October 14, 2013

Insert Coin Here Anthology

Joseph Robert’s latest poem, ‘Chapter Skip, Track Forward, Pause, Rewind, Freeze Frame’ is out in the Insert Coin Here anthology, published by Kind of a Hurricane Press. As an eighties child, I recall (through the mists of time and bad hair cuts, bomber jackets and ra ra skirts) playing computer games until the wee small hours in the attic on an Atari 2000, which was considered the height of technology back in the Stone Age of computers. Nowadays kids would scoff at the idea of a huge box for a computer. Maybe it’s a sign of my impending old age, but when they talk about playing their PS3 all night (it’s probably out of date as I write this, I’ll bet it’s now a PS4), I haven’t a clue about all these modern games. Bring back the old days… who remembers the Star Wars game, or Indiana Jones? I loved blasting aliens and flying around in a spaceship, shut away by myself. I could’ve easily believed I was on another planet…

Back to poetry, before I get lost in zero gravity! Insert Coin here is a good mix of poetry and stories. Joseph Robert’s poems deal with the frustration of rapidly changing technology, which I would agree with and tend to deal with by casual indifference! If I can push buttons and nothing blows up/ breaks down them it’s a win. Apart from Joseph’s poetry, my favourites in this collection are, ‘Poem to the Asshole Blasting Angry Birds on His iPad’ by John Grochalski, ‘Not a Game’ by Linda M Crate, ‘Broken Controller’ by Benjamin Eaton and ‘The End of Folk Songs’ by Darren C Damaree.

Posted by on October 14, 2013 in Poetry, Short Stories and tagged , , .

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October 2, 2013

Forward Prizewinning poems read by actors

A couple of days ago while I was on my homeward commute, I read an article about the Forward prize for poetry, which was held yesterday at the Southbank Centre. What struck me wasn’t the interest about the prize winners, or even the poetry itself, but rather the outrage from a minority in the poetry community about famous actors reading the prizewinner’s poems.

Hmm. Where does one draw the line between writing verse → perfomance poetry → acting? Some might say it’s different aspects of the same thing. On the other hand, there are many poets (my writer and poet hubby Joseph Robert being one) who refuse to ever read their work live. In this case, I definitely agree that there is a need for actors to read the poems. I don’t think it’s simply about throwing glamour on the whole poetry business  as some poets argued (although admitedly, it doesn’t hurt to have polished professionals publicise poetry – the alliteration was unintentional!) but rather the package as a whole. A few years ago, I watched a professional storyteller read spooky tales to a pub-load of people for Halloween. It wasn’t about his charisma (of which he had plenty), but how he carried his voice, how he engaged the audience, not to mention how he had memorised his lines. Recently, I watched poets reading their work at a literary event, and a few didn’t even glance at the audience once – they simply kept their heads buried in a crumpled up text held by shaking hands.

Of course, not all poets who read live are nervous wrecks, but performance is a bridge between writing and acting, and in that sense I agree with the Southbank Centre’s  decision to use actors. Entertainment is entertainment and I’m sure there were many viewers in the audience who were exposed to poetry they otherwise wouldn’t have bothered listening to, all because a select group of famous people chose to read it. Why not?

Posted by on October 2, 2013 in Poetry and tagged , , , , .

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September 26, 2013

Writing groups and forums

About a decade ago, when I was researching publishers to submit to, the best place to find writing advice and support was the Writers and Artists yearbook. No doubt there were forums for poets and writers online but I didn’t know the existence of such things, never mind how to go about finding them. About half a decade ago there seemed to be more and more writing circles; mostly groups of friends or academic poets reading their work to each other for critique. Recently, online groups and forums tend to dominate.

A few times I’ve noticed, on poetry groups in particular, that people tend to post poems for people to leave comments, but more often than not get completely ignored. In one instance, a member had commented about how less and less editors and publishers tended to join such groups. Nowadays, I think people like to find freebies on websites or blogs. They hunt about on their ipads for anything free and downloadable. This is good in the sense that it brings poetry to the wider community, but on the other hand, does anyone apart from other poets read it? And then there’s the stigma attached to freebies; if it’s free does this mean the quality is lower?

Writing groups - to support and inspire you or to make you skim?

Writing groups – to support and inspire you or to make you skim?

It doesn’t have to be so. There are many ezines, which are free to peruse, but yet the work included has one BIG difference from free poetry on online groups – it has a stamp of quality from an editor. Anyone can post a freebie poem or snippet of writing on a community page, but stories or poems appearing on an ezine have been filtered by a publisher, who has painstakingly separated the wheat from the chaff. That isn’t to say that everything posted directly by an author without having gone through an editor’s sieve is of poor quality. But in my personal opinion, if an editor has given the thumbs up, chances are there will be more work worth reading properly and less that merits only a quick skim (at best), which is what I tend to do when browsing writing groups. The work in such places ranges from unedited rough drafts to a polished pieces and everything in between.

