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As someone who treasures the vibrant arts culture Northern Ireland now enjoys (it was one of my main motivations in starting this blog in the first place), I wanted to write a tribute to Mike Moloney, who died following a tragic accident at his home on 20th April 2013. Mike was from Australia, but moved to Northern Ireland in the eighties, co-founding Belfast Community Circus with Donal McKendry in 1985, a wonderful institution which thrives to this day; teaching, entertaining and inspiring. Between 1992 and 1997 he worked in Northern Ireland prisons as a drama specialist, joining the Prison Arts Foundation in ’97 as a development officer and becoming the organisation’s director in 2005, a post he held until his death. That is a very potted history. I did not know Mike personally, but through my good friend Colleen Eardley, a burlesque and circus performer, and the many wonderful friends and performers I have met through her, I knew who he was, how loved he was and how important he was. Or at least I thought I did. The sheer volume of tributes following his untimely death is overwhelming, never mind the heartfelt, heartbreaking, heartbroken content. Nuala McKeever, Mike’s partner, set up a tribute site in the days following his death, knowing that there was an entire community of people, both here and in Australia, that would need somewhere to come together and share their memories and pain. For what it’s worth, having spoken to Col and other members of Mike’s circus family, I feel my life will be the poorer for never having known him. Those who did, tell me of a man whose most striking quality was that he saw potential, creativity, goodness, something worthwhile, if not downright beautiful, in everyone he met. Whoever you were, whatever you had within you to give, no matter how chewed up, broken down or well hidden it was – stand in Mike’s light for long enough and he would find the best in you and help you make the most of it. It is only right that the words of those who knew him speak about him now that he isn’t here. You can visit www.mikemoloney.net and share any pictures, videos, memories, tributes you wish to. I will give the final words to Colleen. “I first met Mike many years ago when I was a student studying Performing Arts in Belfast. On the first day, you met all of the tutors and each tutor told you a bit about their subject and you got to choose. Mike steps forward and explains Arts in the Community and I was hooked – that was the subject for me. From Taiko drumming to circus skills it was the only subject – not only that I didn’t miss but was early for! Mike also gave me my first gig (and many more after that) and was always on hand to offer advice. What can I say about Mike that hasn’t already been said? Thanks to Mike, I found the type of performing that I love (I was never going to be a great actress), met lifelong friends, was introduced to cabaret, and above all, got confidence in myself. He was a gent. I owe a lot to Mike. It’s hard to imagine Belfast without him. RIP Mike, you are missed and thank you…” #inspired #Belfast #creative #culture #BelfastCommunityCircus #PrisonArtsFoundation #MikeMoloney

Mandie Lowry is an illustrative artist from Belfast who has created some stunning items of upcycled furniture for ReFound. Her imaginative use of materials has seen biro, chalk paint and danish oil employed to create her pieces. Mandie has put together a fabulous tutorial for Patchwork Quill readers to create their own Record Stool. You will need: a wooden stool paintbrushes paint primer black gloss paint other paint colours (emulsion sample pots are inexpensive and come in a great range of colours) quality masking tape, ie. Frog Tape. PVA glue wood/ craft Varnish photocopy of your chosen record (see step 6) ultra-fine grain sandpaper Instructions Step 1: Sand. This is vital, as you will need to remove any existing varnish/paint. Take care to get into the crevices and seams as paint will not adhere properly to any residue of varnish or wax. Step 2: Clean. Even if your stool is a bare wood piece, Iʼd recommend cleaning it with sugar soap to remove any surface dirt. If you donʼt have sugar soap, use a damp cloth, but donʼt saturate the wood. Step 3: Prep. Apply an even coat of primer to the entire stool. Tip: A spray primer is a great way to save time, just make sure you spray from approximately 20cm away and administer in light, even coats. Step 4: Mask. Using a high quality masking tape (eg. Frog tape), apply to the outer rim of the seat, this will enable you to paint the edge and underside of the seat without getting any colour on the top. (In photo I have already applied black gloss to the surface, before masking the rim, however Iʼd advise leaving the top till last!) Step 5: Paint. Bear in mind that the paint finish will only be as good as your brushes; cheap brushes tend to shed and will leave hairs stuck in the paint! Decide whether you want to paint all the legs the same colour, if so you can go ahead and paint all the lower area now. Should you choose to paint each leg a different shade, you will need to mask off the legs accordingly, waiting for the paint to dry on each, before applying tape. Step 6: Vinyl. In order to achieve the ultra-glossy look of vinyl on the top “record” you will need to use a good gloss paint (acrylic or enamel will do). If you intend to paint the record label rather than using a copied image, you should mask off this centre area before painting (I have used a large jam jar lid, which I weighed down with a small paint tin, to keep it in place.) If you wish to use a copied label, you can just go ahead and paint the entire seat in black. I recommend spraying the top if possible as this gives the smoothest finish – but be sure to COMPLETELY cover the lower part of the stool before you spray, in order to protect your paintwork (a plastic bag taped around the lip of the seat works well, but avoid using newspaper, as the newsprint tends to transfer onto the painted surface). Once again, apply in light, even coats, allowing each to dry in between. Tip: lightly sanding between coats, with an ultra-fine grain sandpaper will result in the best overall finish. Step 7: Detail. When in comes to customising, you can paint the centre ʻlabelʼ of the record yourself, or you can photocopy a favourite record to create the label. Youʼll need to get a good color copy, using better quality paper than your average printout. Then all you need to do is cut out the middle section, ready to apply to your stool. Alternatively you may choose to make a label by hand, personalised with a name perhaps. Apply your label using a light coat of PVA glue, or spray glue (such as Spray Mount) if you have it. Step 8: Finish. You can use a spray varnish or a paint-on one over your stool, but be sure to allow to dry between each new application. It is very important to take care when applying over the surface of the recordʼs label, as you do not want to soak the paper and cause it to bubble – 1-2 coats is all that should be applied to this area. If you are using a spray varnish, treat the label beforehand with a light coat of PVA over the face of it, to prevent the spray from bleeding the ink. When the varnish has dried, your record should be complete. 🙂 ~ I absolutely LOVE this tutorial and can’t wait to pick up an old stool at a thrift shop and get to work! Please get in touch with your pictures if you try this tutorial – use the form above or send them to me on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t forget, ReFound are holding their Pop-Up Home event this weekend, 12 and 13 October, with a cocktail reception between 4 and 6pm on Saturday. See their Facebook page for more event details! #ReFoundonline #upcycling #ReFound #MandieLowry #howtoupdatefurniture #usingarecordinupcycling #ReFoundMakes #MondayMakes #usingrecordinart #records #howtopaintwoodenfurniture #inspiration #upcyclingfurniture

