Spring is here - at last - and the year is already bursting into life with daffodils and daisies, frogspawn and fresh growth. Writers are querying, new books are springing up everywhere and awards are being announced. I'm particularly excited to have been asked to be a judge for the British Book Awards audiobook categories (Fiction and Non Fiction): a real honour, particularly as Ciadish was inspired by the Disability issue of The Bookseller. I love listening to audio books galore - particularly as I can do it from bed.
The Twitter thread of CIADWriters that led to the birth of CIADISH is still growing, with new authors across seemingly every genre sharing books: add yours if you haven't already. And the Ciadish team is growing too, with the addition of cover star Phillip Carter as Lego and Chaos Creator (the cover came first: our conversations led to him joining the team and the theme for this issue: synaesthesia and growing the senses. Look out for his Sense Like a Synaesthesioid snippets dotted through the mag, as synaesthesia is in Phillp's life). He's also a Lego Master (he was even on the TV show) so he's created Lego versions of the Ciadish team, which also includes Deputy Editor Shauna C Highcroft (who recently signed a two book deal for her YA books, and is a multi genre book production machine). It's joyful creating as a team - and it's just the start...
We've also added a photographer to the team (though he's not got a Lego figure yet): the incredibly talented Den Denyer. He's put together a discounted book promo photo package to help authors who have yet to get their press shots sorted. Ciadish will be launching themed photo days (by genre), in which six authors can be photographed over the course of a day, to cut costs and make press shots more accessible. Each day will have one free bursary place for people on low income (no personal info will be requested, and we trust people to only apply if they are in genuine need). The dates will be announced on Twitter and via a feature in the May Ciadish. We've launched a new section called Ciadish Loves for a book that deserves more attention. This issue, it's A Rabble of Drabbles and Doodles by Wen Clark: created on a phone at 20 minutes per day by a writer with many painful, energy limiting conditions. Their talent is seemingly limitless: not only did they find 29 artists to illustrate the book but they've used all profits to buy a powerchair for a friend, and now, support a single parent mum who's donating her kidney to her critically ill son and needs care support. Add in Bookstars Michelle Franklin, Michael Handrick, George (the Dragon) Parker, Kate Foster, Rand Leeb-du Toit, sensory story insight from Joanna Grace and (largely bedliving friendly) entertainment from Robin Ince; plus wellbeing and writing tips, book news, competitions and Cripstyle, and I hope you enjoy issue three of Ciadish.
Wishing you writing success, hope, the support you need and all the joys of Spring
Emily Goss
PS: In-keeping with our multisensory theme, Ciadish smells of vanilla for comfort, orange oil and peel for joy, cedarwood for grounding, patchouli for magic, mint and eucalyptus to help us breathe freely and a tiny dash of single malt whisky (unless you don't drink, in which case put the oils in a water spray instead: based on the scent of the office).
Editor's Letter
Sub-Editors: The Fae Marketing Support: HKP Marketing Muses: The Bookseller, #BorgDiem and #NEISVoid. For all inquiries, contact Emily Goss via ABCTales (Email ABCTales to get free site membership, and have access to post stories, poetry and blogs and connect via forums and messaging - and they have events too). You can also follow Emily at https://www.abctales.com/user/ciadish. Alternatively, leave a comment on this prose-poem about the power of storytelling or use Twitter @BarrowMember & Emily will be in touch. For more information/back issues see the Ciadish website at Ciadish.co.uk.
The Ciadish Team
Creator & Editor
Emily Goss
Deputy Editor Shauna C Highcroft
Lego and Chaos Creator
Phillip Carter