Thursday, October 20, 2011

Two great events and more coming...

My blogging is suffering, sorry about that, but here's a quick post about what I've been up to. On Tuesday I was involved in 2 brilliant events -the first was part of Bristol University's new Inside Arts festival, a session about reading groups, some of whom had read my flash story Plaits - a very enthusiastic audience chatted with me and Tom Sperlinger about reading, about writing, about flash fiction, it was just wonderful, I really enjoyed it. And I gained some insights about my own story, which is always such a boost. (And it was lovely to finally meet Debs Rickard!)


I then rushed off to Bristol Foyles for the launch of the 2012 Bristol Short Story Prize, which is something very close to my heart, not just because I've been a judge for the past two years, but in great part because the prize's organiser, Joe Melia, is truly a tireless champion of short stories and of writers. I am so honoured to be involved (not as a judge this year...).

The launch kicked it all off so well - with readings by last year's winner, Emily Bullock (whose winning story, hearing it read by her, stirred me all over again), Bristol-based writer Alan Toyne (unforgettable descriptions of a sweat lodge) and the fabulous Jonathan Pinnock (read my chat with him here), who read two flashes, one of which was new to me, Canine Mathematics - and anything to do with maths always warms my heart!

I wound up the first part of the festivities by reading four flash stories - including one I'd never read out before that was picked by the audience: I asked them to shout out a letter of the alphabet and I found a story whose title began with "W". (I read We Watched Him On Our Screens  which you can read here.)

The Bristol Short Story Prize is now well and truly open - get your entries in!  
 
Coming up: It's a busy week for me, I have three more events, all part of the new Unputdownable Bristol Festival of Literature: Friday at 6pm at Henleaze Library we'll be finishing off the citywide short story... Saturday 4-5pm at Hooper House Cafe on Stokes Croft I'll be reading together with the excellent Pauline Masurel, Amy C Mason and Jules Hardy... Saturday 7.30-9.30pm at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, the citywide short story will be revealed... and I'll be revealing how I avoid writer's block!  

8 comments:

ShorStoryBookClub said...

I'm very envious that you have a short story for every darn letter of the alphabet! I'm still somewhere around J.

As in "Just Get On With It, Steve".

Tania Hershman said...

Ah, well now, did I say I did? I do have about 100 flash stories in my "Readings" file, but don't cover the whole alphabet... I was lucky with "W"! It's a fun thing to do, keeps me on my toes...

Vanessa Gebbie said...

How smashing - wish I could have been there - but the Booktrust thing on Tues was great too! What is just marvellous is how much is going on now round the story. LONG LIVE STORIES!!! Yippeee!

Rachel Fenton said...

Gosh, you have been busy.
Would love to enter the Bristol short story prize but can't seem to write anything under 5,000 words lately...

Deb Rickard said...

It was lovely to meet you to, Tania. And again at the citywide story event during the excellent Bristol Festival of Literature. It was great fun and I love your cure for writers' block!

Lauri said...

Run run run!! I'm breathless just reading this post. You are everywhere. :)

Tania Hershman said...

V - wonderful that there were 2 great short story events in one night, whoo-hoo!

Rachel, there's loads of time, you have till March to enter.

Debs - lovely to meet you too!

Lauri, I've stopped being everywhere now. I'm just here. Phew!

Group 8 said...

Wowsers - busy lady. Fun fun fun! And you got a mention in yesterday's Irish Times :)