Greetings!
Welcome to the official website of Jackie Carreira - writer, musician, designer and wannabe philosopher!
Latest updates are below, or just have a browse around the site. Enjoy and visit often.
NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES!
The old year didn't end on a great note, with a bout of covid in the house and a lot of time to lounge on the sofa and eat chocolate cake. So, 'Goodbye' to 2023 and 'Hello' to a new year full of potential.
It's been a good start with lots of book talks, fairs and events already booked. More are still to be confirmed... not to mention novel number three which should be out by the end of July (yes, I've finally finished it!).
Check out the Events page for more details of all the events here, some of which will feature my partner in crime, Mr AJ Deane. See you around!
We're actually leaving the house!
Myself and AJ Deane will be out and about all over Suffolk and a little bit of Norfolk over the next few months. Our first bookish collaboration will be launched at the Foreword Festival in Bury St Edmunds on the 7th of October, and then we'll be out and about, signing copies, selling books, and generally telling everyone the secret behind being married and working together without
ever actually killing each other!
A big THANK YOU to all the venues and public libraries that have invited us into their wonderful spaces.
COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL EVERYONE!
Yes, it's true! Me and him have co-authored a book,
and we are still speaking to each other!
Winter Tails is inspired by our QuirkHouse Theatre seasonal plays of the same name. Over the years, we've gathered beautiful and ancient animal fables from around the world, and added brand new tales of our own, to create a unique collection that can be shared with the whole family. We've included research and insights into the significance of stories within the human story, and why it is that they endure.
The first edition run will be very limited, and we will be officially launching the book at the Foreword Festival in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on Saturday 7th October 2023.
RRP: £8.99 Stockist details will be available soon.
Work, Work, Workshop!
As part of the first ever Literary Fringe Festival in the world (as far as we or Google know!), I will be running a writing workshop on Creating Character at the beautiful Bury St Edmunds Guildhall in Suffolk.
The one-hour workshop starts at 11am on Saturday 7th October 2023, and all you need is your preferred writing materials and some enthusiasm. Tickets are £10 for over 18s, and only £5 if you're 16-18 years old (with ID, of course) and spaces are very limited so book quick.
For more info and to book tickets, check out the Foreword Festival website here.
THE FOREWORD FESTIVAL
I can finally announce that myself and fellow author, Rachel Churcher, have been plotting and planning for months to put together a brand new event. For decades there have been fringe film festivals, fringe comedy and theatre, fringe music, but no fringe literature festivals. Why not? Well, in the spirit of 'If you can't find it, make it,' We created one! Check out our website, follow us on social media, and come to the fringe!
INDIE BOOKSHOP WEEK
Saturday 17th to Saturday 24th June 2023 is Independent Bookshop Week in the UK!
Authors like me are helped enormously by the support of Independent Bookshops. Signed copies of all my books are available in The Halesworth Bookshop in Halesworth, Suffolk; The Nook Readers Cafe in Lavenham, Suffolk; and Diss Publishing Bookshop in Diss, Norfolk. A big THANK YOU to them. Support your local bookshop!
TIME TO GET OUT & ABOUT
Two more opportunities to meet lots of great authors (including yours truly!) from East Anglia and beyond at the brand new Indie Author Book Fair in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, and the wonderful Market Cross Gallery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Something for all kinds of readers will be on sale, from Sci Fi to Crime, Short Stories and Mysteries, plus my own unique scribblings. All the authors will be on hand to sign copies of their books, and lots will be on special offer for the events. See you there.
INK is back!
Very happy to announce that I'll be back at the INK Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk this year. Yay! After the great success of my last play for INK, Invisible Irene, a new short play, Self Centre, will be performed script in hand on Sunday 16th April. Check out the packed programme for this excellent festival on their website now: www.inkfestival.org
And while you're in town, why not pop into the gorgeous Halesworth Bookshop where you can buy signed copies of all my books!
A New Year - and a fresh diary!
It's 2023. A brand new year has arrived, empty and full of possibilities. The first author event of the year has now been confirmed, and it feels good to be able to get out and meet people again.
On Friday 10th February at 11am, I'll be at the marvellous Stowmarket Library in Suffolk. This is a free event, and copies of The Amber Library will be on sale at a special price in support of Suffolk Libraries. This is now a very Limited Edition signed and numbered hardback (only 125 copies ever published), and they will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.
