November In Manchester - Melody and James

Melody
Two years after a small latex tear resulted in the birth of her first child, Melody has found her life's direction in motherhood. Her world revolves around her son and, for the first time in her life, she is content.

In the evening, she makes evening commutes and cross-country train travel slightly more bearable at the bar in Piccadilly Station.

Despite his daily custom, she has yet to learn James' name.

Melody is kindly portrayed by Kelly

James
James is a man of routine.

Between 9am and 5pm, his routine is work; filling meaningless numbers and figures into an Excel spreadsheet. Between 5:30pm and 11pm, his routine takes him to the train station; filling alcoholic drinks into his stomach until it is time to stumble home. During the weekend, James cleans his flat.

James wasn't always like this. He once had a partner, a smile and a life. Now, three years after Samantha's death, all he has is an existence.

James is kindly portrayed by Chris

Keep sending in your photos and video for November In Manchester

There's just one week to go before November In Manchester kicks off.

But there's still time to send in any photos and videos for this exciting social media novel.

Photographs

We're still on the lookout for photographs of places and events around Manchester. We've had some wonderful snaps in over the last few weeks, but there's always room for more.

Here's a taste of some of the shots we've had so far:








You can send you photos to ilove@novemberinmanchester.com.

Video

Throughout the project, the two central characters in November In Manchester will be using video clips in their daily blogs.

We've had some great videos from you over the last few weeks. Here's a couple of clips:





We're still on the search for more videos, so if you're a dab hand with a video camera, send across your clips.

November In Manchester is just one week away!

November In Manchester - Lee and Darren

Lee

Lee is coming to the end of his time at university. His dissertation is looming, he has final exams in the summer and he is getting to the point in his life when has has to ask the question that has troubled millions of people in a similar position:


What do you do with a B.A. in English?

Sadly, the only person Lee knows to have pondered the answer is Persephone.

Lee is kindly portrayed by Adi

Darren

Darren's infatuation for the employee named Persephone began three days after she put pen to paper on an employment contract.

Darren has convinced the young shop assistant that her life would be infinitely more satisfying with him in it. Although Darren possesses little imagination, his blunt attempt at courtship - flowers, chocolates and cuddly toys - has won the naïve Persephone over.

He did not think to mention that he is married.

Darren is kindly portrayed by Jack

There's still time to submit your event to November In Manchester

There's been a fantastic response to our request for events around Manchester next month.

Thanks to your suggestions, the November In Manchester characters will be attending writing groups, club nights and museum exhibitions. They are set to go to gigs, bars and plays.

These events and venues will be featured in their tweets and blogs over November.

There's still time to suggest places and events for the characters to go to.

Manchester is a lively city and there's always something going on. November In Manchester wants to highlight the rich variety of events and venues on offer to residents and tourists.

If you're running an event you'd like us to consider for inclusion in the November In Manchester story – or merely like us to give a place a mention - drop us an email at contact@novemberinmanchester.com with some information and we'll get back to you.

Alternatively, you can get in touch with us on Twitter @nov_in_mcr

November In Manchester - Regina and Paul

Regina

Regina, or Reggie to anyone who knows her for longer than five minutes, is James' closest friend. They met a lifetime ago; over a hastily arranged birthday party for one of Paul's never-ending portfolio of relatives.

Aside from their other halves, neither she or James knew anyone there. As their partners mingled with family, gossiping with aunts and uncles, James and Reggie had sat at a table in the corner.

They made small talk over a wine-stained tablecloth and she took an instant like to the then student.

Whenever Regina visits James she prefers to remember him as the man she met on that first evening.

Regina is kindly portrayed by Jill

Paul

Unlike his wife, Paul took an instant dislike to James. He did to any man who came within a 5km radius of his sister. Still, when it became apparent that Samantha's new suitor would be around for the foreseeable future, he decided it would be best to get to know his brother-in-law-to-be.

Motivated by Regina's harassments, he arranged to spend some time with James in their local pub. As they staggered out at closing time, Paul had put his arm around James and drunkenly declared that he would punch anyone who messed his sister around. But that James was alright. Paul would later become the best man at James and Samantha's wedding.

Now, Paul and James maintain a strict relationship. They never go out alone and their talks always stick to the well-trodden territory of Manchester United, local bitter and the weather.

Paul can never find the right words for any other conversation.

Paul is kindly portrayed by Keith

November In Manchester - Persephone and Leonie

Persephone

Persephone's life is remarkably similar to the one she enjoyed four years ago while studying at Manchester University. She views her undergraduate days as some of best ones in her life and sees little reason why she should change that. Regardless of the fact she has not been in possession of a valid student I.D card since 2005.

While her degree certificate slowly gathers dust under a pile of unpaid utility bills, Persephone lives each day like it is the start of a new semester.

Persephone is kindly portrayed by Jayne

Leonie

Leonie is one of Persephone's oldest, if not closest, friends; the pair met at university after Persephone drunkenly stumbled into the wrong bedroom during Fresher's week.

