Thursday, October 27, 2011

Bloody Parchment event a roaring success


Well, folks, that was the third annual Bloody Parchment event done and dusted. First off, I'd like to thank the Book Lounge, without whom we would not have the very atmospheric "basement" setting for the festivities. Then, of course, there's the SA HorrorFest organisers, Paul and Sonja, who are probably the most incredibly busy and creative couple I know. If you're in Cape Town and you love the horror genre in all its forms, then you're in for a treat this year. Thank you!

A big thanks to this year's authors and panel members. Our readers were Brett Bruton, SA Partridge, Maya Teresa Fowler, Carine Engelbrecht, Sarah Lotz and Lauren Beukes. You guys brought us a diverse offering.

This year we changed the evening slightly by adding a panel discussion so our audience could ask questions of some of the leading names of genre in Cape Town. Thank you to Joe Vaz (Something Wicked magazine), Ronnie Belcher and Thomas Dorman (BlackMilk Productions), Sarah Lotz and Lauren Beukes for sharing some of their fears with us.

Then a very, very special thanks goes to three of my friends: Cat, Marie and Andrew. You helped me prepare all the yummy snacks and distracted me from my impending doom of MCing the event.

So, folks, the next part of Bloody Parchment--the second anthology--is underway. There is still time to enter (closing date October 31) so go check out the submission guidelines here. If you want to see what last year's anthology looks like, stop by Goodreads. If you're in an absolute bind and you ABSOLUTELY MUST have an extra day or so to polish, please get hold of me to discuss a deadline extension. I don't have a lot of leeway but we can come to some sort of an arrangement. I don't bite. Much.

I've already received a lovely range of entries for this year. I'll be spending November reading them and the judges will receive their selection by the start of December. If all goes according to plan, we'll have our winners announced by mid-December (barring chaos).

Friday, October 7, 2011

Bloody Parchment event, 2011


It’s October, which means it’s time to carve your pumpkins and stock up on sweet treats for Halloween. The South African HORRORFEST’s BLOODY PARCHMENT literary chapter will open the 7th annual instalment of Cape Town’s ultimate Halloween festival on October 26.

It will once again take place at the Book Lounge – 71 Roeland Street, 5.30pm for 6pm. Dress up as your favourite ghoul, witch, wizard or monster and join us for a literary evening of chills and shivers as local authors such as Lauren Beukes, Sarah Lotz, SA Partridge, Carine Engelbrecht and Brett Bruton, share dark, macabre or downright spooky tales. In addition we also bring together the masterminds of local horror in a panel, so here’s your chance to hear what they have to say about what special brand of terror South Africans are bound to unleash in print and film. As if this isn’t enough incentive to attend, prizes will be awarded to the best costumes (including Penguin books and Phantom Sambuca).

The film chapter of the HORRORFEST and alternative market will be hosted at The Labia Theatre (Orange Street, Gardens). See www.HORRORFEST.com

For further enquiries, email nerinedorman@gmail.com or call 082 958 3631. Visit Bloody Parchment at: www.shadowrealminc.com/bloodyparchment
Free download of the first Bloody Parchment short story anthology at: www.goodreads.com/book/show/11973202-bloody-parchment-volume-1
RSVP with the Book Lounge on 021 462 2425.

Read more about short story competition here.