So what does it all come down to? A question of time. Since we have become a nation glued to our phones and other various gadgets, it is better to know what is worth an eyeful, and what will only cause an eyesore.  My personal view is that, if it’s an ezine, read it. And if it’s a writing forum, skim for the links to magazines or publishers and skip the free stuff. Then again, it’s a matter of taste.

Posted by on September 26, 2013 in Fiction, Poetry, Writing and tagged , , , , .

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September 19, 2013

Booker Prize soon open worldwide

Some interesting news for book lovers recently – as of 2014 an author of any nationality will be able to enter the Man Booker prize. Personally, I think it’s about time. As a firm believer in judging fiction for its literary merit rather than from what country the writer comes from, I’m glad to hear the news that such a huge prize is going equal-opportunities. I feel exactly the same way about other prizes too. I don’t believe that any literary competitions should exclude people based on reasons of sex, age, nationality or any other silly reason. Words on a page are words on a page. Some of those pages have been written with skill and some are a bunch of rubbish, depending on one’s subjective opinion, just as a writer has skill with a pen, or doesn’t.

I can understand the concerns some of the judges have, who worry that if British authors have to compete with a few American giants in the literary world, they’ll not even make it onto the longlist. Why not? That would either bring to mind one of the following: 1) Cronyism is rife and people are hoping to keep things confined within a small controlled niche, or 2) There is a fear to compete with something outside of the box. These are thoughts that cater to writers, not readers. As most editors might agree, many writers can be ‘precious’ about their work. But clearly, the people behind the Man Booker prize are concerned more with what the readers think, not the writers.  At last there seems to be a bit of sense. After all, who buys the books? Not normally other writers.

Readers buy the books and readers read them. I have to admit that the ‘reader’ side of me is inclined to stay clear of anything with ‘Booker winner’ or ‘shortlist’ or any of those advertisements on it. Maybe that’s because as an indie author, I like something a little bit ‘outside the box’. Or maybe I’m a hypocrite, guilty of the very thing I condemned in the paragraph above – discrimination! Whatever the analysis, as a ‘reader’ I prefer to read a book for its craft and its content, not for shiny ‘prizes’. And as ‘writer’ I avoid entering competitions that are for ‘UK residents only’ or for ‘women only’. I might be both of those things, but it doesn’t mean I have a label on my head!

Not a bug bear, but the Book Bear of the Booker

Not a bug bear, but the Book Bear of the Booker

Posted by on September 19, 2013 in Art, Reading, Writing and tagged , , .

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September 11, 2013

Writing: an introverted job or showbiz?

Nowadays it seems that many authors are promoting their work, whether it’s fiction or poetry, at live events. In London, there are so many open mic nights that this isn’t a problem for big city people, but in smaller towns, there might only be one or two events once in a while. As with any profession, there are many pros and cons. The pros are: getting good publicity for your work and selling copies of your chapbooks/ work. The cons are: stage fright! A lot of authors enjoy writing in the comfort of a nice, quiet spot at home, but can be reticent to get out there and promote their work (I procrastinate at this myself). In fact, it brings the question to mind, is writing an introverted profession or is it a minor kind of showbiz, a bit similar to acting? In my experience, the best performance poets or prose writers were actors, or people who were used to reading on the radio. It takes skill, not only in entertaining the audience, but in rhythm, timing and delivery. And then there’s book signings: talking to the public, engaging their interest in your subject matter. Get used to muscle cramps in your cheeks from smiling and be prepared to skip your lunch break!

Writer at work: an introverted job

Writer at work: an introverted job

Not to complain, however, it’s all part of the fun. I suppose with any profession a good balance is key. Take the introverted side as it comes with the extroverted promotion: after all, a writer might write, but if they don’t promote, they don’t sell.

Writing as showbiz: in the limelight or not?

Writing as showbiz: in the limelight or not?

Posted by on September 11, 2013 in Fiction, Poetry, Writing and tagged , , , , .

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September 5, 2013

Writing and working a day job

A writer’s ideal world would be making enough money from their writing to write full time and give up their day job. I’ve seen countless writers say this on blogs or writing forums, but what’s the reality? It seems the odds of ‘the big break’ are about the same as winning the lottery! That’s not to say all of us writers and poets out there must despair. Quite the opposite, actually.

