NUI Maynooth Summer Writing Institute

For a week at the end of July, I had the good fortune to attend the first ever Summer Writing Institute at NUI Maynooth. It was organised by the university Writing Centre at Maynooth, and so a huge thank you from me to Alison Farrell. 

The facilitators for the week were two staff members from BAWP (Bay Area Writing Project) University of California, Berkeley, Greta Vollmer and Kirstin Land; so, more and massive thanks to these two women. They have years of experience in both the teaching of writing, and in community building towards the teaching of writing at all educational levels. 

August - some submission opportunities

       Freeimages.co.uk here                   

Gee, I can't believe it's late summer already. So, what the are the writing opportunities that might tempt you this month? Here are a few ideas and deadlines.

The Stony Thursday Book - a poetry journal published annually, and this year's deadline is 08th August.  For more details see here

 

Abridged - accepts poetry and art for themed issues, the current call is for 0-37 Torquemada. The deadline is 31st August, see their website  for further details. 

In response to a comment after the poetry review in today's Irish Times

what women write is of the body

the body we toil to preserve and to serve

up, we write of Sile na Gigs

the body familiar, the body of history and hysteria

we write of our genitals these days,

of our lovers’ too

we dare to speak its name

we dare to write it white

we write of domestic bliss and of love

we strive for the universal in the local

the shelter of words when the sky is falling

for the secular prayer to fill the void

while children are dying in Gaza and maybe 

we could take our hands out of our knickers

and write about expelling Israel’s ambassador

or the sale of the country’s most beautiful theatre

or the consultants getting a pay-rise

but sure who'd read it anyway

now that books are dead?

and a girl in a workshop last week

had it on good authority poetry isn’t far behind them.

 John McAuliffe's poetry review in today's Irish Times

Blessed by writing experiences this week - NWW Writing Weekend

I've been looking forward to this last week in July for a long time. So far, in the middle of the week, I'm just blown away by all I've learned and enjoyed about writing. 

Last weekend was the North West Words Writing Weekend held in Cafe Blend and the Radisson Blu, Letterkenny. All this week, I'm at the very first Summer Writing Institute at NUI Maynooth. I think I might just explode with delight before the end of it all. My head has been filled with so many lightbulb moments... more about the  NUIM experience in another post.

The Poets' House Poetry Series

A few years ago, the Garden Room Writers arranged a very enjoyable weekend set of workshops in The Poets' House at Falcarragh, Co. Donegal. We covered both poetry and short story sessions in a very productive two days with Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons and Gréagóir O'Dúill. And, some of our poet members have benefited over the years from their public workshops. 

In recent times, they have been running The Poets' House Poetry Series. Forthcoming on Saturday 02nd August 2014, they have workshops and an evening of readings by Ciaran Berry and Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons.

Then on Sunday 03rd August at 7.30pm there is New Writers Reading with Chris Allen, Stephen Sexton and Karen Blaney. For more details see their Facebook page

Number Eleven Magazine

As Deirdre mentioned in her post on July 15th I have been fortunate enough to have a short story called 'Snowdrops' published in Number Eleven magazine. It is the first time I have had anything published so it's a great buzz to see your work presented so well and available for people to read. The on-line magazine looks great and there are nine other short stories for you to enjoy.
The value of being part of a writing group cannot be underestimated. Without the Garden Room Writers suggestions and encouragement my story would probably still be scribbled on some random pieces of blank A4 gathering dust on a shelf. With this encouragement I spent one whole Bank Holiday Weekend finishing and polishing off the story as best I could, researching magazines in order to submit it to the most appropriate one and ignored all the others jobs I had on my to-do list for the holiday weekend. The focus paid-off and when I got an email saying the story had been selected for publication in Issue Five I was very, very happy indeed. Many thanks to Number Eleven and my fellow Garden Room Writers!

