Tag: poetry

Scottish Book Trust announces New Writer Award winners

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has supported over 90 creative individuals through the New Writers Awards since 2009. Today, Scottish Book Trust announces the 10 new awardees for this prestigious prize, which is supported by Creative Scotland.

The New Writers Awards provide a selection of talented writers who have not yet published a full length book or collection with financial support, to enable them to concentrate on developing their work, as well as professional guidance to help them move towards publication. Former awardees include Graeme Macrae Burnet, who was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016, and authors Ciara MacLaverty, Olga Wojtas, Juliette Forrest, Kirsty Logan, Malachy Tallack and Claire Askew, who have publications out this year.

Four authors from Edinburgh have been nominated for the 2018 New Writers Awards: Aileen Ballantyne, a tutor at Edinburgh University; Nadine Aisha Jassat, a gender-based violence professional; Beth Cochrane, programme and events coordinator at Scottish Poetry Library and Anne Hughes, a software developer.

Aileen Ballantyne (above) said:

“I feel very lucky indeed to win this award – it’s a terrific opportunity. I hope to use it wisely.”

Nadine Aisha Jassat (above) said: “I am really thrilled to receive this award and have my work recognised, supported, and invested in by Scottish Book Trust. It’s an incredible honour to be selected and I would encourage future applicants to apply, apply, apply!”

Beth Cochrane said: “I cannot wait to get fully immersed in the New Writers’ programme. I’m seeing the award as a turning point: I’m finally going to get The Novel completed and sharpened, no excuses.”

Anne Hughes (above) said: “I’m thrilled, honoured and a little stunned to be a New Writers awardee this year.  Heartfelt thanks to Scottish Book Trust for this opportunity, and for the enormous encouragement it has given me as a writer.”

Each of the 10 recipients of the New Writers Award will receive a £2,000 cash award and support tailored to their needs including mentoring from writers and industry professionals, training in public relations, social media and performance, and the opportunity to showcase their work to publishers and agents. The awards also include the offer of a week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor. The retreat provides time, space and the freedom to create new work in idyllic surroundings.

The three judging panels reviewed over 450 submissions which included fiction and narrative non-fiction, poetry and children’s/young adult entries, before selecting the final 10. This year’s judges included Asif Khan, Director of the Scottish Poetry Library, and writers Chitra Ramaswamy, Kevin MacNeil, Cheryl Follon, Matthew Fitt, Peter MacKay and Julie Bertagna.

Sasha Thanisch, also from Edinburgh, has been granted the Callan Gordon Award, which was set up to celebrate the life of Callan Gordon, a young Scottish writer, by his family. The Callan Gordon Award generously supports an extra place for the New Writers Awards, and is open to short story writers and poets between the ages of 18 and 35.

Sasha Thanisch said: “I’m utterly overwhelmed to have this opportunity, it’s such an encouragement and I hope to use it well. I’m really grateful to Scottish Book Trust and the Gordon family and everyone who’s supported me in this.”

The Gaelic Books Council provides two additional places on the programme which will support two New Gaelic Writers each year.

The full list of the 2018 New Writers Awardees is as follows:

Poetry

Aileen Ballantyne

Rhona Warwick

Duncan Stewart Muir

Children’s and Young Adult

Anne Hughes

Fiona McKeracher

Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Samantha Clark

Beth Cochrane

Mary Fitzpatrick

Nadine Aisha Jassat

Eilidh McCabe

Gaelic

Alistair Paul

Calum MacKinnon

Callan Gordon Award

Sasha Thanisch

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the next batch of New Writers Awardees. Writing can be a challenging process, and the New Writers Awards provides one-on-one support for current projects, as well as guidance for the future. All of us at Scottish Book Trust look forward to the fruits of the New Writers’ efforts and the expansion of the Scottish literary scene.” 

Alan Bett, Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing, Creative Scotland, said: “The New Writers Awards develop our emerging literacy talent through tailored mentoring and training at this crucial stage in their career, and in doing so contributes to the strength of Literature in Scotland. Through winning the award, winners have often grown ever more recognisable and have taken their place amongst the ranks of Scotland’s established and celebrated authors- a list that now includes previous winners; Graeme Macrae Burnet, Kirsty Logan and Helen Sedgwick.”

The New Writers Showcase, a celebration of work by the New Writers Awardees of 2017, will be held tomorrow (18 January 2018) at The Jam House in Edinburgh. The event is an opportunity to hear some of the most exciting new talent in Scotland perform their work, as last year’s awardees mark the end of their year. More details and ticket information can be found here.

Poem: On This Ground We Stand

On this ground we stand

As the sun splits the clouds

From time to time

While the song is clear to hear

Many a soul is creating their story

 

What makes the place so special?

Is it the people we meet?

The stories we tell?

Or this land?

 

Bursting with imprinted memories

Historical events turned into tales

To share with others

 

What do we leave but footprints,

Litter, glitter and song?

