Frome Festival 2007 : Reviews 2007

Words @ Frome Festival 2007

Author: Wendy Miller-Williams

IF THERE is any greater pleasure than reading, it's being read to, so Desert Island Reads proved a highly enjoyable new venture for the Words@Frome Festival group.

Trinity Church Hall was an ideal venue and the eight authors who read short extracts and explained why they had chosen them.

Crysse Morrison organised and chaired the event and the line-up was an all-star cast including Steve Voake, Helena Drysdale, Lindsay Clarke, Andrew Miller, John Payne, Debby Holt, Rosie Jackson and Pip Utton.

Wednesday's event at Rook Lane Chapel had been billed as An Evening With Salley Vickers, but unfortunately Salley had to cancel.

Instead, thanks to chairman Rosie Jackson and the good will and professionalism of the writers, the audience enjoyed the return of Lindsay, Andrew and Debby, from Desert Island Reads, this time to talk about and read from their own work.

At the library, debut authors were showcased when BA students from Bath Spa University read a series of extracts from their recently published anthology of poems and prose entitled, From Pegs To Pens.

Retired vet Malcolm Welshman also entertained his library audience with a lifetime's experience of animal stories - all provided material for his novel Pets In Prospect.

Attendance for both the book-making workshop and the library poetry event with Judith Nicholls was also good.

Judith's session included the prize-giving for the poetry competition.

Entrants had been asked to write an environmental piece beginning: "What on earth are we doing?"

Librarian Wendy Miller-Williams was delighted with the large number of entries.

She said: "It's clear that the children care strongly about their environment, which gives us all hope for the future."

There were four writing workshops, including two based on the theme of green issues, during which Chris Smaje led discussions and introduced his favourite writers.

Thursday's literature highlight, presented by Susan Date and Helen Wynter, featured the lives and work of poets Henry Newbolt and Siegfried Sassoon.

Thirteen shops signed up to host Writers In Residence this year - the event's growing popularity evidenced by the distance some writers had travelled to be a part of this quirky annual writers competition.

Helena Drysdale presented the prizes at Christie's Wine Bar, with the first prize going to Tracy Wall with her poem Mirror Image, which was inspired by sitting in the window at the Garden Cafe.

Alison Clink, who devised and organises the Short Story Prizewinners' lunch, said the contest had attracted more than 500 entries from around the world.

The winner, Geraldine Munns' Issy Remembers, was chosen by Debby Holt.

Wendy Miller-Williams

Words @ Frome Festival 2007

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