Saturday Writing Workshops (Lewes, East Sussex)

Southover Grange Gardens, photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

** Due to the success of the One-Day Creative Writing Workshops
run each Saturday throughout the month of August,
we will now be carrying on this tradition every month.
Upcoming workshops will be held on the following
Saturdays: 31 October, 28 November and 19 December.

Throughout 2010, beginning in January, workshops will be held
every third Saturday of the month. **

You are, therefore, warmly invited to join us for one or more of these
One-Day Creative Writing Workshops held in Lewes.
Each Saturday workshop will meet from 10 am to 3 pm,
with a one-hour lunch break from approximately 12 to 1 pm.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These workshops are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: One-Day Creative Writing Workshops

WHEN: Workshops run from 10 am to 3 pm (with a one-hour lunch break) on the following Saturdays: 31 October, 28 November and 19 December. Throughout 2010, beginning in January, workshops will be held every third Saturday of the month. So, mark your calendar, and pre-register as soon as possible to reserve a place in one or more of these self-contained, one-day workshops. Each workshop will be limited to approximately twelve participants, and places will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, as with our other course offerings.

WHERE: Lewes Subud Centre (Upper Hall), 26a Station St., Lewes, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £35 for each One-Day Workshop (must pre-register; spaces limited). Also, please note the "Referral Discount" section below regarding a discounted £25 workshop fee.

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two Master of Arts degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

REFERRAL DISCOUNT: If you refer a new student who registers and joins us for a workshop, you can likewise join us -- for any workshop date, not necessarily the same date as your referral -- for just £25 instead of £35. Please contact Sean, as noted below, for referral/registration details.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

Creative Writing Course (Lewes, East Sussex)

photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This autumn you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses in Lewes, East Sussex
beginning on Wednesday, 14 October.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These courses are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available, both running on Wednesdays, from 14 October to 18 November:

1. Mornings: 10 to 12 noon. The morning class meets at the Lewes Subud Centre (Upper Hall), 26a Station St., Lewes, East Sussex.

- or -

2. Evenings: 7 to 9 pm. The evening class meets at the Lewes New School, Talbot Terrace (by the Pells), Lewes, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £95 (must pre-register; spaces limited)

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

Creative Writing Course (Mayfield, East Sussex)

photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This autumn you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses in Mayfield, East Sussex
beginning on Tuesday, 13 October, 10 am to 12 noon,
and Thursday, 15 October, 7 to 9 pm.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These courses are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Tuesdays: 10 am to 12 noon, 13 October to 17 November.

- or -

2. Thursdays: 7 to 9 pm, 15 October to 19 November.

WHERE: Rose & Crown Inn (Function Room), Fletching St., Mayfield, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £95 (must pre-register; spaces limited)

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

Creative Writing Course (Mayfield, East Sussex)

photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This September you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses in Mayfield, East Sussex
beginning on Tuesday, 1 September, 10 am to 12 noon,
and Thursday, 3 September, 7 to 9 pm.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These courses are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Tuesdays: 10 am to 12 noon, 1 September to 6 October.

- or -

2. Thursdays: 7 to 9 pm, 3 September to 8 October.

WHERE: Rose & Crown Inn (Function Room), Fletching St., Mayfield, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £95 (must pre-register; spaces limited)

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

Creative Writing Course (Lewes, East Sussex)

The Glyndebourne Gardens, photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This September you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses in Lewes, East Sussex
beginning on Wednesday, 2 September.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These courses are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available, both running on Wednesdays, from 2 September to 7 October:

1. Mornings: 10 to 12 noon. The morning class meets at the Lewes Subud Centre (Upper Hall), 26a Station St., Lewes, East Sussex.

- or -

2. Evenings: 7 to 9 pm. The evening class meets at the Lewes New School, Talbot Terrace (by the Pells), Lewes, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £95 (must pre-register; spaces limited)

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

One-Day Creative Writing Workshops (Lewes)

The Glyndebourne Gardens, photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

You are warmly invited to join us for one or more
One-Day Creative Writing Workshops
held in Lewes on Saturdays throughout the month of August.
Each Saturday we'll meet from 10 am to 3 pm,
with a one-hour lunch break from approximately 12 to 1 pm.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
These workshops are ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: One-Day Creative Writing Workshops

WHEN: Saturdays, 10 am to 3 pm (with one-hour lunch break), August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.

