Monday 19 November 2012

Cloud Diary

Last time I checked in with what I was up to I was going to be reading at the Liminal event in Weston-super-Mare and at Warwick Words. Both events went well, with some great performances from those attending and, in the case of the flash slam, competing. It gave me the opportunity to read some new flash fiction as well as pieces that have been published or read out elsewhere. It also looks as if there is going to be another Liminal event just before Christmas. The following was taken by Keith Ramsey at Loves cafe in Weston:


As well as the Bristol half marathon — in which I clocked a sub-two-hour time — September and October brought with them a string of open mic events: the Ragged Stone in Portishead and two events at the Bristol Festival of Literature, one with cider and one with tea and coffee. Attending the Bristol Festival of Literature events was made all the more manic by the preceding week in London, where I spoke at Software Architect, JAX London and Skills Matter, and simultaneously (well, timeslicely) attending BristolCon.

I've also been busy writing, some of which has seen or is about to see the light (looks out of window) or cloud of day. (Aside: the word sky is derived from the Old — and modern — Norse for cloud, which says as much about the history of the English language as it does about the English weather.)

In anticipation of next year's National Flash-Fiction Day, there was a flash flood last month, which featured my story, "The Promise". And speaking of the next NFFD, which will be on 22nd June 2013, I have got together with some others to organise some flash happenings in Bristol. This part of the country has a disproportionate number of flash-fictioneers, so I was slightly surprised that no events were held here for NFFD 2012... except that it's not surprising at all: things like this happen by design rather than by abiogenesis, which means someone actually has to do something about it. So, I made the suggestion and we're doing something about it! Watch this space (and others).

In the meantime, I'm about to disappear off for a week's writing and learning in Devon under the tutelage of Tania Hershman and Adam Marek, along with guest Helen Dunmore.

More news as it happens... hmm... OK, more news some time after it happens.