A Harrogate Grammar School student has published her first novel — at the age of 12.

Sula Stanhope wrote the 371-page book before bed each night. It took her four months to finish.

Sula said:

“Mum and dad said I could have some extra screen time if I was working on creative projects.

“They were slightly surprised when I presented them with the first draft of my novel.”

The Alchemist’s Prophecy is a dystopian fantasy about a girl sent on a magical quest in a dangerous world.

The book is almost 150 pages longer than the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Storytelling runs in the family.

Sula’s dad Alex said:

“Sula’s grandmother is a writer.

“When I was growing up I was hopeless at English but I always liked telling stories. I used to tell stories to Sula; the storytelling part stuck.

“She now tells stories way better than me!”

After Sula wrote her manuscript, Alex started the process of self-publishing it.

He said:

“I just wanted to give her a chance to hold her book in her own hands.”

Sula also developed creativity playing games with her twin sister Delphi.

Together they would invent characters, arguing about what they looked and sounded like.

Alex said:

“It didn’t always feel very creative when I heard their arguments, but I love what came out of it!”

Teachers at Oatlands Junior School, where Sula used to study, noticed her talent early.

Year 5 teacher Ms Coyne said:

“When I heard about Sula writing her own book, I was not surprised.

“During her time at Oatlands Junior School, Sula showed such creativity, talent and always had her head in a book — sometimes hidden under the table.

“She was an avid reader who clearly loves books and responds with great maturity to the texts we explore. I cannot wait to read it.”

Sula’s Year 6 English teacher Rosie Doyle said:

 “I would say I am surprised, but I’m actually not.”

Staff are so proud of their former student they have purchased a copy for their school library.

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In the future, Sula would like to continue writing books.

She sees The Alchemist’s Prophecy as a trilogy and is hoping to complete it one day.

Alongside creative writing, Sula also plays the piano and attends acting classes. You can buy The Alchemist’s Prophecy on Amazon.

Prolific Ripon author Ian Gouge, is joining a distinguished group of UK writers after being selected as the 2022 winner of the Swanwick Short Story Competition.

The sought-after annual literary prize attracts hundreds of entries and his story titled Park’n’Ride caught they eye of the judging panel.

In addition to the prestige of winning the competition, his award includes a week-long place at the famous Swanwick Writers Summer School in Derbyshire.

He will also gain wide exposure through the publication of his story in Writing Magazine.

Ian, who has recently been appointed as the Author in Residence at Ripon Library, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the first time that I have entered the Swanwick and I was both surprised and delighted when I received an email saying that I had won.”

His 900-word story drew on the experience of overheard conversations on tram journeys  that he took while working in the IT industry in Nottinghamshire.

Ian, who is also a publisher and acts as a mentor to fellow creative writers and poets, said:

“If you are a good listener, you will gain a wealth of material that can provide the inspiration for stories and poems that reflect real-life situations.”

His imagination has enabled him to develop characters and storylines from the age of five, when he wrote about a boy who went into space. He also produced accompanying illustrations.

More than 50 years later and with the IT career behind him, Ian has a growing portfolio of published works including six novels, three short story collections, eight poetry and four non-fiction books.

Working with American poets, most of whom live in California, he leads a virtual Transatlantic reading group and has published four international anthologies  and  a further anthology featuring the poems of Yorkshire-based poets.

With the Swanwick prize now added to his CV, the versatile and experienced author and publisher, has another novel and short story collection in the pipeline and, will continue to help other creative writers to achieve the dream of seeing their name in print.

Literature lovers are getting ready for the sequel to Write-On Ripon‘s first open mic evening in February.

The stylish brick-built basement under Curzon Cinema on North Street, will again be the venue for Monday night’s readings of poetry and prose..

Dion Child, who organises the writing group, told the Stray Ferret:

“The first event proved such a success, that we agreed on the night that we would come back for more.

“The 30 people who attended, were able to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, the great acoustics and the positive audience reaction, to an eclectic mixture of original works.”

Mr Child, himself a creative writer and poet, added:

“I am relatively new to Ripon and am absolutely knocked out by the depth of writing talent that I have seen from people of all ages in this magnificent and inspiring city.

“There is still room for more writers to join us on Monday and whether they want to read a short poem or story they have written, or simply listen to the words of others, all will be given a very warm welcome.”

Write-on Ripon Open Mic II begins at 7.30pm and entry is free. Further details are available here.

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Ripon’s lively literary scene, made up of poets, creative writers and published authors, has welcomed a new arrival.

Dion Child, who previously lived in Wales, moved to the city a few months ago and has set up Write-on-Ripon as a means of meeting fellow wordsmiths.