While Persephone decided to remain a student – at least in spirit – after she graduated, Leonie chose to embark on the next stage of her life.

Now, at the age of 27, she holds down a respectable position as an account manager in a public relations firm.

She remains close friends with Persephone, although finds it is becoming increasingly difficult to make conversation when alone in her company. Frankly, they just don't have that much in common any more.

Leonie is kindly portrayed by Helen

Keep checking back for more biographies in the future!

November In Manchester

November in Manchester - Official site now live

There's been a fantastic response to November In Manchester since its announcement last week.

We're happy to announce that the official November In Manchester site is now live.

There's a lot of behind the scenes work going on right now and we're looking forward to your reaction to the site once it goes live in November.

Until then, keep on sending in your photographs and videos – they've all been great so far.

You can email your media to ilove@novemberinmanchester.com

You can keep tabs on every single one of the photographs submitted on the November In Manchester Flickr feed. Feel free to leave comments or discuss other submitted photos.

If you're a registered Flickr user, you can also submit photos directly to the November In Manchester Flickr group.

Or alternatively, you can join the November In Manchester Facebook group and upload any photos or videos directly onto that.

Any media requests can be sent to: press@novemberinmanchester.com
Or for general enquiries, email: contact@novemberinmanchester.com

Keep checking back for more updates. November is getting very close!

Thanks for your support.

Taking the story to the streets

November In Manchester takes place in real time.

Over four weeks, the characters in the novel will travel around Manchester. They will go to places, attend events and share their experiences with anyone following the story.

Throughout the tale, these characters will need places to go.

They will visit bars, museums, exhibitions and art galleries. There, they will take photos and record videos for use in their blogs and twitter accounts.

How you can take part

If you have any events taking place over November, please get in touch. We're looking for anything from low-profile events to canapes and cocktail bashes.

Alternatively, if you just want to suggest somewhere for the characters to go to, get in touch.

November In Manchester aims to promote the city of Manchester. It will show people just how much goes on in the city; its culture, its nightlife and its rich heritage.

We'll judge everything we get sent on its own merits and the team at NIM will do our best to fit as much as we can into the four weeks without it detracting from the story.

Email us with your suggestions and be a part of November In Manchester

Take part in November In Manchester

You can play a major role in November In Manchester.

Over four weeks in November, six fictional characters will be blogging, tweeting and filming their lives in Manchester. We want you to get involved. These characters need a back-story and a personality. They need to do and see things.

Here's how you can get involved:

Take photographs

Whenever you see something interesting in Manchester, snap a picture on your mobile and email it over to us. As long as it's not vulgar or illegal.

We're looking for:

• Landmarks around Manchester
• Interesting exterior shots
• Photos of events - gigs and the like in the city
• Any picture you think captures the spirit of Manchester

We'll use these images to flesh out the characters - they'll tweet and blog about your pictures and these locations will play a part in the story.

If you could also include your name and a short sentence about what the picture is, that would be great. Unfortunately, we can't use profile pictures or head shots as they'll play with the continuity of the story.

Video

If you're a budding film maker, we'd love to see your clips. We're looking for short 1-2 minute phone videos we can upload to YouTube to use in the character's blogs.

Some ideas to get you started:

• A morning commute
• Lunchtime in Piccadilly Gardens
• Shots of daily life in Manchester

Simply email them to us with a brief explanation and we'll find a place for them in the story. Sadly, we can't use anything with direct conversation in, so resist the urge to put in a David Attenborough style voice over.

Get involved

November in Manchester is an ambitious social media project which anyone and everyone can contribute to. You've got a while yet to think about what to send in, but the sooner stuff comes over, the greater chance it has of playing a role in the story.

Email us at ilove@novemberinmanchester.com

Welcome to November in Manchester

November in Manchester is a social media love story about two people. In Manchester.

James has no future. He wakes up. He goes to work. He leaves at five on the dot. He spends each and every evening in the pub overlooking Manchester Piccadilly train station, drinking his liver into submission. His poor liver.

Persephone has no future. She wakes up. She goes to work. She spends the evening going to poetry readings and meeting her friends in coffee shops. The poor barista.

Both James and Persephone are trapped in their past lives. James lies awake at night, thumbing through the possessions of his long-dead wife, Samantha. He still hopes she will wake up next to him each morning.

Persephone wishes she was still a student. She dresses like an undergraduate, she acts like an undergraduate, she drinks like an undergraduate. She is twenty-seven and still lives like she were twenty. Her kitchen mainly comprises of takeaway pizza boxes.

November In Manchester follows the journey of James and Persephone during four weeks in bustling capital of the North. Between Monday 2nd and Monday 30th November, you can follow their story as it happens live via Twitter, Blogspot and YouTube.

Take Part

November In Manchester is a collaboration project for anyone in and around Manchester – you're welcome to take part, comment and submit media for the story. Keep checking back for regular updates and invitations to make yourself part of this interesting experiment.

You can email us at contact@novemberinmanchester.com