The Space Between - my first full poetry collection

I have some very exciting news to finish off the year. My first full collection will be published in the Autumn of 2015 by the wonderful Doire Press. I'm very excited about this, as you can imagine.

The collection is called "The Space Between" which is a line from my poem "Reaching Agreement." You can listen to this poem here. We're working on a cover currently. I'll blog about it when it's finalised.

What's it about? I think a first collection is pulled from many years of poems so the themes are more disparate. Check out the tagxedo above. If I take out the red-headed man, just one poem, a good one but not the heart of the whole collection, it looks like this.

So it must be about hands, love, time and watching but it's also about Science, creativity, life, family and feminism. There are cats too.

Some of the poems from my dinky chapbook from 2011, Some Poems from moth editions are included. It's been sold out now for ages so if you didn't manage to get a copy, you're in luck. You can probably pre-order, either with Doire or ask me for a signed copy.

We'll launch it in the autumn and I'm looking for opportunities to read around the country and beyond at the end of year so do get in touch if you can help. I'll be doing some promotion next year, blogging, tweeting, interviews I hope and whatever else you can suggest.

Doire Press is based in Connemara, It has been going since 2007 and has published some great books, poetry and fiction since then, finding its niche in publishing new and emerging writers who give voice to what it means to be Irish in a changing Ireland. These writers includes poets Adam White, Kimberly Campanello, Kevin O’Shea, Susan Lindsay, Jo Hemmant and Dimitra Xidous; and fiction writers Aileen Armstrong, Celeste Auge, Jim Mullarkey and Madeleine D’Arcy. The founders are John Walsh and Lisa Frank. There's an interesting interview with John here on writing.ie. 

The high standard of the books is reflected by the shortlisting of the brilliant 2013 collection "Accurate Measurements" by Adam White for the Forward Prize. You can buy books such as this one using Paypal or even old school style cheques here to support the publisher. God knows, small publishers need all the support they can get.


Other books planned for release in 2015 include:

• By the Light of Four Moons by John MacKenna
• Line of Drift by Robyn Rowland
• The Lie of the Land by Elaine Gaston
• In Another Country by Rafiq Kathwari
• The Way They Might Look at You by Paul O’Reilly
• In a Hare’s Eye by Breda Wall Ryan

Should be a terrific year.

Strokestown Poetry Festival and Competition

Strokestown have gone online. It's a high standard competition. 

Category 1:  The Strokestown Poetry Prize

A poem in English of not more than 70 lines.

Prizes: €1,500, €500, €300 & 3 runners up prizes of €100.

The six shortlisted poets will also be invited to read their work at the festival.

Category 2: Duais Filíochta Dhúbhglas de hÍde  - The Douglas Hyde Irish Language Poetry Prize

A poem in Irish, of not more than 70 lines.

Prizes: €500, & 5 runners up prizes of €100

The six shortlisted poets will also be invited to read their work at the festival.

Category 3: The Percy French Prize for comic verse

Witty poem of not more than 70 lines on any subject – but must be funny, suitable for family audiences and radio broadcast.

Prizes:  €300, €200, and 5 runners up prizes of €100.

Category 4: The Roscommon Poets Prize

A poem in Irish or English of not more than 70 lines submitted by a resident of County Roscommon or a member of a County Roscommon Writers Group

Prizes: 1st. €100, 2nd. €75 & 3rd. €25

Fee: €6 per entry via PayPal, For postal entries each poem must be accompanied by a fee of €5/£5 Sterling/$5 US dollars. 

The Strokestown Poetry Awards shortlists will be announced in mid-March, and the prizes will be announced and awarded during the Strokestown International Poetry Festival, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, which will take place over the weekend of 1-3 May, 2015.

Deadline: Friday February 27th. 2015

Link here

CWA Margery Allingham Short Story competition

The CWA Margery Allingham Short Story competition was set up in 2013 to celebrate the short story and Margery Allingham’s contribution to crime writing. Supported by the Margery Allingham Society this competition runs annually.

The competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors- and is for UNPUBLISHED short stories of up to 3,500 words. It's judged completely anonymously.

The winner will receive £1,000

Deadline: 6:00pm on 16th March 2015

Fee: £10 by paypal

Link is here

They don't specifically say but I'd guess the story should be in the crime genre.

Doolin Writers' Weekend

Doolin Writers' Weekend takes place at Hotel Doolin from the 27th - 29th March 2015. 

Hotel Doolin in association with Tramp Press and Salmon Poetry are delighted to announce the launch of the Doolin Writers' Weekend Competition 2015.  