Michael Morpurgo in Manchester

Well, I had a little trip the other week for a friend's wedding and as luck would have it I found myself in Manchester on the same day as Michael Morpurgo was there reading from his book, Private Peaceful, accompanied with music by Coope, Boyes and Simpson, an amazing acappella trio. The concert was part of the Manchester Children's Book Festival.
I was a student in Manchester - on occasion I could be found dancing on tables in the Flea and Firkin (that is what tables are for in Manchester in case you are not aware). Seventeen years later (eeek...yes, seventeen years later) I found myself in one of the student buildings on Oxford Road sitting and listening to this spellbinding concert. At the start a voice in my head would speak and say, 'Oh my goodness, he wrote Warhorse, HE actually wrote Warhorse...and I am hear listening to him read.' I wanted to go out onto Oxford Road with a megaphone and shout 'Everyone needs to come inside here and listen to this' - suffice to say I was quite excited. But, as he began to read, and as the music filled the atrium, weaving in and out of the lines he spoke, the story and characters became the focus; you were drawn in, you held you breath, you were thinking of nothing else and time seemed to stop.
Check out the Michael Morpurgo website for details of further events/reading and if you are in the right place at the right time go!!
p.s The wedding was ace too - though I did not dance on any tables this time...

The Garden Room Writers have been busy

We've had a run of publishing luck in the Garden Room Writers this summer. And, as I'm sure you know, it doesn't come easily getting work published. So I'm delighted to say we've achieved a few successes between us recently. You can read most of the pieces from the click links detailed below. 

Annalisa read a lovely story at the group one night. We said - send it off it's a good one. We were right too. It has found a home with Number Eleven (issue 5) which is a journal edited by Graham Connors with assistant editor Sinead O'Hart. You can read 'Snowdrops' over at Number Eleven here and submissions to the journal are currently open.  They are seeking both short story and flash.

Maureen has been very busy too, she's been organising the North West Words Writing Weekend (25 - 27th July) in Letterkenny see NWW new website  But, she also has a poem in the latest edition of Crannog (issue 36) called 'The First Good Day'.  Submissions for Crannog are currently open during July and they take poetry and stories, see here. I must say, Crannog is a journal I've been buying for years and it doesn't disappoint. 

On the other hand, Ann has been writing something very different which has come from her correspondence with Jon McGregor and The Letters Page journal. Jon is a critically acclaimed short story writer and novelist. He was one of the judges in the recent Davy Byrne's Short Story Award. Ann interviewed Jon by postcard - no, you didn't misread that. She writes her account of the interview at the newly launched North West Words Magazine - read it at page 23. This is a new online version of the NWW magazine which was launched recently along with their new website. They are now accepting submissions of short story (2,000 word max.), memoir (800 word max.) and poetry for issue 2 see details here  deadline 01st September. And, The Letters Page accepts hand written letters of one A4 page; it  is currently closed to submissions, but watch out here for the call regarding issue five. 

Finally myself - I've a memoir piece called 'Backstage Carpentry' in the new NWW Magazine at page 36,  North West Words Magazine 

  Happy reading, and writing.

The Festifál Readings, Main Street, Falcarragh, 18th and 19th July 7.30-8.30pm

This sounds like a nice way to spend a writerly summer's night. It's part of the North West Art and Music Festival - Festifál. The Poets' House presents poetry readings 7.30 - 8.30pm and an open mic in the Green Tent, Main Street, Falcarragh next Friday and Saturday night. Music sessions running Friday, Saturday and Sunday also. For more details of all events see the Festifál Facebook page

Three free to enter fiction competitions

Writing competitions usually have an entry fee which is fair enough as they need to pay those involved. Occasionally, and I presume for a variety of different reasons,  the odd one is free of charge. Here are a few I've noticed recently with no entrance fee. It all helps, especially if you entering a number of competitions...the fees mount up.

 

FREEIMAGES.co.uk here

Costa Short Story Competition 2014 - deadline 01st August 2014, short stories of 4,000 max. word count. A panel of judges select a shortlist of six stories which are added to the competition website for public voting - author names are not disclosed during voting. The winners are chosen by public vote.  Entrants must be over 18, and for further details see here

Summer Short Story Competition from University of Leicester (The Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning) - deadline 12th September 2014, short stories of 2,500 max. word count on any theme. However, only unpublished writers can enter, and entrants can't be fulltime students.There are two categories age wise: a junior competition ages 10-15, and an adult competition defined as those over 21 years of age. For further details see the  website

IV Edition International Flash Fiction Competition 'Museum of Words' - deadline is 23rd November 2014, and  there is a competition slogan 'Mandela: Words and Concord', but entries can be on any subject. The max. word count is 100 words, and up to two entries can be submitted per person. The prize for the winner is a rather amazing $20,000. Further details of the competition rules can be found at this website and the winning flashes from last year are available here  

There are details of lots more competitions on our competitions page. Happy writing.


