Nuala Ní Chonchúir's Blog, page 43

BOOKS IRELAND - SAVED

Wordwell Books are taking over the reins of Books Ireland magazine, which is good news. They plan to make it bimonthly and bigger. Hopefully they feature more female authors in review and more fiction reviews also. It will be interesting to see how they change the magazine while, hopefully, retaining its no-nensense listings formula. I wish them well.

PICS FROM ARLEN HOUSE/TOWER PRESS LAUNCH

Some pics from last night's Arlen House and Tower Press launch in Dublin. Thanks to all the lovely folk who came along, including my 86 year old aunt, Eta, who is the most positive person in Ireland. She smiled through Maighréad Medhbh's fantastic and provacative orgasm poem, delivered as only Maighréad can. Great stuff! I was raging I had to dash back to Galway afterwards for this morning's school run.

It's been a really odd Friday the 13th: lots of work things suddenly piling up (agent convo, pre-pub stuff for Scotland visits, tears over one aspect of one book, hope over an aspect of another). Life things tripping me up - the fridge I ordered? Turned out the order didn't go through so while I've been waiting.. My head is addled. Anyhow, pics:

Alan Hayes, publisher Arlen House, with books, lovely books, and Jane from Poetry Ireland Alan McMonagle reading from Psychotic Episodes Not dancing but yapping Patrick Chapman reading from The Negative Cutter Maighréad Medhbh, reciting Geraldine Mitchell reading from Of Birds and Bones

NEW REVIEW OF *THE JUNO CHARM*

English writer Andrew Oldham has reviewed my last poetry collection The Juno Charm on Todd Swift's Eyewear blog here. It's a very feminist reading of the book, by a man, which is pleasing. Andrew writes: 'There is an intimacy here that does echo Plath and Kahlo but there is more here than either of these women could have contemplated.' Now for ya.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMILY DICKINSON

Mural at West Cemetery, Amherst, Mass.
This day in 1830, my favourite poet, Emily Dickinson, was born. I went to her house and grave in Amherst a few weeks ago - beautiful places, both.

Two poems today in honour of Emily - one of my favourites of hers and one I wrote about her, 'Miss Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake'; it appeared in Prairie Schooner. If you would like to make Emily's cake, I posted the recipe here;  it's lovely - simple and delicious.

Happy birthday, Emily.

Emily's grave
"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.

*
Miss Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake

She blends Virgin Island coconutwith butter and sugar; sieves flour – two cups –beats eggs with the milk of an Amherst cow,adds cream of tartar to make everything bloom.
In her white wrapper she stands at the window,lowers a basket of cake to the children below.‘Love’s oven is warm’, Miss Dickinson says,watching them eat from her spinster’s room.
Plaque on Emily's house, The Homestead

DUBLIN CHAPBOOK LAUNCH - THURSDAY!

I am delighted to be hosted by Arlen House for the Dublin launch of Of Dublin and Other Fictions. Arlen House are launching four books (two by members of my own writing group, The Peers - Patrick Chapman and Alan McMonagle) and are very generously letting me tag along. The other books are by two women writers I hugely admire: Geraldine Mitchell and Máighréad Medbh. All welcome!

Date: 12th December
Time: 6pm
Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

DUBLIN CITY BOOK FAIR

The Dublin City Book Fair is on this Sunday the 8th December in Tara Towers Hotel, Merrion Road, Dublin 4. 11am to 5pm. No doubt a nice place to pick up some unique books for Christmas.

THE GLOSS - XMAS READS

In The Gloss today (free with the Irish Times), several writers (including me) recommend books for Christmas, in an article called 'Great Reads for Good Friends', compiled by Antonia Hart. I'm in fine company: Emma Donoghue, Nell Regan, Colum Mc Cann, Molly McCloskey, Aifric Campbell, William Ryan and Justin Quinn.

I recommend Anakana's Schofield's Malarky, Edith Pearlman's Binocular Vision , Steven Heighton's Workbook and Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

Cúirt New Writing Prize 2014

The Cúirt New Writing Prize is now open for submissions of poetry (3 poems of under 50 lines each) and fiction (up to 2,000 words). There is a €500 cash prize for the winner in each category, an opportunity to read at Cúirt 2014, plus publication.  
The judges for this year are Martin Dyar for poetry and Mary Costello for fiction. The closing date for submissions is 30 January 2014; a €10 entry fee applies. Entries should be sent via email to tara@cuirt.ie For full rules and guidelines, go to www.cuirt.ie 

CHAPBOOK GIVEAWAY FOR XMAS

Dear lovely readers, commenters and lurkers, I am giving away one copy of my new chapbook Of Dublin and Other Fictions today - a small Xmas prezzie from me to you. I will post to anywhere in the world and I will draw the winner on Wednesday, so it will get to you by Christmas.
I am throwing in a second chapbook, which I picked up in Massachusetts in October - 'Karma' by Rishi Reddi; it is this year's Once City One Story publication in Boston. Very cool.

All you have to do is leave a comment saying you want to be in the draw, with your full name and/or email address.

LANGUAGE AT AWKWORD, REVIEW AT GEBBIE'S

I have a piece on language and writing at NZ mag Awkword Paper Cut. Michelle Elvy, sailor and writer, asked Robert Vaughan, Tim Heath and myself for our thoughts on language and rhythm. Here.

*
The wonderful Vanessa Gebbie has reviewed Of Dublin and Other Fictions on her blog. Blushtastic review. Ta, Vanessa!