Brighton writer Erinna Mettler is big on tradition and cherishes every christmas. She recently became involved in setting up a the writing school, The Beach Hut Writing Academy and is the co-director of the spoken word group Rattle Tales and The Brighton Prize story competition.
Tell us about what you do? I am a writer and the co-director of the spoken word group Rattle Tales and The Brighton Prize short story competition. I have also recently become involved in setting up a writing school, The Beach Hut Writing Academy, with a bunch of other professional writers from Brighton. We have just finished our first term of courses and have loads more planned for 2016.
What inspired you to do what you do? I didn’t start writing until well into my 30s. I’d just had a second child and moved to Brighton from London and I was quite isolated and tied to being a wife and mother. I felt like I had to do something for me or I’d go mad, so I enrolled on a creative writing course at Sussex University. It was complete whim. I ended up doing an MA and now I write everyday. I wrote a novel inspired by my new home and then by some miracle it got published. It’s called ‘Starlings’ and is available in all good bookshops!
What can you tell us about yourself? I live with my husband and two young sons and a cat called Dexter. I write all the time, I’m forever making notes about little situations I come across. I like to bake and swim but not at the same time!
Are you born and bred Brightonian? I have lived here for ten years. I was born in Somerset but moved to Wakefield in Yorkshire when I was one and stayed there until I was 18, then Canterbury, Whitstable, Epsom and finally London for about 15 years. Now I live in Brighton.
For those who are interested you can find the Erinna’s writing academy and rattletales here. www.beachutwritingacademy.com and www.rattletales.org.
[…] A little bit of flash fiction for you at Christmas. I read this story at Rattle Tales last year, nice and festive. Remember when it was cold enough to snow? Here’s wishing you a fabulous Christmas and may all your dreams come true in 2016. I am looking forward to The Beach Hut Writing Academy’s first writer’s conference Write by The Beach in March which includes a short story workshop sponsored by The Brighton Prize which will be expanding this year. I’m also looking forward to finding a publisher for my short story collection. IT WILL HAPPEN. You can find out my thoughts on Christmas in BJournal […]