Speaking from Experience - submissions open

A quick post just to give emerging Jewish writers in the UK the heads-up about the first in a new series of events in London on Nov 22nd which I have been asked to be involved in:

Speaking from Experience gives Jewish writers a chance to present their work in front of a discerning audience. At each event you’ll hear a small number of short stories or extracts from novels read out by their authors, hand-picked by literary personalities, who will also be exhibiting new work. Those presenting material will be serious about launching a career as a professional writer.

If you want to submit a piece, e-mail: submissions@speakingexperience.com If you just want to come and listen: Please do! For any queries, contact: info@speakingexperience.com The event will be at the The Legal Café, Belsize Park, 81 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4SL.

I was surprised and delighted to have been asked to be the "literary personality" who presents the work for this first event, alongside some of my own work. I don't in any way think of myself in those terms, and have never considered myself a "Jewish writer" in as much as my characters are almost never Jewish, but thinking about it a little more, I can see how my stories might be seen to have Jewish themes. Anyway, as the great Janice Galloway said at the Small Wonder festival a few weeks ago, it is not for the writer to put labels on her work, that is for the marketing people! I am happy to be involved in anything that stimulates new writers, and gives them voice. Please do submit, and perhaps I will see you there.

In the Jewish Chronicle!

Thank you to the wonderful Anne Joseph for her article about me in this week's issue of the Jewish Chronicle, Britain's national Jewish newspaper. It's been many years since I appeared between these pages as a character in a local youth club's production of... of...? Oops, forgotten. But this, well this is different (they have called me "triple-award-winning" - quite a build up!)

A taster:

"It seems trendy currently to talk about the death of the short story and it's simply not true. There is a huge amount of activity going on, both in magazines and online. Podcasts are another exciting medium and may well be a way to get short stories across to more people."

Full article here. Someone save me a print copy??

PS More exciting news coming next Thursday, something I haven't been able to talk about yet.... Just thought I'd start building suspense....

My book and New Scientist

I just got a lovely email from the Opinion and Book Review editor of New Scientist - due to postal glitches, it has taken weeks for them to get a copy of The White Road and Other Stories, and I was biting my nails waiting to see what they'd think of it. I mean, I don't think they'd ever received a collection of short stories inspired by articles from their magazine before, so I knew it had novelty value but beyond that, I wasn't sure.

Well - the good news is that they really like it, and are hoping to mention it in the print magazine and online, where they may even include excerpts from some of the stories alongside the articles which inspired them. This is more than I could have hoped for - I thought they might give it a small mention, but this is excellent. More news as it comes in!

Also: the book is now available from two bookshops in Jerusalem, Rehavia Books and Libretto. The woman in there was so sweet, kept congratulating me. It feels so great that there is now a bookshop in my home town which has my book on its shelves. Now we'll see if they sell any. There is going to be an article about me in the English version of one of the national newspapers, HaAretz, so that might "drive sales", as they say!

More book news: I will be at the prize-giving ceremony for the Momaya Press short story comp at the London Review of Books bookshop and I emailed the bookshop manager, and he's going to get some copies of my book in for that. And Jewish Book Week has agreed to stock my book in their festival bookshop next February in London, which is run by Foyles.

I am getting used to my new role as author/marketer. Today I walked into the branches of two major bookshop chains in Israel brandishing my book, and got the phone numbers of their buyers. I will call them tomorrow. Let's hope they react positively. Will let you know.

Finally: I am now set up as an Amazon Author through AmazonConnect in the US, which means that they show my blog on the book page and other author info. Not sure how to do this in UK, any tips?

sore thumb

I haven't been blogging much due to a very sore thumb, which has been sore for weeks now. I finally today went to seek treatment, and it is still sore but I am now watching my bad mousing habits, the way I grip the mouse with my thumb, which makes no sense! Anyhow, I am almost recovered from our trip, we came straight into two days of holiday for Jewish New Year, computers and telephones off, much socializing with friends, a great way to reacclimatise. And this week it is Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, a fast day, an amazing time to be in Israel because the roads are almost completely empty of cars for 24 hours.... children take their bikes and skateboards (are they very 80s? Am I showing my age?) and ride down the middle of the streets, it's surreal. Apparently, scientists come to Israel to study what effect a car-less day has on air pollution every year. If only there were more days like this, and less cars. Yes, but, I do drive. Of course I do. I don't go that far...

I am busy planning my book launch for next Sat night, to which almost 200 people have been invited. I am hoping they don't all show up! Mainly because that is a really large number of people and I am not sure my friend JM who is hosting the launch in his beautiful flat, can take that many, and partly because I am going to be reading a few short short stories, and I don't want such a large audience, all staring at me. Hmm. I will have to get used to the idea. I have 140 books to sell, and am selling them around and about. I sold one last night at a meeting of a new party standing for the Jerusalem municipal elections. Nothing to do with the elections: a friend asked about the book, I whipped out a copy, money was produced, I signed it, much excitement! How lovely!

J is as we speak working on the films of my readings in Cork, will post those here and on YouTube shortly. I am trying to get over the fact that I hate seeing myself on film, that I look huge, is that really my nose? Get over it, get over it.

Ok, must get on with the October issue of The Short Review, taking it easy on the thumb!

Second story podcast: Angel in the Car Park

My story, The Angel in the Car Park, is one of two stories in today's Sharp Things podcast from RethinkDaily. You can listen directly from the site, download the feed as a podcast, or download it from my website's Short Stories page.

It is beautifully read - a very different story from last week's, the only story I have ever written with a Jewish character, a rabbi. The actress, Chloe Gilgallon, who read both stories, did a wonderful job of bringing it to life. Thank you to Chloe and to RethinkDaily, what a great service they are doing for the short story!