What are you working on now?

Like most writers, I imagine, that´s a question I often get asked. So I thought I´d give an update on work in progress here on my blog.

Firstly, I´m producing poems for my second collection... very slowly. I´ve tried to estimate the rate at which I produce poems that I want to keep, and possibly publish, and very approximately it works out at about 10 a year. However, I sometimes write three or four in as many weeks and then go months without writing one. It´s always been like that with me and I never let it bother me: the dreaded writer´s block. Right from when I started writing, I always had the attitude: I don´t have to do this. If the flow dries up, then I don´t write. I´m not sure how I´d feel if the dry period stretched to years rather than months, but I think my attitude probably wouldn´t change.

Now, though, there´s another element in the mix because the work that I´m producing now is also part of my doctorate in creative and critical writing. I need to have sufficient work to meet the requirements by the due date. The terminology makes it sound like accountancy rather than poetry. That was intentional, but I don´t like it much. When I did my MA I had enough ready poems to have submitted my final portfolio even if I hadn´t produced a single new poem. It took the pressure off and in the event I wrote a lot of new poems (at the usual rate, just about). I´m not in that position now, though. I´m trying not to think about it.

And then there´s the new novel, Arthur´s Eventful Weekend. It´s a rather quaint title, I think. One friend asked if it was a children´s book when I told him what it´s called and I can see that it has that kind of tone. It´s about a chap called Arthur, who is telling the story. Over the course of one weekend he goes over his whole life, remembering and taking stock of events and stages that he has passed through. Between those memories, the events of the weekend are unfolding. At the end we learn that something from his past has just resurfaced in his present life and this leads him into a momentous decision. One of the techniques I´ve used in the structure of the narrative is to take events, characters and themes from the Arthurian legends and transpose them into a modern setting and given them a realistic tone. That means they are radically altered from the magical world of the legends, but they are still recognisable.

I´ve just about completed the main part of the writing but I keep tinkering with it
and will probably continue to do so until it´s taken away from me!

Presenting The Finn´s Tale in Tampere

I shall be giving a talk to the Tampere branch of the Finnish-British society on Friday 20 January at 19.00 at the Kansainvälinen Kohtauspaikka, Suvantokatu 13, Tampere. Everyone is welcome.

I´m going to talk about the process of writing my novel, The Finn´s Tale, describing some of the decisions I had to make about plot, characterisation and language, and also commenting a little on the publishing process. After that, I will go on to read a few short passages.

Any visitors to my blog who are in the Tampere area and interested in hearing about my writing are especially welcome. I´d love to meet you.

Copies of The Finn´s Tale will be available for purchase at the advantageous price of 9 euros. I will also bring along some copies of my poetry collection, Midas Touch, and the English translation of Martti Hynynen´s, island, nameless rock.

I´m looking forward to seeing you there.

The Finn´s Tale available in a Kindle version

My novel, The Finn´s Tale, is now available from Amazon in a Kindle version. I don´t have a Kindle reader myself yet, but I´m seriously thinking about getting one. There´s also a `Look inside the book´ feature on the novel´s Amazon page. I think this is such a good idea. It gives you the chance to read the opening of a book that you are interested in but not sure that you would really want to buy and read. I often use the feature when it´s available. For The Finn´s Tale the excerpt that you can read on the Amazon page is almost the whole of the first two chapters. I think it gives a good idea of what the book´s about, although those first two chapters are set in America, before Len travels to Finland. The atmosphere changes a lot once he arrives in the country. Well, I guess there´s only one way to find out what that part is like.

Poetry Reading

It´s more than a month ago now, that I gave a reading from my collection, Midas Touch, at The Poetry Cafe, with fellow Ward Wood poets, Peter Phillips and David Cooke. At last, I´ve got round to posting a report and a couple of pictures from the event on my blog.

The Poetry Cafe is a great venue, very cosy and intimate and we had an appreciative audience that comfortably filled the basement of the cafe. Peter read poems from his collection, No School Tie, as well as some others.

Some of his poems were wonderfully comic and others very sensitive, and some were both at once. I can highly recommend this collection.

David read poems from a variety of publications: magazines and earlier collections, including some poignant memories of family members.

We each did a 15-minute slot, followed by poets from the floor. A very pleasant evening. Thanks to Adele Ward for organising and hosting the event with her customary flair and charm.

Here I am, doing my bit. One of the poems I read was `Things´. I have included the text of the poem, just in case any readers of my blog don´t know it, to give you a flavour of the evening.

Things

There are these things:

one half of a double door stands ajar,

through the frosted pane of its closed partner

the curtain´s blue stain visible on the wall.

The empty floor echoes to no footfall.

A mirror reflects a key on the hallstand.

These things are troubled -

they know exactly what´s happened.

Reading at The Poetry Cafe

My next reading event will be with fellow poets, Peter Phillips and David Cooke, at The Poetry Cafe at 22 Betterton Street in Covent Garden, London on Saturday 22 October. I´ll be reading from my recently published Ward Wood collection, Midas Touch. Doors open at 6.30 and the reading begins at 7 p.m.

The Poetry Cafe has a great selection of snacks, light meals and drinks and the basement room where readings are held is really cosy.

Ward Wood authors in Dublin

I had a terrific time in Dublin doing readings with three other Ward Wood writers, Sue Guiney, Shauna Gilligan and Noel Duffy, at the Irish Writers´ Centre on Friday 16 September and then at The Twisted Pepper cafe the next afternoon. We had lovely audiences at both events and it was a real pleasure to chat with them after the readings and hear their views on our work and other literary matters. The following photos are from the event at The Irish Writers´ Centre and you can see just how perfect it is a venue for a reading.

Shauna reading from her forthcoming novel, Happiness comes from Nowhere.

Sue reading from A Clash of Innocents and Her Life Collected.

Noel reading from In the Library of Lost Objects and Our Friends Electric.

I read from Midas Touch and The Finn´s Tale.

Some members of the audience at the book table, browsing the books for sale and enjoying a glass of wine or orange juice and a chat. Thanks to Shauna and Noel for arranging and hosting the event and for taking the photographs.

My next reading date will be in London on 22 October when I will be reading at The Poetry Cafe in Betterton Street, Covent Garden with Peter Phillips and David Cooke.

Readings in Dublin

I´m really excited to be taking part in two readings in Dublin over the coming weekend. They both promise to be great events. I´m looking forward to reading with other Ward Wood authors and this will be the first time that we´ve all read together. It would be great to meet any readers of my blog who are able to get there.

Dublin

Friday 16th September:

This will be a combined prose and poetry event with Sue Guiney reading from her novel, A Clash of Innocents and poetry collection, Her Life Collected, Shauna Gilligan reading from her forthcoming short story collection, Red Girl, Noel Duffy reading from his novellas, The Return Journey & Our Friends Electric, and his poetry collection, In The Library of Lost Objects. I´ll be reading from my novel, The Finn´s Tale, and my poetry collection, Midas Touch.

The venue is the Irish Writers´ Centre, Parnell Square, Dublin. The reading begins at 18.30. but we´ll be there half an hour before to meet the audience and there will be a question time after the readings. Refreshments will be served and books will be on sale. Entry is free.

Dublin

Saturday 17th September:

A poetry reading with Sue Guiney at The Twisted Pepper cafe (best coffee in Dublin, I´m reliably informed) at 54, Middle Abbey Street. Sue´s reading from Her Life Collected and I´m reading from Midas Touch. This will be an afternoon event, start time 15.00.