WHERE: Lewes Subud Centre (Upper Hall), 26a Station St., Lewes, East Sussex.

HOW MUCH: £35 for each One-Day Workshop (must pre-register)

WHO: Sean M. Madden is an American writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Since 2002, he has developed and led creative workshops, and tutored widely in the general humanities and liberal arts, working with school-aged kids, university and post-graduate students, and middle-aged folk through to octogenarians. The programs he creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). As part of these unusually intensive post-graduate programs, he studied philosophy, political and social thought, and literature, as well as ancient Greek and Sanskrit, and translated sizable swaths of Homer's Iliad and the Bhagavad Gita. He earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain, a school he returned to in both 2007 and 2008. Sean is a former entrepreneur, principal management consultant, and Fortune 100 senior financial/marketing analyst. He is also the founder and editor of the Mindful Living Guide website.

To register for a workshop or for more information
please email Sean or telephone him at (07971) 774151.

The Star

by Suzanne Staniforth
Mindful Living Guide
June 19, 2009

Three times, at most, I've seen the star
Perhaps not registering much the first time
The second time it shone in through my window.

I felt somehow it was meant to be —
It stayed absolutely static, never moving
Until the deep dark sky started turning into light.

Only then it faded slowly from my sight
And left me with a sense of loneliness and loss
As we had seemed to share a close connection.

I felt it knew, and was listening to my thoughts
Understood and listened without censure
As if it was aware of all I told it.

Each night for a quarter of a year
I have looked and hoped —
Always just a dark and starless sky.

I know nothing of stellar movement
It may be shining over Israel or over Rome
If that is so, I shall exist on hope and waiting.

Hoping one night it will be in my sky again
I shall then experience joyful reconciliation
A feeling of a void that's filled from space.

Even if it be but brief again
Just to see it shining in, and connecting,
To see the special star will make me whole.

© copyright 2009 by Suzanne Staniforth.

Summer Creative Writing Course in Mayfield ...

photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This summer you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses, in Mayfield, East Sussex,
beginning on Thursday, June 25, 7 to 9 pm,
and Tuesday, June 30, 10 am to 12 noon.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
This course is ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHERE: Rose & Crown Inn, Fletching St., Mayfield, East Sussex

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Tuesday mornings: 10 am to 12 noon, June 30th to August 4th

- or -

2. Thursday evenings: 7 to 9 pm, June 25th to July 30th

HOW MUCH: £75 for the 6-week course.

WHO: A writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, Sean Madden has developed and led creative workshops with his partner, Rebecca Hurst, since 2002. The programs they create incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two MAs in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain and which, since 2007, he continues to do each summer.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Sean or call him (or Rebecca) at 07971 774151.

Seeking Solace from the Dead

photo by sean, © 2009

by Nikki Macbeth
Mindful Living Guide
June 15, 2009

Seeking solace from the dead,
writers, drunks and
other solitaries we sit
in grassy churchyards,
walled from the relentless din
of age-old commerce outside

Traffic noise is muffled here,
wood pigeons and bumblebees
triumph
over the human voice —
the gargoyles gaze down
in silence

A squirrel darts and weaves,
quicksilver
around a chestnut trunk,
then leaps to the wall
and is gone —
along the length of the wall
old tombstones lean;
huge, uneven stone teeth,
softened and blurred by lichen

The clock is striking six —
the church, anticipating dusk,
draws its grassy skirts
around itself;
and believers and non-believers alike
shift imperceptibly nearer,
reluctant to leave this place

© copyright 2009 by Nikki Macbeth.

Fiction Writing Workshop (Lewes, East Sussex)

photo by sean, © 2009

There must be possible a fiction which,
leaving sociology and case histories to the scientists,
can arrive at the truth about the human condition,
here and now, with all the bright magic of the fairy tale.

