A Little Bird Told Me that No Bookmarks Are Required

A little while ago I invited top writer/teacher/publisher chap, Nicholas Royle to come on the blog and say a little about Nightjar Press, the small press he runs which publishes individual short stories as chapbooks (an idea that I think is just brilliant).

And, top chap that he is, he agreed.

So here's what he had to say about Nightjar Press:




"NO BOOKMARK REQUIRED

We don’t give away free promotional bookmarks at Nightjar Press. We don’t need to. You don’t need a bookmark for something that’s only 12 or 16 pages long, and four of those are prelims. Nightjar Press publishes individual short stories in the form of chapbooks. What are chapbooks? They’re not books for chaps. Well, no more than they are books for women. They’re not books either about or made from leather protective coverings for trousers. They’re pamphlets or booklets. They used to be sold by travelling salesmen or chapmen. Chapbooks.

In 1987 I read a story by Joel Lane, ‘The Foggy, Foggy Dew’, in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XV edited by Karl Edward Wagner. It was a wonderful story, poignant and creepy; the editor’s notes said it had been published originally as a small-press booklet. I wanted to own an original. I wanted to see what form that might take. How could a short story have been published on its own? It didn’t quite make sense, somehow. It didn’t add up.

Some time later, having made contact with Joel Lane, I received from him a photocopy of the original publication – the chapbook – in which it had appeared. It was almost as good as the real thing. Almost. The name of Mark Valentine, the publisher, acquired iconic status for me. I gazed admiringly, longingly at the elaborate typeface he had used for his colophon. There was no point in writing to him, though, as Joel had told me the title was out of print.

Later still, I did get an original. Either Joel sent me one or Mark did, or I bought it online from a collector. I don’t remember and it’s not important. What was important was that the seeds had been sown. I wanted to publish some of these things. In the early 90s I dabbled in small-press book publishing (a couple of anthologies and a collection of Joel’s stories) and a few years ago I felt the urge to return to that shadowy world. This time with chapbooks.

I do two in the spring, two in the autumn. Editions of 200 or 300, all copies numbered and signed by the author. There’s not a lot of money in this game, but I am enriched. I get as much enjoyment and satisfaction from publishing these tiny things as I used to get from editing anthologies for Penguin and Gollancz. Short stories are special; sometimes they deserve their own individual covers. I’m enormously fortunate to be working with a brilliant designer, John Oakey, who understands that simplicity is the key. A clean, simple, consistent look; attention to detail; peerless professionalism. And no less lucky to enjoy the support and understanding of my hard-working wife. There are now six chapbooks. The first two – by Michael Marshall Smith and Tom Fletcher – are sold out. I receive requests for copies almost daily. The next pair, by Joel Lane and Alison Moore, are still in print and available. And the two latest Nightjars, by RB Russell and Mark Valentine, are just out. I am, of course, delighted to be publishing a new story by Mark Valentine, without whom I might never have developed a taste for the chapbook in the first place."

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Thanks to Nicholas for that. And if anyone would like to get in touch with him, they can do so by emailing him at nicholasroyle at mac dot com.

You've Got To Be Kind

I love this.

More here.

Sling Ink + Stuff

So, a good portion of the weekend was spent reading through the entries for the first round of the SlingInk Scribbling Slam. Lots of short story goodness, I can tell you.

What impressed me, as well as the quality of the stories, was the range of them. Some of them had been written to prompts and, as I find when I set prompts for my writing group, the way different authors respond to the same prompt is something that I'll always find both wonderful and interesting. It's a truly wonderful thing to see such originality in people's imaginations and how varied their interpretations are.

So, Scribbling Slammers, I have marked the stories and sent them back to the site. I've also left some general comments, which I hope will help. I think they'll be up for viewing at some point over the next couple of days.

And, to say it again - I was impressed by all the stories. They were all good. There is no need for anyone to worry.

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And, speaking of wonderful things...

I got so see my friends' new baby last night. She was 8 days old and particularly beautiful. Actually the whole thing was really beautiful. I got the sense that the world's become that little bit more special.

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I was also very pleased to see that the launch for Tom Vowler's collection went well - wishing him all the very best.

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I thought Dan Powell reading his story, 'What Precise Moment?' here was excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

D J Kirkby Interview

I am thrilled to welcome D J Kirkby to the blog to talk a little about 'Without Alice' her novel. (This was actually scheduled to go up tomorrow (Sunday) but, as I'm not sure I'll have time to post it then, I'm popping it here.)

Hi DJ! Welcome to the blog. So, ‘Without Alice’ – who’s it for and what’s it about?

Without Alice is for every adult reader – male and female - who enjoys contemporary fiction.

