a detective. In particular as a homicide detective, covering techniques used including the Soham murders and the deaths of Holly and Jessica.

The talk concludes with how his fiction books incorporate the techniques of a real homicide detective in his fictional detective DCI McFarlane.

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ABOUT RUSSELL

Russell is a very experienced, now retired senior homicide detective. He worked as the senior investigating officer in over 100 major crime cases, not only murders but also international kidnapping cases and large-scale paedophile enquiries.

 

He has received 14 commendations from judges and chief police officers for some of these cases.

 

He is  best known both nationally and Internationally for his work on safeguarding but also in relation to the investigation into the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - the two ten-year-old girls who were murdered by Ian Huntley in 2002.

 

He is also well-known both in the UK and abroad for his work relating to the investigation of child deaths and safeguarding children. He completed a doctorate where his thesis was on, The Investigation of Child Death: a balanced approach between sensitivity and the investigative mindset’. It has been published and read widely. He carries out safeguarding reviews on high profile cases around the country.

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Russell is also the author of four crime novels 'The DCI Alexander McFarlane crime series' where his investigative knowledge, and his love of travel comes to the fore. He is frequently being asked to and carries out after dinner talks and training sessions on his investigative career and also how to write an authentic crime novel.

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