~ Ralph Ellison

Early summer is a time of rebirth, renewed engagement
with the world around us, and a sense of our own creative power
blossoming with the warmer weather and sunshine.

This summer you are invited to join us for a 6-week
Fiction Writing Workshop in Lewes, East Sussex,
beginning on Monday, June 29, 10 am to 12 noon.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week Fiction Writing Workshop

WHEN: Monday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, beginning June 29th and running through August 3rd (meeting at Pastorale Arts, 15 Malling Street, Lewes).

HOW MUCH: £75 for the 6-week course.

WHO: A writer of fiction and poetry, Rebecca Hurst has developed and led creative workshops for adults and children since 2002. The programs she creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality. Rebecca earned her BA at Smith College in Massachusetts, studied for a semester in St Petersburg, Russia, and is currently in her final year of the MA in Creative Writing and Personal Development program at the University of Sussex.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Rebecca or call her at 07971 774151.

Summer Creative Writing in Lewes ...

photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This summer you are warmly invited to join us for one of two
6-week Creative Writing Courses, in Lewes, East Sussex,
beginning on Wednesday, June 24, 10 am to 12 noon,
and Tuesday, June 30, 7 pm to 9 pm.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
This course is ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 6-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, June 24th to July 29th (meeting at the Lewes Subud Centre, 26a Station St., Lewes)

- or -

2. Tuesday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm, June 30th to August 4th (meeting at Pastorale Arts, 15 Malling Street, Lewes)

HOW MUCH: £75 for the 6-week course.

WHO: Writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, Rebecca Hurst and Sean Madden have developed and led creative workshops since 2002. The programs they create incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two MAs in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain and which, since 2007, he continues to do each summer. Rebecca earned her BA in History and Russian at Smith College in Massachusetts, and is in her final year of the MA in Creative Writing and Personal Development program at the University of Sussex.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Sean or call him (or Rebecca) at 07971 774151.

Nature's Pulse

photo by sean, © 2009

by Dominic Nevill

Mindful Living Guide
May 18, 2009

Let loose the madmen into the woods
To soak and soothe their souls
May energy shoots apace
Like a city in full flow
Stop to listen to the crackle of life
And birdsong and colour and me there
Stripped bare as a child softly floating
Barely touching the ground as I tread the leaves.

Leaving the sea of bluebells perched in perfect light
To delve deeper into the darkening wood
Its womb beckoning deep and dangerous thoughts
Come and go, come and stay awhile
That timeless pain wants its time
Out of the box and into the heart
Vibrate it through the oak, ash and birch,
Till it runs its course.

Birdsong brings me back to the light tight
Swaying in the breeze leaves and makes me pause
Before I climb the hill to home.

© copyright 2009 by Dominic Nevill.

Villanelle

photo by Viva Lewes, © 2009

by Paul Duckett
Mindful Living Guide
April 5, 2009

Rebecca wrote the following introduction to another of Paul's poems which we published in April 2008, and I see no reason to change a word of it. One update, however: In addition to being a good friend, Paul is now a student in my Wednesday morning creative writing course in Lewes. And for those who might be interested in learning more about the challenging villanelle poetic form, click here. Rebecca's introduction follows:

This poem is by my friend and former student, Paul Duckett. Paul is also known in his hometown of Lewes, East Sussex as IDM — or Incredible Dancing Man. He took part in a creative writing and mindfulness course that I led in Lewes in October 2007, and writing and dance are just two of the creative outlets favoured by this warm-hearted free spirit. You can see Paul dance at the Lansdown Arms or on MySpaceTV. There is also a nice profile of Paul in Viva Lewes, Issue 25 (click here for the second page of the Viva Lewes profile to learn more about Paul).

Now might I move onto the floor of dance
And show my body I can surely sway,
As spirit of the music I enhance.

The other drinkers give a startled glance
As I join active sounds in an affray
Now might I move onto the floor of dance.

Around the crowded pub I next will prance
And move throughout the night into the day
As spirit of the music I enhance.

