Collective thinking

We in the collective (Flash Mob, not Borg) are pretty darn excited about Not Part Of (and also, obviously, MIF). We're so excited, in fact, that, not only are we co-hosting the Flash Language Literary Quiz (see previous post), we've also gone and signed ourselves up for the craziest writing project, like, ever (OK, well, maybe not quite ever). Running in conjunction with the Re-Covering exhibition - for which 40 local and international artists (from my Chorlton mate's hubby Nick Jordan to the likes of David Shrigley) have redesigned famous book covers - is The Reading.

The Reading is a multiple writers’ residency with the aim of creating a ‘textured text’. Since Friday 17 June, 72 writers have been collaborating on a narrative (story, play, poem, script, diary, commentary, essay, even lyrics) that will reach its conclusion on Sunday 31 July. Each contributor has two-and-a-half to three hours in which to write a text for inclusion in a publication, along with two contextual essays, to be edited by Matthew Frost from Manchester University Press (and Manchester Literature Festival). Writers work on a laptop in the Untitled Gallery where the creative process is projected live. It's also streamed online* and displayed in real-time in various venues, including Cornerhouse, CUBE, Chinese Arts Centre, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, The Reading Room Collection and MMU Library. The start point for each contributor is the final paragraph of the previous writer’s entry, and the work can be influenced by the gallery environment, the show’s artworks, the flow of visitors and 'your own fevered imagination'.

Some of our friends and acquaintances are taking part: Bad Language regulars Shirley Kernan, Guy Garrud and Nija Dalal, short story writer Claire Massey, poet Adrian Slatcher and For Books' Sake chum Alex Herod, for starters. Then there's horror writer Conrad Williams (Thursday 7 July, 12-3pm) immediately followed by flash fiction fiend David Gaffney (3-6pm), crime novelist Nicholas Royle (Saturday 9 July, 12-3pm) and Salt author Robert Graham (Saturday 23 July, 12-3pm).

Out of the Flash gang, on Thursday 14 July, David Hartley (12-3pm) picks up a paragraph from poet Anna Percy then passes one straight on to me (3-6pm); then on Thursday 21 July it’s Benjamin Judge (12-3pm) and on Friday 22 July Fat Roland (12-3pm), with experimental poet James Davies sandwiched between (Thursday 21 July, 3-6pm).

There are seven** slots currently still available towards the end of July. Get signed up!

*Actually, that's not true. Katie at Untitled said: "Unfortunately we weren't able to produce a live stream for the website due to technical problems, although there is a recording of the first day of the residency at http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/recovering/"
**Actually, four on Thursday 30 June.

Mob rule

Remember Flash Mob Literary Salon and Writing Competition? Well, you can now listen again, thanks to Chorlton FM. Check out the Flash Mob website for links to the podcasts and the opportunity to hear my dulcet tones, my temporary inability to say the word "apolocalyptic" and my squirming when trying to introduce our headliner who had nipped to the loo. Still, I managed to not swear, which is A Good Thing.


Next up for the gang behind Flash Mob is the Flash Language Literary Quiz, which we're hosting as part of Not Part Of (the fringe festival to Manchester International Festival) along with our mates Bad Language. Check out their blog post on the subject, complete with links to Skiddle and Facebook and the Not Part Of website and events programme. As well as questions of a literary nature, there will be readings and fun. It promises to be ace, so put Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm, Barcelona in the NQ, in your diary.

Big ask

...here's a link to the interview a did with Emma Jane Unsworth for Bookmunch.

The last answer is an absolute gem!

Everything, and the girl

Today sees the publication of Emma Jane Unsworth's debut novel, Hungry, The Stars And Everything, through Hidden Gem Press. It's quite timely given last night's lunar eclipse: one of the episodes in the book is about an occultation. I've written a review for Bookmunch, and I'll shortly be interviewing Emma about some of her themes and influences: keep your eye on Bookmunch.


Emma's book launch is tonight at 6.30pm in the fabulous Portico Library (complete with its rather ace "Polite Literature" section). You can also catch her reading as part of this weekend's Book Market, organised by Literature Northwest: the Comma Press website has her in the 4-5pm slot on Saturday. Nice write-up of the event on Manchester Lit List here.

Disaster zone

Blogging you back from the brink is, er, back from the brink over on Ask Ben & Clare, the problem-solving site run by my good self and my good friend Mr Benjamin Judge.


Contrary to popular belief (this is a total figment of my imagination: there was never any such popular belief), we didn't have fisticuffs or a big tiff or nuffin: we just got caught up in various other amazing projects, including the Flash Mob Writing Competition. We obviously feel terrible about neglecting our duties and failing to reply to our adoring and heartbroken public with useful and entertaining solutions to their modern-day dilemmas. Thankfully, that dirty little episode is now well and truly behind us, so make sure you wing your contemporary conundrums our way in order that we may have a laugh at your expense, er, sorry, lavish you with our attention.

And get to following our all-new Twitter account, innit.