Write Club, a weekly creative writing group for adults that meets in St Ninians Library, has celebrated the launch of its first anthology of short stories, Home.
Artwork by Andrew Graham Tagg
The book is the result of a creative writing workshop hosted by the group as part of Stirling Libraries' Off the Page Book Festival in May. Writers explored the theme of "home", producing a collection of original stories that reflect a wide range of experiences, memories and imaginations.
Home was produced as part of a wider creative writing and illustration project funded through Stirling Council's Community Grant Fund, with funding secured by Friends of the Mayfield. The project celebrated creativity across all ages and included an Under 18s Writing Competition and a Big Family Draw event led by author and illustrator Morag Hood.
Another exciting contribution to the publication was the foreword written by award-winning local author, Tom Newlands. Tom whose first novel Only Here, Only Now was chosen as Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year and has just released his second novel Something Like Happiness has close links to St Ninians Library having spent many hours there as a child and returning as an adult to take part in an author event and visit the Write Club.
In addition to featuring work from members of Write Club, the anthology also includes selected entries from the children's writing competition, showcasing the talent and imagination of local young writers.
The launch event brought together contributors, their families and supporters to celebrate the achievements of local writers highlighting the creativity that continues to thrive within our community in St Ninians.
Copies of Home are available to purchase for £6, with all proceeds supporting future creative projects. The book is also available to borrow from Stirling Libraries. Write Club meets every Thursday in St Ninians Library from 5.30-7.
A big thank you goes to Stirling Council Community Grant Fund and Palimpsest Book Production Ltd for their generosity in the production of the book and to Tom Newlands for his support and encouragement.