Amidst the usual creative writing workshops, Cafe Crawl and author talks this year, the RLF had a wonderful day of craft activities for all ages, ‘The Turtle Moves‘, inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series.
We’d like to thank everyone who came along to support the festival, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Here’s a video snapshot for the general activities – The Turtle Moves has its own video further down.
On Saturday, October 1st there were three themed workshops in Room 11 at the Rochester Community Hub Find out more here.
“Lots of useful advice on PR, self publishing process”
“Good to stop and do exercises to focus your mind, to actually drive the point home really helps”
“This event rekindled my interest to join a creative writing class”
On Sunday, October 2nd the Cafe Crawl took place at Cafe @172, The Quills, Bruno’s Bakes. Find out more here.
The video features readings and performances from:
The Canterbury Yarners
Myth and Memory – Fiona Sinclair and Nancy Charley
Johanna Coulson and Maggie Butt
We were delighted to welcome Simon Booker, Angus Donald and our lovely Patron, Lisa Cutts to Medway Libraries. Find out more here
Tuesday 4th – Crime Writers and Coppers – Simon Booker and RLF Patron Lisa Cutts at Strood Library. 7pm
Thursday 6th – Angus Donald at Rochester Library. 7pm
Saturday, October 8th: ‘The Turtle Moves’ Family fun and activities inspired by Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. Community Hub and High Street, 10am-4pm.
Read full details of the activities here
Juvenile Crafters’ Guild – Community Hub
Feet of Clay – Make your own Golem
Magrat’s Magical Herbs – Botanical illustration.
The Octavo – Create your own powerfully magic spell book.
Interesting Times: Design your own … Luggage, Maskerade Mask or Quantum Weather Butterfly. Discover your Discworld name and/or write something for the Patrician’s Poetrees.
“I am so happy I got a picture with Susan (Sto.Helit) she is awesome. Also, I liked designing the Luggage because I thought it would be on paper but it was a real box”
“We really enjoyed the activities provided – great resources and keepsakes to make and take away. Thank you for providing a great free creative opportunity within the community”
In the High Street:
LSpace (Baggins) – meet the Librarian; watch out for him around town too!
Alternate Shadows Theatre Company brought to life some of our favourite Discworld characters.
Rochester Games and Models hosted a re-enactment of the Battle of Koom Valley.
Cafe @172 served up Discworld Delicacies from Nanny Ogg and CMOT Dibbler, accompanied by Discworld Musings by local writers SA Jenkin, Sam Rapp and Barry Fentiman-Hall.
The Dark Morris – (Wolf’s Head and Vixen) Border Morris is the most primitive and arguably the most exhilarating of the Morris dancing styles. Wolf’s Head (the men) and Vixen (the women) dance to a variety of traditional and original tunes, with a Gothic feel and a mesmerising drumbeat.
– Playopolis: Robot Turtles! Discworld Games!
Sunday 9th – 10am – 4pm: Writers’ Retreat at the Guildhall Museum.
Inspiration and collaboration with writing games and exercises.
“I enjoyed the series of short challenges, I had planned for more working on my own but it was good to to do something different and be challenged to solve narrative problems”
With grateful thanks the following organisations and people who kindly donated funds towards our materials and expenses this year:
Labour councillors Rochester East ward, Teresa Murray and Nick Bowler.
Rochester Conservative councillors Rupert Turpin, Helen McCullough, Sylvia Griffin and Trevor Clarke.
Rochester Literature Festival 