Burning Bush Submissions call

The well thought of, online mag, Burning bush 2 is looking for submissions of poetry and flash fiction.

Send no more than 4 poems, in the body of an email with “Poetry – Your Name” as the subject heading. A short biographical note should also be included. Please allow up to 8 weeks for a decision. There are no restrictions on style, themes etc. Do not send attachments unless requested.

We prefer new, unpublished work but if something has been published before, let us know where and when. The decision of the editors is final and no discussions will be entered into.

Ideas for reviews, criticism or other articles should be pitched prior to sending the full text to the editors. Miscellaneous articles will appear from time to time on The Burning Bush 2blog as well as in each issue.

We now also consider submissions of flash fiction: please send submissions of short fiction, limit 500 words, in the body of an email to the address below.

Issue # 8 (Guest Editor: Joseph Horgan) – deadline 14th February 2015 / for March 2015 publication

Please send all submissions and correspondence to burningbushrevival@gmail.com Check out the previous issues to see what burns their bush. Link here

From The Well Short Story Competition

Cork County Library and Arts Service invite you to enter the annual “From the Well” short story competition. 

To mark the UN’s International Year of Light 2015, the theme of this year’s competition is Light.

Entrants may interpret the theme broadly. 

Deadline: 20th February 2015. 

All shortlisted stories, as well as the winner, will be published in Cork County Library and Arts Service’s annual short story anthology.

The winner will receive a place on one of the 2015 West Cork Literary Festival workshops in Bantry, as well as €250 towards accommodation.

Link here

pSoken Wrod in Clonakilty

Info on a Spoken word event in one of my favourite pubs, De Barra's Folk Club, Clonakilty, Co Cork.

The pSoken Wrod meets monthly, usually the first Tuesday of each month in De Barra's Folk Club, Clonakilty, Co Cork (Check Facebook for details or contact details below).

We are a forum for writers of prose or poetry, or even song, with an open mic, guest speaker, an opening exercise, a lot of craic and irreverent good humour. There is no cover charge other than a passing pot and meetings kick off around 8.30 p.m.

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2015

Entries for the Molly Keane Creative Writing Award 2015 are now being accepted by the Arts Office, Waterford City and County Council.

 Now in its 18th year, the competition honours the late writer who lived, until her death in 1996, in Ardmore, Co. Waterford. Her first ten novels and four plays were published under the pseudonym M.J. Farrell. In 1981 ‘Good Behaviour’ became a publishing sensation for which she was short listed for the prestigious Booker Prize.

Submissions are invited of an unpublished short story to a maximum of 2000 words. There is no entry fee, no age limit and no restriction on the subject matter.

A prize of €500 will be awarded to the winner at a special ceremony during the IMMRAMA Literary Festival in Lismore, Co. Waterford in June 2015.

Deadline: 12 noon on Friday, March 6th 2015.

Link for details and entry forms here..

Writers' Retreat in Iceland

Writers'  retreats are more common in the US and to a lesser extent in the UK. Here's one that may be of interest. Note that there are now direct flights from Belfast to Reykjavík.

There's a competition to win a free delegate spot at the ICELAND WRITERS RETREAT in April 2015. The winner will receive the full retreat package, including a free hotel stay, tours, most meals, and all workshops for the duration of the event, from 8 to 12 April.

Write a short story or essay, no more than 500 words, using this image of Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center as your inspiration.

The four-person judging panel will select one winning entry. Judges will be looking for creativity, originality, and style.

Deadline 23:59 (GMT) on January 25, 2015. 

Link here
More info on the retreat if  you don't win is here

Story House Ireland

This sounds interesting, residential writing courses in Ireland with great writers and tutors inspired by the Arvon Foundation.

The Story House Ireland is a not-for-profit residential writing centre, based in Waterford and inspired by The Arvon Foundation. It is built on a belief in the importance of writing as a vital part of the creative arts and aims to provide real support for developing writers of all ages and backgrounds. As it grows it will provide a focus for the development of a community of writers, teaching opportunities for professional writers, and also work to “ensure anyone can benefit from the transformative power of writing”. Writing can change your life.

Here are the details of the inaugural course. I wouldn't be surprised if this sells well abroad.

Short Fiction

Mon March 23rd - Sat March 28th 2015

Tutors: Julian Gough & Susie Maguire

Mid Week Guest: Donal Ryan

Price: As this is the inaugural course, it is being offered for the special price of €595

This price includes:

5 nights accommodation
Full board
All workshops
One-to-one sessions with each of the tutors to discuss your work
Time and space to write

Group meal / discussion with Guest Writer

Link for the course here

Brewery Lane Writers’ Weekend

The Brewery Lane Writers’ Weekend has also been completely revamped for 2015.

It will feature three days of writing with two writers, Ferdia MacAnna and Nessa O’Mahony, in the intimate setting of Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir.

During the weekend you will expand and develop your range of writing skills and learn how techniques used in screenwriting, poetry and memoir can help to expand your writing toolkit. You will work with Nessa and Ferdia, two experienced writers and teachers of writing exploring the link between real life and imagination and discover new ways of identifying and transforming material. There will be facilitated workshops, one-to-one sessions and time for you to write.

Dates: Fri. 10th – Sun. 12th April 2015.

Fee: €160 early bird if paid by 12th Feb 2015 or €175 if paid later.

Accommodation available in The Carraig Hotel at a special rate to participants.
To book your place or to find out more details please get in touch through the Contact page.