Ok, so England has a lot going for it - every week I am delighted to find an invitation in my Inbox asking me to read here or there, talk about short stories, eat cake. What more can a girl want? But it's COLD and I have my second cold in a month, just after having recovered from 3 weeks of flu. Feeling rotten.
The nice things are: two stories in this month's Climate issue of Litro. I've long wanted to crack this one, the literary mag that's distributed on the London underground, and in Cafe Rouge too, apparently! Let me know if you see it around. Feel free to leave a comment on the online version, if you are so moved.
Also: I'm reading at Short Fuse's Hair-themed event tonight in Brighton, which I am so excited about. Luckily I'm reading Plaits, which is very short! For a sneak preview (or post-view), here's my reading it at the Frank O'Connor fest in sept 2008:
Instead of me moaning about my cold, which could go on and on, let me get excited about friends' achievements instead. Whoo hoo to Adam Marek, getting onto the shortlist for the £25,000 (yes, that's 000) Sunday Times EFG short story award! Kudos to the Sunday Times for several things:
1. They published a longlist of 20 stories, thus giving 14 writers a chance in the spotlight, not just the 6 who were shortlisted.
2. The longlist was a mix of Booker-Nominated Names and Real People - and the shortlist had no BNN, and almost all Real People so clearly this is a prize that, while not judged anonymously, was not just about using BNNs to publicise the prize.
Congrats to all the shortlist: Will Cohu, Joe Dunthorne, Petina Gappah, CK Stead and David Vann!
A Few Deadlines:
March 20th FISH One Page prize: 300 words.
March 30th Short FICTION's New Writer competition: open to writers who haven't published a collection of fiction. Any length short story is accepted.
***March 31st Bristol Short Story prize: 3000 words max, no min. I am one of the judges for this comp.
March 31st Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Short Story Competition: 600 words, general, or children's story or story about science, tech & society
March 31st Yellow room Short Story Competition: 2500 words, prize for best story under 800 words.
7 comments:
That's the first time I've heard you talk, which makes you a Real Person.
I'd read that story, but hearing it read aloud brought it to life.
Re. the colds/flu - I've been getting lots in my new country, I think it can take a while to adjust to new germs.
Hope your reading tonight is fun. Like Miriam has said it was lovely to see and hear you reading, you're lovely- such a nice accent. I have such a stupid, mixed-up accent (East coast Balitmore USA/ Midwest USA/ Botswana) I hate hearing myself read. Once someone asked me if I was from Brazil. I said yes.
Feel better soon. :)
Just wanted to say that when I wrote "I'd read" I meant "I had read" and not "I would read," which of course would have been obvious if you could have heard me reading it!
Miriam, that's so funny, I never thought about it that way, it feels like we have met! Glad you enjoyed the reading.
Jen - yup, you're quite right, unfamiliar germs!
Lauri, thank you, it's just British with probably odd inflections from Israel... it went fine last night, no embarrassing voice loss!
oo inspiring stuff, well done for your stories, wish I could hear you read plaits it's one of my faves... yes, it's cold here, but so lovely don't you think?
It's absolutely freezing here... if we don't get spring soon I'm going to have to start working in a cafe or something to save on my heating... :)
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