Writing Desire

The Irish Writers Centre are running an erotic writing course:

Writing Desire: Flesh Made Word

with Sean O'Reilly & Kimberly Campanello

25th September: Tues 6.30pm-8.30pm €280/260 members

“How can we write about sex? Irish writing seems to shy away from any attempt to represent the reality and complexity of our erotic lives. Sex is a secret. Desire is merely a plot-device. The story of a character's erotic life or the growth of a character's erotic taste seems to have no bearing on a convincing psychological portrait of a literary character. This 10-week course looks at the history of the genre of erotic writing, looking at some classic texts in both prose and poetry, and concentrating on student's writing in this field. Using both poetry and prose, participants will learn that the 'erotic' is more than the description of sexual acts but the context in which they take place, about power and fantasy, and in particular, about the representation of desire itself. Emphasis will be on participants own work and feedback in a group setting.”

Do the Irish really shy away from writing about sex? I can think of many that don't. . nevertheless it looks fascinating, maybe they'll set up an erotic outreach for us culchie writers? (hint, hint) 

Culture Night: Writing Workshop @ The Museum of Style Icons

I'm facilitating a creative writing workshop at the Museum Of Style Icons on Culture Night, September 21st from 7 to 9pm. It should be fun, we'll be drawing inspiration from the clothes and artifacts on exhibition which include Marilyn Monroes pink pucci dress, her evening jacket from The Prince and The Showgirl, and her dotty umbrella in the cheesecake shot above.

There's also clothes worn by Liza Minelli (her Cabaret costume) Gloria Swanson, (Sunset Boulevard), Garbo, Betty Davis. Tippi Hedren, Michael Jackson and The Beatles. All you need is a notebook and pen and a willingness to write! Places are limited so book by contacting Kildare Arts Service at arts@kildarecoco.ie or 045-448328

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Niamh Boyce Writes At Newbridge

Silverware Visitor Centre and

Museum of Style Icons

Friday 21st Sept 7–9pm

On Culture Night, join Niamh Boyce, winner of the Hennessy XO New Irish Writer of the Year award 2012, for a creative writing workshop inspired by the Museum of Style Icons. Workshop commences at 7pm. Booking is essential. Contact the art service in advance for Booking.  arts@kildarecoco.ie or 045-448328

  Claire Keegan will be reading at the DLR Festival. 

Mountains to the Sea

The Mountains to Sea Festival runs from the 4th to 9th of Sept 2012, and has an interesting mixture of readings, workshops, family events and poetry events.

"Howard Jacobson, who won the Man Booker Prize for The Finkler Question, will kick off this year's Mountains to Sea dlr book festival on Tuesday September 4th. Other highlights in a stellar line-up will include UK novelist, Philippa Gregory, IMPAC winner Gerbrand Bakker and readings by superb writers such as Jonathan Dee, John Banville, Esther Freud, Daniel Woodrell, David Mitchell and Katie Fforde.

The poetry line-up includes legends such as Mark Doty, Paula Meehan, James Fenton, and a Transtromer tribute, while also including the Irish Times Award, and using some stunning new venues.

RTÉ Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany returns with its fantastically popular show, while Liam Carson will present Imram, the Irish readings extravaganza with special musical guests.

Aspiring writers can look forward to a series of Creative Writing Workshops with top tutors, and the family programme will include appearances by major authors such as Robert Muchamore, Marcus Sedgwick, Philip Reeve, Derek Landy and Marita Conlon McKenna."

The festival blog is here

Writers Circle Readings @ DNA FESTIVAL AT AXIS

 

"At axis we believe that creativity is in everyone's DNA, so this August we're hosting a free Pop-up arts festival. Discover New Arts (DNA) is perfect for anyone looking to try something new without breaking the budget?Axis is lining up 2 days packed full of FREE classes, workshops and events so that you can DNA (Discover New Arts). So whether you thought about becoming the next Jack B Yeats, Glen Hansard or Michael Flatley… develop your skills and interests on us!" 

