Monday 12 April 2010

WILLESDEN EVENT PICS & REPORT 2010

BUILDING NEAR SPITALFIELDS

GEORGE ORWELL'S HOUSE, PORTOBELLO RD

TANIA HERSHMAN & JUNO

LEAST CRAZY PIC OF ME READING, AT DICKENS'S DESK

CLAUDIA BOERS, TANIA HERSHMAN, VANESSA GEBBIE

STEPHEN MORAN, COMPETITION ORGANISER

DICKENS'S FAUX CHICKEN!

TOM VOWLER READING IN THE LIBRARY 


 
WENA POON, JUNO & FINBAR

JULIA BOHANNA

 
WENA POON & STEPHEN WITH THE COVETED MUG

SUNSET NEAR ATHLONE ON THE WAY HOME

Wena Poon was the winner of the 2010 Willesden Herald Short Story comp with her story 'The Architects'. Huge congrats to her! The joint runners-up were 'Emily Strabnow's Freckles' by Willie Davis and 'Falling' by Henrietta Rose-Innes.

We had a fantastic time - I love, love, love London. We had a ball in Notting Hill and around Regent Street, wandering in the sunshine, happy out of our heads to be out and about.

The Charles Dickens Museum in Bloomsbury, where the event was held, was small and sweet and interesting, with lovely, helpful staff.
It was great to meet writers Tom Vowler, Rob Shearman and Julia Bohanna in the flesh, also Stephen Moran and Lane Ashfeldt, the legends behind The Willesden Herald and Pulp.net respectively. Great people, all. And I was thrilled to re-meet my cyber-pals writers Vanessa Gebbie, Tania Hershman and Adam Marek. Adam was recently shortlisted for the Sunday Times EFG Award with his stunning story 'Fewer Things'. Seek it out if you haven't already read it. It was in last Sunday's Times mag. (Easter Sunday's.)

It took me bleddy ages to load and caption the pics above so I am not posting links to all the writers mentioned here. They are all google-able! Many of them keep blogs. Go find.

The night, of course, flew, between readings, chatter and prize-giving. We adjourned to Carluccio's for food and more wine and all in all it was a cheerful, friendly event. It was all over far too soon. Did I say I love going to London?!

And finally, if you want to read the stories that won and were shortlisted, New Short Stories 4 is now available with "fourteen of the best short stories of the year 2010 from brilliant new and award-winning authors, seven by men and seven by women. The stories are set in Australia, Ireland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, UK, US and more. Contributors: Wena Poon, Toby Litt, Julia Goubert, Willie Davis, Nuala Ní Chonchúir, Kevin Spaide, Carys Davies, Jonathan Attrill, Peggy Riley, Tom Vowler, Paul McGuire, Jo Cannon, Jarred McGinnis, Henrietta Rose-Innes."

You can buy it here.

18 comments:

Padhraig Nolan said...

very cool. London is, indeed, ace. And the fest looks pretty ace too. Just ordered the book - sounds like a good contemporary mix.

If you don't produce a poem (if not collection) entitled DICKENS' FAUX CHICKEN, I will be very dissapointed :-)

Seracle said...

Thanks for that Nuala. Great stuff! Maureen

Anonymous said...

Wonderful vibrant account of the event. Sounds like you had a great time. Brilliant that you were shortlisted. My copy of Nude is coming soon, looking forward to it and I must have a look at this anthology too. All the best!

Group 8 said...

PJ - thanks for ordering the book. I've only read a little - so far, so great.

The chicken is hilarious - there were other (instructive) food stuffs. Very sweet and small museum-y.

Group 8 said...

Maureen - welcome to blogland. Warning - it's addictive. N x

Group 8 said...

Alison - thanks a mill for ordering Nude. I hope you like it!

Kar said...

Sounds wonderful Nu. I love London too and your trip was made all the more special with sunny weather. I'm off now to order my copy ;-)

Ossian said...

As Benny Hill might say (in his Chinese character), Ter the chef the chicken was rubbery. (And the waiter says, I'm very sorry you didn't like the chicken.) Nah, I tord you it was rubbery!

I salute a masterstroke of satire in juxtaposing me with a faux chicken. :)

Group 8 said...

Well, Kar - didn't we have many the lovely time there?! It always makes me remember our trips when I'm there. When we were YOUNG! Arrgghh!
(I was on the school run when you rang. Talk later?)

Ossian - yes the chicken juxta was not deliberate but it works! Thanks for a lovely evening, it was great to finally meet you. N x

Totalfeckineejit said...

Sounds like a great do/trip/bonanza.Book should be a right rivetting read.

As for London,Ok now, but not back in the day when I shared a shoebox in Stratford in the East End and spent the flower of my youth on the tube to Hangar Lane. Claustrophobics of the world unite!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Nuala. You describe just the way I felt to be in London for last year's event. Looking forward to reading the 4th! Especially great last photo.

JW

Tania Hershman said...

Lovely pics! Sorry that all the ones I took of you failed in the uncraziness stakes. Bad lighting :) That Juno, she is gorgeous. Next time, let's meet somewhere where we can actually converse, with or without faux Dickens chicken (a poem, yes, a poem!).

Group 8 said...

Total - I never lived there so I can enjoy it as a tourist without the shoebox memories. Germany always makes me feel odd cos I worked there for a whileeen.

Jills - thanks and nice to see you here!

Tania - I have a habit of moving a lot while I read so tend to always look a bit nuts in photos.
Yes, I'd love to meet sometime for some quality chatting. N x x x x

WiseMóna said...

Great recap on your weekend in London. I love London too. When I was young, I lived in London for two summers (was a nanny for a nice family). They lived near Hampstead Heath. Gorgeous summers. Glad you had fun and fair play to you - baby and all!
Congrats Nuala.

Anonymous said...

Hey Nuala, lovely to meet you Finbar and Juno, and hope to meet again sometime. My camera's broke and the museum has asked if we have any photos - is it OK to borrow one or two of yours?
Lane

Group 8 said...

Absolutely, Lane. I have more. Would you prefer them via email?

chiccoreal said...

The Bloomsbury Group? Dicken's home? You sure know how to "do" London in style! Congrats to the winners! Sounds like a fab time had by all! Wish I were there (as I keep dreaming of this London parties!). Maybe I will be a pond jumper again! Returning home to me roots from the 1846 potato famine or sometime around there. Does anyone know any "Teahen's"? I know your not an ancestory site...but..:)

Group 8 said...

Hi Chico
It was lovely indeed.
Teahens? No, don't know any. Cool name though!