In my last post, A Crafty Plan, I pledged to get pro-active with my crafting and I’m pleased to report I actually got off my backside and did! Through my Facebook page for The Patchwork Quill, I discovered the Belmont Craft Circle, headed up by a lovely woman called Ruth. When I bemoaned the fact I couldn’t come along to their new beginner’s sewing class due to work commitments, she immediately got in touch with Jan, who was just beginning a class at the Ballybeen Women’s Centre in Dundonald. A few online messages and texts later and I’m driving through Dundonald on Thursday evening with the beloved Singer in the boot of my car… and I’m running half an hour late with only a vague idea of where I’m going. (Those who know me will be highly amused but not in the least surprised by this.) Despite being late, I’m welcomed in to the little class (eight of us in total) with warm smiles and introductions and invited to get my machine plugged in and catch up. There are a few oohs and aahs when I unveil the old girl. (“Oh my mum used to make our clothes on a machine just like that!”) However, it’s not long before her age and my lack of maintenance and experience are glaringly obvious. We’re starting off this week by making a simple pocket tissue case and I’m handed a printed sheet of instructions and pointed toward the materials and equipment. We cut two 7″ by 6″ pieces of fabric (kindly provided by Jan) and two strips of fabric, 2″ by 6″. All the material is ironed (an iron is just as important as a sewing machine, according to our wise leader!) and then we iron the two strips in order to create two pieces of binding, or edging, if you like. First, each strip is folded lengthways and ironed to create a crease in the middle. Next, each ‘half’ we’ve created is folded in towards the middle crease and ironed in place – you’ve folded each half in half lengthways again. Then, keeping it like this, you fold the strip in half lengthways again and iron. Essentially, leaving you with a piece of folded material about a quarter of the width of the original strip. Sorry I didn’t take more detailed or ‘step by step’ pictures, I was focused on keeping up with the rest of the class! We were then to take our pieces of binding and sew them in to place on each shorter end of the two larger bits of material, which we had placed together, wrong sides facing. Holding the binding in place on the end, ready to be sewn on. Then the piece was to be folded up with the two bits of sewn-on binding meeting each other, a seam of about an inch or so sewn down the two sides (at right angles to the binding), turn the piece inside out and… voila! Your tissues need never be seen naked again! Except… this is as far as I got (see pic to right). My piece, with gapped stitching. In background, a test piece being (unsuccessfully!) tried in the machine after re-threading. The machine had been working OK. I had done my practice straight lines earlier in the class – they were a bit tight and bunchy and not very straight but they were there and would have held a garment in place. But as you can see, when I got through one stage of this project, the thread started to work itself loose, leaving gaps in my sewing and eventually, refusing to sew at all. Jan reckons it is just a case of playing around with tensions and stitch lengths, with the possibility that the tension in the lower bobbin may need adjusted. Given that I haven’t had the machine serviced, and had been planning to give it an MOT anyway, I thought this was the perfect time to leave it in to the sewing machine clinic. So today (Saturday) I popped in to the Singer Sewing Machine Centre on Sandy Row in Belfast and spent an enjoyable twenty minutes or so chatting to proprietor Gwyneth. She took the machine, gave me a handwritten receipt (I LOVE a handwritten receipt) and told me to call on Monday at which point, they would tell me how much it would cost to service the machine and get my approval before going ahead. I love this kind of old fashioned service, great to see it is alive and well in Belfast. The shop stocks a number of machines, with the most popular being Pfaff but she recommended a couple of reasonably priced Bernina models when I enquired about budget friendly modern options for me. A few anecdotes later, including power outages caused by working on previously-tinkered-with machines and a few interesting tales about gentleman knitters and ninety-year-old nuns buying their first sewing machines, I was headed back to Lisburn with a smile on my face. It was then I remembered about the jumbo 10mm knitting needles I recently acquired, so I called in to BP Sew and Knit in Market Square. This is one of my favourite craft and sewing shops – brilliantly stocked and staffed by crafting experts always happy to answer questions and give you their time. Buttons!! I was looking for some really chunky wool to use on the needles and again, the shop didn’t disappoint. This is Life Super Chunky by Stylecraft, ideal for 10mm needles, in colour ‘Denim Mix’ (2373). I couldn’t resist a bit of embroidery thread for some friendship bracelet making… or these GIANT MONOCHROME BUTTONS! There are so many things I could do with these – customise old jackets, turn into brooches, necklaces or earrings – but these particular buttons are going to be my first glue gun project, brightening up a pair of shoes. The plan for next week’s sewing class is to make a cushion cover, so hopefully the Singer will be serviced and I’ll have gained a little crash course from Gwyneth in threading and tensions before Thursday rolls around again. Wish me luck! REMEMBER! You can vote for my post ‘A Fatal Cut’ in the Best Blog Post Category. You’re allowed to vote once a week, every week from any one computer and the five posts with the least votes get cut every week. Every vote counts, even when voting reopens. Click here and scroll down to The Patchwork Quill if you’d like to vote for me! Thank you! Voting is now closed; thank you for all your votes! #sewing #knitting #creative #fabric #making #handmade #craft #learning

I’m so cross at myself for not posting this a few weeks ago! Three Saturdays ago, my mum, granny, sister and I drove to the Flax Gallery in Newtownabbey’s Mossley Mill to see Aspects of the Lough; an exhibition by East Antrim Artists celebrating the Belfast Lough which they all live near in Whitehead. Unfortunately, I just found out the exhibition finished last weekend! So I’m really sorry that I didn’t blog about this in time for anyone who hasn’t been to go and visit, but hopefully you’ll enjoy my pictures and maybe be inspired to visit this beautiful museum and gallery some weekend. Co-owner John Campbell was responsible for expanding the mill and surrounding village, setting up a school and improving working and living conditions for employees. Last century, it was amalgamated with Barbour Threads in Lisburn to become Barbour Campbell Threads, before being bought over again in 1993 by Herdmans Flax Spinners of Sion Mills and finally closed as a working mill in 1995. Newtownabbey Borough Council bought the site in 1996, converting part of it for use as the Council Civic Centre and the other buildings becoming Theatre at the Mill, Museum at the Mill, and the Flax Gallery, to name a few. Just out of shot at the bottom right of the picture above is a door which brings you straight in to the museum, in what was once the wet spinning floor of the Campbells’ mill. Imaginative pieces of art greet you from the very entrance, with the original, enormous flax loom providing the centrepiece of an informative and well stocked museum. Giant daffodil at the museum entrance. Painted glass artwork, depicting the many different uses of Mossley Mill today and in yesteryear. The original looms. Museum exhibit. Once you walk the length of the museum, a door at the end of the room leads through to the Flax Gallery, where Aspects of the Lough was (then!) showing. The artists had each created at least one painting, often several, exploring their emotional connection to their loughside homeland. I was really impressed by the diversity on offer – there were the water-based landscapes you’d expect but also bold oil studies, atmospheric sunsets and clever mixed media pieces. Polly, Granny and Mum picking out their favourites. From top left, clockwise: Chain; Bollard; Anchor; Decaying Wood. All by Lorna Greenwood. Vivienne Catling’s textile based artwork is simply entitled Embroidery. Annabella Noviello’s Rope in Belfast Harbour. We loved the amazing texture and sense of light Annabella achieved on the rope. Sunset 2 (part of a two-piece set) by Shirley Snook. Dramatic Belfast Blitz depiction from Joanne Campbell. Click here for a leaflet of upcoming exhibitions at the Flax Gallery. Email shirleysnook@hotmail.com with any enquiries about the East Antrim Artists. #flax #art #painting #EastAntrimArtists #mill #design #BelfastLough #Belfast #industry #creative #culture #diversity #museum #water #linen #artist #colour #NorthernIreland #exhibition #EastAntrim #Antrim #heritage #Newtownabbey