A blurred line between day job and writing...

A blurred line between day job and writing…

A good day job doesn’t necessarily have to affect writing time. It really depends on what you do. I’ve read a lot of famous writers’ bios and most of them took the route that I think is best to maximise writing time: working in a school. I had a lovely 6 week break from the end of July and cranked out quite a lot of work during that time. Now that I’m back for autumn term, it doesn’t have to be all brown-leaves-and-winter-despair, to get poetic with it all. Setting goals helps and making time to write, not finding time. If you wait for time to come to you, you’ll be lost amidst all those blank pages – forever.

...can be fixed by working on your lunch break!

…can be fixed by working on your lunch break!

Of course, it’s a fine balance. You have to do your day job, first and foremost… the bills won’t pay themselves (I wish). And you can’t ignore your colleagues. One too many times, I’ve been caught up in my writing with my headphones on and being completely anti-social. Juggling writing with a full time job takes balance. Anything extra is a bonus. As for me? I count myself lucky that I can do what I love at work and after – running my young writer groups by day and writing alongside my partner-in-rhyme (I apologise for the terrible pun!) Joseph Robert by night. After all, a writer writes, then eats and sleeps (often in that order). Remember to get up for stretches regularly, all you type-a-holics. And for those of you who write longhand – don’t get knuckle cramps. I speak from experience here; I had a productive summer, since the mind is always willing, but sometimes the body can’t cope!

Posted by on September 5, 2013 in Biography, Writing and tagged , , .

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August 30, 2013

Farewell Seamus Heaney and Jenny the Elephant

Sad news for the poetry world today; the death of Seamus Heaney. Heaney was also from Northern Ireland (depending on what way you look at it – after all, some would say he was born in Derry and others would say Londonderry, but I’m not about to argue semantics). I haven’t read that much of his work, although my favourite poem so far is ‘The Early Purges’, which when written I’m sure wasn’t as controversial as it might be perceived today – we now live in a politically correct culture that on the one hand is good (equality for all, right?), but on the flip side has choked the freedom of expression out of cinema/literature, to some extent. I could digress in a million different directions with all this, but let’s stick to the poem for now – animals being drowned in rivers and people turning a blind eye. You can’t say it’s not gritty.

There are many writers and poets from Northern Ireland, but Seamus Heaney is probably the most famous. Northern Irish people in general definitely have a sardonic sense of humour – from chip shops called ‘For Cod and Ulster’ to the new Titanic Museum’s slogan, “She was alright when she left here”:

Titanic slogan in Belfast

Anyway, back to famous figures from Northern Ireland dying today, on August 30. According to the Belfast Telegraph, Jenny the elephant from Belfast Zoo has also died, aged 53. Not quite the ripe old age of 74, but then I don’t know how elephant years correspond to human years. I’m sure Seamus Heaney would be proud to know that – I would. Or maybe not. Check out his poem, ‘The Early Purges‘ and see what you think.

Posted by on August 30, 2013 in Poetry and tagged , , , , .

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August 25, 2013

Joseph Robert and Leilanie Stewart – chapbook review in Sabotage

 

This month Joseph Robert and I had our joint collection, Realms of Man/ Metamorphosis of Woman, reviewed in Sabotage. The incisive and detailed review by Jenna Clake concludes with: “It is evident why the poets have chosen to self-publish collaboratively: their work shares enough similarities to make the pamphlet seem unified, without one over-shadowing the other or the work blending into one undefinable collection. Metamorphosis of Woman/ Realms of Man is a largely successful pamphlet, and it is entertaining at the very least.”

Jenna Clake also reviewed my other chapbook, Toebirds and Woodlice for Sabotage, which you can read here. She noted: “What is most striking about Stewart’s Toebirds and Woodlice is its difference to her other pamphlet, Metamorphosis of Woman. Granted, the strong, honest personae are still there, but this time, Stewart is concerned with the mind.”

The same reviewer, Jenna Crake, also wrote about self-publishing in Red Brick, describing it as a ‘revolution’. I have written my opinion of self-publishing in one of my earlier posts, and I would have to agree. The transition to ebooks has taken off over the past few years; it’s easier now than ever before for a first time author to skip the hassle of submitting via snail-mail to agents and publishers (never mind the fact that things can often go astray in the post – in one case the return of a manuscript that had never reached its destination, having sat in head office for one month, grr!). But, self-publishing can be a double-edged sword. As I mentioned before, there is no quality control; without any submission guidelines or editors checking the manuscript, you have to dig through a lot of coal before you come across any diamonds. There aren’t too many who can be bothered for that, on top of needing a day job to pay the bills. Such is life for us carbon- based life forms! Still the nature of self-publishing can be a rewarding one. We can’t take anything with us after we die (Long, hard sleep, anyone?), so we might as well reap the benefits of a good old slog!