More events are being booked in for later in the year. Check out our 'Events' page for more info on those. Updates will also be on social media (links at the top of the Home page).
Let's get out and about this year. Read some books, share the passion, and have a brilliant 2023.
A little Christmas shopping
UPDATE: More opportunities to get signed copies of my books before Christmas. Check out the Events page for latest info.
Two chances to come and meet the author and some of her East Anglian writer friends at the wonderful Market Cross Gallery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Something for all kinds of readers will be on sale, from Sci Fi to Crime, Short Stories and Mysteries, and Jackie's own unique novels. All the authors will be on hand to sign copies of their books, and lots will be on special offer for Christmas. See you there.
What do you call a group of authors?
I'm part of a collective of authors, all based in, or with connections to, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. We came together very organically, and we are still growing.
The life of a writer can be a solitary one, so to find myself in a group of like-minded creatives has been a joy. We all need support, and we're all looking for our tribe, no matter what it is we choose to do with our lives.
The Writers of Bury & Beyond are part of my Tribe of Creatives. We work together at events, share each other's news, and generally support each other wherever we can. If you'd like to meet me and some of my tribe, we'll be in Bury St Edmunds on the 13th of November 2022. Oh, and they do a mean coffee at The Market Cross too!
LATEST NEWS!
Very, very Limited Edition signed and numbered hardback of
The Amber Library available to buy now
but only from live author events!
NEW LIVE AUTHOR EVENTS have just been added to the calendar.
Check out the 'Events' section on the Menu.
(Find the 'Shop' button on the Menu too)
HOT NEWS!!
Book Number Three is finished, complete and currently at the printers!!
More news about this, including the title and cover-reveal, will be shared here soon. BUT, I can tell you that this will be a very, very limited, signed and numbered special edition in hardback. This new book will only be available at talks, book signings, and through my new online shop, which will be here very soon.
Watch this space!
Mari's back!
The talented folk at Theatrephonic will be broadcasting a brand new version of one of my plays - 'Mari' - on the 5th of November as one of their wonderful podcasts. Geraldine Brennan stars as Mari herself, and I can't wait to hear it!
First produced on stage at the Arundel Festival some years ago, and originally a monologue, 'Mari' went on to become a longer play for four actors called 'Talking in the Library.' This was taken to the Brighton Fringe Festival by Swallows Theatre Company and was voted runner-up in the prestigious 'Fringe Guru Audience Choice Awards.' This updated version of 'Mari' has to be one of the pieces of written work that I'm still most proud of.
Tune in for free and support this dynamic bunch of theatre-makers. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Find out more at the Theatrephonic website: https://catonapiano.uk/theatrephonic/
Back out into the world!
It feels like years since it's been viable, let alone possible, to be out in public talking about what I love to do. Thanks to Eye Library in Suffolk, I've been invited onto a panel with some fellow East-Anglian authors to do just that.
On Tuesday 23rd of November, I'm very pleased to say that I'll be joining Heidi Swain, Jenni Keer, Clare Marchant and Rosie Hendry for a live discussion with Q&A at the Arts Bank in the lovely Suffolk town of Eye. An eclectic bunch of authors, you might say, but what we all have in common is that we write stories with heart. Looking forward to this one.
BACK ON STAGE!
Live theatre - It's been months!
It started as a play, then a longer play, then an even longer play, and then a novel. But The Seventh Train just keeps chugging along, and now it's a slightly longer even longer play!
We've missed being able to put on live theatre so much, but we're back - at least for now...until regulations change again! We're following all the rules to keep everybody safe and, with the help of these brilliant venues, we can bring you some proper, live entertainment, now with added face masks and hand sanitizer.
The Seventh Train is a ride; an escape from the every day - and we all need a bit of that right now. Come and see for yourself at one of these excellent East Anglian venues. If all goes well (and regulations don't change!) we hope to add more dates in August. Keep an eye on the QuirkHouse Theatre Co. website (see poster on the left) for updates.
Signed copies of the novel will also be available for sale at every venue at a very special 'Seventh Train' price.
All aboard!
WORLD PREMIERE ANNOUNCED!
''Self Centre' on Theatrephonic
Originally written for stage, 'Self Centre' is a brand new monologue that was due to be performed at the Bury Fringe Festival last April. And then, of course, lockdown put an end to that, and so much more live theatre.