It’s a bout a man named Stephen who has a secret that is tearing him apart. It’s about love, loss and redemption.

This is the blurb:

Have you ever had a secret? One so important that it feels as if it will tear you in two? Stephen’s got one. He's also got a great job, beautiful wife and an adorable son. Outwardly his life seems perfect but it means nothing without Alice. Read Without Alice and meet a man who you will love to hate until you learn to love him.

Why did you write it?
I’m autistic and have long been fascinated by complexity of communication . To be able to function well in a predominantly neurotypical world I have had to make a lifetime’s work of studying communication in all its forms. I find it fascinating how easy it is to misunderstand what another person means and the major events that can occur because of a simple misunderstanding or through lack of communication. Without Alice came about as a result of me messing about with different scenarios to see if I could figure out what would happen to a person trying to communicate effectively when in a prolonged stressful situation.

What’s the reaction to the book been like?

Overall the reaction to Without Alice have been exactly what I had hoped for in relation to each of the characters. The readers have been mostly female to date and I am hoping for feedback from more male readers.

Could you tell us about your route to publication? Was it a rocky path or was it like cruising down a motorway?

Well I would say it has been very rocky. I was offered a publishing contract and almost a year later I ended up having to invoke the termination clause in the contract. Then I had to begin the search for a publisher all over again. Finding a publisher is a challenge at the best of times but I think I probably went through the worst of times trying to raise interest in Without Alice. If anyone reading this post wants all the gory details then my blog post all about it is over here: http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/2009/08/without-alice.html

How did you write the book? Could you tell us a little about your writing process?

As I said above, I began to play with various scenarios to see what could happen when I placed the characters in situations of prolonged stress. I wanted to know if their personalities would change. What would happen if they fell in love? What if they hated each other? What kind of miscommunication would occur and how might it change the path of their lives? I didn’t do any plotting, just sat down and wrote and eventually all the stories merged together into a complex novel of which I am very proud. Reading back over this it sounds as it was much simpler than it really was. It took me two years to form it into anything resembling a novel and then many months of editing to make the characters and dialogue believable.

What do you think makes a story great?

Are you talking about short stories here? That is what I am basing my answer on....For me a story has to be vibrant, full of lush descriptive passages and rich with high impact events. A story where everything is more significant than it seems a t first.

Which stories do you think are great?
I like your writing Nik, for the reasons I mentioned above. I also really enjoy stories written by Sarah Salway, her writing sweeps me away from my life. What more could anyone ask for from a book?


Any tips you’d give to people wanting to be published?

o Believe in yourself

o Develop an online presence through a blog and open social networking sites such as twitter – this will give your readers a place to find you and an opportunity to get to know you.

o Always remember that publishing is a small world and as an author it’s important to behave professionally at all times

o Write something worth publishing

o Have it professionally edited by a reputable firm such as BubbleCow

o Submit it with a catchy tag line, robust blurb, a synopsis that meets their requirements and concise cover letter.

o Have any publishing contract vetted by the Society of Authors

o Sign the contract

o Drink champagne with loved ones to celebrate.

o Begin writing your next novel.

o Be prepared to do a lot of self promotional work

o Don’t expect to earn a living from writing for a long time.

What’s next for you?
Lots of book signing events which I am hoping will be a valuable source of unpaid writing research. There should be lots of time to people watch while I wandering around the bookshops looking for the next person that I’ll get brave enough to approach and engage in conversation about Without Alice. I am also currently writing two novels. The Plump WAG’s Club – A year in the life of four fat forty-something friends and A Dappled Life – A young man struggling to leave his past where it belongs.

Anything you’d like to add?

My dedicated website is almost ready to go live. On there is a forum where readers can come and have a chat - with me and each other. I’d love to see you and your readers on there so please do join in. You’ll find the forum tab on http://djkirkby.co.uk/

I spent my childhood knowing I was different though I didn’t get to prove myself right until I was diagnosed with a form of Autism called Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 40. I spent my childhood in the wilds of the Canadian West Coat not realising how very lucky I was to have room to roam and longing to be a grown up so I could do something with my life. I developed a passion for reading at four years old, progressed to writing quirky stories at an early age and then produced volumes of dire poetry full of teenage angst at just about the age you would expect such behaviour. When the opportunity arose to actually do something different with my life I came to England to pursue the dream and never left. I now have a husband, son and 2 stepsons whom I love with every beat of my heart. My home is often filled with the sound of laughter as well as two crazy cats, a grumpy tortoise, two timid hedgehogs and loyal friends who stop by from time to time to make sure I’m not writing anything about them.