So I may venture to the coast of France
And think, though that is quite a step to stray
Now might I move onto the floor of dance.

Upon the dance floor I do take my stance
The notes and rhythms both for me will play
As spirit of the music I enhance.

With whirling limbs I still do take my chance
As locks of hair grow ever ever grey
Now might I move onto the floor of dance
As spirit of the music I enhance.

© copyright 2009 by Paul Duckett.

The Art of Mindful Living Course (Lewes, E. Sussex)

photo by sean, © 2009

The Art of Mindful Living course will integrate mindfulness meditation, mindfulness practice in our day-to-day lives, an exploration of relevant and inspiring literature (e.g., Thoreau's Walden), and a creative/reflective writing element.

We'll meet on Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon at the Lewes Subud Centre on Station St. The course runs for eight weeks, from April 29th thru June 17th.

8-Week Course Fee: £95.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Sean or call him (or Rebecca) at 07971 774151.

Creative Writing Course (Lewes, East Sussex)

The Pells, photo by sean, © 2009

So rescue yourself from these general themes
and write about what your everyday life offers you;
describe your sorrows and desires,
the thoughts that pass through your mind
and your belief in some kind of beauty ...

~ Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

You are warmly invited to join us for one of two
8-week Creative Writing courses, in Lewes, East Sussex,
beginning on Tuesday, April 28, 7 pm to 9 pm
and Wednesday, April 29, 10 am to 12 noon.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
This course is ideal for both beginner and more experienced
writers looking for the encouragement, inspiration, and
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 8-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Tuesday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm, beginning April 28th (meeting at the Lewes New School, Talbot Terrace, Lewes)

- or -

2. Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, beginning April 29th (meeting at the Subud Centre, Station St., Lewes)

HOW MUCH: £95 for the 8-week course (the fee for our previous 6-week courses was £75).

WHO: Writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, Rebecca Hurst and Sean Madden have developed and led creative workshops since 2002. The programs they create incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two MAs in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also earned a BBA in Finance in 1989, immediately after which he taught English at a private summer school in Spain and which, since 2007, he continues to do each summer. Rebecca earned her BA in History and Russian at Smith College in Massachusetts, and is in her final year of the MA in Creative Writing and Personal Development program at the University of Sussex.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Sean or call him (or Rebecca) at 07971 774151.

Reminder: Our Next Mayfield Creative Writing Course Begins Thursday, April 2 (thru May 7)

A very brief reminder that our next Mayfield Creative Writing course begins this coming Thursday, April 2. Click here for details.

The Raj Quartet: Seminar-Style Discussion Course (Two Locations: Mayfield & Lewes, East Sussex)

Following on the success of our ongoing Creative Writing courses offered in both Mayfield and Lewes, we are now taking reservations for an 8-week seminar-style discussion course on the first two works of Paul Scott's literary masterpiece, The Raj Quartet,
which recreates the final days of India under British rule.

The first of these two works, The Jewel in the Crown, is widely known because of the film by that name which was serialised on British television in 1984. If you enjoyed that highly acclaimed series, you'll almost certainly love reading and discussing in detail these intriguingly complex novels upon which the film was based.

Please register early as space is limited.

There are no course prerequisites.
No prior knowledge or familiarity with the texts is necessary.

***

You are warmly invited to join us for a spirited
8-week seminar-style discussion course
on the first two novels of Paul Scott's The Raj Quartet:
The Jewel in the Crown & The Day of the Scorpion.

The course runs in two locations from 21 April to 9 June:

We'll meet on Tuesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon
at London House in Mayfield, East Sussex

- and -

on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm
at the Lewes New School in Lewes, East Sussex

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 8-week seminar-style discussion course on the first two novels of Paul Scott's literary masterpiece, The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown & The Day of the Scorpion.

WHEN/WHERE: Two sessions are available:

1. Tuesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, beginning 21 April thru 9 June (meeting at London House, High St., Mayfield, located a couple doors down from St. Dunstan's Church and the Post Office)

- or -

2. Tuesday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm, beginning April 21 thru 9 June (meeting at the Lewes New School, Talbot Terrace, Lewes)

HOW MUCH: £95 for the 8-week course.