But when one stage door closes, a podcast opens! The good people at Theatrephonic have adapted 'Self Centre' for audio, and will be broadcasting the World Premiere on Friday 29th of January. I can't wait!
Thank you to Emme Braefield for directing, and Zoe Cunningham for acting. It's been a privilege to work with such talented women.
For more details, visit the Theatrephonic website, where you can find out about more of the great work these creative people are doing: https://catonapiano.uk/theatrephonic
AT LAST!
Live theatre - how I've missed you.
It's been a long time coming, but at last QuirkHouse Theatre are able to put on some live shows. How we've missed you all.
There's a lot of rules, and even more regulations, but the show must go on...unless Boris changes everything again tomorrow, of course.
Get your tickets while you can. Numbers are extremely limited but the entertainment isn't. What's more, The Hunter Club will be selling a very special cocktail for the night - time to try a Quarantini!
UPDATE: Two more December shows have now been added in Suffolk. Check the Events page for more details.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON AND ON AND ON...
From Stage to Screen
It was a privilege to be part of INK Festival 2019. It was even more of a privilege to have my short play, Invisible Irene, selected to go on both the East Anglian tour and the two-week run in London's West End.
I honestly didn't think that anyone would be interested in Irene and the ramblings of a woman of a certain age - unless, of course, they were menopausal - but she appealed to women and men of all ages, thanks to the talents of Anne Bryson, who brought her so eloquently to life.
And now Irene is going on another adventure, this time to the small screen on Friday 28th of August. Theatre On The Coast will be producing a brand new version, dipped in lashings of hand sanitizer and streamed to your very own computer, tablet, mobile phone or robot butler....(apparently robot butler's are next year).
For more info visit www.totc.co.uk
Sit back, enjoy the play, and don't forget to wash your hands afterwards.
A BOOK FOR OUR TIME
Being part of something bigger...
It was a real privilege to be asked to make a contribution to this new anthology from fellow author MJ Mallon. These are the strangest of times. Nobody could have predicted twelve months ago that we would be where we are now. 'This Is Lockdown' attempts to capture some of the thoughts and feelings, right from the middle of this global event as it unfolded. Alongside Mallon's diary entries, flash fiction and poetry, there are 'isolation' writings from writers like me as we mused and wondered and struggled with being under lockdown in these extraordinary days.
More info available at mjmallon.com
THE PAUSE BUTTON HAS BEEN PRESSED
POSTPONED not CANCELLED!
Our World has changed unbelievably and probably forever. Unprecedented events have overtaken all of us, and the pause button has been pressed on what we used to call 'normal life.' But it's a pause, not a full stop. The planet is still spinning and life goes on.
Here at home we are well and safe and watching these extraordinary, historic times unfold. Here's to the change that's coming for us all, because it had to come sooner or later. Stay safe, look after each other, and see you at the other end.
Latest updates from QuirkHouse Theatre about new performance dates, can be found at www.quirkhousetheatreco.com
A VERY SPECIAL EVENT...
Calling writers of all kinds...
Jackie will be hosting a one-day writer's retreat in the historic Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds. Once a public reading room, a courthouse, and the oldest civic building in Britain, we will have exclusive use of this amazing place, and lots of space and time to write. Whether you're a beginner, a pro, a poet, a playwright, or just trying to finish that tricky third novel, all are welcome. But book early because places are limited. Can't wait!
EXTRA SPECIAL NEWS!
Championing Public Libraries
I'm extremely proud to announce that I've been invited to become a patron of Halesworth Library in Suffolk! Our public libraries are more important than ever, and the vital services that they provide into our communities - often for free to all people - cannot be underestimated. I will continue to champion and support all public libraries generally, and now the wonderful Halesworth Library and its staff specifically. If you want to support your local library, it's very easy: simply go in and find out what they do. You might be surprised. It's no longer just a place to get free books, although that would be worth championing in itself. I'll be offering talks and workshops at Halesworth in the future. Watch this space, and see you there!
HOT NEWS!
My first Literature Festival!
Extremely chuffed to announce that I'll be appearing as a speaker at my first ever Literature Festival on Sunday 27th October. I'll be in conversation with two other Suffolk-based authors - Pauline Manders and Rachel Churcher - and we'll be in great company! Other authors at this year's Bury St Edmunds Literature Festival include Wendy Cope, Erica James, Sophie Hannah and lots more. I can't wait! If you're anywhere in East Anglia this month...
