2018 Committee
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Phil Collins
Chairman Phil first came to Swanwick in 2006 having started writing a novel and getting into all sorts of difficulty. With a background in engineering and technical writing the move to fiction proved more challenging than he thought! But Swanwick provided new opportunities to develop other writing directions. He’s been a regular contributor to Page to Stage and the final night’s entertainment over the past four years. Swanwick also provided the inspiration to take up guitar enabling him to join in with Buskers night as well as write song lyrics for the pantos he’s been involved with. He joined the committee in 2015 and is privileged to lead Swanwick into its seventieth year. Email: chairman@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk |
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Katherine Bolton
Vice Chairman Katherine has been coming to Swanwick for 10-years and has previously served on the Committee. Many might know Katherine from her regular Morning Meditations by the Lake. A successful Creative Writing Tutor, Katherine has now returned to Devon after running a writing retreat in Brittany, France for the past 12 years. Currently working on a Meditation How to book, as well as the story of her life in France as an ex-pat. She juggles writing alongside meditation classes and her holistic therapy business. Email: vicechair@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk |
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Ingrid Jendrzejewski
Secretary Ingrid Jendrzejewski grew up in Vincennes, Indiana, studied creative writing at the University of Evansville, then physics at the University of Cambridge. She started submitting work for publication in 2014 and has since found homes for around 100 of her pieces, been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Vestal Review’s VERA Award, and twice for Best Small Fictions, and won her first trip to Swanwick through Writing Magazine's short story competition. In 2017, she gave her first Swanwick workshop on writing for competitions. Ingrid currently lives in Cambridge where she writes, freelances, and occasionally runs writing workshops. Email: secretary@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk |
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Lesley Deschner
Treasurer Lesley has been a keen writer for many years and is part of the group, LiterEight (eight wonderful and mature women from Ayrshire) with whom she has produced three anthologies of poems and short stories. A fourth non-fiction anthology is underway. She has written several short plays, sometimes working in tandem with Helena Sheridan, another member of LiterEight and has acted with two local theatre companies showcasing new plays. Lesley is a previous Secretary of the Summer School (2013/2014) and has recently gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling at the University of Strathclyde. Email: treasurer@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk |
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Lol Barnes
Committee member Lol has been coming to Swanwick for eight years. She fits writing in between the demands of her large family (4 children + partners and 16 grandchildren) and renovating her house. For the last six years she has been doing the community news for her local newspaper, covering the villages around Stone, where she lives. She is currently writing a historical trilogy set in the 14th century, as well as short stories. She is looking forward to serving on this year’s committee. |
Rachel Contini
Committee member
This will be Rachel's 10th year at Swanwick. She has served on previous committees as well as being a course leader and newsletter editor. Her passion in life (besides writing!) is competitive ice dance, which she admits is something of an obsession! This year she's very excited to be a part of putting together the 70th year celebrations.
Committee member
This will be Rachel's 10th year at Swanwick. She has served on previous committees as well as being a course leader and newsletter editor. Her passion in life (besides writing!) is competitive ice dance, which she admits is something of an obsession! This year she's very excited to be a part of putting together the 70th year celebrations.
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Jonathan Higgs
Committee member Jonathan first visited Swanwick in 2013, having heard about it during a fantasy writing weekend. Finding that the Writers’ Summer School is at least as surreal and compelling an alternative world as most of those found in speculative fiction, he’s been back each year since. On the rare and special occasions that Jonathan completes his jobs list sufficiently fully to reach ‘Writing!’ (triple circled and underlined) he tends to generate either play scripts or the next syllable or two of a novel draft which, at this point, may be slightly older than he is. He also enjoys acting and directing, when he gets the chance. In what we commonly agree to be the real world, Jonathan is a teacher. This is Jonathan’s second year co-ordinating TopWrite and, having seen how enthusiastically it was embraced by 2017’s participants, he hopes that many more aspiring writers will leap at the opportunity this year. See the TopWrite page for more details… |
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Andrew Shephard
Committee member (Co-opted December 2017) Andrew delivered a short workshop at Swanwick in 2012 and has been returning ever since. He volunteered to help on the Tweet Team and began looking after the Summer School website in 2015, giving him a front row seat as the programme is pieced together by the Committee. He writes fiction and poetry and administers the Yorkshire Writers’ Lunch blog. |
"I've had the most wonderful time. I've learned a great deal and have lots of inspiration to take home with me. Next year's dates are already in my diary." Louise Roffey