Another varied week of things to see and do in Northern Ireland. Celebrate the vibrancy of African culture, enjoy maritime merriment or settle in for a movie marathon. Read on to find out more! Monday 19 – Sun 25 May Belfast Africa Week 2014, various locations Coordinated by the African and Caribbean Community Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI), this is a festival celebrating the vibrant culture of one of NI’s biggest minority ethnic communities. There are exhibitions, workshops, literary events, cookery demonstrations and music. One of the highlights looks set to be the AfricaFest family cultural day at Skainos on Saturday. Magwere will perform, and there’s a Fashion Against Hate event in the Skainos Square in the afternoon. Contact ACSONI for more information. Monday 19 May Belfast Sing For Life choir with Bart Players – The Canon Lindsay Hall, 7.30pm The Sing for Life community choir, developed in partnership by Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and Crescent Arts Centre, is joining with one of Belfast’s leading amateur drama groups, Bart Players. Compered by the BBC’s Noel Thompson, the evening will feature songs, drama and comedy, with proceeds split between the choir and St Bartholomew’s Church roof fund. At the end of the evening there will be a complimentary supper provided by the Bart Players. Tickets are £10 (£8 conc) and available online from the Crescent Arts Centre or by ringing 028 9024 2338. Tuesday 20 – Sat 24 May Ballyclare Ballyclare May Fair Festival, various locations Traditionally a horse trading event, the May Fair has grown into a five-day festival of family-friendly events, including the Mayor’s Parade, concerts, food exhibitions, and competitions. All of the details are up now on the website. Wednesday 21 May Belfast / Coleraine X-Men Double Bill – Movie House Cinema, 9.15pm A real treat for X-Men fans this Wednesday. Movie House Cinemas present a special double bill, beginning with X-Men: First Class (2D) at 9.15pm followed straight after by a screening of the latest film in the franchise, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2D) at 00.01. This is available in the Dublin Road and Cityside cinemas in Belfast and in Coleraine’s Movie House. Tickets are £10 per person and available online. Friday 23 May Lisburn ISLAND Music Club with Ronnie Greer – Island Arts Centre, 8pm Legendary jazz and blues guitarist Ronnie Greer hosts this special evening of music in Lisburn. He will be joined by singer songwriter Gráinne Duffy on guitar and vocals, and John McCullough on piano. Tickets are £10 and can be booked online or you can contact the box office on 028 9050 9254. Friday 23 May – Sunday 1 June Ballycastle / Rathlin Island Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival A celebration of the rich and diverse maritime culture of the area, the festival is centred on Rathlin Sound, the body of water that lies between Rathlin Island and Ballycastle. A sailing regatta, food, music, craft, exhibitions and family events make this a packed week plus of fun. Download the events programme and find out more on the website. Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 May Belfast 4th Northern Ireland Tattoo Convention – Ulster Hall Artists from all over Ireland and beyond will be in the Ulster Hall for two days of what organisers succinctly describe as “ink, drink, music, fun and great artists”. For tattoo admirers and collectors alike, admission is £12. The event runs on Saturday between 11am and 9pm and on Sunday between 10.30am and 8pm. These events and everything else happening this week can be found in the What’s On calendar Got an event you’d like to see here? Get in touch: #noelthompsonbbc #xmendaysoffuturepast #xmennorthernireland #islandmusicclublisburn #cinemanorthernireland #ballyclare #grainneduffy #Belfast #whatsoninlisburn #xmenfirstclass #africafest #ulsterhall #xmenfilm #northernirelandtattooconvention #rathlinisland #ronniegreer #af #bartplayers #africadaynorthernireland #islandartscentrelisburn #AfricanandCaribbeanCommunitySupportOrganisation #moviehousecinemas #johnmccullough #skainos #rathlinsoundmaritimefestival #ballyclaremayfairfestival #singforlifechoir #whatsoninbelfast #xmenmoviehouse #CrescentArtsCentre #africaweek2014 #xmendoublebill #whatsoninnorthernireland #acsoni

Art, music, TV tributes and Titanic running efforts – all in this week’s What’s On guide. And with British Summertime kicking in, we may have lost an hour’s kip at the weekend but now there’s a ‘grand oul’ stretch in the evenings’ – so go out and make the most of that extra daylight! Tuesday 1 April Belfast Foreigner with special guests – Waterfront Hall, 8pm Eighties rock is coming to the city on Tuesday night with legendary band Foreigner taking to The Waterfront stage. Their biggest hits included Cold As Ice, Waiting For A Girl Like You, Say You Will, and of course, the epic I Want To Know What Love Is. Don your tightest denim and leather and get ready for a trip down memory lane. Tickets £33/£38 from The Waterfront box office. Wednesday 2 April Belfast Making Connections: Curious Beasts (printmaking) – Ulster Museum, 1 – 4.30pm Making Connections runs in the museum on the first Wednesday of every month, offering additional programming specifically for anyone aged 50+. Today, artist Jill McKeown leads a print workshop inspired by the exhibition Curious Beasts. Book your place by phoning 028 9039 5080/5081. See the website for more details and for future Making Connections events. Thursday 3 April Belfast Seinfest – The Black Box, 8pm. The Belfast Film Festival began last Thursday 27 March and continues until this Saturday 5 April. Bunch of Cults – the folk who have previously brought Twin Peaks and Naked Gun evenings to the BFF – are back with a celebration of one of America’s best loved comedies. There’ll be a screening of five Seinfeld episodes, an Elaine ‘dance off’, competitions and all followed by a ‘Kramania club night’. Check out the Facebook event page to vote for your favourite episodes to be shown. Entry is £6 – click here to buy tickets. Belfast Belfast Photo Festival, Youth Edition – Various locations, until 30 April This new festival, a spin-off of the International Belfast Photo Festival, has events and exhibitions for and involving young people throughout the month. Tonight’s opening events are Last Day at Seventeen, a collaborative project between photographer Doug Dubois and a group of young people to capture a snapshot of life in Ireland, and How We Learn, an exhibition at Belfast Exposed exploring how children learn. Visit the website for all the details and a full programme of events. Friday 4 April Belfast Fame: Not The Musical – The MAC, 7.45pm Comedian David Baddiel arrives in Belfast with his first full show in over fifteen years. It’s a tongue-in-cheek autobiographical show, in which he “examines his strange relationship with the New Lad/Token Jew/Comedy rock’n’roller/Football singer-songwriter that people see him as”. Tickets are £20, available from The MAC website. Saturday 5 April Lisburn Amanda’s Belfast Community Gospel Choir NYC Fundraiser – R-Space Gallery, 7.30pm – Midnight A long-time friend of the Quill, Amanda Kirkpatrick is a member of Belfast’s favourite choir, who are bringing their musical message of love and unity to The Big Apple in May of this year. Their aim is to represent “the positive side of Northern Ireland” to an international audience. Each choir member has to pay their own flights, at a cost of around £400, so Amanda is putting on an evening of music and entertainment to raise some of the cash. It’s BYO, with a £5 suggested donation at the door. Visit the Facebook event page for more. Sunday 6 April Belfast Titanic Quarter 10k and Family Fun Run The TQ 10K is the official Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon warm-up race. The route will be the same as last year – starting and finishing at the public realm space at Abercorn Residential Complex (ARC) – and the family fun day will provide a range of activities for spectators to enjoy before, during and after the race. For all the info, race times and entry fees, visit the website.

