> Journal And News

Monday, 24 March 2008

Stuff that's going down - spring 2008

I say spring, what I mean is some kind of climate-change fuelled ice-age. Anyway, it being Easter Monday, and me having nothing better to do, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about what has and will be happening over the next couple of months.

If you haven't already got hold of the Spring 2008 edition of the New Welsh Review (No.79), go and get it now. Aside from some of the beautiful photographs by Maciej Dakowicz and excerpts of work (including a bit of Tristan Hughes' forthcoming novel and Charlotte Greig's memoir) it's got me interviewing Patrick Jones, and a lovely exploration by Sarah Morse into music in new writing from Wales, cannily titled 'She Sings of a(n Iron) Maiden.' Some of the books she concentrates on include Dial M for Merthyr, Fresh Apples and Clare Potter's 'Spilling Histories.' www.thenewwelshreview.com

My first novel 'In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl' is currently being translated into Danish by the excellent Forlaget Aronsen who published Aeblesmag (Fresh Apples) last year. It's also about to be published by Text Publishing in Australia and New Zealand, who also did a thoroughly fantastic job with their version of Fresh Apples last year.
www.forlagetaronsen.dk
www.textpublishing.com.au

At the end of May 'The Empty Page: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth,' will be published by Serpent's Tail. Edited by Peter Wild, who also masterminded last year's brilliant 'Perveted by Language: Fiction inspired by The Fall,' it includes shorts by Emily Maguire, Kevin Sampsell, Matt Thorne, and me, and you can pre-order it now from Amazon.

'A ghost makes a friend. Ulla Shooks is testifying, ladies and gentlemen, countering the wicked with the godly. The powers-that-be are trying to kick in Nikki's door as she, like, struggles against the shackles of conformity? Melissa gets high and dreams of an oblivion that won't make the E! Channel news. Patty Hearst is watching the apocalypse on TV. All this and more is waiting for you in The Empty Page: Fiction inspired by Sonic Youth.'

Finally, it's going to give me great pleasure to take a break from my play and novel writing duties to perform at the Laugharne Weekend 28th-30th March 2008. Other performers will include Patti Smith, DBC Pierre, Lionel Shriver, Niall Griffiths and Will Self. My first play (co-written with Charlotte Greig) will be showing at the Millennium Hall at 7pm on Friday 28th, and I will be reading from Dial M for Merthyr, at 3.30pm on Sunday 30th at the Rugby Club, along with Helen Walsh. Apparently all tickets are sold or close to selling out, but you shouldn't let that stop you. If last year was anything to go by (I managed to meet Nick Kent, sit feet away from Pat McCabe as he read from 'The Butcher Boy', and get eyed up by Rhys Ifans, I think), a good time will be had by all.

www.thelaugharneweekend.com

In the meantime, I'm off for a spin in my new Ford Puma. See you soon.

Posted at 11:11 | Add Comment (0) | Links