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July 2013

Book Review: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (printed by The Folio Society)

By Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
The-Hobbit-Folio-Cover The Folio Society have printed this rather special copy of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. Here is what The Folio Society say about themselves:

Great books should be outstanding not only in literary content but also in their physical form: this has been the philosophy of The Folio Society since it was founded in 1947 by Charles Ede, with a dream of publishing beautiful books that would be affordable to everyone. Our pleasure in reading is enhanced by the book itself, in which typography, illustration, paper, printing and binding all play a part in creating a harmonious whole. In a world of declining publishing standards, where most books are cheaply printed, and bound using low-grade materials, The Folio Society resolutely sets store by traditional values of excellence; for our designers and production personnel the term ‘quite good’ means ‘no good’: only the best is good enough.
(From The Folio Society – About Us, Last accessed: Thursday 11th June 2013.)

The kind people at Total Media sent me a copy of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien to read and review. Let’s start with the exquisite presentation of the book.

The high quality paper is thick and feels like parchment; the hardback binding is superb and comes complete with it’s own sturdy case. The overall presentation of the book can only be described as: beautiful, detailed and unique.

Inside the typography is easy to read and it has some fantastic illustrations:
The Hobbit Inside - The Folio Society

The Hobbit Inside Map 1 - The Folio Society

The Hobbit Inside Map 2 - The Folio Society

The story itself is an upbeat adventure which is captivating, but lacks the epic end-of-the-world stakes found in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (printed by The Folio Society) is slightly more expensive than a mass printed copy bought off Amazon, but the exceptional quality of the print, binding, typography and illustrations make it completely worth the extra cost.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (printed by The Folio Society) is the perfect gift for any fan The Hobbit Film or The Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy whose into literature.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (printed by The Folio Society) is exclusively available to buy on The Folio Society website. The Folio Society also print other classic titles at the same outstanding quality.

Write soon,

Antony

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Professional Writer Website & This Months TheGayUK Articles

By Books & Authors, CreativityNo Comments

Recently I got paid for an article I pitched, wrote, edited and polished off. My first ever piece of paid writing!

The money has paid for this (my personal blog) to be hosted for a year. I had some money left over and thought it was time to invest in a professional website. So here it is: www.antonysimpsonwriter.com.

All articles I’ve had published and those self-published short stories are now up on there. This includes the articles I’ve submitted this month to the The Gay UK, which are:

This blog will continue to be used as it has been – for personal life blog posts, book reviews, etc. It’s only journalistic articles and short stories that I’ve written that will go on www.antonysimpsonwriter.com.

So head over to www.antonysimpsonwriter.com if you fancy a read.

Write soon,

Antony

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Import: Birthday Celebration Ideas

By Creativity, Inspiration, Journalism, ThinkingNo Comments

The Gay UK is officially a year old this month. It’s amazing to think that in that time we’ve grown to a dedicated readership of 150,000 gay people per month, not just from the UK but internationally. With birthdays in mind, we thought about ways to celebrate a birthday other than the traditional alcohol-fuelled night out or throwing of a party.

If you’re lucky enough to share a birthday with The Gay UK, why not try something new? Here are some of our ideas:

1. Dinner and a Show
They say there’s nothing more social than the breaking of bread. Go to dinner, somewhere with delicious food and with those special to you.

After dinner go to the Theatre, see a fantastic show and complete celebration of another birthday. Our writers regularly watch shows and write reviews. Take a look at our Theatre Reviews section to find a show you’ll love on in a Theatre near you.

2. Visiting the Zoo
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When was the last time you got up and close with nature? All sorts of animals in all stripes and sizes from across the world can be seen at your local zoo.

Homosexuality has been found in thousands of species of animals, so you might just see a gay zebra, penguin, lion or other animal. Just look for the animals that show a particular interest in others of the same sex.

3. Visiting a Theme Park
Feel the exhilarating rush that comes from a day of riding roller coasters. Release your inner child and visit a theme park. There’s something life affirming about your body being flooded with adrenaline as you’re scared out of your wits.

Many theme parks do gay days – specific dates aimed at attracting the local gay community. So if you’re single you might end up sat on a ride next to your ideal man. Just don’t let him hear you scream!

4. A Day at the Beach
hastings-2012-beach
Imagine seeing the beautiful horizon as you feel the sand under your feet. You taste of the salty air and hear the relaxing sound of the ocean. Well this can all be yours – if you choose to have a day out at the beach to celebrate your birthday.