Gee, update, I just found another, but for this one you need to be London resident. I'll add it down here as a bonus one.

London Short Story Prize 2014 - deadline 19th September 2014, for short stories of up to 8,000 words. See more details here  Entrants must be London resident and over 18.

July - some journals and competitions accepting submissions

The weather has been very good in Donegal recently, a rare and wonderful thing indeed. Though it's not so conducive to the writing life. Ah well, we really must enjoy while we can.

The possibility of some sun may be a little distracting, but here are some submission ideas for July if you do polish off some writings in time.  


The Stinging Fly - open during July, and takes poetry, fiction, book reviews and essays. See here

Crannog - open for submissions in the month of July. Takes short story (2,000 word max.), flash and poetry. See here

And for more see below...

Some summer online readings

There are lots of interesting online magazines currently publishing really good work. So, here are some ideas for online summer readings.

Five Dials issue number 32 from Hamish Hamilton.

The Letters Page  issue 3  'Travelling Light' Spring 2014. 

Burning Bush 2 poetry and flash fiction, issue 6.  

For more click below

National Flash Fiction Day - Maureen and Deirdre read at Flash Fury

Last Saturday was National Flash Fiction Day and Big Smoke Writing Factory were running Flash Fury in Arthur's Pub on Thomas St. Dublin. It was a reading event of flashes up to 500 words plus a competition for 99 word stories. All readings were chosen from submission by email.

Maureen and I decided to enter flashes as we liked the idea of getting to read on that day, and we were happy to do the road trip to Dublin. Two of my teenage daughters wanted to come along for the ride (to go shopping of course!) so we could fill the car and go.

Well, both our stories were chosen for readings, and we were mightily pleased and honoured that we got the opportunity to read together. Garden Room Writers (well, two of us) hit Dublin. It was a hot day, but there was an appreciative audience there for Flash Fury. The organisers were so welcoming, and very pleased that we'd made the effort to come from Donegal. And, I really enjoyed the whole event - thank you Big Smoke Writing Factory, it was well worth the drive. I'd recommend the experience if it's running again next year.

There were a wide range of readings, and readers - from new writers to the very experienced. Nuala NiChonchuir was judging the 99 word competition from 5 shortlisted stories read out for us by their authors. She read one of her own flashes from Of Dublin and Other Fictions called  Fish which was an unexpected treat.

I'm not going to try to name names because I'll end up leaving someone out. The readings were very diverse in theme from funny to sad,  real to fantastical, and all were very enjoyable. The 99 word stories had been printed on postcards and were spread around the tables, so I've a handful of stories home with me too. Bernard O'Rourke won The 99 competition - well done Bernard.

Here's me reading Only Words - the story of a revenge by dictionary. 

                                                                        *****

There was a nice Summery buzz in the room upstairs at Arthur's pub, sunshine streaming in behind us as we read and street sounds rising in the open windows. I really enjoyed the imagery in one particular story. I can't remember the guy's name, and he's not on the BSWF twitter pics. Aghh, that's annoying.  He wrote of the disco-ball effect of sun dappled through leaves in a gorgeous love flash called The Dance.

Here's the winning 99, Bernard O'Rourke's Sunbathing, published on gorgeous postcards along the other four 99ers.

Here's me reading just after Deirdre. I read Cover Girl which you can read below. 

Cover Girl

Karen stood behind her friend and twisted Sarah’s hair in a loose knot. The girls smiled at their reflection.

“I can see the album cover now, you and Tom standing just like this,” Karen said. “It’s so exciting. You’re going to be massive.”

The dart was quiet.  Sarah wrote on the train sometimes at this hour, took her notebook or phone out and put down a few words or chords.  She hummed aloud if the going was good and no one bothered. The crinklies couldn’t hear her and the mums were miles away dreaming distant futures into the eyes of their kids.