Posted by on August 25, 2013 in Poetry and tagged , , , .

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August 21, 2013

Mistress Quickly’s Bed Issue 4

This week among other things, I’ve been reading Issue 4 of Mistress Quickly’s Bed. There’s an overarching theme of religion that I picked up on in the issue, first of all in the editorial where the publishers, Alan Dent and Nancy Frost, conversed about how they think that religion is just a phase, rather like E.L. James (lol!). Of course, as much as I’d like to agree with them (after all, what has caused more war and death in the world) as a former archaeologist, unfortunately I can’t deny that religion has come hand and hand with the dawn of civilisation and temples have controlled the nature of society since the days of city-states like Eridu, 6000-odd years ago. Society and religion (sigh!). My favourite poems in this issue were by poet Rob Brady…I felt much the same way he did as a child in his poem ‘Theology’ on page 20, although my favourite poem of his has to be ‘Democracy’ on page 18. Yes, people pay taxes and yes, soldiers fight wars that they often don’t know why they’re fighting, but what about the title, democracy? I can think of another word beginning with D that I reckon sums up society to a T!

Mistress Quickly’s Bed, along with Inclement, Decanto and Sarasvati are among my current favourite print poetry journals. I especially love the bite that the editor of Mistress Quickly’s Bed, Alan Dent, has. The last page of the summer volume finishes with a fantastic invitation for writers standing in the face of publishing despair to learn in a seminar from Franz Kafka about what exactly is on the line when you put your sanity versus every publisher in Europe. Love it!

About this blog

Leilanie Stewart

Joseph Robert

Posted by on August 21, 2013 in Fiction, Poetry, Reading and tagged , , , , .

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August 10, 2013

Manga and comic books – getting the kids to read

When I worked in Japan years ago as an English teacher, I happened to get into Japanese manga by accident. I was renewing my work visa for another year at Sakaiminato, a tiny port on the North West coast of Japan and while I was waiting for my train home I browsed in the newsagents at the station. As any ex-pat who has lived in Japan knows, you can only really buy English language magazines, newspapers or books in big cities such as Osaka and Tokyo. Since I was studying Japanese at the time anyway I decided to pick up a paperback copy of what looked to be a weird little horror comic book (Japanese manga). The comic was called Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro, about a half-Goblin, half-human character called Kitaro from Ge Ge Ge forest. Anyway, it was by a local author in Sakaiminato, quite well known in Japan, but not in the West. As it happens, I found the comic to be a great way to learn Japanese, since the pictures aided my studying and the kanji characters were translated into furigana (for the purpose of Japanese schoolkids who don’t yet know all of the Chinese script). Roll on 7 years later and the comic has finally been translated into English. I found a copy in a central London comic book store just last week.

My favourite manga series... ge ge ge no kitaro

My favourite manga series… ge ge ge no kitaro

Apart from being a great source of literature for people wanting to learn a second language (nursery rhyme books are great for this too!), manga is a great way to get kids back into reading. A few months ago, I worked with an 11 year old girl who was having problems with her literacy. She was below her age for reading and spelling and was bored of any books recommended to her. She’d pretty much given up on reading for fun at this point. After a few one to one sessions with her, I found out that her main problem was being shy about asking whenever she encountered a new word. In a class of 30 kids in school, who could blame her. In our sessions I set her the task of trying some manga. As she was a girly girl, I started with D N Angel – the teenage girls at my school are crazy about the love triangle in the series between Dark, Daisuke and the twin sisters. Anyway, this not only helped her reading comprehension but her concentration too – little and often with lots of pics. She ended up loving the series so much that she read the first 15 books in a week!

Manga, comics, graphic novels… it’s all the same to me. The boys I work with love Naruto. They find it amusing when I correct their pronunciation of the Japanese name, of course – it should be Nah-roo-toe (short and succinct) instead of Na-ROO-toe with the emphasis on the middle as they say it… wrong, wrong wrong!

As for me? I’m reading real high art at the moment (tee hee)… Cinnamoroll. He’s a cutesy, fruitesy wonderpup from the sky. Aw!

Cinnamoroll, Conan, The Turtles and Ghostbusters... it all makes for a good read!

Cinnamoroll, Conan, The Turtles and Ghostbusters… it all makes for a good read!

About this blog

Leilanie Stewart

Joseph Robert

Posted by on August 10, 2013 in Fiction, Reading and tagged , , , .

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