Writers Circle Readings

Some technical thingie has cut off the bottom of the poster - but at 6.30 on Friday August 17th there will be a number of readings and a 'Tiny Play' performance by two actors. Axis is at main st, Ballymun.All are welcome:)

Readers:

Marion O’Neill, originally from Limerick but now living in Kilkenny,  has published three novels : Miss Harrie Elliott (1999), Daddy’s Girl (2001) and Seeforge (2005). Her latest novel ‘All God’s Dead’ is due to be published by New Island in August.

Louise Phillips has been published as part of many anthologies and literary journals. She has been a winner of the Jonathan Swift Award, a winner in the Irish Writers’ Centre Lonely Voice Platform and shortlisted for the Molly Keane Memorial Award and Bridport UK. Louise’s psychological crime novel, Red Ribbons, will be published by Hachette Books Ireland in September 2012, and her second novel, The Doll’s House, will be published in 2013.

Stephen Buck has produced 16 radio plays, written and directed a play for Red Kettle Theatre Company, was shortlisted for the Francis MacManus Short Story competition and has regularly featured on ‘The Quiet Corner’ on Lyric FM.

Niamh Boyce was awarded the Hennessy XO New Irish Writer of the Year 2012 for her poem Kitty. She has been shortlisted for the Francis MacManus Short Story competition 2011, the Hennessy Literary Awards 2010, the Molly Keane Award 2010 and the WOW Award 2010. Her fiction and poetry have been published in many literary magazines. Her novel ‘The Herbalist’ will be published by Penguin in 2013.

Darren Donohue, following an invitation onto the New Playwrights Programme at The Abbey Theatre in 2010, has been shortlisted for a Hennessy Literary Award and has founded Pandora Theatre Company, a professional theatre and outreach company based in Kilkenny. He has written a number of successful full length and Tiny Plays, some of which have recently been performed in The Abbey and the Sean O’Casey theatre, with his tiny play  'Tuesday Evening' selected to run as part of Fishamble’s “Tiny Plays for Ireland” project.  

Here's a link to the full poster:)

Novel Fair Blog & an all time exclusive...

The Irish writers centre have launched a Novel Fair Blog, which gives this years entrants a great opportunity to ask their own questions about the event or check out FAQ . The deadline is the 17th of October but they've already received the first entry, good luck to the early bird whoever you are! The blog also has information about last years winners and their novels, including mine, which posts an (all time world wide exclusive!) extract from my novel The Herbalist...

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The Herbalist

An Indian man appears in the market square, sets up a stall and declares himself a herbalist. The people of the town flock to the exotic visitor, who seems to have a cure for everything that ails them. But the visitor also helps get rid of some of the town’s more sordid little secrets and as the summer progresses life becomes complicated and dangerous for the herbalist and his devotees. A rich multi-layered story of life in 1930s Ireland told through the eyes of four women, each of whose lives is changed irrevocably by the herbalist.


Extract

"He just appeared one morning and set up shop in the market square. It was drizzling. Everything was either a shade of brown or a shade of grey. He was the lightest thing there, the one they called the black doctor. He wore a pale suit, a straw hat and waved his arms like a conductor. The men spat about dark crafts and foreign notions but the women loved him. Oh, the rubs, potions, tinctures and lotions he had, unguents even. They sold like hotcakes, like they were going out of style. I snuck into town the first chance I got, to see him with my own eyes…"

Niamh Boyce was awarded the Hennessy XO New Irish Writer of the Year 2012 for her poem Kitty. She has been shortlisted for the Francis McManus Short Story competition 2011, the Hennessy Literary Awards 2010, the Molly Keane Award 2010 and the WOW Award 2010. Her fiction and poetry have been published in literary magazines such as The Moth Magazine, Crannog, ROPES, Southword, Boyne Berries 7, The WOW Anthology 2010 and the The Yellow Room.

Her novel ‘The Herbalist’ will be published by Penguin in 2013.

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