Another new post! Every Sunday I’ll be bringing you my pick of cultural, crafty and creative happenings in Northern Ireland during the week ahead. You can also check The Patchwork Quill’s What’s On calendar at any time for upcoming and recurring events in the days, weeks and months ahead. Do get in touch if you know of anything I should be including here. I’m very conscious that most of the things that catch my eye are Lisburn- or Belfast-centric – I want to learn more about what’s happening in the rest of the country and include a wide variety of events from across NI, so please point me in the right direction! Belfast Restaurant Week – Belfast, Sat 5 – Sat 12 October Monday sees the city’s week long food-lovers’ festival entering its third day. Restaurants and eateries across the city are hosting events and putting on special dishes and offers, with the opening event, Taste and Dine at City Hall, launched on Saturday by Celebrity Masterchef finalist Hardeep Singh Kholi. A range of events have already taken place over the weekend, including a lunch and book reading in Ryan’s Bar, hosted by local author AGR Moore (subject of the most recent PQ Q&A). Download the full programme and check the website for updates. The Cinemagic Festival – Fri 4 October – Friday 18 October The annual International Film and Television festival for young people kicked off in Belfast on Friday but there is still nearly a fortnight of screenings, workshops and events to be enjoyed. There is an educational element aimed at nursery, primary and post-primary children; a schedule for children and families and programmes for both young people between the ages of 12 and 16, and for those between 16 and 25. Check out the website to see what events are on this week. MADE festival at The MAC – 7 October – 13 October For the second year in a row, the MAC has been handed over to 14 to 18 year olds to present Music, Art, Dance, Everything. There are free exhibitions on all week, such as the Craftivism: Craftivist Exhibition, and paid workshops including Stop Motion Animation workshops for the princely sum of £3. See the website for the full programme. Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts and Film Festival – Throughout NI, Thurs 10 – Sun 13 October The first ever NIMHAFF will be a celebration of mental health, that also challenges stigma and encourages recovery and wellbeing. Northern Ireland is the last region of the UK to have an arts festival focused specifically on mental health, and it’s hoped it will become a popular annual fixture. Events range from the serious and thought-provoking to lighthearted and fun and everything is free of charge. Visit the website and Facebook page for more information and the full programme. Improve Your Home Show – Belfast, Sat 12 and Sun 13 October This year’s two-day roadshow is split into five zones – Living Space; Energy & Technology; Kitchens & Bathrooms; Gardens & Outdoor Space and Interiors. This year, Habitat for Humanity will be at the show – the building charity will be accepting donations to their Habitat Restore shop, as well as showcasing what can be done with the furniture and home improvement materials they sell at knockdown prices. Visit the website. Tickets are £6 and can be bought here, or sponsors Phoenix Gas are offering free tickets if you sign up for their mailing list. ReFound Pop Up Home – Belfast, Sat 12 and Sun 13 October Artistic upcycling collective, and Patchwork Quill favourite, ReFound is transforming its Wellington Place showroom into a pop-up house this weekend. There’s a cocktail reception on Saturday and everyone is invited to ‘pop in’ and view a host of new products and collections to inspire your own home décor. Visit the Facebook events page to find out more. #belfastfestivals #HabitatRestoreNI #ReFound #ReFoundpopuphome #belfastrestaurantweek #HabitatforHumanity #cinemagic #whatsoninbelfast #WhatsoninNI #MADEattheMAC #MADEfestival #ImproveYourHome #cinemagicfestival

I have finally begun to make my own clothes on the sewing machine! Being an absolute beginner, and pretty much teaching myself at this stage, I decided to start with skirts. For my first skirt, I used my favourite crafting book, Yeah I Made It Myself! DIY Fashion for the not very domestic goddess by Eithne Farry. The title alone made me fall in love with this book, but inside is a great little guide which gave me the confidence to start using a sewing machine in the first place, despite not really being sure what I was doing. While Eithne does take you comprehensively through all the basic stitches and techniques, her philosophy is to just get cracking and follow your creativity and desire for self-expression more closely than sewing manuals and conventional ideas. As she says, it’s about “making unique clothes and having fun while you’re doing it”. So I flicked to page 111 for her A-line skirt tutorial, which is what I used to make this. Not great pictures, but they were taken in the wee hours after several hours of sewing, so no natural light and a very tired photographer/model! You cut out 2 x A-line skirt shapes in your chosen material; each a “triangle with a flattened top” as the author aptly puts it. Eithne works in centimetres but, despite being taught metric measurements in school, I prefer to work in inches – I don’t know why! The book says the top edge of the skirt fabric should be 50cm and the bottom edge 70cm. These measurements were a bit big for me, so I just measured around my hips, added 2″ for seam allowance and darts and added about 40% to this number to get the measurement of the bottom edge. A bit like this; excuse the childish illustration – it’s the best I can do right now! After doing a zig-zag stitch along each edge to prevent fraying, you sew your darts. This is a pretty good instructional video on sewing darts, but once you have pinched the triangle together as the tutor shows, I would run an iron over that to keep the dart in place before you sew. Then, placing your two pieces of fabric right sides together, you sew an 18cm zip into one of the sides of your skirt. I did a centred zip, which uses topstitching and places the teeth of the zip in the middle of a seam. This is a brilliant tutorial, and the masking tape idea for marking out where to stitch is ingenious. It’s a fairly simple technique, although I stupidly didn’t attach the zipper foot to my sewing machine, so it was a little messier than it should have been. Not terrible though. Then, keeping the two pieces of fabric right sides together, you sew up the other side seam. The book advises at this point to sew the hems on your waistband and bottom edge, but I find this really hard to do once you’re working with a ‘tube’ of fabric, so I did the hems before this; after putting my darts in and before I did my zip. Today, I used the same basic technique to make a miniskirt out of duvet cover fabric I bought from a charity shop. I adjusted the measurements, used a shorter zip, and lined the skirt with a light blue fabric. Let me know what you think of my efforts, and do get in touch to let me know what you are making! #learningtosew #hems #yeahimadeitmyself #learntosew #sewing #sewingbook #sewskirt #eithnefarry #makeyourownclothes #howtosewdarts #sewingdarts #creative #howtosewazip #darts #sewingazip #MondayMakes #making #sewingmachine #howtomakeaskirt #sew #howtouseasewingmachine #make #zipperfoot #handmade #miniskirt #craft #learning #howtosewacentredzip #ThePatchworkQuill #sewingmanual

