http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk News for Snake River Press en-gb Tue, 20 May 2008 09:27:10 +0100 Copyright: (C) Snake River Press 15 1234 Tue, 20 May 2008 09:27:10 +0100 Come and meet some of your favourite Snake River Press authors. Ann Kramer (Sussex Women), Marcus Weeks (Sussex Music) and David Mortimer (Sussex Wildlife) will again be enthralling readers with their enthusiastic mix of informative and entertaining talks about their books. The event is part of  the second Clifton Montpelier Powis Festival and will be held at St. Michael's Church, Victoria Road, Brighton on Sunday 20th July at 4pm. Admission is £7 or £5 for concessions (festival enquiries info@cmpca.org.uk or 07816 403099). St. Michael's is home to some of the best stained glass in the county, by the Arts and Crafts masters William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, so this is definitely an event not to be missed. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1234 1230 Sat, 17 May 2008 14:15:32 +0100 The sun shone down gloriously on Hastings seafront last Saturday (May 10), but it did not impress a steady stream of music fans (some of them actual musicians) who flowed instead into Waterstone’s to see Marcus Weeks signing his book Sussex Music - and, even better, bought more than a few copies. According to Marcus, it was ‘a very pleasant and successful day’. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1230 1193 Wed, 07 May 2008 10:35:55 +0100 Musician Marcus Weeks, author of Sussex Music, will be signing copies of his book at Waterstone’s in Priory Meadow, Hastings, on Saturday May 10th from 11 o’ clock. Come along and mingle with Marcus and fellow musos, who are likely to turn out in force, especially as Waterstone’s is just a crotchet and a quaver from Pissarro’s Café-Bar, the traditional haunt of Hastings’ legendary jazz, blues and folk supremos. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1193 1182 Thu, 01 May 2008 15:33:43 +0100 Longer warmer days are ideal for exploring the Downs with their wide rolling expanses, skylarks singing and the first of the year's orchids just appearing. If you are taking children for a walk, Devil's Dyke is an excellent starting point - see walk number 1 in 20 Sussex Walks. You'll find suggestions for longer or shorter routes, exciting paths on steep hillsides and woods where there may still be bluebells, yellow archangel and ramsons in bloom early in the month. (A good trick with children is not to call the outing a "walk", but an "adventure", or an "expedition" and then allow plenty of time to stop and explore and play in different places on the route. Most children really enjoy scrambling up and down steep hillsides and Devil's Dyke provides lots of opportunities...) For a longer ramble, Steyning and Chanctonbury ring (walk no 10 in the book) provide all the delights of an interesting starting place and a climb to a magical landmark high in the West Sussex Downs. Just don't walk backwards round the ring 7 times.... http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1182 1134 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:15:42 +0100 Gills are the deep, narrow valleys created by fast running streams in the sandstone hills of the High Weald. The steep sides and particular soil conditions create micro-climates where many usual and unusual plants flourish - including of course, bluebells. In 20 Sussex Walks you'll find directions to gills in St Leonard's Forest, and along the coast east of Hastings where there are masses of bluebells. Here you'll find the magical Fairlight Glen which may well have been the inspiration for Christina Rosetti's poem "Goblin Market". If you're exploring Hastings, you can walk northwards through Alexandra Park and find Old Roar Ghyll which has carefully laid out steps and walkways so that everyone can enjoy the delights of the little waterfalls, steep rocky banks and varied plants (including the rare toothwort) almost in the heart of the town. It makes an ideal walk for children - lots of fun and not too far. On any walk in rural Sussex in April you may hear the call of the cuckoo (said, traditionally, to be released from an old woman's basket somewhere near Mayfield on the 14th of the month). To be (almost) sure of hearing the sound which so evokes springtime, try walking from Rye towards Rye Harbour and the Nature Reserve. I have always heard cuckoos in the unpromising-looking scrubland behind Rye Harbour church. In the churchyard you can see the monument marking the burial place of 17 men who died in the Mary Stanford lifeboat disaster in 1928. As is still traditional in fishing communities and the lifeboat volunteer service, fathers, sons and brothers from the same families were aboard and were lost on that occasion. The lifeboathouse from which the Mary Stanford was launched stands, lonely and deserted, on the shore to the west of Rye Harbour. There is rare vegetated shingle and lots of bird-life in the Nature Reserve so it's worth taking binoculars (and warm clothes - this is a particularly exposed and cold part of the Sussex coast). http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1134 