WRITING NEWS

WRITING NEWS

This month I had a story published in a collection called ‘NEW WRITING DUNDEE 5’. This was a story that was originally a flash fiction piece, but which wanted more space. It is called ‘Up Mendick Hill Again’. The collection arrived this week and it is a beautifully produced book. I am quite pleased that this story has ended up in such a respectable publication and alongside some established names.

I also recently received the latest anthology from BINNACLE. I hesitate to call it an anthology because this is an unusual production of flash fiction pieces printed as a collection of ‘Business Cards’ with each card holding a separate story and the whole collection contained in an attractive presentation box. There’s a picture by Vermeer on the cover and I love Vermeer. Oh, and I have a piece in the collection along with names like Vanessa Gebbie and Tania Hershman.

I have just won second prize in a themed competition run by ‘WRITERS' REIGN’. I am not a fan of themed competitions but this is the second one that has been good to me this year. The theme was ‘A New Day’ and I already had a piece that needed just a wee polish for it to find its way into the competition. My piece was called ‘The Street of New Beginnings’ and was a response to an image by the photographer, Steve McCurry. The story will be published on the ‘Writers’ Reign’ website soon.

I am shortlisted in another competition. Results for this will be out at the end of May.

I am doing two workshop presentations later in May to do with the Lewis Chessmen, and I am booked to do four events as part of the Faclan Book Festival in September.

And on Monday I go to watch a pupil of mine receive his winner's certificate in a major national prize for creative writing in Scotland.

And I have written fourteen stories this year so far, and that feels pretty good.