THE BOOKS: Two independent brick-and-mortar bookshops have agreed to stock, and to order with very quick turnaround time, the above first two novels of The Raj Quartet. In Mayfield, the books may be purchased at Libra Books on the High St. In Lewes, the books may be purchased at Bags of Books, the bookshop located at 1 South St., at the intersection with Cliffe High St. ** Please Note: It is important that course participants have the editions pictured above so as to facilitate discussion by way of common pagination, that is, for ease of finding our place in the text during class.

WHO: A full-time writer and educator, Sean Madden has developed and led creative and literary workshops with his partner, Rebecca Hurst, since 2002. The programs they create incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality (through mindful awareness). Sean holds two master's degrees in Western and Eastern (India, China, Japan) thought from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also earned a BBA in Finance in 1989.

One of the highlights of Sean's life was studying these first two works of Paul Scott's The Raj Quartet — under the tutelage of the British historian Beate Ruhm von Oppen and alongside a handful of his fellow post-graduate students of literature and philosophy — while in his final semester of his first master's degree program. It was during this time that Sean and Beate formed a close friendship that lasted until her final days in August 2004. She would be thrilled to know that Sean is carrying forth the seed which she had so lovingly sown: the love of literature, of careful reading and of good conversation, and of this brilliant literary work in particular.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Sean or call him at 07971 774151.

Art of Change Festival: Mindful Writing Workshop

We have been invited to lead a two-hour Mindful Writing workshop at the Lewes Art of Change: Arts & Awareness Festival, running from April 10th through the 14th. Our Mindful Writing workshop is scheduled for Monday April 13 from 2:30 to 4:30. Workshop ticket price is £10 at the door and £7 in advance. To get tickets at the lower price, they must be purchased before April 7. Click here for ticket information, and then scroll to the bottom of the page.

Viva Lewes: Photos of the Week

photo by sean, © 2009

Yesterday afternoon, I received an email from Viva Lewes editor Alex Leith telling me that the above photograph would be published in this week's online edition as one of their photos of the week. The edition went live this afternoon. Please note that this "photo of the week" page is not archived on Viva Lewes, and so my photograph will disappear from their website once next week's edition is published.

Lewes locals will know that the photograph was taken in the Southover Grange gardens. I took it just this past Saturday, the 21st of March, while walking around town.

Creative Writing Course (Hastings, East Sussex)

photo by Graham Skingley, © 2006

"What lies behind us
and what lies before us are
tiny matters compared to
what lies within us."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Spring and early summer is a time of rebirth, renewed engagement
with the world around us, and a sense of our own creative power
blossoming with the warmer weather and sunshine.

This spring you are invited to join me for one of two
8-week Creative Writing courses in Hastings, East Sussex,
beginning on Wednesday, April 22, 7 to 9 pm,
and on Thursday, April 23, 10 am to 12 noon.

Writing together, we will explore ways to connect with
the vibrancy of life within ourselves and in the world around us.
This course is ideal for both beginners and more experienced
writers looking for encouragement, inspiration, and the
motivation of a supportive group.

____________________________________________________

WHAT: 8-week course in Creative Writing

WHEN: Two sessions are available:

1. Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm, beginning April 22
and running through June 10 (meeting at the Friends Meeting House, 5 South Terrace, Hastings, East Sussex)

- or -

2. Thursday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, beginning April 23
and running through June 11 (meeting at 12 Claremont, Hastings, East Sussex)

HOW MUCH: £95 for the 8-week course.

WHO: A writer of fiction and poetry, Rebecca Hurst has developed and led creative workshops for adults and children since 2002. The programs she creates incorporate an exploration of language, literature, art and spirituality. Rebecca earned her BA at Smith College in Massachusetts, studied for a semester in St Petersburg, Russia, and is currently in her final year of the MA in Creative Writing and Personal Development program at the University of Sussex.

To register for the course or for more information
please email Rebecca or call her at 07971 774 151.