Tim Jones's Blog, page 66
February 24, 2009
Canterbury Poets Present: Autumn Readings 2009
Poetry in Performance: Autumn Readings 2009
And here's the lineup:
18 March: Tim Jones (that's me, folks!), Fiona Farrell, Victoria Broome
25 March: David Howard, Marissa Johnpillai, Helen Lowe
1 April: Frankie McMillan, Tusiata Avia, Ben Brown
8 April: Ian Wedde, Charlotte Trevella, Helen Yong
15 Apr
February 21, 2009
Wellington Writers' Colony Is Go: Introducing the Cuba Street Garret
Since I first blogged about Doug Wilkins' plans to set up a Wellington Writers' Colony, modelled on the Sanchez Grotto Annex which he set up in San Francisco, Doug has been working determinedly to get over various hurdles and set the venture up. And now he has, which is all the more creditable in the current economic climate. Here's the press release Doug sent out to mark the occasion. If you'd like to know more, you can contact Doug by emailing dbwilkins@gmail.com or calling 021-138-5050.
Press
February 18, 2009
Calls for Submissions
Two calls from submissions that may be of interest to New Zealand writers:
1) An Anthology of Writing about Canterbury
Wily Publications invites submissions of poetry and short prose (up to 2000 words) for an anthology featuring writings about Canterbury – coast, plains and high country. Fiction and non-fiction, current and historical works are welcomed, but copyright must be held by the person submitting the work. Work may be previously published, but not anthologised.
Submissions must be typed, d
February 15, 2009
What Is Science Fiction Poetry? Part 2: History
After I spread the news about the upcoming anthology Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand (note the slight change in the subtitle), I had a crack at defining science fiction poetry.
But Mark Pirie and myself didn't invent the idea of science fiction poetry just for this anthology. In fact, it's a genre - or fusion of genres - that has been recognised for some time. The Science Fiction Poetry Association was founded in 1978 by Suzette Haden Elgin, and her About Science Fiction Poetry
February 8, 2009
What Is Science Fiction Poetry? Part 1: Definition
It's poetry that's also science fiction. What more is there to say?
Quite a lot, actually. I'm not even going to attempt to define poetry, but science fiction itself is a notoriously slippery beast. To make it into Voyagers, the anthology of New Zealand science fiction poetry that Mark Pirie and myself are co-editing, poems had to pass the twin filters of being good poetry, and of having a science-fictional element: of either or both using science fiction imagery, or science fiction ideas.
Here's
February 4, 2009
Voyagers: A New Zealand Science Fiction Poetry Anthology
In 2004, Mark Pirie and myself decided that it would be a good idea to put together an anthology of New Zealand science fiction poetry. We knew that there were people writing science fiction poetry in New Zealand, and we knew of a few published examples of NZ science fiction poetry. How hard could such a project be? So we put out a call for submissions, and many poets responded with new or previously-published work.
At the same time, we split the corpus of New Zealand poetry (hmmm, "corpus", neve
January 31, 2009
Katherine Mansfield Society Launched
Katherine Mansfield, still New Zealand's most famous author - despite the increasing claims of Lloyd Jones - has been further memorialised with the creation of the international Katherine Mansfield Society.
The Society's website aims to be the world’s most comprehensive hub of information on Mansfield. It includes images, literature on Mansfield and downloadable versions of many of her short stories.
Katherine Mansfield is one of those authors whom I studied at high school and have scarcely read s
January 29, 2009
Sometimes People Say the Nicest Things
... and it makes all the effort seem worthwhile. It was a real fillip to discover these comments on All Blacks' Kitchen Gardens tonight:
Inflight Reading
Not sure how many copies of Transported are left in the airport bookstores, though ...You can buy books by Tim Jones online! Transported (short story collection) from Fishpond or New Zealand Books Abroad. Anarya's Secret (fantasy novel) through RedBrick.
January 24, 2009
"Swings and Roundabouts: Poems On Parenthood" Revisited
Shortly after the publication of Swings and Roundabouts: Poems on Parenthood (which you can buy online from Fishpond or New Zealand Books Abroad), I gave my initial thoughts on the book, but said that I wouldn't review it because I have a poem in it.
Well, I changed my mind. I've completed reading Swings and Roundabouts over the past two weeks, and though I'll leave my own poem Coverage to speak for itself, I want to reiterate what a good book this is.
It's true that Swings and Roundabouts is like
January 17, 2009
Southern Ocean Review: The Final Issue
The 50th issue of Southern Ocean Review, which has just been posted, is also the last issue.
Every three months for over a dozen years, on the 12th of the month, editor Trevor Reeves has got an issue of Southern Ocean Review on line. I don't know whether that sounds like much of an achievement to you, but to me, that shows an incredible level of dedication to the task in hand.
But I don't mean to imply that Southern Ocean Review has been notable only for the regularity with which it has been produ