This activity is dependent upon the weather, but if it’s nice make a day out of it by taking a picnic.

5. A City Break
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Take a short break to visit another city. It can be a city in the UK or even a European city. Flights to Europe have never been cheaper.

6. A Holiday
If it’s an extra special birthday, contemplate splashing out on a holiday. Everyone has individual likes on holiday; for me it would be: sun, sea, sand and sangria. But you may prefer an adventure holiday.

Whatever sort of holidays you like, you’ll be able to find a reasonably priced one – as long as you don’t look at booking when school children are off school.

Got other Birthday Celebration Ideas? Post a comment below.

Published by: The Gay UK on Tuesday 23rd July 2013.

Here is what I learnt from writing this article:

  • Need to improve my article title’s to better sell them to the reader / encourage the reader to read.
  • That I can use an idea from my personal blog and expand upon it.
  • I have the odd photo that can be used for articles. Something to consider as photos help capture the reader and encourage them to read an article.



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Import: Manchester Pride Fringe Festival: Art Exhibitions & Cultural Events

By Creativity, Gay, Gigs & Shows, JournalismNo Comments

Manchester Pride Fringe Festival is a wide-range of events throughout August that are separate from main event: The Big Weekend. We’ve had a glance at the programme and chosen our five must see art exhibitions and cultural events:

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Gays of Manchester

Gays of Manchester
Date(s) & Time: Tuesday 20th – Tuesday 27th August. Various times.
Venue: TBC
Cost: FREE
About:
Gays of Manchester is an exhibition shown by George House Trust (GHT). Six gay men in Manchester founded the GHT in 1985 with the aim to support people living with HIV.

The exhibit brings together portraits of the diverse LGBT community of Manchester and pays homage to their support of people living with HIV. This exhibit is likely to be enlightening and leave you introspective.
Booking: Not required. Just turn up when it’s on.

The Polari Mission: Bona Eek
Date(s) & Time: Friday 16th August 2013 – Sunday 2nd February 2014.
Venue: John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate. M3 3EH.
Cost: FREE
About:
Polari is one of the world’s most endangered languages. This bold, yet secretive language has deep roots within gay history. Artists Jez Dolan and Joseph Richardson shed light on Polari and share their mission to save the language. An exhibit that is expected to be informative, ignite within you a passion for Polari or at the very least give you an appreciation the language.
Booking: Not required. Just turn up when it’s on.

Watchamacallit-2

Watchamacallit!

Watchamacallit!
Date & Time: Throughout August
Venue: Taurus Bar, 1 Canal Street. M1 3HE.
Cost: FREE
About:
Nick Franklin, Manchester’s Artist of the Decade (2001-2011) presents his sixth art exhibition. Nick’s work is varied including traditional canvas paintings, cartoon stylistic works and post-modern multi-material 3D pieces.

Famous owners of his work include: Kylie Minogue, Peter Thatchell and Phillip Oliver.

Nick’s art is truly wonderful and inspiring. See some photos of his work. This is an exhibition not to be missed.
Booking: Not required. Just turn up when it’s on.

Loud and Clear
Date & Time: Tuesday 20th August 17:30.
Venue: The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, Richmond Street. M1 3HF.
Cost: FREE
About:
This is a lesbian & bisexual woman only event.

Attendees will meet a panel of inspirational women who will talk about: coming out, getting their voices heard and mental health issues. Free food and refreshments will be available, with women being encouraged to think freely.
Booking: Not required. Just turn up when it’s on.

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Queer Music for a Desert Island

Queer Music for a Desert Island
Date & Time: Saturday 17th August.
Venue: Wilbraham St Ninian’s Church, Chorlton. M21 0XJ.
Cost: £10
About:
Peter Thatchell – human rights campaigner since 1967 talks about his life and work. Andy Braunston – Pastor of Manchester Community Church also talks about his life and work. Both choose ‘Desert Island Discs’ putting songs along with their stories. At the end of the day there is a question and answer session.

A fantastic opportunity to learn more about the gay rights movement from the veteran Peter Thatchell.
Booking: Tickets can be purchased through the Manchester Pride website.

For other Manchester Pride Fringe Festival events see the Fringe Festival website. Find out more about Manchester in our Manchester Guide.

Published by: The Gay UK on Wednesday 31st July 2013.

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