And The Lines Are Now Closed

No more entries for the photo book competition please. Midnight has passed and so has the deadline.

The winner of the competition should be announced here on Friday.

Thanks so much to all who've entered - and there have been a good, good many of you.

I am worried that Katherine and I will have a rather difficult job, which is just splendid.

Just So You Know #2

A number of people have, quite rightly, asked which charity's going to benefit from the money we raise from the photo book I'm collaborating with Katherine Lewis on.

I am very happy to be able to announce it's these people: The Alzheimer's Society.

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And the project is definitely taking shape. I can imagine how it's going to look now, which is exciting. Most of the stories/poems/haiku are in (and brilliant!) and there have been plenty of entries in the competition. So yes, all good, if not a little tiring (on top of the other work that needs doing).

Just So You Know

This is how the judging for the competition will work.

All the stories have been/will be printed off without the name of the author.

Katherine and I will, at some point later this week, go through them and pick our favourite.

Then we'll identify who wrote it. Then the author will be notified and the winner anounced.

I know it's not ideal as I'll have seen who's sent what, but believe me, that won't affect the judging because I struggle to remember what I've had for breakfast.

I thought it best to be clear on the matter, so you all knew.

And folks, there's still time to enter!

Comp Update

Well, outside the sun has been a shinin' and the breeze has been cool - pretty much perfect in my book. But I've been inside. Working. And I've been reaonably productive, I think. I've written a couple of bits, I've worked on a guest post (I should have done long, long ago) and I've made headway with the photo book. 

And on that subject I'm delighted to be able to say that we've had a load of entries for the competition. And there's still time for you to enter. Go on, you know you want to!

Competition (And a super secret project revealed)

I have been asked to collaborate on a project which I think will be really cool.

It is an art book. It will contain photographs and very short stories. The photographs are Katherine Lewis'. The stories will be inspired by those photographs (a little bit like what super Sarah Salway's been doing of late). 

Now, I'll not kid you. It's not going to be a bestseller. It's not going to be available in bookshops. It's going to be produced locally, and any profit it makes will go to charity. But it will be very beautiful, I'm sure of that.

And I thought it'd be rather cool if you were involved. So if you'd like to be one of the 20 contributors all you need to do is write a 50 (ish) word poem or short story inspired by the above photograph. Post your story either in my comments box or email it to me by next Wednesday (29th April).  One winner will be picked a little while after that, and that winner will receive a free copy of the finished book.

How's that sound?

Winner

I was told, last night, by the lovely folks at the library where I run my writing group that the event we/they put on for World Book Day (I blogged about it here here and here) raised the most money in the area for Book Aid.

So three cheers for the library. Three cheers for the group who read wonderfully. And three cheers to all my supercool author chums who donated their books to be raffled.

Honoured by Association

So, one week you're extremely pleased that a story of yours has appeared in an extremely cool place (3 :AM). And then the next week that extremely cool place mentions a band who a) you grew up listening to and b) influenced you hugely (The Clash). And then you notice that they've interviewed a member of that band.

Very cool.

And to celebrate...

Mostly Writing

Not much to report I'm afraid. I've been spending a lot of time writing (the red notebook works) and reading. And signing up to a pretty darned cool local secret project which is rather exciting and different. More on that to come.

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And some cool links (to make up for the boring bit above!).

Cool stuff from Sarah Salway, Vanessa Gebbie and Annie Clarkson. 

And the new issue of The Short Review should be out soon, which is always something to look forward to.

New Notebook Meet New Rug

I've not much to report on the writing front (other than I've been writing), but my new rug arrived yesterday, and I've just (sweated buckets and cursed a lot) put it in. Actually it took me hours to realise that the rug shaped parcel with the word 'rug' printed on it was in fact the rug, but there you go. I think, after signing for it, I even said to myself, that rug's still not here yet.

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This is a brilliant place to go if you like teen fiction and great writing.

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There will be something more relevant to writing up here soon, I promise.

New Notebook

It's always a nice thing to start writing in a new notebook. Like this one:

Thanks to my Twitter friends for helping me choose red. It is a nice change as the last three have been black.

And it already has a story in it. One about names.

Story at 3: AM magazine

My short story, Watching Listening, is now up for all to see at 3: AM. I probably don't need to tell you that this makes me very happy, but I will: This makes me very happy.

I hope you're all having a lovely bank holiday, and a sunny one.

Psst

One of my favourite writers (and amazing children's author) has just launched her new website.

Lullaby For Kamilla

I was reminded today how much I love this, so, being the generous chap that I am, I thought I'd share. 

I'd not seen the (this?) video to it before. Wow.

Getting Cultured

Yes, me!

I went to see a choral/orchestral performance (sorry - don't know the proper term) last night of Mozart's Requiem (this kind of thing). And it was brilliant, which, to be honest was a surprise and a relief. I've never been too fussed about Mozart's stuff before, but that I loved - and I loved that it was live. Definitely something I'd do again, despite looking considerably out of place (I should be used to that really). Really glad I made the effort - not least because I got to go for drinks with some of the choir afterwards whose company was a fine thing.