Sarah’s mum wasn’t one for dreaming. More of a planner for rainy days. Sarah took after her dad. Always greener on the other side with those two. Sarah’s favourite memories were of the two of them listening to music on Sunday afternoons while her mum visited her aunt and whatever new cousin had just been born.

“Didn’t they call the last one Shannon?” or Lauren or Jamie or whatever it was, she would ask when her mum announced the name of a new arrival.

“You know perfectly well they didn’t. Have you done your homework?” her mum would reply going out. 

Then it was just her dad and her and a long Sunday stretched on the floor, while he filled in her real education: the history of rock and roll, punk, mods, prog rock, new romantics, stadium rock, of pop, decent pop when there were still songwriters. She’d play a new song for her dad and he’d listen, really listen. Then he’d pronounce it derivative and pull out an old album, or wait for her to search itunes for the original.

She admired the dress again. Sarah would be her brand ambassador Karen said when she tried to offer payment. This dress was way more than Sarah could afford and they both knew it. Wearing it on the album cover was the least she could do.

She checked her appearance in the mirror as the lift brought her up to the hotel room booked for the shoot. She floated out of the lift. She kissed Tom who dashed toward her.

“You smell good,” he purred, “Come, meet Jenny, the photographer.”

“We’ve been thinking Sarah, of something like this,” Jenny handed her some photos. “Maybe Tom and his guitar on the right, you looking ahead beside him. The light is fading guys we need to move on this. In five ok?”

In five it was. Sarah numb. Tom taking centre stage. Karen’s dress crumpled on the bed. A hotel robe dropped to her waist and Sarah barely able to stop shaking long enough for the photo. The image was right first time. Jenny was delighted. Tom bit her ear when the others left.

“Nice dress babe, new? You can buy a whole new wardrobe once the money starts coming in. We’ll be minting it Sarah. You’re amazing. That cover will be smoking.” 

Maureen Curran 

North West Words Arts Night Next Thursday 26th June 2014

June, good weather, my holidays are looming, and NWW is next week - what a combination! I always enjoy NWW, but I must say I'm particularly looking forward to this one as a fiction writer. Alan McMonagle is reading, and Siobhan McNamara, with music by Maryann McDonnell.

RTE Guide/Penguin Short Story Competition 2014

This is an annual competition with the winner published in the RTE Guide. It's for stories of a maximum word count of 2,000, and has a deadine this year of 11th July. The winner last year was Trisha McKinney who is from Donegal, and now lives in Dublin. Her story Soft Rain is available here  and the story from the 2011 winner, Val Nolan, here  For entry details see here

June - some ideas for publications and competitions currently accepting submissions

If you have work ready and want ideas for submitting, here are some publications currently looking for submissions. Remember to read the requirements carefully, they differ between publications. And, always read published work from past issues to get a sense of the most suitable place to send your piece. There are quite a few Irish journals currently seeking work.

The Stinging Fly - open during July, and takes poetry, fiction, book reviews and essays. See here

Wordlegs - seeking submissions for the Autumn 2014 issue, takes poetry, flash and short story. See here

And for more see below...

National Flash Fiction Day events including some free competitions

National Flash Fiction Day 2014 is on 21st June and is in its third year. There are lots of events associated with it including a range of free to enter competitions, and readings (if you happen to live near the relevant venues). Some of the competitions allow submission of previously published works. The website is here  and a list of events here  

Here are some competitions with deadlines still open:

Flash Fury: Flash Fiction Reading and Competition 2014 - this is run by the Big Smoke Writing Factory. Though the deadline for it is really soon (14th June), and the winners must be available to read their winning entry from 3-6pm on Saturday 21st June at Arthur's Pub on Thomas St., Dublin. There are two events, a reading for which you can submit a 500 word story for consideration, and 'The 99' competition (stories must be 99 words exactly). Submissions for the reading can be published or unpublished, but 'The 99' requires previously unpublished pieces. Entry is free for both, the judge is Nuala Ni Chonchuir, and full details and guidelines are here

Flash Flood 2014 - deadline 19th June, and word count maximum 500 words. The winning entries will be posted online throughout National Flash Fiction Day. For further submission details see here  

Fish Facebook Flash 2014 - entry free, and the winner gets a free entry to the Fish Publishing Flash Fiction competition. Seems a bit strange though, to win a competition and then simply get entry to another competition!  See Fish Publishing Facebook

