Below is the vast line up for this year's Frank O'Connor Short Story Festival in the true home of the Irish short story, Cork. Many events are free, so there is no excuse for penniless writers. With workshops, readings and panel discussions there is soemthing to tickle everyone. Go, learn, have fun!
Wednesday 17th September
Opening Reception and launch of Stinging Fly Press anthology 'Let's Be Alone Together'
Refreshments and readings.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Free.
Yiyun Li- Reading and Interview
Beijing-born Yiyun Li, 2005 winner of the inaugural Frank O’Connor International
Short Story Award, makes her first appearance in Cork.
Venue:Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.
Thursday 18th September
What does an editor want? - Reading and Discussion
Jon Boilard, Vincent McDonnell & Nuala Ní Chonchúir, three fiction editors of Southword and former judges of the Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition each will read a story of their own, then discuss the experience of assessing manuscript submissions, talk about what they were looking for and how the editorial experience has shaped how they now view their own work.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free
Ian Wild & Clare Wigfall - A Reading
A reading by two young exiled British short story writers, County Cork-based Ian Wild who has also written for radio and the stage and published a collection of poems and Berlin-based Clare Wigfall who has just won the BBC National Short Story Prize.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.
William Wall & Adam Marek - A Reading
A reading by distinguished Cork-based novelist and man of letters William Wall, joined on this occasion by young British short story writer Adam Marek who has just published his first collection.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.
Friday 19th September
Flash Fiction Workshop
Southword fiction editor Nuala Ní Chonchúir presents a how-to session on Flash Fiction -the micro short fiction form sometimes called short-shorts or sudden fiction.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am - 12pm.
Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals. Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Southword Showcase - A Reading
Southword is establishing itself as a journal which publishes great short fiction by complete unknowns as well as international stars such as Colm Toibín, Haruki Murakami and James Lasdun. On this occasion we would like to feature three writers who have featured in Southword and have not yet published a book of short fiction in English. Julian Campredon, Tania Hershman and Denise O’Keefe.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free.
Rachel Trezise & Mary O’Donnell - A Reading
Young Welsh iconoclast Rachel Trezise reads with Co. Kildare-based poet, novelist and broadcaster Mary O’Donnell. Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Free for Culture Night!
Mary Leland & Wena Poon - A Reading
Cork-based novelist Mary Leland shares the stage with San Francisco-based Wena Poon, originally from Singapore reading from her first collection of stories.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Free for Culture Night!
Saturday 20th September
Starting Short Stories - A Workshop
An introduction to writing Short Stories given by Jon Boilard, former fiction editor of Southword and winner of the Sean O’Faolain Short Story Prize.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am -12pm. Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals.
Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Don’t Drone On - a Workshop on Reading the Short Story Aloud
The days when you could get a on a stage and read aloud a poem or story in a soporific monotone are passed. Simon Robson gives you pointers on how to improve your performance and develop a reputation where festival and reading curators can’t resist including you on their programmes.
Venue: Munster Literature Centre, Douglas Street. Time: 10am -12pm. Fee: €40. Participation limited to eight individuals.
Phone 021-4312955 to book.
Who has won the Seán O’Faoláin Prize?
The announcement and reading of the winning short story of the €1500 2008 Sean O’Faolain Short Story Prize.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre ,Tobin Street. Time: 12.30pm. Admission: Free.
The State of the Art - a Discussion
Chaired by Rosalind Porter Senior Editor at Granta and including the participation of Stinging Fly editor Declan Meade, Jen Hamilton-Emery, commissioning editor at Salt, Seamus Hosey RTE Radio producer and organiser of the Francis McManus Awards and Lucy Luck, literary agent.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 2.30pm. Admission: Free.
Salt no Vinegar Please: Carys Davies & Vanessa Gebbie - A Reading
Readings by two of the eight Salt authors longlisted for the Frank O’Connor Award this year. Salt is now
the world’s most prolific publisher of short story collections and we are delighted to be able to showcase both the publisher and their authors Carys Davies and Vanessa Gebbie.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 4.30pm. Admission: Free.
Alison McLeod and Simon Robson - A Reading
British-based Canadian novelist Alison McLeod and actor, playwright and fiction writer Simon Robson
read from their very different flavoured works.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 7pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.
Julie Orringer and Bernard MacLaverty - A Reading
Erstwhile San Francisco resident Julie Orringer reads from her massively admired debut collection, followed
by one of the Irish giants of the short story form Bernard MacLaverty.
Venue: Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street. Time: 9pm. Admission: Suggested donation €5.
Sunday 21st September
Presentation of the 2008 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award
Jhumpa Lahiri, this year’s O’Connor laureate will read from her winning book and conduct a public interview with Irish Times Literary Critic Eileen Battersby.
Venue: Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall. Time: 7.30pm. Admission: Free. Refreshments will be served.
8 comments:
Thanks, WRW, this all sounds so wonderful, I can't wait! I hope you've recovered from the Electric Picnic, what a whirlwind.
Thanks, WRW, terrific line-up! Is it bad form to ask (very quietly) whether the short-listers for the Sean O'Faolian have all heard by now?
Hi T, Doesn't it sound wonderful, though? And not just because we're there, hee hee.
I'm still wrecked after the Lecky Picnic, and in the midst of a big translation project, so no rest for the wicked etc etc
Hi Sarah, it's not bad form at all - I've long been a notorious checker of websites for shortlists etc. BUT, those that were shortlisted and the winners have been notified. Sorry to disappoint anyone.
Thanks for that confirmation, WRW. Yes it's a disappointment but at least it means I get on with the business of subbing the story elsewhere. Congratulations to all who made it, and nearly made it.
Hi Sarah, I too always try to re-submit work as soon as it's sent back (after another edit, of course - I can never resist). It keeps the whole thing flowing.
Good luck with it.
There were lots of stories I liked, but in the end I had to pick just ten. No one ever knows whose stories were in the last batch but good, literary writing will always rise to the top.
Thank you, WRW, you're very kind.
Oh, thanks so much for letting us know, I look forward to meeting the winners in Cork. And now I can stop fretting about that comp and get on with fretting about my book instead! Apparently Amazon UK is "having trouble" getting hold of it. What does that mean, two days after publication???!!! Aaargh!
Great line-up, sound very exciting indeed! I wish, I wish... ah well :)
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