CloudNine

Now I don't usually go blogging about much on TV. Unless of course it happens to be A SUBLIME WORK OF ART in which case I feel I have to spread the word. Shane Meadows has long been one of my favourite directors. I nearly fell off my seat when I first watched A Room for Romeo Brass and from then on I was hooked. This is England '86 is basically a TV spin-off of the brilliant film, This is England . Three years have passed since the events depicted in the film - and episode one opens with Lol and Woody's wedding - which of course has to go wrong. The first few episodes are hilarious but hardly dark - but don't get too comfortable. What ensues will have you reaching for blunt instruments - any instruments - to hurl at one particular very, very dark character. Meadows has, in my opinion, the singularly most uncompromising, authentic voice in cinema  today. He just chooses to depict events and stories that really happen to people in this life. And it's not 'misery...

Thanks to Comma Press for the little mention of my Wasafiri shortlisting: http://www.commapress.co.uk/?section=news I had hoped Comma's The Shieling might have notched up the Frank O'Connor Award - but this went to Ron Rash for Burning Brigh t. Congrats to both writers. I have to say though, Rash's collection sounds fantastic and I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy. Reading the blurb in the Guardian about his work, I was reminded of that other wonderful Southern short-story writer (and novelist), William Gay. Who I think is due a novel out round about now. My list of must-reads is getting longer by the minute. Speak soon.

Tickets are now on sale for Picture This at Somerset House - Writers' Talks at The Courtauld Gallery. The events will be hosted by Somerset House Writer in Residence Romesh Gunesekera and will take place on 4 th and 13 th October.  Romesh selected one of my own short stories for the short-list of five for the Wasafiri Prize for New Short Fiction - hence, looking forward to my own visit to Somerset House on October 14th! Six eminent writers take inspiration from the remarkable permanent collection of The Courtauld Gallery; each choosing a painting which particularly moves, engages, or challenges them. Each evening three writers present their personal reflections in a 20-minute talk to a small audience who will also have a private view of The Courtauld’s collection, including masterpieces by Van Gogh, Cézanne and Renoir. Talks will be followed by a Q&A session.  Personally, I'd like to attend all of these talks as I love all the artists selected. But if I ha...

I've just completed the first draft of my new play, BELFAST GIRLS. It took me a long time as the piece is set in 1850 and I had to do a lot of research. But it's more or less there now - so watch this space to see what happens next with this play. There will probably be a reading somewhere later in the year. Meanwhile, LEOPOLDVILLE continues to get a lot of interest and I think its likely the play will have another run soon. The Time Out website in London is still attracting comments from people who saw the play in April. It's always very heartening when this happens: http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/event/182197/leopoldville Speak soon.

If you're in London on September 21st one of my short stories, STITCH-UP (from my collection, Badlands ), is being performed as part of 'Spinning Tales',  an evening of short story readings. An actor will read this pretty edgy tale of a man who wakes up having had a very difficult open-heart operation. (Or does he?) Frozen Leaf Productions promise an evening of fascinating storytelling.

  This is just to let you know I’ve been shortlisted for the 2010 Wasafiri New Writing Prize for fiction: http://www.wasafiri.org/pages/news_01/news_item.asp?News_01ID=205 Wasafiri Magazine is renowned worldwide for featuring new writing talent. This year's judges were Booker Prize shortlisted author, Romesh Gunesekera (Fiction), Moniza Alvi (Poetry) and Marina Warner (Life Writing). Thank you very much, Wasafiri.

Just posting details here of two on-line journals featuring some new poetry from yours truly. Enigma Magazine and Ouroboros Review (I think this is the last issue of the latter, alas). Anyway, details of both mags here: http://enigmamag.wordpress.com/current-issue/issue-5-new/ http://www.ouroborosreview.com And just to mention, also, that one of my stories has just been shortlisted for the Wasafiri Short Fiction Prize. I will post the full details here soon. Keep writing.