Ireland: A literary Invitation

I’ve edited a new anthology for my German publisher, Verlag Wagenbach. It’s called ‘Ireland/Irland: A Literary Invitation‘ and it is an anthology of short works (and a little poetry) from all over Ireland – acting like a fictional travel guide. There’s new work from Darran Anderson, Jan Carson and Riley Johnston, with new and 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!).

There’s been a wonderful review in the German Newspaper ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’.

Irland. Eine literarische Einladung

“…this book prepares you better for a visit to Ireland – including Northern Ireland – than most travel guides can. Because at its core it is always about attitudes on the island, about the wounds of division, the consequences of Brexit, about the effects of economic upswings and declines of recent times. It is about attachment to one’s homeland against the background of a desertification of rural areas, which one may find picturesque as a tourist. In the stories, current attitudes to life meet and create friction. Reflects the everyday life of the people – and what Ireland and Northern Ireland stand for today.” Irland. Eine literarische Einladung published by Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Ulster Book Club reads The Good Son

I’m delighted that next up the Ulster Book Club is heading to Co. Antrim with The Good Son by meself. Crime writer Gerard Brennan will leading the discussion to discover 1980s Ardoyne in ‘this great coming of age novel’ (their words not mine lol). Wed March 30th with thanks to Irish Secretariat Belfast.

Please do join in for free.

The Good Son 3rd Editon

Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize

‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan

Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’Jonathan Coe

Interviewing Armistead Maupin

Armistead Maupin is heading back out on the road and stopping off in Belfast’s Ulster Hall on 8 June 2022. And I get to interview him. Can’t tell you how much this means to me – I feel like I grew up with his characters.

‘Following a successful UK tour in 2019, the bestselling, much-loved author and LGBT activist, Armistead Maupin is bringing his brand new show to Belfast.

Maupin has been blazing a trail through US popular culture since the 1970’s, when his iconic and ground-breaking series Tales of the Citywas first published as a column in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

The novel series has been taking the literary world by storm ever since, and was recently adapted by Netflix into a critically acclaimed series, starring Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis and Elliot Page.

Don’t miss the chance to join America’s ultimate storyteller, as he recounts his favourite tales from the past four decades, offering his own engaging observations on society and the world we inhabit.’

Tickets

Understanding the Industry: PROPHETS, MAKERS AND RISK TAKERS

‘Prophets, Makers and Risk Takers: A Showcase of Writing from Northern Ireland’ is a 2-day festival that brings leading writers in Northern Ireland together, in person and online, to share their ideas and skills with emerging writers, and to promote the best of Northern Irish writing across the world.

I’ll be taking part in the Panel Discussion: Understanding the Industry at 12noon March 9th.

Check out the full programme here.

The Good Son 3rd Editon

Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize

‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan

Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’Jonathan Coe

Teaching at Listowel

3 Day Workshop: Short Story with Paul McVeigh


Date and time

Thu, 2 June – Sat, 4 June 2022

09:00 – 12:30 IST

You can check out the website here and ticket link below.

‘Paul will share what first readers, editors and judges look for in a short story and discuss how to get your story published.

Paul will discuss how to get your story onto that shortlist and how to avoid the rejection pile. Paul will take you behind the scenes of anthologies, competitions and journals, explaining the psychology of the decision-making process and the importance of ‘That Killer First Page’. He will highlight the essential ingredients to create that crucial story opening. In a form and genre where every word counts, you will get tips on staying focused on your story and where to start the action; you will also get clues on when to stop. You will write an opening and get feedback on that. You will look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.

Paul McVeigh’s short stories have been read on BBC Radio 3, 4 & 5 and performed on Sky Arts TV. They have also appeared in many publications including Faber’s ‘Being Various: New Irish Short Stories’, ‘The Art of the Glimpse’, The Irish Times, The London Magazine and The Stinging Fly. ‘Hollow’ was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2017 and he was longlisted in 2021.’

His debut novel ‘The Good Son’ won The Polari First Novel Prize and his work has been translated into seven languages. He reviews for The Irish Times and the TLS. 

Paul has edited the Southword Journal, the ‘Belfast Stories’ anthology from Doire Press (2019) and is the editor of ‘Queer Love’ and ‘The 32′, which includes new work from Roddy Doyle, Kevin Barry and Danielle McLaughlin.

He is associate director of Word Factory ‘the UK’s national organisation for excellence in the short story The Guardian and is co-founder and Director of the London Short Story Festival. Paul has judged many international literary competitions including The Dylan Thomas Prize, The Edge Hill Short Story Prize, The Sean O’Faolin Short Story Prize and currently the V. S. Pritchard Prize for the Royal Society of Literature. He is presently head of Literature for the Arts Council of NI.

This workshop has sold out in Adelaide, Armagh, Bath, Belfast, Brighton, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kuala Lumpur, Lancaster, Listowel, London, Melbourne, Salisbury, Singapore, Ubud and West Cork.’

You can listen to one of my stories on BBC Sounds for all of 2022 – ‘Daddy Christmas’

FREE EVENT – Imagine Festival: The 32 Launch & Why We Need More Diversity In Publishing

The Launch of the 32: An Anthology of Working Class Voices – and Kit de Waal and Paul McVeigh: Why We Need More Diversity in Publishing 

The 32 Launch
Introduced by Kit de Waal and Editor Paul McVeigh with short readings from the Northern Irish contributors Riley Johnston, Dr Michael Pierse and Marc Gregg.

The 32 is the Irish version of ‘Common People’ anthology edited by Kit de Waal. It has 16 established Irish working class voices including Roddy Doyle, Kevin Barry, Lisa McInerney and Daniel McLaughlin, as well as, 16 new writers from across the island of Ireland. The anthology aims to go some way towards highlighting the lack of access working class writers have to the publishing industry.

This event will also include a free wine reception and refreshments. and is supported by The Irish Secretariat and Arts Council of Northern Ireland. 

The launch will include a conversation between two of our leading authors who have championed working class writers discuss the challenges faced by people from less affluent backgrounds in getting into print and how they can be overcome. They will discuss the lack of diversity in publishing and the importance of promoting a wider range of voices in literature.  The event will consider why the books industry still so white, middle-class and male and what steps can we take to make publishing more inclusive.

Crescent Arts Centre

Date Sunday 27 March 2022

Time 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Price – FREE

Book Now

Word Factory Short Story Festival

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.

Sign up to our newsletter to be kept up to date…

Editor of New German Anthology

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.

Teaching at Look North Festival

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

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