1112 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:33:15 +0100 Methvens Bookshop in Worthing was host to a splendid Snake River Press author event on the evening of 3rd April. Editorial Director Viv Croot kicked off proceedings with an amusing account of just what an editorial director does, and then went on to introduce the writers of our most recently published titles. Fizz Carr, author of the Good Food and Drink in Sussex, explained very entertainingly about how she approached the selection and research of some the county's finest food and drink producers. She and her husband run a mixed farm on the South Downs and the agricultural history of the county interests her greatly. As well as recounting some entertaining stories about the lengths to which food and drink producers will go to lovingly nurture their produce, she also raised some thought-provoking points about emerging issues such as food security and the true cost of 'cheap food'. David Mortimer, author of Sussex Wildlife, gave an inspiring account of the very varied and rich wildlife sites that are to be found across the county. Such were his evocative descriptions that, as spring is now officially here, I'm sure many in the audience felt the urge to get out into the countryside and experience first hand some of the wonderful places and creatures featured in his book. David's thoughtful responses to audience questions were also much appreciated. Marcus Weeks, author of Sussex Music ended the evening on a tuneful note, although I for one was disappointed that he had not brought his trombone! However, his account of how he found quite so many varied musicians with Sussex connections more than made up for it. The more I learn of the county's inhabitants through these books, the more convinced I become that this southerly corner of Britain has attracted and continues to attract an unusually high quota of creative, talented and often rather maverick characters. And long may it do so! I'd like to thank all the authors for giving their time and talents and of course thank Jen and her team at Methvens for making everyone so welcome. Peter Bridgewater, Publisher http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1112 1037 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:39:54 +0000 The March issue of the popular Viva Lewes magazine featured an interesting interview with Fizz Carr, author of the recently published Snake River Press title Good Food and Drink in Sussex. To coincide with this the magazine ran a competition offering all 13 of our published books as the prize. Even though the quiz question was 'What is the county town of West Sussex', an East Sussex resident was the winner. So congratulations to Helen Pope of Barcombe and happy reading! http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=1037 889 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:02:10 +0000 The Shaping of the Sussex Landscape Peter Brandon March 09 Peter Brandon is a highly respected historical geographer with an international reputation, who has written and lectured on Sussex and the South Downs for more than thirty years. The Shaping of the Sussex Landscape uncovers the rich cultural tapestry that ordinary men and women have woven on the landscape and townscapes of Sussex, and how the mark of human life they left on the ground over time has contributed to its present-day appearance. Bird Watching in Sussex Rob Yarham March 09 Rob Yarham is a resident of Sussex and editor of Beautiful Britain, the prestigious town and countryside magazine. He has spent a lifetime studying Britain’s wild birds and helping to conserve their natural habitats. Bird Watching in Sussex is a passionate portrait of Rob’s top 20 species and an invaluable guide to the best spots in the county for watching these glorious creatures in action all year round. This book is an entertaining insight into Sussex birds and bird watching. Old Fashioned Family Days Out in Sussex Fanny Smith March 09 Fanny Smith, writer and illustrator, has three children under twelve and suspects that she enjoys their Sussex days out even more than they do, especially fighting off the Normans at Battle and playing Pooh-sticks. Her cheery guide to fun, fulfilling family outings is full of suggestions for places to go, and imaginative ideas about what to do when you get there that won’t cost much but are guaranteed to banish boredom and create lifelong happy memories. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=889 887 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:28:47 +0000 Inspiring Sussex Gardeners Lorraine Harrison September 08 Lorraine Harrison is author of 20 Sussex Gardens, one of the first titles in the SRP collection. A long-time resident of Sussex and knowledgeable gardener, Lorraine has an MA in Garden History and contributes regularly to Gardens Illustrated and Hortus when not out tending her Downland paradise. In this second venture she explores the lives and personalities of the hands-on gardeners and horticultual theorists who helped make some of the great and varied gardens of Sussex. Salacious Sussex Viv Croot September 08 Viv Croot is a writer who has spent much of her life in Brighton, the naughty capital of the county. Whether Brighton seduced Viv into the darker, seamier side of life or whether she was already there is hard to say. Most of her books have been written under an assumed name, which tells you something, and researching the murders, financial scandals, sexual shenanigans, scams, cheats, betrayals and dirty deeds that feature in Salacious Sussex did not shock her nearly as much as it should have. A Tour Along the Sussex Coast David Arscott September 08 David Arscott, writer and broadcaster, has spent much of his life exploring the miles of meandering Sussex between Rye and Chichester. This all-weather seaside tour is an ­exhilar­at­ing journey of discovery within sight and smell of the sea. Along the way our preambulations reveal a little of the county’s geology and natural history, but in particular we enjoy the rich array of pleasures that human activity has brought to the coastal fringes of Sussex. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=887 885 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:11:26 +0000 Our second issue of Snake River Review has just been released and features David Dimbleby telling us why he feels lucky to call the chalk hills of Sussex home. If you want to receive future copies just click here. There is also another opportunity to acquire our unique Snake River Notebook (left) absolutely free. http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=885 673 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:47:08 +0000 John Woodcock's clear, clean and crisp maps are a welcome companion to all those who set out on Pat Bowen's 20 Sussex Walks. John studied illustration at Norwich School of Art in the 1970s and has worked as a successful freelance illustrator ever since. Extremely versatile, he uses the latest digital technology to produce work on a wide range of subjects in many styles. In 2000 he was the worthy joint winner of the Times Educational Supplement award for best information illustration. He lives in Suffolk with his wife Carol who is also an illustrator and designer (they occasionally collaborate on projects) and their family. Confirmed francophiles, John and Carol have a 'ruin' in South West France and dream of moving there one day. Lullington Heath http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=673 672 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:46:38 +0000 Maddy lives in the Sussex countryside at the foot of the South Downs, working in a converted flint farm building, often visited by local wildlife, and the neighbouring ducks. She shares this idyll with her husband, young son, and a cat. Trained at Cambridge and Brighton University Maddy has been working as an Illustrator for the last 15 years on a diverse range of publications. However, over the last few years she has specialized mainly in children’s picture books, which she enjoys very much. She uses a wide range of media, combining traditional hand drawn artwork with computer applications. When not illustrating, Maddy exhibits her paintings, prints and drawings, occasionally opening her home during the Brighton Festival artists’ open houses and has also started a course in ceramic sculpture. Her ambition is to make quirky animated films with her husband, a visual effects producer, making her lively illustrations come to life. Sussex Jazz http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=672 671 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:46:04 +0000 Hugh trained at Canterbury College of Art as a graphic designer. Relief printmaking was his craft subject at college, particularly linocutting. After many years as a commercial designer, creative director and illustrator in London he bought a restored Columbian press, circa 1830, and moved to Kent. He now spends much of his time producing linocuts and woodcuts alongside his graphic and illustration work, some feature in his design projects, particularly for packaging and display. Subject matter ranges from animals and birds to people and places. He has an obsession with line and deploys a stylised graphic treatment much influenced by ethnic art and a reverence to the likes of Edward Bawden and Eric Gill. When cutting a lino block he will always look for linear patterns to be contrasted with solid areas of black. Exhibitions include - the National Theatre, the National Print Exhibition, Printmakers Council Open, the Society of Wood Engravers, the Society of Wildlife Artists, the Affordable Art Fair in London, Originals 07 at the Mall Galleries and the Brighton Art Fair 2007. www.hughribbans.com Sussex Wildlife Kingley Vale http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=671 670 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:43:10 +0000 Barbara Childs studied graphic design at Brighton College of Art where Raymond Briggs and John Lawrence were among her tutors. After an art teaching career she began wood engraving twelve years ago at Diana Bloomfield's class in Lewes. Her published work includes illustrations for Garden Design Journal, two books for Blackstaff Press and several book-plate commissions, along