Manx Litfest 2016 - George Bellairs: Murder Most Manx

Harvey Briggs Onchan Library are looking forward to hosting an event for Manx Litfest next month - 

George Bellairs: Murder Most Manx with Andy Wint. It's going to be held on Wed 28th Sept at 7.30 pm. Although admission is free, you will need to contact the library to reserve places Tel: 621228 or email onchan.library@onchan.org.im

Onchan Book Group are getting clued up on these classic mysteries ahead of the event, and reading a George Bellairs of their own choice this month. Quite a few were set in the Isle of Man in the 50s and 60s, so they're a great nostalgia trip, with the vintage book jackets and details all adding to the charm!

British Library Crime Classics

George Bellairs is being reprinted in the hugely popular British Library Crime Classics series

Manx Litfest 2015 is nearly here!

 Island book lovers look forward to this event each year, which will run from 22nd - 27th September. 

As usual, you will be spoiled for choice - take a look at their full programme on manxlitfest.com and keep up with the latest news on their facebook page.

A highlight of special interest for book groups is Andy Miller - READ Y’SELF FITTER, which aims to cure you of your bad reading habits and asks the audience to think about whether it's better to spend time at the gym or the library? And is Moby-Dick really a better book than The Da Vinci Code? Andy Miller is the author of 'The Year of Reading Dangerously'. Places are limited to 30 for this event at The Bath and Bottle on Sat 26th Sept at 1.30 p.m. and tickets can be booked from The Villa &Gaiety Box Office.

Book Fanatics Quiz Night

The Book Fanatics Quiz Night will be on Thurs 24th September at The Noa Bakehouse at 8 p.m. We're looking to put together an Onchan Bookgroup or library team, so please contact us if you're interested. It's a fun evening and all welcome! Once again, tickets can be booked at The Villa & Gaiety Box Office.

Tickets On Sale For Manx Litfest 2014

Onchan Book Group members and everyone who’s been asking us about Manx Litfest 2014 will be pleased to hear that tickets for the main events are now on sale from the what’s on section of The Isle of Man Villa Gaiety website 

Photograph from Manx National Heritage

Once again, the festival celebrates the sense of place here on the Island as well as the written word. 

A ghostly walk and talk around Castle Rushen with Neil Spring, author of ‘Ghost Hunters’ and Barry Quilliam of Manx Macabre Tours on Fri 26th Sept couldn’t be more atmospheric. 

Neil Spring’s book drew inspiration from ‘Borland Rectory’, reputedly the most haunted house in Britain, which attracted the attention of psychic investigator Harry Price. 

Image from neilspring.com

Harry Price visited The Isle of Man in the 1930s to investigate the mysterious case of ‘The Dalby Spook’ or Talking Mongoose. 

There’s a rare opportunity to hear Neil Spring talk about these intriguing events in the historic setting of St Bridget’s Chapel in The Nunnery on Sat 27th Sept. 

A ‘Criminal Double Act’ takes place on Sat 27th Sept in The Embassy Room at The British on The Quay with Mark Billingham and Martyn Waites, who also writes with his wife under the name of Tania Carver. 

Image from Random House

Litfest is crammed full of exciting events from the Poetry Slam at Jabberwocky on Wed 24th right through to an evening with ‘Bone Season’ author Samatha Shannon at Noa’s Bakehouse on Sunday 28 Sept. 

Sara Crowe was at Manx Litfest in 2012, and has just published the highly acclaimed ‘Bone Jack’. She’s on a panel to talk about The Celtic Influence on writing with Donald S Murray at The House of Manannan in Peel on Sun 28th Sept.



Litfest has something for book lovers of all ages all around the Island to look forward to this September. Don’t miss some family fun with ‘The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Show’ on just up the road at Bemahague School in Onchan on Sun 28 Sept. 

There's much much more besides - don't forget the Book Fanatics Quiz Night on Thurs 25th Sept. 

