Nicosia’s Writers’ Workshop has just released its latest poetry book, Synthesis 1, to raise money for children’s books at hospital. NAOMI LEACH meets them
“I believe everyone can write. You could write a story about your visit today. Coming on the motorway through the hailstorm, sitting here in this room now listening to it,” begins Hazel Malloch with warm enthusiasm. We sip our hot coffees as the hailstones ricochet off of the glass ceiling and water cascades over the window obscuring the view of the windswept Larnaca beach. We have met in the midst of a thunderstorm, the perfect setting for a dark and twisted gothic novel.
Hazel and Mac Malloch from the Nicosia’s Writers’ Workshop see the poetic possibility, the comedy and tragedy of life as it unfolds. They revel in the everyday details which can become the poignant inspiration for any writer. The British pair, hailing from Essex, co-founded the lively literary group back in 2010. It began in Larnaca, moved to Oriklini and has now settled at the Papantoniou Institute in Nicosia.
“We are a group of likeminded individuals who get together to write and talk and enjoy the creative elements of life,” explains Hazel.
The group is set assignments each fortnight, they read their work out and critique each other in a friendly and supportive environment. The workshop attracts a mixture of nationalities including an American, an Israeli, an Italian, a Filipino, a Russian and the two Brits. Their professions range from teachers to scientists and nurses. “All are welcome regardless of race, culture, creed or ability. All we ask is that you bring a constructive and creative mind,” says Hazel.
“Why do you write?” I’m asked by my interviewees. They’re not trying to be impertinent or to make me squirm, this is the sincere curiosity of people with a shared compulsion. Ask any writer whether they’re an enthusiast or a professional and you’re likely to hear about the passion that drives them to write and the need to express oneself through written word for want of a better alternative. For some, they write whether they have an audience or a salary to justify the exercise or not, because they simply have to. It’s a question that fascinates the writing group and which each of them tries to answer.
“Writing is therapeutic for me,” Pamela Rose Curammeng says while Amiram Bar-ilan explains “writing has no question marks for me. It’s a must. I’m a scientist but during my past life I discovered the pleasures of creative poetry and literature writing.”
Michaela Mobley, a freelance writer and member of the group, says “writing is about expression when talking just doesn’t say the words. I started to write poems and stories as a teenager, the inevitable romantic heart-torn verses that puberty and puppy love bring. I hope I have matured since then into a writer who looks at subjects from different angles both professionally and creatively.”
Maria Kritikos organises and mentors Nicosia Writers Workshop. The song writer and critic adds “I love creating modern literal performance poetry using traditional rhythmic forms following in the footsteps of my late grandfather the Cypriot red village poet Vasilis Kritikos.”
Hazel explains that writing is “an outlet for her mind” while Mac chimes in “I write because my wife told me to.”
Eight years ago when Hazel and Mac, former college lecturers (in remedial studies teaching people with learning difficulties and IT) decided to retire in Cyprus they knew they needed to keep active. They spent the early years of their relocation introducing barn dancing to the island and performing in a band in Ayia Napa but in recent times have been drawn to words.
“Shortly after we came here I read about the Argos animal shelter and we have a rescue dog Pixie, the Cyprus poodle, who we found when we arrived. We decided to raise money for Argos so started the writing group and sold poems,” says Hazel.
Hazel had previously written and had poetry published in England and likes to specialise in children’s books and stories. She currently creates personalised stories for her grandchildren who also live in Cyprus. In these she tells a story starring the child and includes colour illustrations, road safety, numbers and phonetics.
“Greek childrens’ reading [of English] suffers. Being bilingual, our grandchildren can speak English and even though their mother is a teacher they spend less time on reading. The earlier a child learns to read the better,” stresses Hazel.
After being impressed by a friend’s daughter’s treatment at Nicosia hospital, the group decided to focus their next product on a charity for children. The Writers Workshop has produced a new collection of poetry, Synthesis 1, which includes work on the seaside, motherhood, unrequited love and even Cyprus driving. The book has been created to raise money for children’s books at the hospital.
“Our aim for the group is to encourage more people to read and to enjoy it. Education and enjoyment, you can’t have one without the other,” conclude Mac and Hazel.
The pair were recently invited to the American Academy where they spent time with 13 and 14 year olds working on poetry exercises. “We spent a lovely couple of hours with the students, they were very bright. Anybody can write,” reiterates Hazel with conviction.
Nicosia Writers Workshop
Fortnightly meetings (next meeting is Sunday March 11, 11am-1pm). Papantoniou Institute, Byron Avenue, Nicosia. Synthesis 1 is available at Moufflon bookshop for €8 or call 99 023418
