Comrades’ update

Posted by Helen | Posted in News, Other events | Posted on 02-05-2012

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So far in 2012, Writers’ Bloc has performed in Glasgow (for Satellite 3), Edinburgh (the Edinburgh International Science Festival) and Heathrow (Eastercon). As if that’s not enough, here are some of the things individual comrades have been getting up to:

  • Andrew C. Ferguson has been in the recording studio with his band Tribute to Venus Carmichael. Download tracks at Tribute to Venus Carmichael’s bandcamp site or get the latest news on Andrew’s brand new blog.

  • Bram E. Gieben’s been editing: Weaponizer Magazine #1 goes on sale tomorrow in the UK and Europe, with a US edition on its way. It includes 50 pages of stories by Andrew J. Wilson and Andrew C. Ferguson among others, all beautifully illustrated, plus comics, and an exclusive interview with China Mieville. Copies are available through the site www.weaponizer.co.uk.

  • Gavin Inglis is running Underword for National Flash Fiction Day on Wednesday 16th May, 7:30-10pm, at the Bongo Club. Details and information on how to submit a flash piece at www.underword.co.uk (submission deadline 7th May).

  • Helen Jackson is interviewing Edinburgh author Roy Gill about his novel The Daemon Parallel at Pulp Fiction on Wednesday 23rd May (doors 6:30pm, reading and interview at 7pm). It’s free and you can get tickets online at The Daemon Parallel Unleashed on Eventbrite.

Plus, Charlie Stross’s latest novel Rule 34 has been shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award. The ceremony’s today. Good luck Charlie!

Writers’ Bloc at Eastercon

Posted by Helen | Posted in Other events | Posted on 03-04-2012

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Writers’ Bloc will be out in force at this year’s British National Science Fiction Convention, Olympus 2012, which is being held at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow, this weekend (06-09 April).

Comrade Wilson will be reviving his surreal chat show “The Last Man in Space” on Friday night: “Direct from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, join notorious fan-turned-filthy-stinking-pro Andrew J. Wilson, his handler Stuart Wallace and a rogues’ gallery of unusual suspects for the chat show from hell. ‘The Larry Sanders Show meets The Twilight Zone, as directed by David Lynch.’ (May contain nuts.)” Confirmed guests include writer Michael Cobley, scholar Dr Antony G. Keen and impresario Ian Sorenson. The show will also feature the live première of the lost classic Sinister Butler of the Daleks. He may also read his poem about Ming the Merciless… “The Last Man in Space” will be held in Room 41 (Winchester) from 21:30 to 23:00.

Find “The Last Man in Space” on Facebook.

Saturday night will see “Writers’ Bloc presents FANtasia”, again in Room 41 (Winchester), from 20:00 to 21:00: “What happens when SF fans find themselves in skiffy stories? Members of Edinburgh’s leading spoken-word performance collective dish the dirt in their own inimitable style. ‘Particularly neat’ (Locus Online). Featuring Mark Harding, Hannu Rajaniemi, Charles Stross, Stuart Wallace and Andrew J. Wilson. This will be a high-octane show featuring some classic stories, some of which will have been tweaked to fit the venue…

Find “Writers’ Bloc presents FANtasia” on Facebook.

Finally, on Sunday comrade Mark Harding’s Mutation Press launches the anthology Rocket Science. The launch is in Room 12 (Tetworth) at 12:00 and the anthology includes a story by comrade Helen Jackson. In the same room at 15:00 there is a panel, “The Science of Rocket Science”, featuring Iain Cairns, David L Clements, Martin McGrath, Deborah Walker, and moderated by editor Ian Sales.

Read the Rocket Science blog.

Wordsmiths at Satellite 3

Posted by Helen | Posted in Other events, Reviews | Posted on 20-03-2012

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Several Writers’ Bloc comrades took part in Wordsmiths – readings by local writers at Satellite 3 last month. The event was co-hosted by Neil Williamson and our very own Andrew J. Wilson and also featured Bram Gieben, Mark Harding and Stuart Wallace plus Glasgow writers Tracy Berg, Elaine Gallagher and Philip Raines.

There’s a great review over at writer Colum Paget’s website The Singularity Sucks. Here’s a taster:

How is it then, that these Glasgow and Edinburgh writers aren’t just hugely world famous? This was the most throughly entertaining thing I attended at the con. All the stories genuinely enjoyable, and each included that vital element that’s so missing from stuff that I read in ‘Year’s Best’: They were fun. FUN. Remember that? Most of the writers proved to be born performers too, putting on accents and obviously enjoying themselves.

Visit The Singularity Sucks to read the full review.

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Posted by Helen | Posted in Bloc events | Posted on 07-02-2012

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Edinburgh International Science Festival
The programme for this year’s Science Festival is out – download the PDF.

Bloc’s next gig will be Brave New Words, at 8pm on Wednesday 4th April, Scottish Storytelling Centre.

How many clones does it take to change a light bulb? Why did the chicken cross the wires? The members of Edinburgh’s premier spoken-word performance collective offer their unique perspectives on science and fiction in all-new stories. Warning: may contain rocket science, brain surgery and assorted nuts!

Tickets are £8/£6 and should be booked through the Science Festival.

Jane McKie launch event

Posted by Helen | Posted in Other events | Posted on 21-11-2011

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Jane McKieComrade Jane McKie, winner of the 2011 Edwin Morgan Poetry Prize, has a new poetry pamphlet coming out next month.