You can pick up a programme form the library now to find out more. Keep looking on ManxLitfest for all the latest news, like them on facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

An Unexpected Party

Chris Caine as Gandalf joined our book group meeting last Thursday to give a brilliant reading from 'The Hobbit'. He read 'Riddles in the Dark' where Bilbo finds The Ring and meets Gollum for the first time, and really brought the story to life.

Thank you to Elizabeth for her special homemade mince pies, and to everyone in the book group for bringing along all the delicious treats for our Christmas Party.

The Library has a Hobbit theme this Christmas - here's the doorway to 'Bagend'. Thank you to Chris for such a wonderful performance.

'The Hobbit' was a 4 star read for our group - reviews coming soon. If you're enjoying 'The Hobbit' and want to find out more about J R R Tolkien, you may like to try these from Colin Duriez.



There's also a 'Hobbit Hunt' around the library with riddles to solve for entry in to a Prize Draw. Thank you to The Lexicon Book Shop for the top prize.

Book Fanatics Quiz Night and More

Manx Litfest

Lots to look forward to this September at Manx Litfest. Tickets are now on sale, and it looks like we're going to be spoiled for choice. Find out more, sign up for a newsletter and keep up with what's happening on the Manx Litfest web site.

We were talking about the Book Fanatics Quiz Night at the last meeting, and some of the group are keen to have a go if we have enough people free that night to make a team. Just a quick reminder that it's on Thursday 27th September @ 8.15 pm. at the Villa, and tickets are £8.00. Please contact Pam if you would like to join in as an Onchan Book Group team.

Thank You to Chris Ewan

A huge thank you to author Chris Ewan for such an excellent evening at Onchan Library as part of our themed Food for Thought season of talks. Crime and cookies were on the menu as Chris gave an entertaining insight into how he came to write his award winning mystery series - The Good Thief’s Guide.  The guides feature the crime writer Charlie Howard, a good hearted thief with a droll sense of humour. 

The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam’ and ‘The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris’ have both been short listed for CrimeFest Last Laugh Awards. 

Charlie’s exploits then took Chris to Las Vegas, and he’s currently working on Berlin. 

‘The Good Thief’s Guide to Venice’ is being published in April, and can be pre-ordered from Onchan Library, or from local book shops. 

Here's Chris making a Good Thief Style entrance to the library .

"Il m'apparait que j'ai perdu mes clefs"
I seem to have lost my keys

One of the essential phrases from the Good Thief's Guide to Paris...

The Good Thief series has taken off on a worldwide basis, and is published in 10 countries around the world. Visit Chris’s website: http://www.thegoodthief.co.uk/ to find out more. 

Thank you once again to Chris – everyone thoroughly enjoyed the talk, questions & answers session, reading and book signing. We’re all looking forward to more from The Good Thief and reading the new crime novel based on The Isle of Man. 

Thanks also to Jeanette Suddards for the photos, and to the library staff for baking the cookies!

Our next Food for Thought evening  will be with author Trevor Norton on  Tues 26th April.

You must read these...

 

Chris Ewan is the local co-ordinator for The CWA Young Crime Writer’s Competition, and entry forms are available from all local libraries.

Hurry – entries must be in by 18 Feb!

Library Events - Cookies with Chris

Food for Thought at Onchan Library
Cookies with Chris
Meet Crime Writer Chris Ewan at Onchan Library @ Tues 18th Jan @ 7 p.m
Talk, Refreshments, & Book Signing. Free Admission, but ticket only.
Tickets available from Onchan Library:
Tel: 621228 or e-mail: onchan.library@onchan.org.im

November Events - Cocoa with Pat

Cocoa with Pat Kelly is the latest in our 'Food for Thought' series being held at Onchan Library this winter. Pat is a talented local artist specialising in textiles. She uses materials such as wool and natural dyes to create colours for her work, often from plants growing in her own garden. Pat's new collection of work has been inspired by the colours and textures of Africa, and she will be giving a slide show, demonstrations and displaying some of her textile art. Hot chocolate and marshmallows will be served. Admission is free, but as space is limited, ticket only. Tickets can be obtained from Onchan Library