I’m trying to work on a book at the moment, so this latest herding is novel-related rather than short story. I’ve returned to a project I abandoned some time ago, but I’m really struggling to get back on track with it. And the fact that it’s our so-called summer isn’t helping, either. Looking out the… Read More The unweekly herding: novel ideas
What an amazing, exhausting, instructive week. I can’t believe it’s over so soon, yet I don’t think my poor brain could handle another day of literary input. I’m back home now, surrounded by the family travel bags that will have to wait until tomorrow to be dealt with. Except for the books I’ve accumulated. Naturally… Read More West Cork Literary Festival: day 5
Today was dominated by the From the Well reading and Q&A that has been looming all week. I was frankly terrified at the prospect, and my imposter syndrome was having a field day after a week of attending talks by proper writers. Whatever about reading my competition short story, sitting in front of an audience talking… Read More West Cork Literary Festival: day 4
I had very clear priorities this morning: I also had a lift to the workshop, courtesy of a lovely lady called Clare, which I was most thankful for because the weather has turned considerably more Irish in the past 24 hours. Following a spectacular thunderstorm last night, today has been largely damp and muggy –… Read More West Cork Literary Festival: day 3
The day started pretty stressfully when I foolishly accepted the Google Maps assurance that Bantry Community College is a 40-minute walk from where I’m staying. It isn’t, certainly not for someone in my embarrassing state of fitness, puffing uphill for the last leg, toting a laptop full of hopes and dreams. So I arrived hot,… Read More West Cork Literary Festival: day 2
This week I’m in sunny Bantry-on-the-Med for the West Cork Literary Festival, and I thought I’d attempt to do a daily update as it’s my first venture to a lit fest as a writer, and certainly my first time attending this particular one. My posts will be brief and probably incoherent because I’m exhausted. You… Read More West Cork Literary Festival: day 1
I was absolutely overjoyed to win my first short story competition recently. Yesterday saw the launch of the From the Well competition anthology, which takes its name from my entry Smoke in the Rain. Finally getting to hold a copy of the book was overwhelming, particularly as it was officially presented by the Cork County Deputy… Read More From the Well competition