The new group is attracting attention and attendees since its first meeting in November at Hive Cafe in Halls of Ripon, where its Tuesday afternoon gatherings have been held ever since.

A natural progression from this will be seen on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Curzon Cinema on North Street, when an open mic event called Write-On-Ripon Unleashed will be held. Entry is free.

Mr Child told the Stray Ferret:

“We would like as many people as possible to come along and join in the fun

“This is a fantastic opportunity for writers to unleash their inner creativity and share their talent by performing in the style of their choice to like-minded literature lovers.

“As I have found in the past, it’s a great way of making friends and sharing ideas.”

Among those who will be attending is Maggie Cobbett, chair of Ripon Writers’ Group and an accomplished and versatile author and poet, whose work includes the novels Foreshadowing, Workhouse Orphan and Anyone for Murder?

She said:

“Always keen to meet new people who ‘get’ why I’m rarely seen without a pen and notebook at the ready, I went along to the first session of Write-On-Ripon! and have become a regular attender.

“Write-On-Ripon! Unleashed offers a great opportunity for writers from any established group or none to get together in a convivial atmosphere, swap ideas and – should they wish – share some of their work.

“If the first session is well supported, the intention is for this to become a regular event in the cultural calendar of our little city.”

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Fifty-two year 6 pupils from Holy Trinity Junior School in Ripon have used their lockdown experiences to empathise with how Victorian children might have felt as inmates at Ripon Workhouse.

The children have been working towards their Bronze Arts Awards with staff at Ripon Museums, poet and Ripon Poetry Festival founder Andy Croft and animator Dawn Feather.

They encouraged the pupils to imagine themselves in the shoes of poor and desperate Victorian children entering the workhouse.

They wrote poems under the titles Dread, Fear, Grief and Nothing. They recorded the poems as spoken word with sound effects and made their own chalk drawing animations that were presented as powerful audio-visual pieces.

Carrie Philip, Ripon Museum’s learning and outreach manager, said:

“It became clear that the fear and uncertainty the children had experienced during the past two years of covid helped them to identify with child inmates in the Victorian workhouse.

“They produced beautiful and compelling pieces of creative writing as an emotional response to experiencing the workhouse. They should be immensely proud of their achievements.”

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Pupils were awarded their Bronze Arts Award with feedback praising their excellent animated spoken poetry. The experience went beyond the immediate task at hand and will hopefully inspire the group to explore other creative endeavours.

Holy Trinity headteacher Paul Bowlas said:

“We were thrilled to work in conjunction with Ripon Museums to provide a broad and creative experience for the children of our school.

“Working together on the arts award provided a much-needed experience which not only helped children educationally but was also very good for their health and wellbeing.”

The animated poems can be accessed through Ripon Museums website www.riponmuseums.co.uk

Ripon Grammar School (RGS) is seeking poems of the pandemic for its annual poetry challenge.

With the theme of “escape” the search is on for rhyme that have helped to reduce anxiety and provided solace during the covid lockdown.

Students, parents, past pupils and the wider Ripon community are invited to enter.

The Hullah Poetry Competition was launched in 2014 and attracts hundreds of entries every year.

Dr Paul Hullah, will judge the competition.

Judge Dr Paul Hullah, a past pupil of the school and now professor of poetry at Tokyo’s Meiji Gakuin University, explained his choice of theme for 2021.

He said:

“The last year has been difficult for all of us. We’ve had to work out new ways to live.

“We’ve all done our best, but enforced isolation, our new ‘indoor existence’, has not been easy for many of us.

“A lockdown limbo land of restrictions on movement has been a psychological as well as physical challenge we have all had to try to overcome.

“In such stressful, testing times, it’s important to find ways actively to reduce anxiety.

“Art — of which poetry is a fundamental form — can represent a welcome escape from the prosaic reality of our situation.

“Whether we’re producers of art, or consumers, or both, creativity stimulates the imagination and exercises the mind, inspires and elevates us.

“Whether it’s a Netflix binge watch, a video game, a fantasy manga, a favourite tune, a musical, a ballet, a book… or a poem, art offers us a meaningful exit route — dramatic, fantastical, and joyous — from the daily actualities in which we find ourselves, a temporary respite from the workaday mundanities that give life a regularity but are lacking in emotional release.

“Art is a medicine that soothes, and liberates: ‘Go anywhere, without leaving your chair’, as the song says.

“So, this year, the task is to write a poem of fourteen or more lines that somehow connects to the concept of ‘Escape’. Any poetic form, rhyme scheme or narrator is allowed.”

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Entries should be submitted you via email by Friday, by 16 July to Mrs Mars at marsh@ripongrammar.com. Prizes will be awarded in two categories.