Whether our members have been basking in the sunshine on beaches at Barassie, Blackpool, or Benidorm, they’ve still been scribbling away, submitting their work, and celebrating well‑earned writing successes.
The month opened with fabulous news from Bernadette Wardrop. Her powerful and moving poem The Last Time You Went to the Ocean has been published in the August issue of Writing Magazine, where it was selected for a workshop feature and received an excellent critique from the magazine’s poetry expert and competition adjudicator, Alison Chisholm. A wonderful achievement — congratulations, Bernadette.
On 5th July, Marion Husband was the ‘storyteller of the day’ at the Crafty Coo in Ayr. Marion read her own stories, including the ever popular Is This the Way to Brodie Castle, to an enthralled young audience. Afterwards the children joined in a crafting session to compliment the stories.
Susan McVey and Linda Brown, as core contributors to Substack magazine – Writers’ Narrative – had articles published on the theme of nature.
Susan’s – Raising the Stakes – explores how weaving nature into your story can heighten tension.
Linda’s – True Nature – discusses how to keep it real in non-fiction nature writing.
Chris Palmer and Linda Brown have both articles published in the July/ August issue of Ayrshire Magazine.
Chris’s dry humour is in full display again as he ponders gladioli in his gardening feature – A Marmite Flower and Ayrshire’s Secret Gardens.
Linda’s article Children First shines a spotlight on the work of Scotland’s biggest children’s charity and their vital support for families in North Ayrshire. Her nature feature – From Harbour to Headland – describes a midsummer Maidens walk.
Our talented poet performers Fiona McFadzean and Tracy Harvey were both in fine fettle, performing at the Bachelors Club at Tarbolton on 22nd July, at an event celebrating and remembering Robert Burns on the 230th anniversary of his death. Tracy looks the part, doesn’t she?
Towards the end of the month, Carolyn O’Hara was in demand again with her social history book Oculeus, giving a morning talk at Prestwick Library – Keeping an Eye on Prestwick- Insights of a Victorian Journalist. Carolyn transported her audience back to 1898, sharing Oculeus’s views on poverty, sweet treats, golf and potholes.
And lastly, of course, several of our poet members published in A Wheen o’Words – the poetry pamphlet published by the club during the summer – read out their work at the launch at Carnegie Library – read the blog post here –The Launch of “A Wheen o’ Words”, a Poetry Collection by Ayr Writers. Carnegie Library, Ayr, 27th July 2026 – AyrWritersClub
Rose MacGregor read out her poem Kelvingrove Bandstand. Rose reports that her three friends who attended the event were amazed a at the talent of our poets. How lovely to hear such great feedback.
And that’s the conclusion of our Glorious July News.
Now we’re looking forward to August’s achievements!
So wonderful to read about the successes of our club writers in July’s News . Congratulations to all who kept the flame of creativity burning during the holiday season.
Thanks to our club speakers who give us tasks to work on and which has inspired my writing at least, I’m sure , after seeing all the wonderful achievements of our members these nights are worth their weight in gold .
Congratulations everyone.