What I've Been Doing

It seems that I've been pretty naff with this blog over the past few weeks. I offer no excuses,but I do offer my sincerest apologies. I'm sure you've all missed me like, err, well - something you don't miss all that much.

But I have been busy. And I thought it only right and proper to say what I've been doing. (And I thought it would make for a longer blog post. Cunning, I know.)

Mostly I've been catching up. Catching up with emails and people. That sort of thing. Getting my office in order. Clearing my desk. And I'm almost there. Almost up to date.

I've been writing again, which has been fun.

I have been getting Peter Cook confused with Peter Sellers.

I have been resting. Trying to take things a bit easier. With the book and promotion, this year has been a busy one.

I have been doing a fair amount of thinking too (which has been an interesting experience). I've been considering perception - the difference between how one thinks they're perceived and how others actually perceive a person.

And I've been thinking about the timing of things and things happening for a reason and at the right time. That kind of thing.

So there you go.

Now, I'm going to try to reply to the rest of everything that should have been replied to ages ago. And I've interview questions to answer.

And talking of Peter Cook - I think this is possibly the funniest monologue in the world. Ever.

Answering Questions

Apologies again for such a tiny post - I'm busy editing and judging and being interviewed. I will do a proper post soon. Promise. Thank you for bearing with me.

In the meantime...

Here's me talking to Tomlit magazine about stories and writing and stuff.

Quick Links

Very brief post again, I'm afraid (I'm rather busy).

But I wanted to wish Tom Vowler the best of luck, as he's launching his book today.

And I wanted to point you in the direction of Kath Eastman, who's been doing some book spreading, pirate style.

More from me soon. Well, that's the plan!

Oh Kay

Just a quick post today. I am relaxing. Of sorts...

Thrilled to see what the ever-interesting (and lovely) Kay Sexton has done with my spread the word meme thingy.You can see it, and be impressed, by clicking here.

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And I was rather pleased to receive Tom Vowler's collection in the post this morning. Looking forward to giving it a read very much.

It looks a little bit like this:

Ace!

First - a huge thanks to Tom Vowler for saying some rather nice things about Not So Perfect here. (You can read me interviewing Tom about his own short story collection, The Method and Other Stories here.)

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And even more people are recommending books. And that makes me happy.

The splendidly princessy and wonderful writer Sarah Salway's five poetry recommendations are here.

Great recommendations from Decoding Static here.

And the lovely novelist Aliya Whiteley (who I'll be interviewing soon) jumps on the bandwagon here.

I love it that people are doing this. Sharing is good!

People Are Recommending Books

Hooray and hurrah and joy! I'm pleased to report that after yesterday's post about spreading the word of good books a) it turns out that people do read what I write hear! and b) that some have done something about it.

Benjamin Judge recommends some here.

Rachel Carter recommends some here (and there's ME, in a list with The Time Traveler's Wife. Blimey!).

Becca's are here.

And Dave Hartley gives us his recommendations here.

An excellent start.

Anyone care to share? And don't forget, it's not JUST about blogging or tweeting or social media. Word can be spread in any way you choose.

So if you have enjoyed a book (and feel free to include any of mine by the way!) tell your friends, write something on amazon, review it - just spread the word! If you like. There's no pressure...!

Spreading The Word(s)

So, yesterday, as I do every Tuesday evening, I took my writing group. And a cool thing happened. One of the girls I teach came in waving a book I'd recommended - the brilliant Heaven Can Wait by Cally Taylor (I mentioned it here and interviewed Cally here).

'Thanks for recommending this,' she said, all excited. 'I LOVED it!'

And that's why I recommended it. Because I loved it too. And, as a result, most of the other group members have said they'll buy it or borrow it from the library - and that's ignoring those who've already read it.

My point is that word of mouth works. That recommendations work.

So, friends, I set you a challenge/meme wossname (of sorts). A polite one, of course.

If you blog, recommend some books. Well known or hidden gems. It doesn't matter. Spread the word of good writing.

Or go on Amazon and tell people why you liked it.

Do something. Because if people aren't aware of something there's not much chance that they'll read it.

Here are mine:

Anything at all by Aimee Bender.
And Etgar Keret.
Elephants in Our Bedroom, by Michael Czyzniejewski.
Dear Everybody by Michael Kimball.
Like Bees to Honey by Caroline Smailes.
Something Beginning With, by Sarah Salway.
Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Kafka in Bronteland, by Tamar Yellin.
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.
Thirteen, by Sebastian Beaumont.
Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout.

That's enough for now, I think. I might post more later.

Come on, folks - let's spread the word!

Roald Dahl Day

It's Roald Dahl day today (I only know this because of this).