with woodcut and lino prints for three popular limited edition books about Lewes created by Paddock Printmakers: High Street, Cliffe and the most recent Public House. Barbara also had a joint mixed media exhibition in 1997 and has contributed work for the annual Printmakers’ Artwave exhibition in Lewes for almost a decade. www.barbarachilds.co.uk Monks House The Bloomsbury Group http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=670 669 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:32:09 +0000 Curtis Tappenden's Ardizzone-inspired cartoons for An Eccentric Tour of Sussex bring the pages to life with vigour and joyful distinction. Curtis is a Sussex-based author and illustrator living with his family and friends in Brighton. For twenty years he has relentlessly pursued the working techniques of his 'line' heroes, Edward Bawden, Edward Ardizzone, Ronald Searle, John Minton and Sussex's own Eric Ravilious. What has emerged is not a pastiched, hybrid style but a quirky notation all of his own. When not writing books (sixteen to date) or illustrating those of others, Curtis widely exhibits watercolours, lectures in National Diploma Art & Design and Foundation Studies at the University College For The Creative Arts in Kent, designs and illustrates for The Mail On Sunday newspaper, regularly pens for the national art press, visits art clubs with his unconventional presentations and is a performance art poet and painter. If all this was not quite enough, Curtis is also a founder member of Beyond The Level Artists' Open Houses, where for the past fifteen years he has hosted his popular show 'The Wrong Side Of The Tracks' as part of the Brighton Festival. www.brightonillustratorsgroup.com The Chattri, Patcham Ditchling http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=669 668 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:31:24 +0000 Ivan Hissey's haunting portraits for Sussex Writers & Artists and Sussex Women combine digital Pop Art graphics with extraordinary photo-realism. Ivan studied design and illustration at Brighton University and Royal College of Art, and has illustrated continuously in a diverse range of mixed media for over thirty years. He has been combining computer art with conventional techniques for more than ten years and his illustrations, caricatures and cartoons have appeared in books and magazines around the world. International titles include 'The Crash Course Series' (over 3000 cartoons!), Make Your Own Digital Scrapbook, How to Paint Like the Impressionists, 100 Things You Don't Need a Man For and most recently, Cartooning and Animation, a step-by-step project book which Ivan is both writing and illustrating. Ivan enjoys collecting printed ephemera from the 1950s and has a large collection of vintage children's board games. He lives in East Sussex with his wife and three children.   Rudyard Kipling   Virginia Woolf   Lee Miller   Eric Gill http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=668 667 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:25:25 +0000 Sarah Young's exquisite scraperboard artwork for 20 Sussex Churches and 20 Sussex Gardens embraces the same artistic purity of line as the great linear masters such as Thomas Bewick and Eric Gill. Full of sensual energy and classic black-and-white elegance, her portraits enhance the text, very much in the Arts & Crafts tradition. Sarah's illustration work has been widely published in magazines such as House & Garden, Country Living, Radio Times and the Sunday Telegraph as well as books by Oxford University Press and The Ivy Press. Sarah exhibits widely as a printmaker, working mostly in screenprint, linocut, woodcut and collagraph and is co-founder of the Brighton Art Fair, a major and highly acclaimed annual exhibition of contemporary artists. Her prints are often narrative-based, referencing myths, folk tales or circus and burlesque imagery. www.sarahyoung.co.uk St Bartholomew, Brighton St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=667 410 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:56:24 +0100 Lynne Truss, author of the mega-selling and glorious Eats, Shoots & Leaves (among other fine works), scourge of the misplaced apostrophe and Brighton resident, introduces an exciting new facsimile version of a 19th-century classic for Snake River Press. A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect and Collection of Provincialisms in Use in the County of Sussex, first published in 1875, is re-published with Lynne's revealing essay about the sound of Sussex. Written and compiled by The Reverend W.D. Parish, vicar of Selmeston, the Dictionary is a fascinating insight into how we might have sounded nearly 150 years ago. An edition of this seminal Sussex work was brought out fifty years ago, with additions and expansions by one Helena Hall. Snake River Press is going back to basics, and offering an exciting new version of the Reverend Parish’s original, unexpurgated work. With Lynne Truss as our guide and mentor we can’t go wrong and, who knows, we may even be able to revive a few authentic Sussexisms! http://www.snakeriverpress.co.uk/news/item.htm?pid=410