Tomorrow ArtsEkta brings one of their flagship events back to Belfast – the traditional Indian festival of Holi, or as it’s more widely known, The Festival of Colours.Most people are familiar with the iconic imagery of the colour powder party element of the festival – people transformed into walking, giggling rainbows, with starbursts of vibrant pinks, oranges, blues and greens exploding left, right and centre. I myself experienced it for the first time last year, when my sister and I went to Holi at the King’s Hall complex. It was just a lovely event and we truly experienced the essence of the festival, which, as well as welcoming the coming of Spring, is traditionally focused on rekindling or creating friendships and relationships. We bumped into old friends and made new ones we’re still in touch with to this day. Click here (skip to 1:24:20) to listen to Mukesh Sharma chatting about Holi to John Toal today on BBC Saturday Magazine and playing some fusion music with a group of other artists who will be performing on the day. Below is the full programme for tomorrow. This year it’s being held in a giant marquee in Custom House Square, which I think will be an even better venue than last year and it’s great to see it back in the city centre. There will be delicious food from around the world, live music and dance as well as a variety of stalls to browse – everything you’d expect from an ArtsEkta festival. Please let me know if you head to the Festival of Colours tomorrow – I have had to pull out of volunteering at it due to an ear infection and I’m gutted to be missing it this year. Share your comments below and show me your pics from the day on Facebook! Happy Holi! #colourpowderparty #art #festival #KingsHall #CustomHouseSquare #ArtsEkta #multicultural #creative #culture #diversity #India #Spring #party #friends #colour #arts #fun #Ireland #Holi #FestivalofColours #family

Literature, upcycling, history, surfing, music and craft – just a few of the fabulous things you can experience in Northern Ireland this week. Not to mention Easter! Bear in mind the Easter opening hours come into play for pubs and clubs this weekend – bars will stop serving alcohol at midnight on Thursday and Saturday, are only allowed to serve alcohol between 5pm and 11pm on Friday and can only serve alcohol on Sunday up to 10pm. Forewarned is forearmed – don’t be giving the hardworking bar staff of NI a hard time (spot the former bartender!) and certainly don’t let it stop you having fun. Get out and enjoy everything that’s on this week! As ever, you can keep up to date at any time by checking the What’s On Calendar and do get in touch if I’ve missed anything, or you have a great suggestion for a future WoTW. Monday 14 April Cookstown Holy Trinity College Junk Kouture Exhibition – The Burnavon Theatre (1 April – 30 April) The Quill has just discovered this excellent exhibition of trash-to-fashion creations, which opened at the beginning of the month. The Junk Kouture initiative invites second level students in Ireland and NI to upcycle everyday rubbish into high-end wearable outfits. The Holy Trinity College have enjoyed great success in the competition and this year, 10 of their 28 entries have made it through to the Ulster finals. Visit the website for more details on the exhibition. Tuesday 15 April Belfast Anniversary of the Belfast Blitz – Northern Ireland War Memorial, Talbot Street, 12.30 – 1.30pm Today is the 73rd anniversary of the beginning of the Belfast Blitz, German airstrikes during World War 2 that killed 900, injured 1,500 and destroyed around half of Belfast’s homes. The Northern Ireland War Memorial is holding an event to mark the anniversary – the full programme for the day is available here. They are also hosting a temporary display from the scrapbooks of John Potter, a schoolboy travelling through Belfast in 1941. Wednesday 16 April Belfast Launch of new direction for Craft NI’s exhibition space – Craft NI @ Cotton Court, 12pm Craft NI have announced an open invitation to their launch of new plans for the exhibition space at Cotton Court. As well as displaying works from the Arts Council collection, the space will also now offer a resource to designer-makers and the public alike, with magazines, journals and exhibition catalogues being made available for reading and research. The launch is free to attend, with no booking required. Belfast Literary Lunchtime with Lucy Caldwell – Ulster Hall, 1pm The last in this year’s series of Literary Lunchtimes sees Belfast-born novelist and playwright Lucy Caldwell reading to an audience in the Group Space at the Ulster Hall. Caldwell has published three novels, the latest of which – All The Beggars Riding – was the focus of last year’s One City One Book initiative in Belfast and Derry. Belfast Lawrence Street Workshops Film Night (The House I Live In), 8.30pm The House I Live In is described as “a penetrating look inside America’s criminal justice system”, exploring the human rights implications of the USA’s drug policy and presenting the country’s ‘war on drugs’ as a tool of money-making and social control. For more details, visit the Facebook event page. Thursday 17 April Various locations Circuit of Ireland Rally – beginning 9am Ulster Folk & Transport Museum (continues until Sat 19 April) Following the Qualifying Stage on Thursday at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, the ceremonial start begins from 6pm outside Belfast City Hall. The stages take place on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, with Downpatrick, Hillsborough Castle and Banbridge regroups, plus visits to the service park in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. There are also two street stages in Lisburn and Newtownards. For further race and event details, see the website. Friday 18 April Armagh Opening of Armagh Photographic Competition and Exhibition – Armagh County Museum, 10am – 5pm (exhibition continues until Sat 14 June) Today marks the opening of entries for this year’s competition, as well as the exhibition of last year’s winning entries. You can enter photographs in a range of categories, including colour, black and white and under 18, and entries close on Saturday 29 March. Sponsored by Bennett’s Photoshop, winners will receive Bennetts vouchers, with the overall winner presented with the Bennetts Cup. Find out more, including opening times, on the website. Belfast Lisnagarvey Art Society Exhibition – Malone House, continues until Sat 4 May. The Lisnagarvey Art Society is a collective of talented amateur artists with a 30-year history. The Lisburn-based group are currently showing a collection of member paintings in the Higgin Gallery in Malone House. With a wide range of styles and mediums, this is an eclectic exhibition which will appeal to all art lovers. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12 – 4.30pm on Sunday. Saturday 19 April Omagh Easter Celebrations – Ulster American Folk Park, 10am – 5pm (Sat 19 to Mon 21) Walking down the Park’s Shipbuoy Street this weekend, you will be transported back to a typical Spring Fair of 1914. Chat to the stallholders, shopkeepers, travelling journeymen and entertainers, try some traditional crafts or help feed the spring lambs and young chicks. There will be storytelling sessions for all the family, and energetic visitors can enjoy a spring-time hoe-down in the Pennsylvania Barn. Find out more, including admission prices, on the website. Belfast By Any Means 5th Birthday Show – The Limelight 2, 5pm Belfast-based hardcore band By Any Means are blowing out five candles on the cake today, and The Distortion Project is hosting this epic show to help them celebrate. With support from Cursed Sun and All The Kings Ashes, it’s one not to miss for NI’s metal and hardcore fans. Admission is only £5 and there will be drinks promos on the night. Portrush Causeway Coast Surf Festival – West Strand, Portrush, 9am (continuing through Saturday and Sunday) The highlight of this two-day festival is undoubtedly the independent Portrush Open Surf Contest, with seven different competition categories. Registration opens at 9am, with first heats in the water beginning at 10am. Alongside the surfing, you can enjoy music, art, film and photography in the festival marquee and a host of activities and sights, including a climbing/abseiling wall, a surfers’ marketplace, beach volleyball, surf lessons and loads more. Find out more on the website. #artscouncilcollection #junkkouture #belfastblitz2014 #easteropeninghoursnorthernireland #traditionalcrafts #thedistortionproject #upcycledfashion #armaghcountymuseum #TitanicQuarter #allthekingsashes #NorthCoast #upcycling #circuitofirelandrally2014 #whatsoneasternorthernireland #hardcorenorthernireland #limelightbelfast #belfastblitzanniversary #metalcore #hoedown #niwm #onecityonebook #gigsnorthernireland #ulsterhall #hillsborough #thelimelight #artscouncilni #omagh #cookstown #johnpotter #hardcore #CraftNI #belfastblitz #armaghmuseum #downpatrick #Pennsylvaniabarn #Easter #lawrencestreetworkshops #limelight2 #springfair #ulsterfolkandtransportmuseum #shipbuoystreet #metalnorthernireland #holytrinitycollege #artresearchnorthernireland #gigsbelfast #launchofnewdirectionforcraftnisexhibitionspace #WhatsOnThisWeek #lawrencestreetworkshopsfilmnight #portrushopensurfcontest #surfingnorthernireland #byanymeans #bennettsphotoshop #literarylunchtime #NorthernIreland #bennettscup #whatsonomagh #Lisburn #portrush #holywood #cursedsun #armaghphotographiccompetitionandexhibition #allthebeggarsriding #northernirelandwarmemorial #metal #lucycaldwell #hillsboroughcastle #whatsonportrush #whatsonarmagh #metalbelfast #causewaycoastsurffestival #banbridge #ulsteramericanfolkpark #thehouseilive #causewaycoast #warondrugs

Literature, upcycling, history, surfing, music and craft – just a few of the fabulous things you can experience in Northern Ireland this week. Not to mention Easter! Bear in mind the Easter opening hours come into play for pubs and clubs this weekend – bars will stop serving alcohol at midnight on Thursday and Saturday, are only allowed to serve alcohol between 5pm and 11pm on Friday and can only serve alcohol on Sunday up to 10pm. Forewarned is forearmed – don’t be giving the hardworking bar staff of NI a hard time (spot the former bartender!) and certainly don’t let it stop you having fun. Get out and enjoy everything that’s on this week! As ever, you can keep up to date at any time by checking the What’s On Calendar and do get in touch if I’ve missed anything, or you have a great suggestion for a future WoTW. Monday 14 April Cookstown Holy Trinity College Junk Kouture Exhibition – The Burnavon Theatre (1 April – 30 April) The Quill has just discovered this excellent exhibition of trash-to-fashion creations, which opened at the beginning of the month. The Junk Kouture initiative invites second level students in Ireland and NI to upcycle everyday rubbish into high-end wearable outfits. The Holy Trinity College have enjoyed great success in the competition and this year, 10 of their 28 entries have made it through to the Ulster finals. Visit the website for more details on the exhibition. Tuesday 15 April Belfast Anniversary of the Belfast Blitz – Northern Ireland War Memorial, Talbot Street, 12.30 – 1.30pm Today is the 73rd anniversary of the beginning of the Belfast Blitz, German airstrikes during World War 2 that killed 900, injured 1,500 and destroyed around half of Belfast’s homes. The Northern Ireland War Memorial is holding an event to mark the anniversary – the full programme for the day is available here. They are also hosting a temporary display from the scrapbooks of John Potter, a schoolboy travelling through Belfast in 1941. Wednesday 16 April Belfast Launch of new direction for Craft NI’s exhibition space – Craft NI @ Cotton Court, 12pm Craft NI have announced an open invitation to their launch of new plans for the exhibition space at Cotton Court. As well as displaying works from the Arts Council collection, the space will also now offer a resource to designer-makers and the public alike, with magazines, journals and exhibition catalogues being made available for reading and research. The launch is free to attend, with no booking required. Belfast Literary Lunchtime with Lucy Caldwell – Ulster Hall, 1pm The last in this year’s series of Literary Lunchtimes sees Belfast-born novelist and playwright Lucy Caldwell reading to an audience in the Group Space at the Ulster Hall. Caldwell has published three novels, the latest of which – All The Beggars Riding – was the focus of last year’s One City One Book initiative in Belfast and Derry. Belfast Lawrence Street Workshops Film Night (The House I Live In), 8.30pm The House I Live In is described as “a penetrating look inside America’s criminal justice system”, exploring the human rights implications of the USA’s drug policy and presenting the country’s ‘war on drugs’ as a tool of money-making and social control. For more details, visit the Facebook event page. Thursday 17 April Various locations Circuit of Ireland Rally – beginning 9am Ulster Folk & Transport Museum (continues until Sat 19 April) Following the Qualifying Stage on Thursday at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, the ceremonial start begins from 6pm outside Belfast City Hall. The stages take place on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, with Downpatrick, Hillsborough Castle and Banbridge regroups, plus visits to the service park in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. There are also two street stages in Lisburn and Newtownards. For further race and event details, see the website. Friday 18 April Armagh Opening of Armagh Photographic Competition and Exhibition – Armagh County Museum, 10am – 5pm (exhibition continues until Sat 14 June) Today marks the opening of entries for this year’s competition, as well as the exhibition of last year’s winning entries. You can enter photographs in a range of categories, including colour, black and white and under 18, and entries close on Saturday 29 March. Sponsored by Bennett’s Photoshop, winners will receive Bennetts vouchers, with the overall winner presented with the Bennetts Cup. Find out more, including opening times, on the website. Belfast Lisnagarvey Art Society Exhibition – Malone House, continues until Sat 4 May. The Lisnagarvey Art Society is a collective of talented amateur artists with a 30-year history. The Lisburn-based group are currently showing a collection of member paintings in the Higgin Gallery in Malone House. With a wide range of styles and mediums, this is an eclectic exhibition which will appeal to all art lovers. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12 – 4.30pm on Sunday. Saturday 19 April Omagh Easter Celebrations – Ulster American Folk Park, 10am – 5pm (Sat 19 to Mon 21) Walking down the Park’s Shipbuoy Street this weekend, you will be transported back to a typical Spring Fair of 1914. Chat to the stallholders, shopkeepers, travelling journeymen and entertainers, try some traditional crafts or help feed the spring lambs and young chicks. There will be storytelling sessions for all the family, and energetic visitors can enjoy a spring-time hoe-down in the Pennsylvania Barn. Find out more, including admission prices, on the website. Belfast By Any Means 5th Birthday Show – The Limelight 2, 5pm Belfast-based hardcore band By Any Means are blowing out five candles on the cake today, and The Distortion Project is hosting this epic show to help them celebrate. With support from Cursed Sun and All The Kings Ashes, it’s one not to miss for NI’s metal and hardcore fans. Admission is only £5 and there will be drinks promos on the night. Portrush Causeway Coast Surf Festival – West Strand, Portrush, 9am (continuing through Saturday and Sunday) The highlight of this two-day festival is undoubtedly the independent Portrush Open Surf Contest, with seven different competition categories. Registration opens at 9am, with first heats in the water beginning at 10am. Alongside the surfing, you can enjoy music, art, film and photography in the festival marquee and a host of activities and sights, including a climbing/abseiling wall, a surfers’ marketplace, beach volleyball, surf lessons and loads more. Find out more on the website. #artscouncilcollection #junkkouture #belfastblitz2014 #easteropeninghoursnorthernireland #traditionalcrafts #thedistortionproject #upcycledfashion #armaghcountymuseum #TitanicQuarter #allthekingsashes #NorthCoast #upcycling #whatsonthisweek #circuitofirelandrally2014 #whatsoneasternorthernireland #hardcorenorthernireland #limelightbelfast #belfastblitzanniversary #metalcore #hoedown #niwm #onecityonebook #gigsnorthernireland #ulsterhall #hillsborough #thelimelight #artscouncilni #omagh #cookstown #johnpotter #hardcore #CraftNI #belfastblitz #armaghmuseum #downpatrick #Pennsylvaniabarn #Easter #lawrencestreetworkshops #limelight2 #springfair #ulsterfolkandtransportmuseum #shipbuoystreet #metalnorthernireland #holytrinitycollege #artresearchnorthernireland #gigsbelfast #launchofnewdirectionforcraftnisexhibitionspace #lawrencestreetworkshopsfilmnight #portrushopensurfcontest #surfingnorthernireland #byanymeans #bennettsphotoshop #literarylunchtime #NorthernIreland #bennettscup #whatsonomagh #Lisburn #portrush #holywood #cursedsun #armaghphotographiccompetitionandexhibition #allthebeggarsriding #northernirelandwarmemorial #metal #lucycaldwell #hillsboroughcastle #whatsonportrush #whatsonarmagh #metalbelfast #causewaycoastsurffestival #banbridge #ulsteramericanfolkpark #thehouseilive #causewaycoast #warondrugs

AGR Moore is a Belfast author who has self-published his first two books, both in electronic and paperback formats. The Unseen Chronicles of Amelia Black was released in August 2011 and A Boy Named Hogg followed in December 2012. He also writes short stories and earlier this year published A Gurumapa in the Wood, which is still available for free download. Moore has also hosted children’s literary events and performed readings from his books and stories. 1. You have an Archaeology degreeand also studied journalism – what made you take the leap into writing children’s books? Well, after university, I had my degree but still wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life and fell into a rut. So I scaled things back and thought about what made me happy, and it was movies – talking about them and watching them so I started writing a film blog. As I started to take it seriously, I decided to get a qualification in journalism to realise the ambition properly. Like a lot of people, I always wanted to write a book and tried and miserably failed a couple of times, but when Gillian (illustrator of The Unseen Chronicles of Amelia Black) approached me with the idea of doing a children’s book – and said she would illustrate it if I ever finished it – that excited me. So I came up with a simple story which spiralled out of control in my head into Amelia Black’s first adventure. I’d like to attempt more adult stories but truthfully, writing for children and especially in fantastical realms seems to suit me, not least because I’m a big kid at heart. I think of all the literary, cartoon and movie characters from my youth I adored – I’ve fallen in love with the idea and the responsibility of creating new characters children can look up to. 2. Your two main protagonists so far are Amelia Black and Sebastian Hogg – are theirs similar stories or did you deliberately write two very different books? Do you have a favourite of the two? Amelia Black has been out for a couple of years now, and been received extremely well by anyone who has taken the time to read her story. It’s a tale which is heavily influenced by the stories I grew up with, like Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and the works of Roald Dahl, as well as movies of the time such as Labyrinth, Indiana Jones and even a bit of Batman thrown in; full of magic, adventure, colourful characters, plot twists and devious, memorable villains. Amelia’s core traits are things I believe in and feel deserve to be championed again and again. Someone who encourages children to be brave. To be curious of the wonders the world can offer. To be kind and just. To know they can be heroes and that their potential is infinite. A Boy Named Hogg was almost the other side of the coin to Amelia’s tale. It’s about a boy named Sebastian Hogg, who didn’t get a life like Amelia’s and has to deal with a lot of very horrid people. When I came to write it, I knew I didn’t want to do something as heavily magical as Amelia’s story, but still wanted to allude to the mysteries of that sort of world. At its heart, A Boy Named Hogg is a story about friendship. It’s about having one person in your life who genuinely cares which road you go down, and the immensely positive impact that can have on your life – and also a glimpse into the troubled world you may find yourself in if you don’t. The funny thing about Hogg is that he’s not even the hero of his own story, in a strange sense! It’s the rest of the characters in the book – good, bad and somewhere in between – who are trapped in a subconscious battle for his soul. It attempts at some bigger things, like life and death and friendship and love. Some of it came off, some of it I look back upon and think maybe I rushed a bit, but you learn and move on. It would be awful to say I have a favourite, as both stories and characters mean different things to me. Amelia Black is like the ‘first child’, she’s the example everyone else has to follow and because I’m now creating sequels to her first adventure, I’m enjoying watching her grow, along with the characters which populate her world. Whilst A Boy Named Hogg is much more personal, it’s a darker tale, associated with a harder time in my life. A lot of the peripheral characters are based on people in my life and it also possibly features the one character that was the most fun to write so far. 3. You have been vocal on the merits of self publishing.How have you used self publishing and would you recommend it to an aspiring writer? After I finished Amelia Black’s first story, I was a man who had a book but no knowledge of how the publishing industry worked – over two years on, I’m still not much wiser! So it was really a case of circumstance made me look into self publishing the first time. I was overwhelmed by the support I then received, which opened me up to new contacts and opportunities. Marketing yourself and keeping your expectations in check – those are the biggest challenges. Very few self-published authors will emulate the phenomenal success of EL James or Amanda Hocking or even be able to make a living out of it. Everyone has their own reasons; for me it was as much to see what sort of reaction the book would get, which thankfully has been mostly positive. For A Boy Named Hogg, I decided to go down the same route, but was maybe so scared of being forgotten too quickly, I rushed it more than I should have and (in my opinion anyway) the book suffered because of it. This is the main drawback when self-publishing; everything falls on you so you have no excuses if it doesn’t go the way you originally imagined. It’s a very long process; the writing, the proofreading, editing, the presentation, then sourcing, working with and paying an illustrator – and once you get through all of that, there’s the marketing, which is virtually a full-time job. You have to be mentally prepared to shamelessly put your work out there. 4. Are you working towards a deal with a publishing house and if so, can you tell us about it? Are traditional ‘book deals’ as important as they once were, do you think? I think every writer should have a goal. Getting traditionally published in most cases is that goal (after writing the book of course) and if the right publishing house ever wants to take a chance on my work, I’d be forever grateful. In terms of realising the dream of writing full time, it certainly goes a long way but for me personally it’s as much about gaining more exposure. I know my own personal limits when it comes to marketing and pushing my books on the social media platforms and I feel that has taken me as far as it has gone. This might sound overly whimsical but if there’s one thing I’ve taken from this period of my life and the entire process of writing books for children, it’s witnessing the sheer joy of seeing a child read and love the stories you’re creating, more than you ever could have imagined. Just recently, the mother of a girl who attended my first reading in Ryan’s Bar in October 2012, sent me a photo from the girl’s birthday. She made her daughter an Amelia Black birthday cake because it was her favourite book. I couldn’t find the words at the time to express how overwhelmed that made me feel. Forget the financial side, all I want from a publishing house is to give me the opportunity to make that sort of impact again. Little moments like that only reaffirm to me why I want to do this with my life. All I can hope is that someone out there will also think I’m good enough to do so. 5. Writer’s block and personal isolation are probably the most talked-about ‘writer’s problems’. Do these ever affect you and if so, how do you deal with them? I think writer’s block is something every writer goes through, but I think it’s how you deal with it is where it varies. Some people wait for it to pass and carry on, others will start a new project and come back to the one causing you problems later, others might just read, or if they’re like myself, they’ll probably do all of these things at once. I think the isolation is a man-made concept. Certainly writing should be a private and personal thing, but it’s okay to talk things out with people whose opinion you trust or even engage with other writers. I certainly felt that, when I got to chat to fellow children’s authors Brian Gogarty, Derek Keilty and Aine Robles, after reading alongside them at this year’s Belfast Book Festival. Each had their own unique experiences and explaining my own situation, being the only self published author on the panel, gave me a new sense of perspective on goals and future ambitions. It was a very reassuring day. I was really thankful for being part of it. 6. What are you working on at the moment and what can we expect next from AGR Moore? Well I just finished the first draft of my second story in my Amelia Black series, The Unseen Trials of Amelia Black and started researching my untitled fourth book – it feels strange to say that out loud for the first time. I’m pretty excited to let people read the next Amelia Black story; it’s brought up new challenges I didn’t expect when I embarked on writing it. It’s been a joy returning to characters I fell in love with from the first one, but fun opening up the Unseen Universe, introducing new characters and seeing past characters grow and develop. I won’t give away any essential plot details, all I will say is that it deals with the fallout from the events and escalates the dangers realised in the first one. Bit darker, bit more serious but it’s going to be fun. I hope. It should hopefully see the light mid-2014, all being well. In the immediate future, I have another book reading coming up. Ryan’s Bar have very kindly asked me back for another event at this year’s Belfast Restaurant Week on Saturday October 6th, 2013. Books and food, two of my favourite things – it should be fun. I’ll be reading from my free short bedtime fable I released earlier in the year titled A Gurumapa in the Woodand, for the first time, be giving away free editions of it in paperback. Should be a fun day! In the far future? I just hope I’m writing and still taking joy in it. ~ COMPETITION AGR Moore has kindly signed a paperback copy of The Unseen Chronicles of Amelia Black for a giveaway on The Patchwork Quill. If you would like to win this, just enter your details below! Competition open until 23.59 Thursday 19th September 2013. (Only open to entrants in the UK and Ireland). You can check out The Unseen Chronicles of Amelia Black on Amazon Kindle here, and the paperback version here. A Boy Named Hogg is available for purchase on Kindle here and in paperback here. You can also download A Gurumpa in the Wood free of charge here. Happy reading! #freeebook #ABoyNamedHogg #epublishing #AmandaHocking #TheAdventuresofAliceinWonderland #literaryfestival #WizardofOz #readingfestival #belfastbookfestival #literarybelfast #RoaldDahl #IndianaJones #Batman #AmeliaBlack #ELJames #literaryeventbelfast #Labyrinth #AliceinWonderland #belfastauthor #books #TheUnseenChroniclesofAmeliaBlack #selfpublishing #howtoselfpublish #NorthernIreland #AGRMoore #selfpublishedauthors #SebastianHogg #TheUnseenUniverse #AGurumapaintheWood