Once our playground

Forever our resting place

 

Waves keep crashing

And the sun will rise again

 

Susanne,

Makin A Brew Craigroyston Parents Poetry Group

Makin a Brew produce poetry collection

Craigroyston Parents Poetry Group

Makin a Brew Poetry is a creative project for parents based in North Edinburgh. The group first met through Makin a Brew’s story and music-making sessions at Craigroyston Early Years Centre in the Community High School.

The group is now two years old, as the women themselves explain in the introduction to their new collection of poems:

‘Starting on a dark January morning in 2016, we met together on a Wednesday morning to share stories, drink tea and eat cake!

‘We decided to explore the written word and poetry – something we had never done before. Over the weeks our creative juices flowed and by the time Spring was in the air we had produced many poems, written by both individuals and as a group, along with stories, music, recordings, laughter and sometimes tears.

‘And most of all, strong friendships and a belief in our creative selves.’

Susanne Malcolm, Matilda Hatse, Moira Harvey, Claire Caballero were often joined by others – Karen, Chrsitine, Waa, Callie and more. The Makin’ a Brew group is supported by musician Gica Loening and storyteller Claire McNicol.

On This Ground We Stand

On this ground we stand

Some born on this patch of earth

The Scots tongue a’ around us

Others journeyed here,

Born on distant patch of earth.

But under the same overarching sky

We walk back and forth

through the arched shopping centre

Where pigeons roost

Past the bird boxes

“No cocks allowed” written on one

“Cos them’s the house rules”

What are the house rules on

this little patch of

earth?

Walking along the yellow brick road

To our round table sanctuary

We talk, laugh and hope

for more fairness, love, kindness

On this little patch of earth

Claire McNicol

Read all about it: Claire’s coming to Craigie!

Craigroyston Community High is one of ten Scottish schools to receive an author residency from Scottish Book Trust. Poet and writer Claire Askew will work with the local school to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing.  Continue reading Read all about it: Claire’s coming to Craigie!

How I miss her …

elderly and young hands

Craigroyston Early Years Centre’s Makin’ A Brew group parents have been writing poetry – some as individual pieces of work and others creating poems in groups.

This beautiful unnamed poem was written by Yaa Agyepong:

Making soaps and body creams
Sewing dresses and braiding hair
Farming, cooking and cleaning
And painting the house too.
My grandmothers hands
The domestic goddess
Prized possession
Cooking, cleaning, painting
From my granny’s hands to mine
I’m just a chip off the old block.
How I miss her!

Yaa Agyepong, Craigroyston Early Years ‘Makin’ A Brew’ Group

 

Tonight: European Literature Night at North Edinburgh Arts

EUPROPEAN LITERATURE NIGHT: FRIDAY 13 MAY

North Edinburgh Arts 5 – 6.30pm

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‘With the media spotlight shining so squarely on the politics of the EU referendum,’ says poet Colin Herd, ‘We think it’s important to also make space for a cultural expression of European experiences.’

Tonight, Edinburgh will welcome contemporary poets from across Europe for two events in celebration of European Literature Night.

Co-curated by Herd and Theodora Danek, in association with Edinburgh City of Literature and The Enemies Project, the poets represent some of the most exciting of cutting-edge contemporary European writing.

‘I think of Europe itself as a long never-ending poem, always emergent and always surprising, its meanings and its resonances never fixed,’ Herd says.

Following on from the success of European Literature Night 2015, this year’s celebration features 10 European and Scotland-based writers, including: Billy Ramsell, Christodoulos Makris, Nurduran Duman, Efe Duyan, Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, Alexander Filyuta, Alessandro Burbank, Heather O’Donnell, Graeme Smith and Dominic Hale.

There will be an introductory taster event at North Edinburgh Arts Centre from 5 – 6.30pm followed by an evening extravaganza at Summerhall’s Red Lecture Theatre from 8 to 10.30pm.

As will reflect the diverse languages of Europe, some poets will choose to read in their own language (with translations) while other poets will read in English. There will also be some poets working in new media, sound and video.

Newly developed for this year, the events will also see the launch of #EuroPoem, a collective international poetry initiative, which poets and poetry-fans from across Europe are encouraged to contribute to. #EuroPoem responds to a need to explore what Europe is, means, and can be ahead of the UK’s referendum on EU membership. European writers are invited to submit two lines of poetry to the collective poem; contributions are of equal value, with no one poet setting the agenda of the poem and it will be polyvocal and multilingual.

Following its launch in Edinburgh at Summerhall, the poem will continue to emerge and evolve online through the Twitter hashtag #EuroPoem. No two versions of the poem need be the same, as poets from across Europe continue to add to this collaborative work. To join in with this unique poetry event, tweet your two lines of poetry to @edincityoflit using the hashtag #EuroPoem as part of European Literature Festival on 13th May, or email Colin Herd on europoem2016@gmail.com.

