FOCUS ON: Leicester Chapter

This month Lizzie Lamb gives us an insight into the Leicester Chapter and how it functions.

To begin with perhaps you could tell us a bit about your Chapter

The Belmont Belles has been running in its present form for about five years. We usually meet once a month but break in July and August.

Do you have a regular meeting place?

The Belmont Hotel, Leicester – hence the name.

How many members attend your meetings?

We have about thirty five ‘on the books’ and usually about 20 attend. Our meetings usually include a meal. The hotel serves full meals and bar snacks, so members can order what they want from the bar and a waiter brings it to the table.  

That sounds like an ideal way to enjoy a meeting. Is your chapter open to non-members of the RNA?

Yes, some of our best attendees do not belong to the RNA (working hard on them, though). Our meeting usually run from 12 noon until about 3pm

Can you give an outline of speakers/guests you’ve had in the past year?

Our meetings tend to be pretty informal and give writers a chance to get out and unwind. Although the ever lovely Carole Matthews was our guest for lunch and gave us a fabulous uplifting talk.

They've been busy, haven't they!

We have our October workshop, organised in-house - ‘Readers, where to find them and how to keep them!’ We may have some other speakers if time allows, but we like to keep things open ended and fluid.

What would you say makes your chapter of the RNA so special?

Everyone in the chapter, whether full member, NWS, associate, traditionally published or indie author all want to write and sell books, grow their readership, celebrate each other’s successes and take their writing to the highest level. We are all firm friends and every time we meet it’s like a class reunion.  

That sounds just like we would all like our meetings to be. Does your chapter have a website, Facebook page or Twitter account?

We have a ‘secret Facebook page’ where members can post anything they like about their writing, ask for help and generally keep in touch. Any new members who join the chapter would be added to this page.

Finally, could you tell us who prospective new members should contact?

Lizzie Lamb – cyberlambo@hotmail.com 0116 2217468

June Kearns – junekearns2@gmail.com

It’s always nice to hear about our close-knit groups who represent so much of the ethos of the RNA. Thank you for joining us.

Links:

http://tinyurl.com/SOTR2015 Lizzie Lamb’s recently published book, Scotch on the Rocks

The RNA blog is brought to you by 
Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com