GLADSTONE LIBRARY - GUEST BLOG

Ahead of my week-long residency at Gladstone's Library in Wales, I guest-blog at their site today, about why the colour red is the reason I get to go there and write. Can't wait!

GLADSTONE'S LIBRARY MYSTERY LADY - flash winner

Gladstone's Library recently ran a writing competition based on a mystery portrait of a lady in red that they own. I'm thrilled to have won the flash section of the comp. I'll be going to Wales for a week to write next year as part of my prize. Congrats to Fiona Knowles-Holland who won the short story section. Thanks to the library for supporting fiction writers, particularly those of us who love the shorter forms.

I was half-awake last night thinking (with gratitude) about the week in Gladstone's - Britain's only residential library - deciding I will take the ferry rather than the aeroplane because I am utterly sick of airport shenanigans. You would think there would be more exciting things on my mind like: 'A whole week to myself!' or simply 'Wales!' but, there you go, even half-asleep I am sorting out the practicalities. However I get there, I am looking forward to it hugely. Once again writing provides an exciting and fun opportunity. Ain't life grand.

RACHEL TREZISE REVIEW FOR THE SHORT REVIEW

I recently reviewed Rachel Trezise's fab new short story collection Cosmic Latte for RTÉ's Arena. I have now reviewed it for the most excellent The Short Review and you can read it here.

RACHEL TREZISE - COSMIC LATTE - REVIEW

My review of Rachel Trezise's wonderful short story collection Cosmic Latte can be listened to now, and for the next 6 days, at RTE's Arena site here. 45 minutes in. (God, I say 'sort of' a lot in the course of the review!! What's that all about?!)

WALES ARTS REVIEW - MOTHER AMERICA

Reviews are like buses, blah blah blah...so yes, hot on the (w)heels of the Orbis review of Mother America, comes this fine mini-review from John Lavin for the Wales Arts Review. Big thanks to John, who is on the editorial board of that other fine Welsh publication, The Lampeter Review. For those of you allergic to clicking links, the full text is below. John includes Mother America in his Short Story Collections of the Year for 2012. Chuffed :)

'Mother America (New Island), the latest collection from Nuala Ní Chonchúir, confirms her as one of Ireland’s brightest new talents. Ní Chonchúir writes very much in the tradition of great Irish short story writers like Sean O’ Faolin, Frank O’Connor and, of course, the Joyce of Dubliners. Her stories are marked by the precision of her writing and the cumulative, intensely poetical rewards this fastidiousness reaps. Mother America is a bold, thematically-linked collection, often concerned with the relationship between mothers and sons. Over the last decade or so Ní Chonchúir has written several very impressive collections but it seems to me to be this one which announces her as a major new voice on the literary stage.' John Lavin

LAMPETER REVIEW

This pained looking fella is taken from Joe Dunthorne's website

Happy to have two poems in the latest Lampeter Review. Other writers featured include my pal Vanessa Gebbie and poet Medbh McGuckian, and the rather splendid Joe Dunthorne, who read brilliantly at the Cork Short Story Festival in September.

The Lampeter Review is the online magazine of the Lampeter Creative Writing Centre - part of the University of Wales, Trinity St David.

SWANSEA REVIEW

Pic: mé féin in Swansea last year

The Swansea Review, issue 2, is now online and I have two poems in it here. I was treated like royalty last year on a reading trip to Wales - one of my highlights of 2008. Great people, the Welsh.

There are two interviews about short fiction, one with the lovely and talented Clare Wigfall, whose next book is about a chihauhau (my first pet, Tiny, was a chihauhau!). It's a kiddies' book so I'll buy it for mine when it appears. The other short fiction interview is with Nam Le, author of The Boat.

There's new fiction, another poet, and an article on translation from Welsh language poet Menna Elfyn; and an essay by Stevie Davies on her novel The Eyrie which I reviewed (glowingly) for The New Welsh Review in 2007.

All in all a well put together journal (and not just because I'm in it!) by editor Fflur Dafydd, who is also a novelist and one of the hot new young Welsh writers.