Release of Angel Kiss by Laura Jane Cassidy

"Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She’s missing Dublin but she’s making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily – and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable. But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin – followed by strange visions, voices and signs… Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is happening. But then she discovers the unsolved murder that occurred in the village years before....."

This is a short snippet from a new book called Angel Kiss by Laura Jane Cassidy. Angel Kiss is Laura's first book, published by Razorbill/Penguin and available in all good book shops and online since 5 May 2011.

Laura Jane Cassidy was born in 1986 in Co. Kildare in Ireland and has taken time out from her studies at Trinity College Dublin to complete her teen fiction series. She dislikes when people use the Internet to cheat at table quizzes, but likes when they use it to visit her popular blog, laurajanecassidy.com, where she talks about book-related matters as well as playlists, fashion and lots of other stuff.

To keep up to date with Laura's writing world check out her blog: http://www.laurajanecassidy.com/

New Irish Writing

The New Writing Page, edited by Ciaran Carty, appears in Weekend Review in the Irish Independent on the last Saturday of each month and is open to writers who are Irish or who are resident in Ireland.

Entries may be submitted (with a SAE) to: New Irish Writing,The Irish Independent,  27/32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 or via email to newirishwriting@independent.ie. Please include your name, address, email and phone number with your entry.

Stories should not exceed 2,000 words. Up to six poems may be submitted.

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247 Tales

Do you enjoy writing short stories? How about a short short short story? Can you write a story which makes sense in 247 words? 

Welcome to 247tales, the online writing competition that challenges you to to write short stories using 247 words or fewer.

The prize for the winning story is £75 worth of Bloomsbury Children’s books plus a framed copy of your winning story. The winning story will appear on the home page of the 247 tales website and ten runners-up will receive signed copies of the guest author’s latest book and their stories will appear on the website as well.

The closing date for this month's competition is 29 April so get writing your 247 words on the theme of THE JOKE. See http://247tales.wordpress.com/ for entry details and some samples of previous entries.

Get writing!

Calling young poets

The Foyle Young Poets of theYear Award 2011 is open to entry from poets between the ages of 11 and 17.

The competition is free to enter and poets may enter more than one poem, which should be original and unpublished. It can be any length and on any theme.

The deadline for receipt of entries is 31 July.

See www.foyleyoungpoets.org

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Kildare Readers Festival - Where are all the Young People?

The Kildare Readers Festival was launched last week in the Riverbank, Newbridge, Co Kildare. There was one young person in the audience - where were all the other young people?

Organisers: Did you make an effort to invite young people? Do you have a list of local schools? Young people are the future of the arts and yet they are often absent from current events run under the umbrella of arts.

Please Please Please reach out to them and include them - they are an important part of our community and they have much to bring to the conversation around the arts.

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Teen Poetry Challenge 2011

After last year's fantastic response, the 3rd annual Wicklow Arts Festival Young Writer's Competition kicks off again with another poetry challenge for 12 - 18 year olds. Here's the way it works.....

The Challenge:
A 20 line (or less) composition in your own style with your own theme. Up to 3 submissions per person. Send your entry along with your name, contact details & age to info@wicklowartsfestival.ie OR hand it in to Wicklow Branch Library before the closing date of Monday 9th May, 6pm at the latest.

The Judging:
Next, Wicklow Writers Group have a challenge of their own as they have the difficult task of whittling down all of the entries to a final shortlist. The shortlisted writers will be notified (so don't forget your contact details!) and invited to come along to....

The Event:
In Wicklow Branch Library (beside Historic Gaol, Wicklow Town) on Thursday 26th May from 7 to 7.45pm, Wicklow Writers will welcome the finalists & the audience to a recital of the shortlisted poems after which the winners will be chosen by popular vote.

The Prizes:
First = €50,  Second = €30, Third = €20 and all the shortlisted poems will be up here on the website and on the Wicklow Writers blog after the festival.

In association & with thanks to Wicklow Writers & Wicklow Branch Library. For more information please see: http://www.wicklowartsfestival.ie/node/73

Come and join us

We have just established a new creative writing group for young people in Newbridge, Co Kildare. We are based or hosted in Newbridge Library where we will be meeting one Saturday per month.

Our aim is to encourage, nurture and support young adult writers as they find their feet. We also aim to provide a space for them to gather to network and to air and share ideas and writing.

Our first class will take place on Saturday 8 June 2011 in Newbridge Library.

So, if you know or are someone between the ages of 12 and 15/16 who loves writing poetry, prose, essays, short stories, then put them/get in touch with us writeenscene@gmail.com

Come join us - this is going to be fun.

Brenda