HAPPY 2012 - comps 'n' stuff

Ath-bhliain faoi mhaise! Happy new year, everyone!

My friend Alan McMonagle (recent Pushcart Prize nominee) is judging an exciting new short fiction comp from Galway-based publisher Doire Press. There is a poetry comp too and they are looking for stories up to 4000 words (or 4 to 6 poems). Winners will each receive 75 copies of their own professionally edited and printed chapbook (one for poetry, one for fiction), published by Doire Press. Chapbooks will be perfect-bound, contain up to 40 pages, feature colour front and back covers, as well as an isbn and barcode. Closing date is January 9th so get cracking!

Prairie Schooner also have an exciting comp. It's a book prize and is open to unpublished and published writers. They 'welcome manuscripts from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English.' Winners will receive $3000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press. Manuscripts should be mailed with a postmark between January 15th and March 15th. More here.

My forthcoming short story collection, Mother America, due in May from New Island, got a shout-out in the Irish Independent today in their look at what's coming out bookswise in early 2012. Yay! New collections also due from Kevin Barry, Éilis Ní Dhuibhne and Seamus Scanlon. And a novel from John Banville. And a new poetry collection from Paul Durcan - his 22nd - called Praise in Which I Live and Move and Have My Being. 2012 is going to be a good reading year, methinks. I can't wait to stuff my Kindle with goodies :)