Right now, it’s hard to imagine doing anything other than kicking aside wrapping paper, watching films in your pyjamas and having selection boxes for breakfast (or is that just me?), but soon – soon – the urge will return to do some work. Those stories taking up room on a hard drive need homes, and… Read More The unweekly herding: new year, new opportunities
I’ve been on a sabbatical over the past few months, due to the mentorship bursary I was awarded by the Munster Literature Centre. Though now completed, December totally got away from me, largely taken up with the buying, wrapping and handing over of presents. But I couldn’t let the year finish without a fond look… Read More A farewell to 2017
I have been invited to read my From the Well winning story at the Cork International Short Story Festival, which takes place September 13-16. What a privilege. It was only last year that I first attended it as an audience member, and was blown away by the guest speakers. Any suggestion that I would be… Read More There will be words
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 in the past 24 hours. Following a spectacular thunderstorm last night, today has been largely damp and muggy – ideal weather for… 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 a daily update as it’s my first venture to a lit fest as a writer, not to mention my first time attending this particular one. My posts will be brief and probably incoherent because I’m exhausted. You have… 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
I’ve been sitting on two brilliant pieces of news recently, mostly because I’m still absorbing them. Why is it easier to handle rejection than acceptance, I wonder? In any case, my head’s been in a spin so it’s taken a while to compile what feels like the braggiest post in all of braggingdom. I apologise… Read More Good news comes in 2s?
Word herding 