More info and tickets available at burylitfest.com
Coming soon...
'Sleeping Through War' was published 18 months ago (where did that time go?). It was then set free on its first Blog Tour in September 2018. To celebrate the birthday of my debut novel, it's on tour again, for one day only, on the 6th of September. Follow the journey on social media via the links at the top of this page. See you there...
THE NEXT STOP IS...
The Seventh Train is on the move.
A chance to meet the author, have a chat, and maybe buy a book (or two!). Jackie will be out and about in East Anglia, UK, throughout the summer, visiting some brilliant bookshops and lovely libraries. Copies of The Seventh Train, will be on sale at all stops, as well as a chance to pick up copies of her award-winning debut novel, Sleeping Through War, and one of her stage plays in book form, Talking in the Library (suitably enough!). See you there.
HOT NEWS!!
Multi Award-Winning 2nd novel - it's official!
Proud to announce that The Seventh Train has been given not one, but two awards by the good people at Chill With A Book: First a Readers' Award, and now Cover of the Month for May. Extra special thanks to my multi-talented cover artist - Andrea Kennard - who shares the second award with me. Thank you so much!
chillwithabook.com
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Seventh Train: Blog Tour 2019
The Seventh Train is going on a Blog Tour! Dates and details of all the book blogs taking part are on the poster on the left. Why not hop aboard and find out what all the bloggers think about my brand new book? I can't wait... (she says, covering her face with her hands and keeping all fingers tightly crossed!)
HOT NEWS!
The Seventh Train: Official Book Launch
On Wednesday 22nd May 2019, my second novel has its official book launch! I'm back at my old shop in Waterstones, Bury St Edmunds, where I spent several years as a humble bookseller - shelving, carrying, recommending books, and being very nice to customers (always best to be nice!). This time I'll be talking up my own writing, and hoping that customers will be nice to me. From 6pm until 8pm there will be wine, nibbles, talking, questions (hopefully), answers (even more hopefully), and books, of course. If you're anywhere near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, why not come along and help to celebrate some brand new contemporary fiction and support an author at the same time? I'll even sign any books that you buy. The shop tills will be open so there will be plenty of other books to buy too. Once a bookseller...
HOT NEWS!!
London Shows Announced!
The good folk at the INK Festival in Suffolk have now added my short play, Invisible Irene to the London leg of the 'Feast from the East' tour.
Starring Ann Bryson and directed by Dugald Bruce Lockhart, Invisible Irene was included on the East Anglian tour, and now it will be performed at all the London dates too. It was added to the bill by popular demand after the play's debut at this year's INK Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk. (Always the best way to be added to anything!)
Booking info and details of all the shows at the Tristan Bates Theatre, Covent Garden can be found on their website by clicking this link: www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/whats-on/feast-from-the-east
NOVEL NUMBER 2 IS OUT!!
The Seventh Train
Brand new novel, The Seventh Train, will be officially published on the 28th of April 2019 - toot toot! Copies can be pre-ordered online from Wordery.com, Waterstones, Foyles and Blackwell's. Here's a sneaky peak of a little bit of the cover... (that's right!)
More info on the 'Books' page...
NEW PLAY...
INK Festival 2019 - On Tour
Brand new, one-act play Invisible Irene will be performed at this year's INK Festival on the 12th, 13th and 14th of April 2019.
And now, by popular demand, has been added to the FEAST FROM THE EAST tour. (See Events page for details)
More info and tickets available at www.inkfestival.org
NEWS FROM QUIRKHOUSE THEATRE...
QuirkHouse 5: Five of the Best
Just published! QuirkHouse Theatre Company present their first collection of monologues from their annual 'QuirkHouse 5 Theatre Crawl, including Dustman by yours truly. Available only from www.quirkhousetheatreco.com or at one of their upcoming shows. (see the QuirkHouse Theatre page for more details.)
Talking in the Library SOLD OUT
NEW PUBLICATION: Talking in the Library was QuirkHouse Theatre Company's first ever production, and quickly became a firm favourite with audiences. Now, by popular demand, QuirkHouse Books have published it as a paperback so that you can read it for yourself.
Talking in the Library is available to purchase at QuirkHouse Theatre Company's live shows, and via their website.
(visit the 'Books' page for more information)