CloudNine

Happy Christmas from Cloud Nine. 2010 was a good year for me. I won quite a few awards this year and finally managed to complete my first short story collection (more about that anon). I also finally got around to arranging the completion of my PhD thesis which I'm hoping will turn into some kind of book next year. In 2011 I have a new short play on at the Arcola Theatre in London, and my play, Leopoldville (which won the 2010 Papatango New Writing Award) will have its first reading in the US. I'm really looking forward to that. The picture here is 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' by Dorothy Tanning. I saw this startling piece at the Tate Modern this year where it is one of the many Surrealist works in the Poetry and Dreams exhibition. Tanning was the wife of Max Ernst and as I've come to know her work I have to say I prefer hers to his. Have a great Christmas and a brilliant 2011!

The new Poetry Ireland Review (issue 102), edited by Caitriona O'Reilly, will be in all good bookshops soon. I have reviewed three recent volumes of poetry for this issue. Also, my feature on the Irish sugar industry should be published in the Irish Left Review shortly.

The Guardian are posting a series of podcasts in the lead up to Christmas with different authors reading and discussing their favourite short stories. The first one is Philip Pullman reading Chekov's 'The Beauties': http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/short-stories-podcast The Guardian also featured an article in the paper’s review section on the weekend about said favourite short stories, with my own preferences echoed by Jeanette Winterson and Colm Toibin. So I thought I’d post my own favourite top ten here. But just to say first, there’s been a lot written recently (particularly in an introduction to a certain Granta collection) along the lines of the-British-not-being-able-to-write-short-stories-as-well-as-the-Irish type of thing. Well, I have to say that some of the finest short story writers I’ve ever read are in fact, British.  I wonder is it  a rather jingoistic thing to group pieces of writing under 'national' umbrellas anyway? Probably not - though ...

Very nice to get a mention on the Poetry Library website: http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=713

To see the winning poems in the recent 2010 Liverpool Lennon Poetry Competition judged by Carol Ann Duffy, just download them from the following link. As winner I get to be on top: www.beatlesstory.com/.../beatles_story__1291046637_Paper_Poems.pdf

Congrats to Comma Press author, David Constantine!   BBC National Short Story Award 2010 The Winner and Finalists DAVID CONSTANTINE WINS THE BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD 2010 The 2010 winner is David Constantine for his poetic and beautifully crafted story about the end of a relationship, Tea at the Midland . James Naughtie, chair of this year's judging panel commented, "The winning story, Tea at the Midland , is remarkable for the rich poetry at its heart and the economy with which David Constantine creates a story with fully formed characters and a memorable setting. It has imagination, depth and brevity. What more could you say about a short story?" 2010 SHORTLIST The five shortlisted stories are: Tea at the Midland by David Constantine Haywards Heath by Aminatta Forna Butcher's Perfume by Sarah Hall If it Keeps on Raining by Jon McGregor My Daughter the Racist by Helen Oyeyemi Front Row interviews each of the ...