The Literary Den website looks brilliant now! It no longer freezes up, it has a new template, new info - it's just amazing! A big well done to Christopher for his hard work (and a thanks to his web designer who made the template for him!!) If you click on the heading of his post you'll be brought to our homepage. You'll see what I mean when you do. And while you're there, check out the forum and all the other stuff we have up there!
Now, onto that New Campaign jazz. We have new goals (Our basic concept is to Education, Encourage and Enjoy) and we're hoping to reach out to schools across the UK and Ireland (myself and Christopher are hoping to get in touch with the individual Ministers for Education - him the UK one, me the Irish... obviously.) With that, we hope to get more members, and help more people. Also, with the Anthology out, it'd be nice for the extra press coverage.
I've not got too much else to say on that. Although the magazine is expanding nicely. Five people interested in working on it so far - Christopher, Rachel, Andrew (AKA Eggy), Claire and I. Together we should be able to do a lot. Rachel has experience with an online magazine, I'm editor of my school's magazine, Christopher is the tech genius (and needs to update the website with new issues anyway), Eggy is predominantly an essay writer anyway, and Claire is starting Journalism. So we should be able to do a good bit of work.
We want to interview authors (published ones, sorry) to help get more attention and bring the group into the limelight (and the authors won't mind the publicity!!) We're also going to have a poetry column, articles on current affairs in the literary world, news, reviews, On the Bedside Table, Short Stories and Letters! Lots of stuff we hope to keep people entertained with while we churn out more and continue to live our own lives!!
With that, I close. Thanks for reading! (tell your friends)
Showing posts with label literary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literary. Show all posts
Monday, September 1, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Literary Den Book of New Fiction - The Present, and the Future!
So you've seen me delighted to have my copy of the book. And now it's time for opinions!! First off, I'll just say it was a delight to get to read the works of the people who have, since it all started, become my friends. Each story was different, thankfully, and gave me a great read.
The Anthology was compiled by Andy Walker, cover designed by Claire Hack, and the poster will be done by Chris Stewart. We wish to continue the Anthology as an annual tradition in the Den, although there is no telling what might happen.
An idea has been suggested for a Literary Den Magazine to give other members a chance at publication. A quarterly magazine, it is suggested, would contain poetry, songs and other such things (including essays of the journalistic sort), as well as news from the Den, and perhaps reviews. Nothing is certain as of yet, except that myself and Rachel Phipps have experience in magazines. It may end up that we be the editors. Then again, maybe not.
So far one person has responded. He's not happy with the idea of poetry. However, if Rachel and I can find a way to persuade him, then it'll go ahead as planned. Hurrah!
The Anthology was compiled by Andy Walker, cover designed by Claire Hack, and the poster will be done by Chris Stewart. We wish to continue the Anthology as an annual tradition in the Den, although there is no telling what might happen.
An idea has been suggested for a Literary Den Magazine to give other members a chance at publication. A quarterly magazine, it is suggested, would contain poetry, songs and other such things (including essays of the journalistic sort), as well as news from the Den, and perhaps reviews. Nothing is certain as of yet, except that myself and Rachel Phipps have experience in magazines. It may end up that we be the editors. Then again, maybe not.
So far one person has responded. He's not happy with the idea of poetry. However, if Rachel and I can find a way to persuade him, then it'll go ahead as planned. Hurrah!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Lit Den Book - Here!!
I got the book today! It took nine days! Longest nine days of my life. But it's worth it. Now I can put pictures like the one below on the internet.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a book to read!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Literary Den Book of New Fiction 2008
The Literary Den Book of New Fiction 2008 is the first book ever that I'm in. I was very excited when Claire Hack (AKA The Rainbow Powered Rocket Rabbit) suggested the idea on our forum! A Literary Den book! After only 6 months the group were planning a large project like no other any of us had ever seen. That is, no one but Samantha Priestley. She was introduced to us by Chris Stewart when her first book, Despite Losing it on Finkle Street, went on sale. So with one published author, a whole bunch of hopefuls, a marketing expert and a very keen editor!
As a group, our first task was to get a name. Many were suggested and shot down in an instant, but finally we ended up with our final title. Then it was Claire Hack's job, after she made a first version, to make a cover for the book.
