Showing posts with label radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radio. Show all posts

Saturday, 9 November 2024

3 Minute Santas is back for its eighth exciting year!


It's time to submit your festive flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this December!


Can you tell a festive story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This Christmas, I’m once again looking for festive (not necessarily Christmas) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 14th December, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3 Minute Santas on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording via my website of your holiday-themed story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 2nd December.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. But ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – the details of how to submit are on my website.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite 3 Minute Santas will be broadcast on Hannah’s Bookshelf at 2pm on Saturday 14th December, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Saturday, 26 October 2024

31 Days of Halloween: Day 26


Today was a very busy day, involving four different outfits and two different wigs. It was a good day.

Bailey’s Wood Litter-Pick




This morning started off with the monthly Friends of Bailey's Wood litter-pick. As is tradition, we dressed up for October litter-pick. And, as is also tradition, we (or maybe that should be I) tried to make our costumes as unsettling as possible.

Christmas Duck



One of the guys on the litter-pick presented me with a present this morning. He said, "I know you're into your ducks," and I think this is because my little Halloween ducks have been turning up at various events. Then he told me he'd found this one in his garden one day, and I could have it for when we start celebrating Christmas. I love my little garden duck!

Mouse and Chocolate Owls



A present from my mum!

Hannah’s Bookshelf Halloween Special



This afternoon was the annual Hannah's Bookshelf Halloween Special on North Manchester FM, featuring seasonal flash fiction from this year's 3 Minute Scares entries.

Abominable Books



Also on my radio show today, I opened my October box from the Abominable Book Club. I got Disturbance by Jenna Clake and Coup de GrĂ¢ce by Sofia Ajram, plus a tote bag, popcorn and a few other treats.

Bailey’s Wood Horror Walk




Then it was to the woods for the Friends of Bailey's Wood evening event... Saturday the 26th - Horror in the Woods. I led some brave souls through the forest, telling stories of other realms, vengeful trees, and why you should never book a cabin in the woods on Airbnb.

L is for The Loved Ones



Back home, we continued our horror A-Z with The Loved Ones.

M is for The Menu



And then we rounded off the day with The Menu.

Monday, 30 September 2024

Events in October 2024




Park Write - Spooky Season
Saturday 12th October
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a seasonal writing theme
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 13th October
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Late Autumn Walk in the Park
Saturday 19th October
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the park to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Samhain Walk in the Woods
Saturday 19th October
2.30–3.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Halloween Story Walk in the Woods
Wednesday 23rd October
11.00–12.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a fun, creative walk in the woods with a Halloween theme
Booking Link

A Nightmare on Nelson Street 2: Emmeline's Revenge
Thursday 26th October
6.30–8.30pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be leading a weird history walk along Nelson Street, before returning to the Pankhurst Centre for Halloween brews and tales suffragettes and werewolves
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Halloween Special
Saturday 26th October
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'll be hosting the annual Halloween edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including 3 Minute Scares flash fiction
Submission Link

Saturday the 26th - Horror in the Woods!
Saturday 26th October
5.00–6.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a walk in the woods with unsettling tales of the forest
Booking Link

Ghost Stories Walk and Talk
Wednesday 30th October
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods with some spooky stories
Booking Link

Halloween Film Afternoon
Wednesday 30th October
1.00–4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'll be hosting a Halloween film afternoon (with a bit of seasonal poetry) for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

3 Minute Scares is back for its ninth nailbiting year!


North Manchester FM’s Halloween creative writing competition is open for submissions for 2024.


Hannah's Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM, wants your scary stories for Halloween! Once again, I'm asking people throughout Greater Manchester to submit their 3-minute stories for my annual creative writing competition. Writers keen to be crowned Greater Manchester’s Spookiest Wordsmith can submit a recording of their mini-tale via my website, with the best entries being broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Halloween Special on Saturday 26th October.

I'm delighted to announce that the prize for this year’s best entry is a fabulous Halloween book bundle (with a few little surprises). Entries need to be 3 minutes long, meaning a word count of around 350-400 words. The judges will be looking for style and originality, as well as how scary the story is. The deadline for entries is midnight on Wednesday 16th October.

All you need to enter the competition is a computer with a microphone… and a good story. Entries can be recorded via my website. More information and rules of the competition, including information for people unable to submit a recording, can also be found on my website.

