J L Walker | Scarthin Books Cromford

J L Walker

Jump and Dance is John Walker’s debut novel. He considers himself lucky to have been a teenager in the 1960s with his wife of 46 years, Laura. Having been a Mod during the era, he hopes to recreate those special years through his novel.

Inspired by his own experience of the 1960s, J. L. Walker’s book offers readers a story of gritty desperation tinged with humour and brings to life this unique and unforgettable era.

Set during the `swinging sixties’, Jump and Dance is a story that brings to life the changing music and fashion of the era. J. L. Walker’s debut novel shows how aligning yourself with one group, in this case the Mods, brought with it excitement and danger not only from the Rockers, but also the dying breed of Teddy boys. With a backdrop of unforgettable music, Walker portrays this magical and frightening time to be a teenager.

At the heart of this novel is a story of meeting someone, falling desperately in love and trying to make sense of it all at such a young and impressionable age. The story depicts a time when love, death, drugs and violence sat uneasily side by side, all held together by music, freedom and creativity. Readers follow a young man as he attempts to find his feet in the adult world, struggling with the transition and leaving the security of school behind him.

Published 29th May 2018

ISBN: 978-1-78901-311-5

£8.99

Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell

April 4

Scarthin Books welcomes Jo Bell for two poetry-writing workshops. Each session will last three hours and include tea or coffee. If you’ve read How to Be a Poet, her book with Jane Commane, you’ll have a flavour of Jo’s teaching style – entertaining, intensive and aimed at getting the best new poetry out of every participant. Jo is running two sessions for us: one for all comers, one for women only.

In this session open to men and women, we use the treasure trove of source material stacked all around us in the shelves of Scarthin Books. We’ll dive into books of technical or specialist language, steal other poets’ phrases and draw on the riches of historical and fictional text to refresh your own writing. Expect the unexpected – drawing on the arcane and absurd to generate new work. This session will include some forms like the golden shovel and the cento, and you should leave with four or five new drafts to work on.

£20 to attend. Booking required. Please contact us at the Bookshop to book your place via 01629 823272 or click here to book on via Eventbrite.

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Reading and Signing with Richard Lumsden

April 7

We are very excited to announce that Richard Lumsden will be giving a reading of his debut novel ‘The Six Loves of Billy Binns’ at Scarthin Books.

This will be followed by a Q&A and signing and is a free event. No booking required.

‘This uplifting and powerful debut is beautifully written, full of emotion and will tug at your heartstrings. A book about love, self-forgiveness and redemption, this is a must-read and will appeal to fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ Sarah J Harris, author of THE COLOUR OF BEE LARKHAM’S MURDER

Richard Lumsden has worked as an actor, writer and composer in television, film and theatre for 30 years.
As an actor his films include Downhill, Sightseers, Sense & Sensibility and The Darkest Hour, as well as
numerous television shows and theatre productions. THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is his first novel.

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Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell - Women Only

April 18

*** Women only workshop ***

As Feminist Book Fortnight approaches, Jo Bell offers a women-only poetry writing workshop. This session will generate new work from poets at all levels, and if you want to read the results at our evening event on May 4th you will be welcome to do so. We will use classic texts by and about women from Mary Wollstonecraft to Caitlin Moran. Channel your wit, wisdom rage and hope for the future into new poems. This women-only session gets the best writing out of the richest source material – your own experience.

£20 to attend. An eventbrite will be set up for this but if you can’t find it yet, contact the bookshop to book your place on 01629 823272 or click here to book via Eventbrite.

Poetry Portraits with Jo Bell

April 27

Local, acclaimed poet Jo Bell will be in our Art room from 11am onwards writing tailor made poems for you!

Come and have a chat about what you’d like her to write about and go away with a poem no one else has.

This is a free, open event to all.

Jo’s books include ‘Kith’, ‘How to be a poet’ and ’52. Write a poem a week’. She’s actively involved in The Poetry Takeaway, writing tailor made poems at Festivals and was featured on Nationwide’s advert ‘Voices Nationwide: Building the Building Society’.

Our new Artist-in-Residence for 2018 is……… Jan Flamank

“I am so delighted to be Artist in Residence at Scarthin from March 2018, and am buzzing with ideas about what I want to do. I will spend time each month in this fabulous bookshop, and make new work that is inspired by the place, the people and the wild array of books! I use mixed media in my artwork, and having time in the shop will give me further incentive to include text and stories in my work, and be influenced by the treasure that fills every room there. Some of this artwork will be visible in the shop, but there will also be work that is hidden, awaiting discovery as people browse the shelves and corners of the shop…..

Please come and find me in the art room, I will be there monthly throughout the year. I look forward to meeting lots of lovely Scarthin people in the year ahead.”