General election for journalists: Which Haribo to vote for?
Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize longlist, Power Plays festival winner, FT Strategies & Google News strategies event, Bloomberg Journalism Diversity program & get published via Your World
My dear wordsmiths,
It’s July 4 in the UK - General Election day and night where journalists everywhere must put instinctive and trained balance aside and decide how to vote. Should it be Haribo’s Starmix, Giant Strawbs, Goldbears or Fangfastics? Of course, other sugary treats to promote energy and help you stay up all night are available. But on election night it’s the fuel of choice for the pocket while lurking in school gyms, public halls and sweaty newsrooms which generally smell of feet all night.
And much like this election, everyone thinks they know which will be the winner - it’s Tangfastics of course. Arguably they are all made in the same factories and equally bad for you but if you’ve been living off Bella Stix strawberries for the last few years, some may need a change. Just saying.
Anyway, in other news, it’s sheep shearing time here in the shire. I’d say the now quite hairy lambs would all feel nice and cool if winter wasn’t back again - they are shivering. I’ve been working at home this work and the sounds of furious bleating from the herd through the window have triggered a few odd looks when I’ve come off mute. I just look innocently back..
I’ve also been playing judge this week for the EVAs - the Enterprise Vision Awards which celebrates women in business. I’ve met some truly inspiring women and it’s giving me ideas..
Bookish newness for you..
(These links are not paid for or sponsored)
To Ease my Troubled Mind: The Authorised Unauthorised History of Billy Childish by Ted Kessler: The life of the British musician, poet and artist maverick Billy Childish chronicled diligently by the author, journalist and former editor of Q Magazine Ted Kessler. To Ease My Troubled Mind is a mosaic portrait collated over a year of interviews with Childish, as well as with close family, ex-girlfriends, band members past and present, friends, foes, collaborators, even his therapist. It is an unflinching, yet frequently spiritual and funny portrait of an artist whose obstacle-strewn upbringing formed the backbone of his work.
The Watch by Karen Woods: Karen Woods is a writer who tell stories about the world she grew up in and her beloved Manchester in all its light and shade. Essentially unable to read until she was 39, Karen has since written 27 books set in and around the dark side of the city. He latest, The Watch, was published on June 20 (Harper Collins) and is set on Manchester’s Manor Estate - a place people want to live - but what if you don’t want to be seen? Behind the tidy front gardens it seems everyone has something to hide - and secrets will out.
News, events and opportunities
Books and writing
Bloody Scotland crime writing festival: The 2024 McIlvanney Prize Longlist has been revealed. The list was selected by an Academy composed of booksellers, librarians, bloggers and broadcasters. The winner will be announced in the ballroom of The Golden Lion Hotel on the opening night of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival which runs from 3–15 September 2024.
The longlist comprises: D V Bishop’s Divine Fury (Pan Macmillan), Chris Brookmyre’s The Cracked Mirror (Sphere), Charles Cumming’s Kennedy 35 (HarperCollins), Andrew James Greig’s The Girl in the Loch (Storm Publishing), Doug Johnstone’s The Collapsing Wave (Orenda), S G Maclean’s The Winter List (Quercus), Val McDermid’s Past Lying (Sphere), Abir Mukherjee’s Hunted (Vintage), C S Robertson’s The Trials of Marjory Crowe (Hodder & Stoughton), Kim Sherwood’s A Spy Like Me (HarperCollins), Doug Sinclair’s Blood Runs Deep (Storm Publishing), Douglas Skelton’s The Hollow Mountain (Polygon).
Blackpool’s The Old Electric theatre: Talented local writer and actress Lindsay Bennett-Thompson (Coronation Street, Vera, Truelove, Boys Like You) as the winner of the theatre’s very first Playwriting Competition which ran as part of its pioneering Power Plays Festival. Lindsay’s inspiring new work Bluebells and Dirty Nappies will be showcased at The Old Electric on Saturday 27 July as the climax to thefestival, which launched earlier this year to support new writing for the stage.
Nine book festivals make joint plea for help : Nine UK literary festivals including Hay Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival have released a joint statement calling for "increased support" now sponsorship by investment firm Baillie Gifford has ended. (story via The Bookseller, linked)
Journalism
Bloomberg Journalism Diversity Program (UK): Applications are now open for the program, which is presented in partnership with the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and the Department of Journalism at City, University of London. During the program, students will have the opportunity to learn about business journalism and how to report on the economy, companies, financial and commodity markets, government and more. It is accepting undergraduate students currently studying at a UK university. The 2024 program will be conducted in-person in London. All costs to participants will be covered; including travel, lodging and meals.
FT Strategies and Google News Initiative: The flagship 2024 flagship summit, "News in the Digital Age", taking place in London on Tuesday September 3. Mirja Cartia d'Asero, Styli C. and Ezra Eeman will be amongst the speakers in discussions on effective strategies for growth amid today's geopolitical and economic landscape and the rapid technological shift already in motion with AI. This is an invite-only event. To express your interest in attending this community-building event that brings together leading media executives, editors and industry thought leaders, please contact programmes@ft.com.
Your World: You can now send your news reports & press releases direct to National World websites along with photos and video. Your reports are also likely to appear in your local newspaper. Just select your local website from the menu. Great for PRs, local clubs and groups plus student journalists looking for a byline.
That’s it! Thanks for reading and happy voting - see you in the new world whatever. If you want to get in touch and take part in my Q&A or simply promote your new book or event, get in touch with the details. And please subscribe and like! Nicola