And this is my favourite Dahl book.

What's yours?

Uses For Not So Perfect #43 (Labour)

So, lots of people have said lots of nice things about Not So Perfect, over and above the stories in it. They've said they like the format because it fits easily in pockets and bags. They've said they like that the stories are short and can be read while waiting at traffic lights. Cool things like that.

This might be my favourite.

At the weekend, a good friend of mine, asked where best to get a copy of the book. She's due to give birth this week. And she thought it'd be ideal to read between contractions.

How utterly wonderful! I can't say how honoured I am (though I know that it could quite easily go one of two ways!).

Needless to say I gave her a copy. And I wish her, and her good fella, all the very, very, VERY best. Exciting times ahead!

A Week Of Interviews

Well, it seems that most of my week has been spent answering questions and talking about myself and my book. And it's been fun.

Amongst other things I recorded a podcast about creativity and writing and language (and lots more) which'll be used as part of The Creative Identity's eCourse. And the reason I mention this, aside from encouraging you to check it out, is because I came up with an answer I'd not thought of before. Steph asked me to define what I do (as a writer) and I said: 'I make stuff up and try to make it sound convincing' which I think I like.

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I was also really thrilled to be the first person interviewed on the MyLittleNotepad blog. Huge thanks to Rebecca for that.

So, yes. Mostly a fun week.

Even More Nice Stuff

I like getting nice stuff. And it's even better when it's not expected.

Just like, this review of Not So Perfect and mention of The Story Corrective by PinkGeckoWrites.

And...

This review of Not So Perfect by We Be Reading.

There. Lovely. Thank you.

Good Stuff

Lots of nice (me) stuff to point you towards today.

First up, the terrific Short Review have reviewed Not So Perfect, which, unsurprisingly, made me very happy. You can read that here.

There's also an interview they did with me a little while ago, which is here.

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There's another lovely review of Not So Perfect here, this time by the lovely Cathy.

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I was thrilled to have my first piece of public reaction to the work I've been doing over at The Story Corrective. That can be read here.

Sallie says 'Not only did I get a fantastically comprehensive critique, I also got a wonderfully speedy turn around and some very positive and encouraging feedback worth its weight in gold from a writer of considerable talent. ' which, again, makes me happy. It's good that it works!

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There's what's sure to be a really, really useful course on creativity over at The Creative Identity here. There'll be a podcast of me talking to the course creator, the lovely Steph (who knows her onions) as part of the course.

In a nutshell, this is what it's all about:

'The Creative Identity Online course is an eight-week long study of the eight constituents of our writing identity, from the creative yearning to the creative abilities, from the creative loss, to the creative DNA and more. It investigates the products and the reasons of our creative endeavours. This is a reading-and-writing intensive course that will delve into the creative process at large and into the writing one in particular. The Creative Identity map provides an overview of, as well as the basis for, this investigation into validation, scepticism, excuses, fear of expression, abilities and expectations in relation to creativity and the way in which we address it, with a view to reveal why we write what we write and to plan our development by embracing, and not fighting, who we are.'

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And to celebrate the lovely Story Corrective feedback I've decided to be all generous again and offer the full critique, report and edit for £25 (instead of the usual £40) so long as I get the work in before the end of this week. Just quote 'lemur' when you send it.


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And, as I've been talking about reviews - if anyone's read (and liked, hopefully!) Not So Perfect it would be wonderfully helpful if they took a couple of minutes to rate it or review it over at Amazon or somewhere similar. This word of mouth thing really does help.

And that's all for now.

Tom Vowler Interview

It's a huge pleasure to welcome fellow short story writer, Tom Vowler, to the blog today, ahead of the release of  'The Method and Other Stories', due to be published by Salt on November 1st.

Hi Tom. Welcome to the blog. It’s a pleasure to have you here. So. Your short story collection, The Method and Other Stories – could you tell us a little about it? What kind of stories are we talking about here?

Hello Nik. Thank you for having me. Perhaps I should start with the characters, who are all rather good at losing things – lovers, children, hope, the plot. The past themes heavily in the book, with its inexorable grip on the present. There is humour, tenderness and tragedy in equal measure. Or as some kindly reviewer said: ‘Vowler’s characters hurtle merrily towards self-annihilation so that we don’t have to.’

The collection won Salt’s Scott Prize. Could you tell us a little about that as well?

The Scott Prize is an international annual prize for a first collection of short stories by a single author. This was its inaugural year.

How’ve you found working with Salt?

I was fascinated to see what they’d do with the book, how much input I’d have. Writers are often better at storytelling than putting books together, so whereas I was grateful to have some say in the order the stories appeared, and indeed the cover, I was happy to let Salt make the important decisions. It’s also important to trust your publisher, as you’re handing over a little piece of your soul.

