The Writing Rammy is our all-ages creative writing competition. Entrants can be 5 or 105 – we believe everyone has a great story in them.
Here’s our winners from 2018. Find out more about the Writing Rammy.
Writing-Rammy-short-story-collection-2018It's a blog and a podcast, about libraries and reading and our love of both. All from Falkirk in beautiful Central Scotland
The Writing Rammy is our all-ages creative writing competition. Entrants can be 5 or 105 – we believe everyone has a great story in them.
Here’s our winners from 2018. Find out more about the Writing Rammy.
Writing-Rammy-short-story-collection-2018Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya and Scott (from Edinburgh Libraries). Today’s episode is all about myths, legends and fairy tales and the books they have inspired.
What we have been reading and listening to:
Tanya has been reading:
Scott has been reading:
And listening to:
Library love..obviously😊 Radio Lab
New and forthcoming adult books:
New and forthcoming children’s titles:
DVD recommendations:
Our Reading Agony this week: ‘My 9 year old daughter has dyslexia and I want to support her with her reading as she’s really behind the others in her class’.
Finally, how about spoken word books – books read onto cd or online – to help her enjoy books in a different way? We have a small selection of books for kids on cd in our libraries and a big selection in our eaudiobooks service, which can be found by downloading our rb digital app (either onto your desktop or onto your phone or tablet) and looking for Falkirk Libraries. I know you have a big selection in Edinburgh Libraries too, and most library services now offer this. All you’ll need is your library card and pin number – if you don’t know your pin number, then ask staff at your local library.
Staff quote of the day “The answer is always Bob”
Our Discussion was all about Myths, legends and fairy tales in books – both novels and non fiction, adult and child
Did You Know? If you enjoyed today’s podcast, then you might also like our videos – we’re on You Tube as Falkirk Libraries. Our most recent videos are some lovely picture books that I read, with a wonderful BSL interpreter signing beside me, finishing up with a rhyme or song – the videos are suitable for hearing or Deaf / deaf little people and adults and we also think they might be useful for autistic kids so they can have a look at the type of thing that happens in our fun weekly storytime sessions. I had a lot of fun recording them
Coming Soon – Writing Rammy
The Rammy Returns! Falkirk Libraries annual short fiction competition, The Writing Rammy, is back for its third year.
The competition is open to all ages, whether you’re 5 or 105! Taking part couldn’t be easier; all you have to do is write a short piece of fiction or poetry about anything you choose. You can even send in entries from your whole family for a chance to claim our Family Rammy prize!
Age categories this year
Look out for writing workshops in libraries this summer. All the entry details are available in libraries and on our website
Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then rate and review us on Apple so that more people can find out about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, or if you’ve got a Reader Agony of your very own then go to www.librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook, Instagram and You Tube or @LibFalkirk on Twitter
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries (special summer) podcast with Vikki and special guest Helen MacKinven. This episode we were chatting with local author Helen about her reading habits and what life’s like as a published author. I asked her about her writing influences and style as well as her tips for budding writers.
We were also treated to two very different readings from her novels. Books mentioned can be found at Falkirk Libraries’ website.
What we have been reading and listening to:
Vikki has been reading:
• Madness Lies, Helen Forbes
Helen’s three best books of 2018 so far:
• This is Going to Hurt , Adam Kaye
• Three Things About Elsie , Joanna Cannon
• The Hearts Invisible Furies, John Boyne
Quote of the episode: “Like friends, you can never have too many pairs of shoes!”
Our discussion: We chatted about Helen’s writing life. Topics included the following:
• Plot and Planning – do you always have your story arc worked out ahead of time?
• How important is a sense of place in your writing?
• What’s your writer’s voice and how did you find it?
• Your favourite character of your own creation so far?
• How do you approach difficult subjects as a writer?
• Your influences past and present
• How useful and or important is Social Media to a modern writer?
• Your writing habitat, best place and time to write etc…
• Writing Tips – a bit of advice you would give to a budding writer
Titles mentioned during our discussion:
• Buddah Da, Anne Donovan
• Smile, Roddie Doyle
• The Trick is to Keep Breathing, Janice Galloway
• Jellyfish, Janice Galloway
• Bantam, Jackie Kay
• Midwinter Break, Bernard MacLaverty
• Talk of the Toun, Helen MacKinven
• Buy Buy Baby, Helen MacKinven
If you live, work, or play in Falkirk, and would like to take part in the Writing Rammy have a look at the Rammy page on our website
Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then tell a friend or colleague about our podcast; or give us a review on iTunes so more people get to hear about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, then go to then go to librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook, or @LibFalkirk on Twitter.