It’s called “Garden of Bedsteads” and is published by Mariscat Press.

The launch is at 6.30 for 7 on December 7th at the Scottish Poetry Library, all friends welcome (free and unticketed).

10 Years: Better Read Than Dead

Posted by Helen | Posted in Bloc events | Posted on 07-10-2011

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Better Read Than Dead posterThursday 27th October 2011, from 8pm
Canon’s Gait, 232 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DQ
Admission: £4.00, £2.00 concessions

10 years of soviet lunacy

Comrades,

To mark 10 years of Writers’ Bloc spoken word performances you are invited to the launch of our new 10 year plan:

Better Read Than Dead

Favourite stories from the past 10 years, plus new initiatives forged in the heat and sweat of the bars of Edinburgh. Presented by comrades old and new.

Highlights include:

  • Will our production targets continue to be gloriously exceeded?
  • Will our drinking consumption continue to be gloriously excessive?
  • Will the return of comrade Stefan – hot from the barricades of Aix-en-Provence – be prevented by the running dogs of revisionism?
  • What is revisionism?
  • Will the regressive ideologies of Halloween – Satanic worship, drugs and orgies – distract our pure-hearted footsoldiers of literary endeavour?

Not so much a 10 year plan as a way of life

Long live the revolution!

Writers appearing at Better Read Than Dead will include: Kirsti Wishart, Andrew C. Ferguson, Jane McKie, Andrew J. Wilson and Gavin Inglis, new members Helen Jackson, Stuart Wallace, Bram E Gieben, Mark Harding.

Plus a special appearance of comrade Stefan Pearson.

Everything you wanted to know about acf, but never got around to asking…

Posted by acf | Posted in News | Posted on 11-09-2011

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http://illicitink.net/ has a new interview with our very own Andrew C Ferguson up…

Electric Lit Orchestra

Posted by Helen | Posted in Bloc events | Posted on 17-08-2011

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I’m pleased to announce…

…drumroll…

…the members of our Electric Lit Orchestra!

On the words, we have: Morag Edward, Andrew C. Ferguson, Bram E. Gieben, Mark Harding, Gavin Inglis, Helen Jackson, Stuart Wallace, Andrew J. Wilson and Kirsti Wishart.

And, providing the music, there’s:

  • The multi-talented Andrew C. Ferguson.

  • The equally multi-talented Bram E. Gieben aka Texture.

  • The wonderful Charlotte Halton on sax teaming up with Kenny MacKay (perhaps best known for being in the Architects of Fear with Andrew J. Wilson?).

  • More from Charlotte Halton in collaboration with Mark Allan (of Isaac Brutal and Shock and Awe) and Kelly Brooks (of Tribute to Venus Carmichael).

  • The amazing Yann Seznec, aka The Amazing Rolo with a new soundscape composed specially for the show.

  • Singers from two brilliant Edinburgh choirs: the Wildfire Women’s Choir and Protest in Harmony.

  • And more!

Electric Lit Orchestra, Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 9-11pm, Charlotte Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh International Book Festival. Why should the story stop when the band comes on?

August events #2

Posted by Helen | Posted in Bloc events, Other events | Posted on 12-08-2011

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Here’s the lastest listing of August activities for the Writers’ Bloc comrades, starting with a Tribute to Venus Carmichael gig tonight:

It’s entirely possible that more shows will be announced, so keep an eye on our events pages for the latest information.

August events #1

Posted by Helen | Posted in Bloc events, Other events | Posted on 22-07-2011

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The Writers’ Bloc comrades will be keeping busy in August. First up, two new Bloc shows:

  • The Writers’ Bloc Think Tank – Wordpower Books, Sunday 14th August 2:30pm, FREE

    Following on from Mr Big Society, we present another show of spoken word and unlikely social policy.

  • Havers and Blethers – Captain’s Bar, Friday 19th August 7:30-8:30pm, FREE

    Including a sneak preview of some of the material for Electric Lit Orchestra

And, don’t forget:

  • Electric Lit Orchestra – Unbound, EIBF, Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 9-11pm, FREE

    This is our main show for August and it’s going to rock! Why should the story stop when the band comes on?

Bloc will also have a table at:

  • Edinburgh Zine & Small Press Fair – The Forest Cafe, Sunday 7th August, 12-5pm, FREE

    For one day only, The Forest Cafe will be turned into a bookshop – featuring rare and hand-made zines, chapbooks, books, CDs and other ephemera.

As if three Writers’ Bloc shows and a book sale weren’t enough, we have confirmation of the first few other shows that will include appearances by Bloc comrades. There will be more to add to this list, so check the Comrades in August 2012 page for the latest updates.

  • Venus in Eclipse – Captain’s Bar, Friday 12th August 7:30-8:30pm, FREE

    Hear parts of the legendary singer-songwriter Venus Carmichael’s life story with performances of her songs by Tribute to Venus Carmichael. Featuring Andrew C Ferguson, Helen Jackson and Kirsti Wishart.

  • Andrew J. Wilson – The Last Man in Space – The Banshee Labyrinth, Tuesday 16th August 9:30-11pm 9:50-10:50pm, FREE

    For one night only, Scottish spacemen, doo-wop devil worshippers and quite possibly the end of the world as we know it. Part of the Free Fringe.

  • Edwin Morgan international poetry prize – EIBF, Wed 17th August, 7-8pm, £10/£8

    Jane McKie has been shortlisted in the prestigious Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition. The prize ceremony, which will include readings, is part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.