This year we have two prizes, a short story prize and a poetry prize.  

The Prize fund for 1st place is €1000 for each of the competitions and a publishing consultation with Tramp Press (short story) and Salmon Poetry (poetry).  

fee is €10 per entry 

Deadline Monday 2nd March 2015  at 5pm.  

Shortlisted authors will be announced on Friday 13th March and the winners announced at the Doolin Writers's Weekend 27th -29th March 2015.

Short Story Prize Judged by Eilis Ni Dhuibhne 1 st Prize- €1000 + publishing consultation with Tramp Press* + publication in the Clare People 2 nd Prize- Free Pass to Doolin Writers’ Weekend including entry to all workshops and events and 3 nights complimentary accommodation. Poetry Prize Judged by Jesse Lendeman Salmon Poetry 1 st Prize- €1000 + publishing consultation with Salmon Poetry* + publication in the Clare People 2 nd Prize- Free Pass to Doolin Writers’ Weekend including entry to all workshops and events and 3 nights complimentary accommodation.

For Terms and Conditions and to download an entry form, see link here

Tin House - Submissions sought.

Tin  House is a terrific magazine of writing based in the Portland, Oregon. It seeks submissions until 31st May but of course you can send earlier.

Guidelines:

• Please submit only one story or essay (ten-thousand-word limit), or up to five poems at a time. 
• Cover letters should include a word count and indicate whether the submission is fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.

Link here with more details

As usual, please get your hands on a few copies first. It's an excellent magazine.

Their blog's worth a visit too here

The Hermit Collective

The Hermit Collective bring their pop-up show of art, poetry and music to King House, Boyle, on Saturday 13th December 11.30am -2pm. 

They are an eclectic group of well-known and unknown talents, who have been successfully performing around the North West since their first event in Boyle library on Mayday this year. They have featured in the Bundoran Fringe Festival, the Five Glens Arts Festival, played the Charlestown Arts Centre, and Culture Night in Ballaghaderreen library. 

The event is, as always, free! 

See the website for more info:  www.hermitcollective.weebly.com 

Brilliant Illustration - Apps for Poets

From the blog of Angela Carr, adreamingskin.com, I found this fantastic illustration by illustrator and poet, Ali Shapiro

Find more of Ali’s work and words at www.ali-shapiro.com.

Poets to Check Out - Galway Kinnell

I was sadden to read recently of the death of the American poet Galway Kinnell. Here's a poem called Oatmeal worth reading.

It may be funny on the surface but beneath that are layers. Much like the skill and art of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Do not underestimate the humourous poem.

My current favourite Galway Kinnell poem is The Road Between Here and There. Fantastic. Search it out.

Here are some more:

Magma poetry Prizes

The rather good poetry magazine Magma has a different editor every time so you can't get complacent about what will appear.

They hve two compeitions for a short and a medium poem

Magma Judges Prize 2014

Poems of 11 to 50 lines. 1st prize £1,000, 2nd £300, 3rd  £150. In addition to receiving cash prizes, winners will be invited to read at Magma’s prize-giving event in Spring 2015. All winning entries will be published in the magazine.
Entry: £5 for the first poem, £4 for second, £3.50 for third and each subsequent poem, reduction for Magma magazine subscribers.

 Closing Date: 19-Jan-15

Magma Editors’ Prize 2014

Poems up to 10 lines. 1st prize £1,000, 2nd £300, plus 10 Special Mentions £15 each.
Entry: £5 for the first poem, £4 for second and £3.50 for the third and each subsequent poem. Magma magazine subscribers benefit from reduced fees.

Closing Date: 19-Jan-15
More information: http://magmapoetry.com/competition/

Submissions sought for Ropes

The literary journal Ropes from the students of the Masters in Literature and Publishing at NUI Galway is looking for submissions of Poetry, Prose, Artwork and Photography.

Deadline: 30 December 2014

They're on Twitter @Ropes2015  and Facebook  

Please email submissions to Ropes.submissions@gmail.com 

All proceeds are going to ACT for Meningitis who do incredible work. 

At The Edge

AT The Edge, Cavan, proudly presents: The Cavan Literary Night with Three Border Poets: Noel Monahan, Kate Ennals and Dermot Maguire

Tuesday 2 December 2014, 6.30pm – 8pm in Johnston Library, Farnham St, Cavan

Followed by Open Mic (one poem or one page of prose – register at 6.30pm –  first come, first served. Further information from kateennals@live.co.uk )

The evening also includes the launch of Also publishing a pamphlet of the Cana House Poets, 3rd series.

Event Free. Everyone welcome.
Supported by Cavan Arts Office