Tag Archives: Talks and events

In which the Author gives a class on writing non-fiction…

Do you have the next A Year in Provence in you? What about another bestseller like The Suspicions of Mr Whicher? Did you know it is generally easier to get non-fiction published as compared to a novel?
My next bijou writing class will be on Saturday 7th November and will cover all kinds of non-fiction. Location: Gers, Southwest France.
Ideal for anyone interested in writing:
    Autobiography / memoirs / biography
    History of any kind
    Practical / how-to books
    Travel / Exploration / Guidebooks
    Arts / Culture
    Science / technology
    The paranormal / folklore / mysteries
    Social sciences
    True crime
    … you name it
We’ll cover:
    Universal basics of writing non-fiction
    Research, Illustrations, Copyright
    Structure, Narrative, Style & Voice
    Getting Published
Fee is €23 for the full day.
Your tutor is the author of 36 non-fiction books (and much more besides).
To book tel 05 62 09 91 19 or email geoffholder1@mac.com
WRITING NON-FICTION poster

In which the Author embarks on a Halloween ‘tour’ of Scotland…

This Halloween I’m giving a series of talks on spooky subjects at various places in Scotland. Zombies, poltergeists, vampires, witchcraft – there’s something for everyone.

1. SUBJECT: SUPERNATURAL SCOTLAND

WHEN: Tuesday 28th October, 7pm

WHERE: ABERFELDY – Breadalbane Campus, Aberfeldy, Perth & Kinross PH15 2DU

DETAILS: A medieval monk describes an outbreak of zombies in the Scottish Borders.  A poltergeist case in

Edinburgh ends up in court. The Maggie Wall Witchcraft Monument in Perthshire is a complex fake. A ghost

sighting in Dundee provokes a mini-riot. And hundreds of Glasgow schoolchildren invade a graveyard hunting a

vampire with iron teeth. Based on meticulous original research, prolific author (and highly entertaining speaker) in

this Halloween special Geoff Holder reveals some of the historical and modern mysteries of the Scottish

paranormal experience. Welcome to Supernatural Scotland. It’s stranger than you can imagine.

COST: £5

MORE INFO: http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/9844/Supernatural-Scotland-with-Geoff-Holder

 

2. SUBJECT: ZOMBIES FROM HISTORY

WHEN: Thursday 30th October, 7.30pm

WHERE: EDINBURGH – Skeptics in the Pub, Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry Street, EH1 1LG (just off the Royal Mile).

DETAILS: It’s the night of the living dead… Zombie culture didn’t start with George Romero. Here be medieval

chroniclers’ sworn-to-be-true tales of the plague-spreading undead, including the pugilistic zombie of Paisley and

the zombie monk of the Scottish Borders; archeological evidence from graveyards of Anglo-Saxon and Romano-

British fear of the walking dead; several ‘Ladies with the Ring’, all supposedly revived in the grave by jewel-stealing gravediggers; the men who were hanged and buried – and then revived; the Cumbrian Crusader whose corpse

was still bleeding 800 years after his death; and the ancient bog body that accidentally solved a modern murder

mystery.

Warning: contains corpses.

COST: FREE

MORE INFO: here 

 

3. SUBJECT: SEX, LIES AND POLTERGEISTS! at the FIRST EVER SCOTTISH PARANORMAL FESTIVAL

WHEN: FRIDAY 31ST OCTOBER, 3.30PM

WHERE: Albert Halls, Albert Place, Dumbarton Road, Stirling FK9 4LA

DETAILS: Activity which has baffled paranormal investigators for centuries. Focusing on Scotland, Geoff will

discuss the earliest recorded Scottish poltergeist, a witchcraft episode from Stirling, and an Aberdeenshire

example kickstarted by young lust.

A canvas of commonsense-defying mysteries that stretches from the year 1635 to the present day.

COST: £5

MORE INFO: http://www.paranormalscotland.com/presentations/geoff-holder-sex-lies-and-poltergeists/

 

In which the Author gives another writing class…

The next in the series of writing classes here in Gascony will be on Sunday 7th September, in Nogaro (Gers).

The topics of the day will be ‘Dialogue’ and ‘Voice / Style’ – both crunch issues for many authors.

The full-day writing class is suitable for authors of all kinds of fiction.

The fee is €23. The venue is wheelchair accessible and there is free parking nearby.

Everyone welcome. And if you have writerly friends, don’t bother to share the news with them (wait, that’s not quite right…).

WRITING CLASS 4 sept 2014

In which the Author takes a Halloween tour in Scotland (and looks for further gigs)…

Are you in Scotland and looking for a speaker during Halloween week? In the last week of October I’ll be knocking the French mud off my boots and venturing back to Scotland for a series of talks, and there are a few gaps in the

schedule, so I’m looking for some other opportunities.

Here’s the skinny:

On the evening of Tuesday 28th October I’m talking about ‘Supernatural Scotland’ at the Breadalbane Library in

Aberfeldy, Perth & Kinross.

On Wed 29th (evening) I’m presenting my crowd-pleasing ‘Zombies from History’ to the Edinburgh Skeptics at the Banshee Labyrinth. Warning: may contain corpses.

Thurs 30th (evening) I’m in Perth with the Filmmakers Club.

And in the afternoon of Friday 31st, Halloween itself, I’m at the (drum-roll) Scottish Paranormal Festival in Stirling,

giving a talk entitled ‘Sex, Lies & Poltergeists’: expect scenes of destruction, pointless violence and icky fluids from the very beginning.

So, if you are looking for a Halloween speaker on all matters ghoul and ghast anytime between Monday 27th

October and Saturday 1st November, please get in touch.

In which the Author gives a creative writing class…

The third in the ongoing monthly series of creative writing classes here in SW France will take place on Saturday

24 May, at Nogaro in the département of the Gers.

The full-day course will be on the subject of ‘writing the plot’ and is aimed at all writers and novelists, whether

you’re just starting out or have almost finished your novel.

We have people coming from the neighbouring départements of the Landes and Haute-Garonne, as well as from

various other parts of the Gers/Gascony. There are still a few places available.

The details: 10am-4pm with a break for lunch. The fee is €20. To book or to enquire further send me a message

via the electric internet on geoffholder1@mac.com.

I’ve just finished a vampire novel, where you can solve all kinds of plot problems with a bit of biting and

bloodsucking: I’m conscious, however, that this may not entirely work for writers of chicklit or police procedurals,

so I’ll have to rein myself in. Oh well.

WRITING CLASS 3

In which the Author gives a writing class in SW France…

WRITING CLASS 2.1Calling all hopeful novelists living within a reasonable distance of the Gers, SW France (so  that means you,

Landes, Haute-Garonne, Lot-et-Garonne and Haute-Pyrénées). On Saturday 12th April I’ve giving another full-day writing class. The previous class was a blast – thanks to all those who came – and by popular demand the next

class will focus on writing fiction, specifically, creating memorable characters.

We’ll be looking at character physique, names, motivation, personality and what I like to call character

archaeology – the effect of the past on the present.

All are welcome, no matter your level or experience of writing fiction.

The class will be in Nogaro, Gers, from 10am-4pm. Cost is only €20. Many of the students from the previous class have already signed up.

To book, email me at geoffholder1@mac.com or call 05 62 09 81 19.