Paul Spencer Sochaczewski

HANTUS IN THE HOUSE

Indonesian tales of ghosts, spirits, goblins and things that go bump in the night.

Tuesday, January 12. 2016 
18.15 for 18.45

Anglo-Indonesian Society, hosted by Indonesian Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London.

Please use the “Contact Us” form on the Society’s website to register:

http://angloindonesiansociety.org/

Few countries have as rich a ghost heritage as Indonesia. There are things that roam in the dark that can’t be explained by logical analysis. Strange sights appear, the orderly world is turned upside down, but who knows why or how?  

I will focus on my encounter with a pontianak in the Kalimantan city of Pontianak, the only city in the world named after a female vampire ghost (which includes the story of the grandmother who spits at ghosts, but only because they spit first). If time permits I might add some wisdom offered by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX who told me about his relationship with the Mermaid Queen, and what happened when I met a spirit in Manado that was identified as Moses.

Many of the stories I’ll tell this evening are included in two of my new books Curious Encounters of the Human Kind – Indonesia available now on Amazon, and Curious Encounters of the Human Kind – Borneo, coming out February 2016.

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY

Writing Your Personal Story

An intensive one-day workshop sponsored by Guardian Masterclass, Kings Cross, London

Saturday, February 6, 2016

More info and registration:

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-masterclasses/2015/nov/25/how-to-share-your-story-paul-sochaczewski-creative-writing-masterclass 

Perhaps you’d like to write your personal story, but aren’t too sure how to start, how to focus, how to make it interesting for other people.

In this full day, intensive workshop I guarantee that by the end of the afternoon you will have begun to write your about your adventures.

How does that magic occur?

First, we’ll look at each person’s story, focusing on a critical scene or incident.

Then we’ll examine the Ten Writing Tips that will also give you the tools and confidence to write more effective blogs, write for online and print publications, and make more effective presentations.

Learn how to:

• Recognize the dynamics of your own hero’s journey
• Get started by writing just one scene
• Avoid the dreaded “info dump”
• Create instant intimacy with the reader
• Tell the story by following the Little Red Riding Hood Strategy
• Create conflict with the Nancy Reagan Principle
• Keep ’em hanging on with the Scheherazade Scenario
• Invoke the Story of One to represent the Story of Many
• Write like Steven Spielberg directs
• Eliminate fluff like Michelangelo

I use lots of cartoons, music, laughter, and exchange of ideas. 

This workshop is a repeat of the successful workshop I ran for Guardian Masterclass early in 2015.

I’ve taken the tips and strategies in these workshops (which I’ve given in some 20 countries) and put them into book format: Share Your Journey: Mastering Personal Writing, published January 1, 2016.

Available on Amazon:
Share Your Journey

One workshop review:

“With elegance, deep knowledge, and great generosity, Paul has taken me into story and catalyzed my own writing in a way I’d hoped for but was too scared really to expect. I’m thrilled I did this.”  —Shelly from Australia

And a book review:

“Share Your Journey is to good writing as Joy of Cooking is to good food. I wish all my students had this book before taking my writing classes; hell, I wish I had this book earlier in my career. It’s smart, fun, and every page contains nuggets of essential advice.”  
—Gary Goshgarian, professor of creative writing, Northeastern University; writing as Gary Braver, bestselling author of Tunnel Vision

CREATE YOUR OWN COUNTRY

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Sunday Assembly
  
http://london.sundayassembly.com/ 

Conway Hall. Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL (Tube: Holborn)

11.00 – 12.30 (I’ll have 15 minutes of that time)

Free, just come with good heart.

People start countries all the times, for many reasons.  Some of these folks are grumpy and impatient.  Some folks are dreamers and want to establish a community where there is peace, harmony, and lots of sex/drugs/classical music.  Some country-creators are individualists or wannabe royalty.  Often it’s a combination of all of the above.

No matter, you can start your own country and have things your way.

I’ve been intrigued by the idea of creating your own country since I was invited to join a modern version of the Knights Templar, which was planning to create their own island-nation in the Caribbean.

In this short presentation I’ll review some of the more imaginative “micro-nations,”  offer the legal perspective (yes, there’s an international convention that applies) and tell you how my Knights Templar adventure worked out.

What would your perfect country look like?