Love putting pen to paper? Do you fancy yourself as the next Roald Dahl? If you know your scenes from your subplots, this workshop for adults interested in writing children’s fiction will help you craft powerful prose that’s sure to captivate your readers like a penalty shoot out!
Brethertons is hosting a creative writing workshop as part of the Rugby Festival of Culture. Come and find out what it takes to write exciting books that children won’t want to put down in this workshop led by traditionally-published author and qualified teacher, Julia Wills. Enjoy tea, coffee and delicious pastries at Brethertons’ Rugby offices as this lively event shows you how to build memorable characters and find the right stories to bring them to life.
Julia Wills is the author of Fleeced! and Rampage! (Piccadilly Press), two laugh-out-loud comedy-adventures for readers of ages 8 and upwards. Both stories feature Aries, the fabulous ram whose golden fleece was stolen by Jason and the Argonauts of Greek mythology. Fast-paced, original and hilarious, Fleeced! was chosen for the Arts Council Summer Reading Challenge last year and has had great reviews on Amazon and the children’s website of The Guardian. The sequel Rampage! (set in the Amazon rainforest) was published in April 2015. Both books have been praised for their unassuming use of weighty classical literature and feature funny footnotes together with glossaries of Greek-Speak, providing lots of information about the Ancient Greeks, their gods and their way of life, in a way that is both educational and certain to raise a giggle or three.
After studying Psychology at Oxford University, Julia completed her teacher training at Northampton and a distance-learning Masters in Writing at Glamorgan (now the New University of South Wales). Writing in her free time, she works as a legal secretary in the Wills, Trust and Probate Team at Brethertons. In the past, she has maintained a photo library for a Texan oil company, tasted sausages for market research, worked for eccentric professors at Oxford and taught Year Four children in Northamptonshire. It was here, in the classroom, as Miss Wills, that she discovered just how much children love learning about the Ancient Greeks, their fabulous monsters and glitzy heroes, and most importantly of all, how children love a good laugh when they read.
The workshop will take place on Saturday 27 June from 11:00 – 13:00 at Brethertons office: Montague House, 2 Clifton Road, Rugby CV21 3PX. Entry is £5 payable. To reserve your place, email marieparkinson@brethertons.co.uk. Places are limited so booking is a must.
Further praise for Fleeced!:
“This spirited, highly imaginative tale – in which characters from the Underworld of Greek myth are transported to modern London – is driven by fantastic incident, crammed with sparkling imagery, and laced with infectious humour. A lovely romp. Deserves to be a big hit.”
Michael Lawrence, author of the Jiggy McCue series of books
“A great read - exciting, gripping and so funny. Full of wonderful characterisations. Children's fiction has a marvellous new comic voice.”
Pete Johnson
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