This is the final version Claire made. It went from being grey, to burnt, to finally ending with the blue tint. Every member voted on what option to use, and we finally ended with this:
The charity was pretty easy for us to agree on. Andy Walker, our final editor, suggested it at the start. We all knew in our hearts it was the best way to go. A charity that helped people our age was a message we liked. After so much hard work put in by us, we want to know it'll be put to good use.
The Laura Crane Trust is the only UK and Ireland based charity that fund research into cancers affecting young people between the ages of 13 and 25. Based in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the charity was founded by Jacquie Roeder, Laura's mother after the latter's untimely death only two weeks after her seventeenth birthday. As cancer in young people can be extremely damaging to their health and their esteem, the LCT aims to improve their lives during treatment as well as funding methods to battling cancer. Cancer in young people spreads and grows quicker than in other age groups because teenagers are going through growth spurts. This makes cases of cancer much worse for them, despite cases of cancer in this age group being rarer.
After months of hard work, the Literary Den had released their book to help the LCT. The battle against cancer just got one more ally. Help us prove that The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.
As a group, our first task was to get a name. Many were suggested and shot down in an instant, but finally we ended up with our final title. Then it was Claire Hack's job, after she made a first version, to make a cover for the book.
This is the final version Claire made. It went from being grey, to burnt, to finally ending with the blue tint. Every member voted on what option to use, and we finally ended with this:
The charity was pretty easy for us to agree on. Andy Walker, our final editor, suggested it at the start. We all knew in our hearts it was the best way to go. A charity that helped people our age was a message we liked. After so much hard work put in by us, we want to know it'll be put to good use.
The Laura Crane Trust is the only UK and Ireland based charity that fund research into cancers affecting young people between the ages of 13 and 25. Based in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the charity was founded by Jacquie Roeder, Laura's mother after the latter's untimely death only two weeks after her seventeenth birthday. As cancer in young people can be extremely damaging to their health and their esteem, the LCT aims to improve their lives during treatment as well as funding methods to battling cancer. Cancer in young people spreads and grows quicker than in other age groups because teenagers are going through growth spurts. This makes cases of cancer much worse for them, despite cases of cancer in this age group being rarer.
After months of hard work, the Literary Den had released their book to help the LCT. The battle against cancer just got one more ally. Help us prove that The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.
Introduction
Greetings all! Welcome to Mightier Than the Sword, a home for the written word. My name is Paul Carroll. I'm one of two founders of The Literary Den, an avid reader, editor for my school's magazine and a writer. Over the course of this blog, I will be leaving reviews on books I enjoyed, be they hardcopies from a bookstore, or internet available books (such as those on Bebo.) I will also be using this chance to tell you all about my own books and work, explain more about The Literary Den, and hopefully persuade you to support our most recent cause - The Literary Den Book of New Fiction.
I'll begin there, if you don't mind. The Literary Den Book of New Fiction was first suggested in September 2007 by a Literary Den member, Rocket Rabbit. Over the following months, fourteen members produced a total of fourteen stories, all in aid of one charity. That charity, is The Laura Crane Trust (reg. 1058464). Set up to fund research into cancers affecting young people between the ages of 13 and 25, The Laura Crane Trust became the first charity The Literary Den decided to support. After a lot of hard work from Andy Walker, a source of knowledge in the Den, as well as a might horror writer, The Literary Den Book of New Fiction 2008 became available to the public. And it hasn't been out too long either! It was only yesterday that I found out it was on sale, due my lack of being online the day before. However, since it's release on Tuesday, it has already sold a fair few (and I mean a few) copies. The Literary Den, and indeed The Laura Crane Trust, need your help to make this project work.
As to my own work, I'll tell you that it is most often compared to X-Men, for my use of the term "mutant." The story is called Geneticide; it's based in a warped version of Ireland, without actually saying that, of course. The term "mutant" is media given, and adopted amongst those with abilities as a way of identifying themselves. There are two generalised views amongst them - those that feel different for having their ability, and those that feel superior for having it. The latter are, of course, the villains. One man in particular, who has given himself the name Number One, despises humans. While the reason for this is revealed in a side story (as part of my Origins stories), I can tell you now, it is not because he was abused for his ability. In truth, he simply enjoys the power.
