Stream of consciousness

Thought I'd share with you this pic from last week's Twestival, when me and three out of four of the Flash Mob boys provided the entertainment with our pop-up literary salon. Fat Roland broke the ice with two unique audience-participation pieces (the first, a tongue-twister; the second, his Beyonce haiku). Benjamin Judge then took to the stage and presented one of his idiosyncratic stories of mammals (the man is obsessed, I'm telling you). Last but not least, I had the pleasure of reading a tale of Tweetdeck and twotnot as its creator Tom masterfully pinged inter-related Tweets by the characters Helen, Scott and various pop and rock stars up onto that there Twitter stream on that there screen, the one in the picture. Raised a few chuckles around the place, too, I noted. The magic of modern technology, eh?


Thanks to Sam Easterby-Smith for providing the photographic evidence.

A moment of fiction #12

Haven't been very forthcoming with my submissions info, have I? Sorry about that. As you know, I'm slipping. I tell you this at least once a week these days. So here's a quick round-up, which I've only just remembered to divulge, as it's written on the tiniest of Post-It notes and stuck in my diary (yes, I'm old-fashioned like that).

I'm afraid you have just one day left in which to submit to issue #3 of Friction Magazine and Journal. They're after your poetry, short stories, flash fiction and memoir - visit the website for details and submit via editor@frictionmagazine.co.uk.

You also only have until tomorrow to get short stories of up to 3,500 words on the subject of "power" to the new site Paraxis. This looks like an interesting project, and it's co-run by the wonderful Claire Massey, whose stories Chorden-under-Water and Feather Girls I have a tendency to harp on about. Everything you need to know is here; email paraxis.org@gmail.com.

Another looming deadline is for New Writing Dundee - they're accepting one piece of poetry or prose per person before 2 April, for publication in issue 6. Email newwritingdundee@dundee.ac.uk after first looking at the guidelines.

A slightly longer lead time is 29 April, when the fabulous* Flash Mob Writing Competition closes. Check out all the details online. The email is flashmobwritingcompetition@yahoo.co.uk.

And don't forget to submit to 330 Words, Roy Keane's Lucky Scarf, the shiny new-look Rainy City Stories, Blank Pages and It's Getting Worse. These are run by my friends, and they need your input!

*I am biased.

Voluntary sector

Roll up, roll up: a number of very exciting projects and festivals are in need of your assistance and spare time and I know full well y'all have it in abundance, you dirty reprobates you.

Numero uno is Chorlton Arts Festival "one of the largest multi-arts events in the north of England and a showcase for visual and performing artists, with record attendance figures in 2010 of over 25,000 people" - I got that quote off one of my press releases... I am the festival's press officer, but I need help (and not just in my usual idiotic issues way)! If you want to give me a hand writing and disseminating press releases, talking to journos, and generally promoting the event in the run-up to and during festival week (Thursday 19 May to Monday 30 May), please send me good vibes and smoke signals, uppers and cake! A phone number and email address would be pretty useful too, so I can get in touch with you.

Also starting on 19 May, and running to 21 May, is Station Stories, the literary brainchild of my author pal David Gaffney. Set in Piccadilly Station, the Arts Council-funded craziness will feature a number of local writers - Jenn Ashworth, Tom Fletcher, Nick Royle, Peter "Bookmunch" Wild and poet Tom Jenks - telling tales at noon, 3pm and 7pm on each of the three days. Project manager Diana Hamilton is looking for volunteers to help out 11am to 8.30/9pm on the performance days - runners, guides, techies, meeter-greeters... Email diana@thehamiltonproject.co.uk or call 01625 265055.

Station Stories is in association with the wonderful Manchester Literature Festival, which is also looking for help with this year's shindig, taking place 13 to 23 October. Volunteers are needed so events run smoothly (so, again, meet'n'greet, info, guestlist etc) and the festival is also looking to sign up bloggers to help promote the various activities on its dedicated blog. I've done it for the past two years, and it's a great way to meet folk, see some stuff for nowt, and get your name bandied about. Anyhoooo, if you fancy signing up, there's now an online form. Questions and queries, direct to the lovely Jon Atkin via admin@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk.

Last but by no means least is the gigantic Manchester International Festival, the grand unveiling of which I was very kindly invited to recently. Volunteers help the whole glittering shebang go round, so get yourself over to the website and stick your bloody name down. MIF runs 30 June-17 July. Worries and concerns, speak to Caroline via volunteering@mif.co.uk or 0161 238 7319.

Me. Me. Me.

So here's a thing. I've written a new bit of flash, right, and I'm going to treat this month's Bad Language crowd to it tomorrow night. You should come and listen; it's set in the Northern Quarter, so it's quite fitting as that's where I'll be reading it. I wrote it after the last Bad Language, so bear in mind that recent mid-life crisis I've been joking about. I'm quite liking it (the story, that is, although the mid-life crisis is going pretty well, too), though I'm still trying to tinker with the ending. Still given that I'm up to my eyes in Very Important Meetings and photo-shoots and wotnot, you'll get what you're given. Bad Language starts at 7.30pm in the Castle. If you want a feel for the soiree, you can read about the February event here.

If you can't make it on Wednesday, then come to Twestival on Thursday. It starts at 6.30pm and is being held in NoHo, also in the NQ. It's a global shindig, which "uses social media to do social good". The Manc version will be donating 100% of ticket sales and auction takings to Wood Street Mission, and everything you need to know about the event and the charity is here. Me and the boys behind the Flash Mob Writing Competition are rocking up and wowing the collected masses with a pop-up literary salon. Fellow Flash Mobber Tom Mason writes about it here. Social Media Manchester has said: "There'll also be readings from Manchester's coolest bloggers' collective including the première of a unique multi-platform Twitter story, written specially for the night". I will be performing said piece, alongside Tom, who created the concept, the clever boy.

Flash of inspiration

Lately I've been concerned about shirking my duties and not paying you the attention you so rightly deserve. I've been plying you with excuses that I'm not really ignoring you, but rather chipping away at some beautiful creations that have to remain a secret until I'm ready to reveal them in all their glory. And when that day comes you will be amazed! Wowed! Delighted! Overwhelmed!

That day is finally upon us.

That day is the launch of Flash Mob, a writing competition and literary salon that myself and fellow founders of the so-called #beatoff generation Benjamin Judge, Fat Roland, Tom Mason and David Hartley have been busily giving up our free time to shape and hone for your delight and delectation.


The competition is now open, and all the details of how to enter and who the devil those handsome judges are can be found on our funky little website here. You can follow us on Twitter @FMWComp here.

It all takes place as part of this year's Chorlton Arts Festival, and will be the first-ever flash fiction contest in the ten-year history of the multi-arts showcase. We're looking for the best 500-words-or-less story, which we'll be celebrating (along with our own work, naturally) in a glittering event set for Thursday 26 May. Put it in your diary, won't you. It's going to be fabulous, and fun, and maybe I'll buy a new frock for the occasion because that too begins with "f". It also gives me a plausible excuse if I let the blogging slip again, doesn't it. Doesn't it?

PS: Dave's also written about it on his rabbit-obsessed Do A Barrel Roll.