Litfest

Tie A Yellow Ribbon?

Sarah Hymas — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:01:38 +0000

This week Tod Hanson began work on the murals for the foyer of The Storey. Which, I think, will do a fab job of sparkling the place up. And heralding more wall-work to come. In a new commission by Storey Gallery and Litfest, the artist Paul Rooney will be filling the arched alcove of the first [...]

Welcome to the Golden Life

Andy Darby — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:14:47 +0000

Mark Griffiths whom we published in Watermark (Flax002) has a new collection of poetry out. In his new guise as Fernado Smith comes “Welcome to the Golden Life” published by Searle Publishing. Copies are available now via The Poetry Bookcase, price £9.99, and Fernando has kindly supplied us with a couple of signed [...]

New in today

Andy Darby — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:49:55 +0000

The postman delivered us some shiny, lovely new poetry pamphlets for The Poetry Bookcase today. They came from Shadowtrain editor and Flax writer Ian Seed. In his accompanying note, Ian tells us that ‘the straw which comes apart’, is his translations of the Italian poet, Ivano Fermini. The pamphlet is published by Oystercatcher Press, winners [...]

An Elastic Sky

Andy Darby — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:01:20 +0000

Originally uploaded by beanphoto Ta Dah! The next Flax anthology is shaping up very nicely – so much so that with the stunning cover image (thanks once again to Jonathan Bean) we’ve nailed that elusive title. Always one of the trickest elements of the production process once we have the writers and work in place. And [...]

Anthologising

Sarah Hymas — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:22:28 +0000

I’m absorbed in my favourite period at Litfest over the next few weeks: anthologising and editing. We have finally made the choice of who will be in the anthology but not quite which of their poems. My chief approach as editor is of cutting: both of the poems we select from original submissions, and of lines [...]

What I read on my holidays – guest post by Tim Franklin

Sarah Hymas — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:05:50 +0000

I’m living the high life. As if working for Litfest wasn’t idyllic enough I went on a lovely holiday recently. And what does a bod from Litfest do on his holiday? Why, he reads books. 1.The White Hands and other Weird Tales – Mark Samuels. The weird tale was pioneered by HP Lovecraft – think of it [...]

Trevor Matthews

Sarah Hymas — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:32:44 +0000

Sad news. Trevor Matthews, who we published in West Coast, North Hill, died last week. His work was recommended to me by Mike Barlow and I immediately wanted to read more. As I did I decided he’d be a great contributor to the three poet book we were planning at the time. As Jane Routh says: “As a [...]

Forward Prize Shortlist

Sarah Hymas — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:43:15 +0000

With the Forward Prize shortlists announced a couple of weeks ago, we’re working our way through the First Collection category, and particularly enjoying Helen Oswald’s Learning Gravity for its concentrated quietness, Sam Willets’ New Light for the Old Dark for the strange glow of love that comes out of the darker corners of experience, and [...]

Booker Longlist 2010

Jonathan Bean — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:32:10 +0000

Man Booker Dozen announced 27 July 2010 The judges for the 2010 Man Booker Prize for Fiction today, Tuesday 27 July, announce the longlist for the prize, the leading literary award in the English speaking world. A total of 138 books, 14 of which were called in by the judges, were considered for the ‘Man [...]

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

Jonathan Bean — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:52:44 +0000

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award Final countdown to the UK’s most popular poetry prize for young people Deadline for entries 31 July 2010 www.foyleyoungpoets.org “Becoming a Foyle Young Poet is about more than just winning a competition. It is like being given the keys to doors you didn’t know existed – suddenly there are clear [...]