And while I'm on about classical music, I'm really enjoying Alisa Weilerstein's record at the moment.

Bet you didn't expect me to be blogging about that now, did you?

Want to See Me Flash?

If you do you should go to the splendid Dogmatika, where my story Lists has just gone live.

My Writing Scrapbooks

When I Twittered last week about keeping a writing scrapbooks, it seemed I was the only one who did, and it led to lots of people asking exactly what I put in them. Well, this kind of thing:

And Some Good News - The Future's Bright...

Well I'm very happy to be able to post something cheering following yesterday's rather miserable entry (thanks so much to you all for your comments and messages; they do help).

My great friend and great writer, Tania Hershman's had a special mention by the Orange Award judges, which is not only brilliant, but thoroughly deserved. Congrats to the shortlisted authors too.

This is what was said: 

"We were deeply impressed by the tremendous quality of this year's new writers," said Mishal Husain, BBC World News presenter and Chair of judges, "it was a very competitive field and therefore an excruciating process to choose just three of the 80 books we read. The shortlist we eventually decided upon reflects the dynamism and diversity of the entries, showcasing three authors with very different voices but an outstanding talent. We believe their extraordinary novels will appeal to a wide range of readers and also inspire the writers of tomorrow."

She continues," We would also like to commend two other authors, Tania Hershman and CE Morgan, whose work stood out for its remarkable quality. We look forward to seeing more of their writing in the future."

I Have Changed My Myspace Status

to single. Reluctantly. Because I'm no longer with the person I thought I was going to spend my life with. I'm sure it's for the best. I'm sure everything happens for a reason. But it's difficult. I loved her deeply.

And it's a strange thing telling you all this. Honestly, I'm not sure why I am. Maybe in putting things into words I'm reducing their weight inside me. 

Or maybe I want to try to stop what's happened to me happening to anyone else.

Yes, a career is important. Yes, being dedicated to your job is important. And even if you're doing that for someone else as well as you (as I did) don't lose sight of what's really important, because all that effort put into making writing a career so that you can be together means a heck of a lot less if you're not together.

I guess we writers are never all that far from rejection.

But at least my foot's better. Onwards and upwards.

And that's all I have to say on the matter.

And The Dust Begins To Settle

Well, if I'm honest, these past two weeks or so haven't been the best I've had. There's been a pretty huge amount of personal and emotional upheaval, I got ill again and there has been building work being done where I live - which has meant that instead of resting my foot I've been hobbling around an obstacle course and unable to work at anywhere near full capacity. And I needed a new laptop.

The building work has been done now. And I've pretty much managed to put everything back where it should live. I've dug out my old laptop and I'm currently transferring files to my new one. The doc has said I don't need any more medication (though I need to avoid exercise for a couple of months, hmm).

So life can start to go on. Which is just as well, because I've got plenty to do. I am looking forward to Monday.

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And Claire Yates' comment on my Angel in the Car Park story made me very happy, because she really got it. Lovely when that happens. Thank you Claire, whoever you are.

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And while I'm talking about short stories, this New York Times article also made me happy.

Angels, thefts, stories and questions for you

My very short story, The Angel in the Car Park is now live over at Rainy City Stories. This makes me happy because Rainy City Stories is a project I think is really cool (and has an editor who has been a dream to work with).

And I have a confession. I stole the title. There's a story in Tania Hershman's exceptionally wonderful collection called the Angel in the Car Park (which is also exceptionally wonderful) and it inspired me. So thanks to Tania for that (who, again, for the record, is exceptionally wonderful also).

(This act of theft has actually given birth to a very cool and top secret project of my own. If you're lucky, and if you're good, then maybe, one day, I shall tell you more about it.)

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And now a question.

I was with friends a couple of evenings ago, both of whom are considerable movie buffs. They know their stuff.

They'd been to see a film and had been disappointed with it. This led to a discussion during which one of them critisised the ending for being depressing. He said, when we go to the cinema we don't want to be depressed. And then he said, 'Or do we?' - and reeled off a list of great films which were not joyous in theme.

The following day I read something I'd recently written to my writing group. It's a short piece and it starts of being quite funny. And then it plummets in mood and the ending is, well, not one to leave you grinning - and I think it left the group collectively feeling sad. It's also an ending which I absolutely believe is right for the piece.

So it got me thinking. Not in too much depth, but thinking all the same. As writers, as artists, whatever, are we guilty of not thinking too much of what an audience wants? Or is it our job to give them something different?

The way I see it, most of people's most memorable films or books, the ones people tend to find the most affecting ARE sad. So is sadness done well better (for want of a better word) than something cheery? And are people less likely to buy a book or go to see a film which sounds miserable or tragic?

Now, I have my own opinions on this (a story is what it is, and should be delivered in the best and most effective way) - but I'd love to know what you folks think.

So, over to you...

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And I read Slaughterhouse 5 over the weekend. Wow. I think it might be my favourite novel. Sorry Shelley.