Sunday, 1 September 2024

Events in September 2024




Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Friday 6th September
11.00–1.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Thursday 12th September
6.00–8.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Robin Hood Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
11.00–12.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a fun, creative walk in the woods with a Robin Hood theme
Booking Link

Medieval Romance Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
6.00–7.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a walk in the woods with tales taken from medieval literature
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 15th September
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Autumn Equinox Walk and Talk
Wednesday 18th September
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Autumn Equinox Poetry in the Park
Wednesday 18th September
2.00–5.00pm
Castlerea House
I'll be running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session in the park for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Park
Saturday 21st September
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the park to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special
Saturday 21st September
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'll be hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Autumn Equinox-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Woods
Saturday 21st September
5.30–6.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Park Write - Autumn Writing
Saturday 28th September
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a seasonal writing theme
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Sunday, 25 August 2024

Autumn Equinox Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM


Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this September!


Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Autumn, harvest festival) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 21st September, I’ll be hosting the Hannah’s Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 16th September.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special at 2pm on Saturday 21st September, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Saturday, 27 July 2024

Lammas: Day 2


A bit more Lammas-y fun today, on the second day of our annual seasonal celebrations.

Breakfast in the Woods



Cinnamon swirl in Bailey's Wood for breakfast!

Litter-Pick in the Woods







It was the monthly Friends of Bailey's Wood litter-pick in the woods this morning. Not strictly speaking a seasonal thing, but I took the opportunity to enjoy the many late summer flowers (which are already attracting plenty of butterflies).

Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special





This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Lammas Special on North Manchester FM. I played a few seasonal songs, and some Lammas-themed flash fiction from nine fantastic writers. And then we had scones and Welsh cakes at the studio to celebrate!

Sunday, 30 June 2024

Events in July 2024



Park Write - Nature Writing
Saturday 20th July
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a nature writing theme
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 21st July
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Hannah's Bookshelf Lammas Special
Saturday 27th July
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'm hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Summer Solstice-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Late Summer Walk in the Park
Monday 29th July
6.00–7.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the park to enjoy nature and the changing seasons
Booking Link

Lammas Walk in the Woods
Tuesday 30th July
6.30–7.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Lammas Stories
Wednesday 31st July
2.00–4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'm running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Monday, 24 June 2024

Lammas Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM


Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this July!


Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Lammas, summer harvest) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 27th July, I’ll be hosting the Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 22nd July.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Lammas Special at 2pm on Saturday 27th July, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

Saturday, 22 June 2024

Midsummer: Day 5


It's the fifth day of our Midsummer celebrations this year, and it was a bit of a busy one (with an absolutely lovely trip out in the evening).

Crumpsall Park Summer Solstice Walk




This morning, I led a Summer Solstice-themed walk for Friends of Crumpsall Park, enjoying the natural world and folklore of the season. As one of the participants was blind, I turned it into a tactile, sensory walk, where we explored the summer through touch, sound and smell instead of sight.

Hannah’s Bookshelf Midsummer Special





This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Midsummer Special on North Manchester FM. I had seasonal flash fiction from twelve writers, plus summer-themed music and some seasonal chat from me. Also... jam tarts!

Cheetham Close Stone Circle






After my show, we headed up to our local stone circle: Cheetham Close in Bolton. We came here last year and just fell in love with the place. Although the stone circle is likely Bronze Age, it was destroyed by a farmer with a sledgehammer in the 1870s. However, some of the stones (or fragments of them) are still there, nestled in the landscape. You have to know where to look, but when you find it, it's truly magical.

Sunny Days Tea



We took a moment at Cheetham Close to enjoy the season, accompanied by a little taste of Sunny Days from Tugboat Tea.

Sunday, 2 June 2024

Events in June 2024



Summer Solstice Walk and Talk in the Woods
Wednesday 19th June
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Summer Solstice Poetry in the Park
Wednesday 19th June
1.00–4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'm running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session in the park for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Summer Solstice Walk in the Woods
Wednesday 19th June
6.30–7.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Summer Solstice Walk in the Park
Saturday 22nd June
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the park to enjoy nature and the changing seasons
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Midsummer Special
Saturday 22nd June
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'm hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Summer Solstice-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 30th June
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Monday, 20 May 2024

Beltane: Day 7


It's the final day of our Beltane celebrations! Just two more seasonal events left before the wheel turns, but they're both good 'uns.

Late Spring Walk in the Park







I led a Late Spring Walk in the Park for Friends of Crumpsall Park this morning. Tons of bluebells, apple blossom and oak leaves to herald the season!

Hannah’s Bookshelf Beltane Special




This afternoon was the Hannah's Bookshelf Beltane Special on North Manchester FM, featuring twelve original pieces of seasonal flash fiction, all inspired by Beltane and the beginning of May.

And so the wheel of the year turns. We'll be celebrating again at Midsummer.