Chris Power: "My verdict on judging the Frank O'Connor prize"

Short story collections to read...

"The following books didn't make it onto the shortlist, but I'd urge readers to seek them out:American Masculine by Shann Ray, Deyan Enev's Circus Bulgaria, Karen Joy Fowler's What I Didn't See, Danielle Evans's Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, Crime by Ferdinand von Schirach, and Volt by Alan Heathcock.

The shortlist meeting was painless, with four books being decided on immediately and the remaining two decided after a short discussion. The resulting six-book shortlist – Suzanne Rivecca's Death is Not an Option, Colm Tóibín's The Empty Family, Valerie Trueblood's Marry or Burn, Alexander MacLeod's Light Lifting, O'Brien's Saints and Sinners and Yiyun Li's Gold Boy, Emerald Girl – is entirely dud-free. To summarise each of them in the space afforded here wouldn't be fair, so I'll limit myself to saying that each one of these books engages, impresses and enlivens. If it was between this shortlist and the Booker's, I know which one I'd read."

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/20/judging-frank-oconnor-prize-chris-power

The long-list has some good titles on too: http://www.frankoconnor-shortstory-award.net/Long%20List%20Page.html

Comments

New Welsh Writing Awards: The Winners!

Huge congratulations to Natasha Gauthier, Winner of the Borzello Trust Poetry Prize – winning a £500 development publishing contract with us – announced at our New Welsh Writing Awards ceremony in Abergavenny last night. It was a great pleasure to judge this award with Niall Griffiths. And congratulations to all the shortlisted poets whose work you can read in our next issue (138). Also, many congratulations to Sam Christie who won the The Rheidol Prize in the New Welsh Writing Awards with his story ‘The Widowmaker’ (judged by former NWR editor Gwen Davies and author David Lloyd Owen). Winning a £1000 development publishing contract with us. The two runners-ups prizes went to Natalie Ann Holborow with her story ‘The Man Who Knew Things’ and Sybilla Harvey with her story ‘The Flattening’. Both winning a creative residency with Gladstone's Library and Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre. You can read all three stories in our next issue of New Welsh Review .

POETRY COMPETITION: The Borzello Trust Poetry Prize

Just a reminder that the Borzello Trust Prize for Poetry is open for entries until 31 January 2025. Niall and I look forward to reading your words... This year we are thrilled to open a second category of the New Welsh Writing Awards with many thanks to the generous support from The Borzello Trust. Supporting in the development of yet unpublished poets living, working or from Wales, the winner of The Borzello Trust Prize for Poetry will receive a £500 development publishing contract with Parthian Books/The Borzello Trust. Including mentorship from Susie Wild to develop a poetry collection that (following publication) will be distributed via The Borzello Trust to over 250 Welsh libraries and schools. There will be a £150 cash prize to the five highly commended entries and publication in a special anthology collection published by Parthian Books. Winner: £500 as an advance on a book development contract with Parthian Books, for publication on their poetry list, plus mentorship/developm...

PODCAST: This Place of Salt and Inspiration With Welsh poet Natalie Ann Holborow

It’s a bright, sunny morning in North Gower, and we’ve been invited down to a pulsing, tidal place: the daily walking route of poet Natalie Ann Holborow. On the salt marshes flanking the Loughor Estuary, while cockle-pickers clatter out on quad bikes, we discuss the importance of creative exploration: of getting out in nature, and out of comfort zones. We also talk about the safe places we come back to, full of familiar rhythms and memories, where we can breathe - and return to ourselves. Listen to This Place of Salt and Inspiration With Welsh poet Natalie Ann Holborow

Wildlife

Search This Blog