Now, before I go any further, I suppose I'd better tell you a little more about myself. I'm seventeen years of age, I live in Dublin, and I've got the weirdest tastes in music. Not that the music is weird, just that the genres don't quite fit together. During Transition Year (early 2007 I'm on about now), I got into Soul music, thanks to Irish writer Roddy Doyle and his novel, The Commitments. Sometime around then, my older brother David got me into Muse (I'm sure most people know who they are now.) And most recently I got into Nightwish, the symphonic power metal band from Finland. I also enjoy artists such as Leona Lewis and Rihanna, I can stand to listen to Kanye West, and let's not forget the all important factor that I'm in a gospel choir. Not that I can sing, but my best friend set it up and asked me to join, so I did. We're based in Beaumont if anyone's interested!
As to my tastes in books - the first book I ever truly enjoyed was In Deep Dark Wood by Marita Conlon-McKenna. I read every book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and the Harry Potter books. I love His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, and anything I've read by Garth Nix I've loved. Darren Shan is my connection to horror (and oftentimes mindless slaying) and the cherry on the Kids' Section cake is Michael Scott. I've gotten into Steven Erikson's books (The Malazan Book of the Fallen) and I've read a few David Gemmell books. I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the books following it, and I've started reading Stephenie Meyer's books. I've read everything Dan Brown has published, despite the often pointed out repetitiveness of them. I've also read some titles you may not have heard of, such as Greely's Cove by John Gideon and Despite Losing it on Finkle Street by Samantha Priestley (a member of the Literary Den.)
That's it for now, but remember - The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.
I'll begin there, if you don't mind. The Literary Den Book of New Fiction was first suggested in September 2007 by a Literary Den member, Rocket Rabbit. Over the following months, fourteen members produced a total of fourteen stories, all in aid of one charity. That charity, is The Laura Crane Trust (reg. 1058464). Set up to fund research into cancers affecting young people between the ages of 13 and 25, The Laura Crane Trust became the first charity The Literary Den decided to support. After a lot of hard work from Andy Walker, a source of knowledge in the Den, as well as a might horror writer, The Literary Den Book of New Fiction 2008 became available to the public. And it hasn't been out too long either! It was only yesterday that I found out it was on sale, due my lack of being online the day before. However, since it's release on Tuesday, it has already sold a fair few (and I mean a few) copies. The Literary Den, and indeed The Laura Crane Trust, need your help to make this project work.
As to my own work, I'll tell you that it is most often compared to X-Men, for my use of the term "mutant." The story is called Geneticide; it's based in a warped version of Ireland, without actually saying that, of course. The term "mutant" is media given, and adopted amongst those with abilities as a way of identifying themselves. There are two generalised views amongst them - those that feel different for having their ability, and those that feel superior for having it. The latter are, of course, the villains. One man in particular, who has given himself the name Number One, despises humans. While the reason for this is revealed in a side story (as part of my Origins stories), I can tell you now, it is not because he was abused for his ability. In truth, he simply enjoys the power.
Now, before I go any further, I suppose I'd better tell you a little more about myself. I'm seventeen years of age, I live in Dublin, and I've got the weirdest tastes in music. Not that the music is weird, just that the genres don't quite fit together. During Transition Year (early 2007 I'm on about now), I got into Soul music, thanks to Irish writer Roddy Doyle and his novel, The Commitments. Sometime around then, my older brother David got me into Muse (I'm sure most people know who they are now.) And most recently I got into Nightwish, the symphonic power metal band from Finland. I also enjoy artists such as Leona Lewis and Rihanna, I can stand to listen to Kanye West, and let's not forget the all important factor that I'm in a gospel choir. Not that I can sing, but my best friend set it up and asked me to join, so I did. We're based in Beaumont if anyone's interested!
As to my tastes in books - the first book I ever truly enjoyed was In Deep Dark Wood by Marita Conlon-McKenna. I read every book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and the Harry Potter books. I love His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, and anything I've read by Garth Nix I've loved. Darren Shan is my connection to horror (and oftentimes mindless slaying) and the cherry on the Kids' Section cake is Michael Scott. I've gotten into Steven Erikson's books (The Malazan Book of the Fallen) and I've read a few David Gemmell books. I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the books following it, and I've started reading Stephenie Meyer's books. I've read everything Dan Brown has published, despite the often pointed out repetitiveness of them. I've also read some titles you may not have heard of, such as Greely's Cove by John Gideon and Despite Losing it on Finkle Street by Samantha Priestley (a member of the Literary Den.)
That's it for now, but remember - The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)