What are your thoughts on Creative Writing MAs? What have you learned from doing one?

That you can’t teach people to write, but also that you can. I suppose I regard the act of writing as more of a craft than an art, so in this sense you can certainly learn its constituent parts: dialogue, structure, character development, viewpoint. You need to know the rules in order to break them. But what you’re really learning on such a course is a critical awareness, of your own and others’ writing. The MA was the first time I took my writing seriously, so for me it focused my energies, gave me the initial motivation to write every day. But no, I think there’s only one way to learn how to write, which is to read. Everything.

So. Short stories. What is it about them that appeals to you? As a writer and as a reader.

In the right hands they are, for me, the most exhilarating, visceral literary form. Combining poetry’s cadence and precision of language with the novel’s narrative dynamism, a great short story, while usually depicting reality, can transcend it, perhaps delighting, shocking and moving the reader all in a few thousand intense words. Or as Kafka said, the story should be ‘the axe to break up the frozen sea within us.’ Some of my favourite short stories resonate more powerfully than, for example, the novels I’ve most enjoyed, which is something I never thought I’d say. As a writer I find them the hardest and most rewarding form to compose.

What do you think a story has to have for it to be great?

Well, it needs to entertain for a start. And I’m not one who believes stories should be overly didactic; I like space to move around in the narrative, rather than it being fed to me a spoonful at a time. For me voice is everything. Essentially, though, a story must reveal some small truth, so that I suffer or laugh or feel shame alongside the character(s). Whether an epiphany occurs or is resisted, I want to be exhausted or breathless or stunned in wonderment once the end is reached. I want to learn something about myself, perhaps something I feared was true. There should be the sense that if anything was added or removed, the story would suffer. Ideally, it needs to make me forget I’m reading.

Who do you think writes great short stories?

I find myself going back to Carver again and again. William Trevor’s deft obliquity and masterly control never fail to astound me. Ali Smith, James Salter and Jane Gardam are also favourites. When I think of younger contemporary writers that excite me, Kevin Barry, Clare Wigfall, Adam Marek and Philip Ó Ceallaigh are hard to top.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to be published?

It’s certainly a tough time for publishing, and as new writers we’re at the bottom of all the food chain. But it’s a myth that it’s impossible to find an agent, or to be published. Most submitted work is simply not good enough, so asking yourself honestly if your prose is as strong as you can possibly make it is a good start. The answer will almost always be no. Don’t be tempted to submit too early. Learn to value criticism and regard rejection as a prompt to make the work even better. Think long-term – there are no shortcuts. Take risks with your writing. Read. Read. Read.

If you could recommend just one book, what would it be?

Just one! Impossible. William Trevor's Cheating at Canasta is a masterful, I’m tempted to say flawless, collection. But if I had to choose just one, it would be Gerard Donovan’s Julius Winsome – a short novel that I suspect one day will be compared to Camus’ L’Etranger.

What’s next for you?

Apart from reviewing your splendid collection? There’s a novel (based on one of the stories in The Method…) that’s getting a final polish, and a second germinating.

Anything you’d like to add?

Is there beer? I’m sure you said there would be beer when I got here. [Nik scuttles off to see if he can find a can while thanking Tom for coming on and wishing him all the best with the collection...!]

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Tom Vowler lives in the south west of England where he writes and edits fiction. A blog about writing his current novel can be found here. The Method and Other Stories can be bought direct from Salt or pre-ordered from Amazon or the Book Depository before its official publication on November 1st. Tom is the assistant editor of the literary journal Short FICTION.

Hello!

Hello. You still here? I know, I've been quiet and I apologise.

And what have I been doing? Well, writing, mostly. And meeting up with nice people. Seriously, that can make such a difference. I guess that's down to spending so much time alone, writing. So, thank you nice people.

What else? Well, I've been working on the judging criteria for the SlingInk Scribbling Slam (which is basically this: don't worry too much about hitting any sort of criteria and write what you want to write, how you want to write it - be natural and be good and have confidence in your stories).

And editing. I've been editing quite a lot. (Which reminds me, The Story Corrective is still very much open for business - if you need a short story critiquing then have a look here (unless, of course, you'll be entering it in the SlingInk comp).

And that's all for now.

There might be an interview on here tomorrow...

Birthday Giveaway

Another brief post today I'm afraid.

I'd like to wish the lovely Steph a very happy birthday and direct you over to her place where she's having a rather splendid giveaway (including a copy of Not So Perfect).

Happy birthday, Steph!