For more information and to book free tickets, follow these links:

North Edinburgh Arts Event (5 – 6.30pm)
Summerhall Event (8 – 10.30pm)

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Europe, future dream!
Europe, morning to come,
borders without watchdogs,
nations with his frank laughter
thrown wide open!

‘Europa’, Adolfo Casais Monteiro

 

Friday is European Literature Night at North Edinburgh Arts

European Literature Night, North Edinburgh Arts

Friday 13th May 5 – 6.30pm FREE

literature night

Come along to celebrate the most exciting contemporary European poetry with this taster session with short readings by poets including: Billy Ramsell, Christodoulos Makris, Nurduran Duman, Efe Duyan,  Asta Fanney Sigurðardóttir, Alexander Filyuta, Alessandro Burbank, Heather O’Donnell, Graeme Smith and Dominic Hale.

You can also wrote your own lines of poetry to become part of a shared collective poem.

Free Tickets can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/european-literature-night-part-1-tickets-24960390199

Older Scots: poetry is good for you!

Older Scots urged to ‘embrace the health benefits of poetry’ as new collection on ageing launched

Second Wind poets photo

Older Scots are being encouraged to embrace the health benefits of reading and writing poetry as an exclusive new collection of poetry on the theme of ageing is launched this month.

Released by independent charity the Saltire Society in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library, Second Wind is a collection of almost 50 finely-crafted poems from award-winning Scottish writers Douglas Dunn, Vicki Feaver and Diana Hendry.

Wise, funny, cutting and honest, the poems collected in Second Wind seek to challenge false preconceptions about ageing and tackle a wide range of age-related themes including childhood memories, illness, retirement, absent friends and grandchildren.

Two special readings of the new collection by its authors will take place as part of Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing festival. Now in its fourth year, the Festival has a busy schedule of events running across Scotland throughout October. The first reading event for Second Wind (already sold out) takes place at the Saltire Society’s headquarters in Edinburgh on 15 October at 6.30pm and the second will be held at 6pm on 26 October at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum.

The Second Wind collection is launched as the most recent survey results from the Scottish Government show that the percentage of Scots aged 60-74 who read regularly for pleasure rose from 65% in 2009 to 73% in 2013, a higher percentage than any other age group.

Recent research from the Mental Health Foundation suggests that participation in cultural activities results in increased confidence and self-esteem among participants, and may help to improve long term cognitive functioning, communication, memory and creative thinking.

For those who would like to explore the Second Wind poems in more depth, the Scottish Poetry Library will also host two specially facilitated poetry reading groups in Edinburgh on Saturday 7 November at 11 am and 2pm. These events will be led by poet, tutor and former Scottish Book Trust Reader in Residence Kate Hendry, who is also the daughter of Second Wind contributor Diana Hendry.

Saltire Society Executive Director Jim Tough said: “There is a growing body of evidence to show that creativity in later life has real health benefits. What is more, this new collection of poems demonstrates just how much older writers have to offer. Hopefully, it will inspire many more from the older generation to get involved both in reading and writing poetry.”

Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Poetry Library, Director Robyn Marsack added: “The later work of artists – think of Beethoven, Matisse, Yeats – often shows their willingness to change direction, their maturity as artists combined with new insights. We’re delighted to have been able to provide the impetus for three poets whose undiminished poetic energy will strike a chord with many readers.”

A poem for National Poetry Day

A poem to celebrate National Poetry Day

chry

LUCOZADE

by JACKIE KAY

My mum is on a high bed next to sad chrysanthemums.
‘Don’t bring flowers, they only wilt and die.’
I am scared my mum is going to die
on the bed next to the sad chrysanthemums.

She nods off and her eyes go back in her head.
Next to her bed is a bottle of Lucozade.
‘Orange nostalgia, that’s what that is,’ she says.
‘Don’t bring Lucozade either,’ then fades.

‘The whole day was a blur, a swarm of eyes.
Those doctors with their white lies.
Did you think you could cheer me up with a Woman’s Own?
Don’t bring magazines, too much about size.’

My mum wakes up, groggy and low.
‘What I want to know,’ she says,’ is this:
where’s the big brandy,the generous gin, the Bloody Mary,the biscuit tin, the chocolate gingers, the dirty big    meringue?’

I am sixteen; I’ve never tasted a Bloody Mary.
‘Tell your father to bring a luxury,’ says she.
‘Grapes have no imagination, they’re just green.
Tell him: stop the neighbours coming.’

I clear her cupboard in Ward 10B, Stobhill Hospital.
I leave, bags full, Lucozade, grapes, oranges,
sad chrysanthemums under my arms,
weighted down. I turn round, wave with her flowers.

My mother, on her high hospital bed, waves back.
Her face is light and radiant, dandelion hours.
Her sheets billow and whirl. She is beautiful. 
Next to her the empty table is divine.

I carry the orange nostalgia home singing an old song.