Books for sale!

It was great that each author sold at least 1 copy of their book on the launch night (Danny Birch's newly released 'Get Some' beating everyone by far).

Each author's book is available to purchase from Hull Truck Theatre's Box Office and Truck Stop. Even more importantly, the authors have very kindly agreed to donate 25% of the proceeds to the Theatre's new Exhibition Fund, which will help support future exhibitions that can be enjoyed by all.

The books are on sale in the Theatre until 1st June 2010.

Richard Sutherland

Well, according to the countdown gadget at the top of this blog, there's only '1 days until launch night'. Aside from that being bad grammar, it's also a scary thought, but an exhilarating one too. 

Not even a single month has passed since I was toying with the idea of organising an exhibition of writing, and now here we are, with 10 sets of works on the walls of Hull Truck's upper foyer, posters and fliers being distributed across the city and the wider region, and a launch night less than 24 hours away. Blimey.

Since its inception, I've known that this exhibition would be a success, as I and my fellow authors have done nothing but discuss everything from readings and signings to wine and propaganda... sorry, promotional material... and, in my opinion, excited obsession/obsessive excitement is usually a good sign.

I for one can't wait for tomorrow night, when guests will arrive at the Theatre to view the cover artwork, get a taste of the writing styles, and discover the lives behind the words - individuals that hail from occupational backgrounds as diverse as accountant, prison governor, architect, cub leader and cucumber picker, and whose pens and computers have delivered to us an assortment of genres, from crime fiction and short stories to poetry and 'last man on Earth' sci-fi.

And then I remember that even if people can't attend the launch night, the exhibition will be running until the 1st of June, and this fills me with glee. Authors love to share, and I'm certain that I speak on behalf of all 10 of us when I say that we hope you enjoy our works; and perhaps you'll even leave the Theatre a little richer, a little wiser, or, at the very least, adequately entertained.

Tim Roux

As both an author and a publisher I am delighted that Hull Truck is giving us this great opportunity to showcase Hull and East Riding writers, a topic which has been close to my heart ever since we set up The A63 Revisited (www.a63revisited.com) to identify, showcase and promote Hull artists, as do ThisisUll (www.thisisull.com) on a larger scale and Hull Art (www.facebook.com/hullart) on the visual arts side.

I have met many of the writers being exhibited and greatly appreciate their work. The exhibitor I haven't been able to get hold of is Robert 'The Hermit Crab' Adams, and I am right chuffed to be assured that there is no escape for him this time.

We hope that this exhibition will help create a greater awareness of how much writing (and other) talent there is around Hull and the East Riding, which has certainly come as a pleasurable shock to me over the last two years. If all the writers in the region who have been published were to be represented at the next exhibition, we would need 75-100 stalls. It sounds like we had better take over the theatre, Rich.

It is also wonderful that this exhibition is taking place in the working home of John Godber ,who has done so much, together with Philip Larkin, to encourage writing talent where once we were only gutting fish (safer too).

Danny Birch

When I was approached by Richard Sutherland to be part of this exhibition I was 'well chuffed' as people round here would say. Not only is it a fantastic idea but it also gives people a chance to see some of the great work some of the region's authors have on offer, and to be part of it fills me with gratitude.

Having being lucky enough to read some of the work by some of the authors on show, I know for a fact that the people who haven't been familiar with these authors' books will not be disappointed.

I think the support from Hull Truck is fantastic, and on a personal level I feel like it is as if we are all pulling together to seeing people's hard work rightly recognised. I can't thank Hull Truck enough for both the opportunity and show of support.

Being a lad from Bransholme I left school at 16 with pretty much nothing but my wits, I never thought I could write a book, never mind people enjoying it. Now it is a bug, and I feel I'm learning with every book I write.

An event like this one is fantastic for all involved, and for me I would hope it would encourage people who have thought about writing to just go for it, they say everyone has a book in them, and if I can do it, anyone can!

Ian Parks

I'm pleased to be involved in the Writing on the Wall exhibition for lots of reasons. First of all, it's always good to have an excuse to come back to Hull and I'm looking forward to reconnecting with friends at the launch. Second, I really like the idea of getting literature out of libraries and universities and making it accessible by featuring it in public places - and you don't get a venue that's more accessible than Hull Truck. I'm also keen to be involved with other, mainly younger writers who are the lifeblood of what's happening now and in the future. Finally, I think it's good that fiction writers and poets are appearing together in the exhibition. Too many literature events separate the genres out and it's an excellent move to have us grouped together which should draw attention to the similarities and not the differences. The exhibition has already drawn my attention to exciting writers who are new to me. The whole idea of 'going public' is an excellent one and I have a good feeling about the launch.

Holly Roach

The exhibition would be something I would go see myself so to be a part of it is amazing.

Hull has a vibrant artistic scene so it is great that Hull Truck is helping show off that talent and those people.

I've known a few of the writers involved for a while now and they're all swell folks with great abilities.

I'm very chuffed to be a part of the exhibition and with such people.

Hopefully it will bring Hull poetry and fiction to an even wider audience than it already has, while maintaining good, strong connections with those faithful to its words already :)

Linda Acaster

‘People like us read books, we don’t write them.'

So was handed down the judgment from my parents when I answered the inevitable question asked of all early teens: what do you want to do when you grow up? 

It’s easy to be knocked back when you are a writer in embryo, feeding your senses (five), and poring over writers’ manuals, wondering what a voice is when it doesn’t sing beautifully (kill adverbs). So when at last you’re invited to walk London’s literary streets you’re overjoyed… until you watch eyebrows rise when you say you come from ’ull and hear yourself called darlingbecause they can’t remember your name. It’s good to return to the city of your birth and find the true literary heart beating in the bosom of ’ull Truck Theatre, where writers welcome writers, embryo or not.

Nick Quantrill

I never thought I could be a writer. Attending a nautical school, art wasn’t high on the agenda, so my real education came in places like Hull Truck, with the countless productions I saw at Spring Street becoming an initial reference point for me writing about the city. In a wider context, this exhibition of new and emerging writers runs alongside a programme of events being held to celebrate the life and work of Philip Larkin. Too right, I say, but to paraphrase The Stones Roses, the past is yours, Philip, but the future is ours. This exhibition represents the tip of the iceberg in relation to writing in Hull, so let’s hope it helps make our literature scene all the more vibrant and accessible to those who also thought that writing wasn’t something for them.

Bruce Robinson

This support from Hull Truck for the writers and artists of Hull and the East Riding is most welcomed and should be applauded. In these current times of economic gloom it is refreshing and encouraging that a private business is willing buoy up an industry that receives no financial sustenance.

A writer’s life can be very frustrating for having completed a fine piece of work and to then see that work in the hands of the general public is a very hard and often fruitless goal. But all is not lost as there is a new wave of exciting routes to see that work published and bill boarded for all to see. Night Reading has a mantra that all ‘good writers will be published’ and we see the publishing future as being much more hopeful for the independent writer.

So well done Hull Truck and thank you for being part of a revolution in publishing!

Robert Adams

It is exciting to think that Hull Truck Theatre are committed to supporting writing.

Speaking from personal experience, the writers I know are a retiring bunch, a bit like hermit crabs, and it’s often difficult to tempt them out of their shells. As a crab myself with quite a lot of the hermit about me, I’m sure the informal place to meet and chat helps to lure me into the open. The idea of the exhibition is very good from this point of view. It is good also that the exhibited displays portraying authors’ work on this occasion is in the Theatre and is near a source of food. Like other crabs I suppose, I like something to do with my claws. A bit of food helps. While hanging around you can fiddle with it on a plate, or sip a cup of coffee or a glass of something stronger.