GETTING BACK TOGETHER AGAIN!

Short story lovers get ready for November ’22.

To celebrate 10 years of the Word Factory community welcome The New Story, a short story festival co-curated by Cathy Galvin and me.

The minds behind The Sunday Times Short Story Award and London Short Story Festival coming together again to celebrate 10 years of Word Factory ‘the national organisation for excellence in the short story’ The Guardian.

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Making Writers

I’ve edited a new anthology for my German publisher, Verlag Wagenbach. It’s called ‘Ireland/Irland‘ and it is an anthology of short works (and a little poetry) for all over Ireland – acting like a fictional travel guide. There’s new work from Darran Anderson, Jan Carson and Riley Johnston, with classic stories and book extracts from Kevin Barry, Evelyn Conlon, Rob Doyle, Liam O’Flaherty, Dave Lordan, Frank O’Connor, Eilis Ní Dhuibhne, Kerri Ní Dochartaigh, and a bit from The Good Son (they are my publishers, they insisted!). Coming out in March around St Patrick’s Day. I’ll keep you posted.

I’m looking forward to teaching at the inaugural Look North Festival in Belfast. If you fancy coming along here’s the details.

“Over the weekend you will attend a Short Story workshop from 10am – 12 noon on Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th February.

You will find out what competition judges, anthology and journal editors look for in a short story. You will get tips on where to start the action, how to grab the reader, along with opportunities for submission, how to find them and where you should be sending your stories. 

Paul McVeigh is a writer, author and performer. His novel, The Good Son, won The Polari First Novel Award and the McCrea Literary Award. He is the Editor of three anthologies, including, 32: An Anthology of Irish Working-Class Voices, (Unbound), published in 2021.”

Book here. Check out the programme here.

You can listen to my most recent short story ‘Daddy Christmas’ (which aired on BBC Radio 4 on Christmas Day) on iPlayer for the next year. 

The Good Son: Won The Polari Prize & The McCrea Literary Award

“The Good Son is a work of genius from a splendid writer.”

Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler

“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.” Donal Ryan

Delighted to be part of Jaipur Literature Festival again. This event is online – please join us.

37. EACH OTHERS’ STORIES – March 8th – 2.30pm.

Anushka Jasraj, Nisha Susan, Paul McVeigh, Sonal Kohli and Indira Chandrasekhar in conversation.

Anushka Jasraj,  Nisha Susan,  Paul McVeigh,  Sonal Kohli,  Indira Chandrasekhar

You can listen to my most recent short story ‘Daddy Christmas’ (which aired on BBC Radio 4 on Christmas Day) on iPlayer for the next year.

The Good Son: Won The Polari Prize & The McCrea Literary Award

“The Good Son is a work of genius from a splendid writer.”

Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler

“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.” Donal Ryan

“The ninth Bath Short Story Award is open for entries now and will close on Monday, April 11th at midnight BST. We welcome stories of up to 2200 words on any subject or theme from anywhere in the world. Before entering, please check the rules for more details.
This year, the competition is judged by novelist, short story writer, playwright and writing teacher, Paul McVeigh who has judged many short story awards. Read our interview with him to find out more about him and what he looks for in a short story.
The longlist and shortlist for the 2022 Award is likely to be announced in July 2022 and the winners by August 2022.

Prizes as follows:
£1200, first prize
£300, second prize
£100, third prize
£100, the Acorn Award for an unpublished writer of fiction.
£50 in book vouchers for the local prize, donated by Mr B’s Emporium of Books, Bath. 

Entries: £9.00 each, online only.
Word limit: 2200.

We look forward to reading your stories.
NB. We are not accepting simultaneous submissions this year. Thanks.”

I’m honoured to have been invited to co-curate Birmingham Literature Festival this year. Here’s what they are saying over at their website…

“Birmingham Literature Festival, which will run 6-9 October 2022, has today announced that Casey Bailey, Paul McVeigh and Otegha Uwagba will join the team as Guest Curators for this year.

With interests including poetry, politics, performance, journalism, short stories and education, the three Guest Curators bring an enormous range of creativity to the 2022 Birmingham Literature Festival.

As Guest Curators, Casey, Paul and Otegha will work alongside the Birmingham Literature Festival team to programme events which interest them personally, or speak to their areas of expertise and experience.”

Hope to see some of you there.

I am beyond excited. Beside myself, really.

I’ve always loved Christmas. I love short stories. To write a short story to be aired on Christmas Day on BBC Radio 4 is such an honour. I can’t imagine anything in my career matching the buzz of being part of the Christmas Day schedule. That I can write a story about a gay man to go out on Christmas Day feels like such a moment too.

Thanks to producer Michael Shannon for commissioning me and Bill Maul on sound.

You can check it out here. I hope you can tune in or listen after on BBC iPlayer.