Twisted Tales 2014 - from Raging Ardvark Publishing for International Flash Fiction Day - on the theme of twisted tales. Deadline 23rd June, previously published work can be entered, and entry is free. Word count is 350 - 750 words, and the winners will be published in an e-book, for further details see here


And, here are some useful resources on flash fiction:

Litro podcast  Flash Fiction Special: Feat. Tania Hershman, Vanessa Gebbie, David Gaffney, Calum Kerr (and Kafka)

Stories in your pocket: how to write flash fiction an article by David Gaffney The Guardian 14/05/12

What is flash fiction? from Tania Hershman

Flash Frontier February Feature: Ethel Rohan, Nuala NiChonchuir and Dan Powell on flash fiction

What not to do on writing flash fiction by Callum Kerr founder of National Flash Fiction Day here  and advice on beginnings and endings here

Happy writing.

A Last Appearance

The poet Kevin O'Shea's last reading before his sudden death took place at the North West Words April event in Letterkenny. Lisa Frank, from Doire Press, the publishers of his collection 'The Art of Non-Fishing,'
said recently that she was happy he had enjoyed the reading so much, as did his Cafe Blend audience that evening.
It is poignant to look back now with the knowledge that it was his last performance. The Garden Room Writers collectively have reason to be grateful to Kevin in his role of co-founding editor of Skylight 47 because he chose to feature us in the 'Under the Spotlight' section (Winter 2014 edition) of that fine publication.
Making part of that article available here is an act of gratitude to Kevin, and a tribute to his work as poet and editor. May he rest in peace.

"The Garden Room Writers met in 2009 at creative writing classes run by Ramelton poet Denise Blake. We take our name from the conservatory where Denise gave us great coffee and nudged us along the writing path...There has been great camaraderie and support around getting brave enough to send out our work, sharing successes and rejections, and learning from each other about the writing life...Since last summer, the GWR group has kept a private blog (and) we decided to go public this summer. We did not take this change lightly. The writer Rachel Cusk described writing as the act of putting what is private into the public sphere. Over the years important levels of trust have developed between us, and this bears fruit in the support we offer each other during the transition from our safe and private writing world to the sometimes wintry stare of the outside world.
Blogging echoes writing itself, where inner thoughts are shaped and sent forth in hope of a sympathetic reader. In some way, the group nurtures that process, enabling us to keep laughing, to keep open, and to keep daring to call ourselves writers."

Translink Life’s Better Haiku Competition

Do you reside in Northern Ireland and write Haiku? How about the prospect of having your work displayed in public bus and railway stations across NI? Translink and Poetry NI are currently running a Haiku competition to find suitably themed poems. See here  or  here

The deadline is 31st July 2014, and four poems are to be chosen for display.  The competition is only open to those who reside in Northern Ireland, and entries are to be submitted online. Four winning haiku will be chosen that best reflect how travelling by bus and train can make your life better. The judges are from the organisations Translink, Poetry NI and Community Arts Partnership, and there is no entry fee.

Poetry NI is an organisation supporting and showcasing poetry around Northern Ireland, see the website here  Its main projects include a quarterly online poetry journal called FourXFour, a monthly open mic session called Purely Poetry (Cresent Art Centre, Belfast), and Pen Points Press  a small independent publishing wing. It's an organisation doing good work for poetry - well done!

NWW Writing Weekend 25th - 27th July 2014

Friday 25th July 2014 will mark the beginning of the 2nd North West Words Writing Weekend in Letterkenny. I attended and thoroughly enjoyed this three day event last year, and I'm looking forward to a similar experience this summer. It's great to have such an opportunity so close at hand in the North West in two lovely venues - Radisson Blu Hotel, and Cafe Blend, Letterkenny. 

The following is a description of the three day event with activities for all sorts of writers - fiction, poetry, and writing for children. 

Workshops from Mia Gallagher, Gerard Smyth, Malachy Doyle, Susan Millar DuMars, Kevin Higgins and Averil Meehan. For further details and bookings of the entire weekend, or individual workshops email Maureen Curran at: maureenwcurran@yahoo.ie  

More details below.