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Appearing JLF Doha, Qatar

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JLF Doha, Qatar: Dec 12-14

 

I’m excited to be heading to Qatar soon for JLF Doha. Here are my events at the Qatar National Library.

Fri 13th, 6:20 PM TO 7:05 PM, SPECIAL EVENT AREA 

Writing Conflict: Paul McVeigh, Ahmad Dallal, and Prayaag Akbar in conversation

In a world fraught with conflict, eminent writers speak of how they make sense of the disturbances and dystopias around us. Prayaag Akbar’s award-winning novel Leila, adapted into a popular Netflix series, addresses the ongoing conflicts in society. Paul McVeigh’s debut novel, The Good Son, tells the story of the Irish Troubles in turbulent Belfast. Writer and academic Ahmed Dallal has examined the conflicts of the Middle East.

2:55 PM TO 3:40 PM AUDITORIUM

What is Not Said:​​​​​​​ Celebrating the Short Story: Alex Shaw, Kaltam Jabor M. Al-kuwari and Paul McVeigh in conversation

The brevity of short fiction, illuminating transformative moments in life, eliminating all that is unnecessary, takes it to the heart of the reader. A session which investigates and celebrates the form and function of the short story. Conversations and contextual readings featuring Alex Shaw, author of the popular Aidan Snow SAS series, Kaltam Jabor M. Al-kuwari, the first Qatari women to author a collection of short stories, and Paul McVeigh, author of The Good Son and director and co-founder of London Short Story Festival, Paul McVeigh.

 

I hope to see some of you in Doha!

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The 32 Hits The Belfast Telegraph

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The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices

in the Belfast Telegraph

Did you know that Northern Ireland is the only region in the UK that has no writer development agency? It meant working class writers from NI couldn’t apply to be part of Kit de Waal’s ‘Common People’ anthology. ‘The 32’ anthology is here to redress this.  Please pledge.
Read all about it in The BElfast Telegraph today.
‘The 32’: please pledge.
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‘The 32’ hits Hot Press

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Paul McVeigh launches The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices

on crowdfunding publisher

Delighted that The 32 was covered by Hot Press. Here’s a taste…

Kevin Barry, Roddy Doyle and Lisa McInerney are among the contributors to the upcoming collection of essays.

Following the success of Kit de Waal’s Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers, Belfast author Paul McVeigh has announced the launch of The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices on Unbound – the world’s first crowdfunding publisher.

Bringing together 16 published writers and 16 new voices to share their experiences of being working class in Ireland, The 32 will feature essays from Kevin Barry, Lisa McInerney, Roddy Doyle, Senator Lynne Ruane, Dermot Bolger, among many others.

Award-winning author Paul McVeigh, who featured in Kit de Waal’s Common People is set to edit the anthology.

“Too often, working class writers find that the hurdles they have to leap are higher and harder to cross than for writers from more affluent backgrounds,” states the project’s synopsis. “The 32 will see writers who have made that leap reach back to give a helping hand to those coming up behind.

“We read because we want to experience lives and emotions beyond our own, to learn, to see with others’ eyes – without new working class voices, without the vital reflection of real lives, or role models for working class readers and writers, literature will be poorer. We will all be poorer.”

 

Please consider pledging here.

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I’m editing ‘The 32’ hits The Bookseller

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Unbound launches Irish working class writers anthology

The 32 is launched on the Unbound site. The Bookseller covered the launch here.

Please pledge to read 16 new pieces of work from the best writers in the country and help 16 new writers from working class backgrounds at the same time!

In a recent documentary on BBC Radio 4, novelist Kit de Waal asked ‘where are the working class writers?’ The answer is ‘right here’ in The 32.

Inspired by a shared concern that working class voices are increasingly absent from the pages of books and newspapers, Kit de Waal came together with publishers Unbound to create the hugely successful Common People anthology.

The Observer recently described Kit de Waal’s My Name Is Leon and my novel The Good Son as the ‘exceptional working-class novels from the last few years’ so it seems apt that Kit passes the baton to me to edit The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices.

Like Common People, The 32 will be a collection of essays and memoir, bringing together sixteen well-known writers from working class backgrounds with an equal number of new and emerging writers from all over the island of Ireland.

These new writers will be selected by an open call and we are working with the Cork World Book Festival, Irish Writers Centre, Munster Literature Centre, and Words Ireland to provide additional support.

Too often, working class writers find that the hurdles they have to leap are higher and harder to cross than for writers from more affluent backgrounds. The 32 will see writers who have made that leap reach back to give a helping hand to those coming up behind.

We read because we want to experience lives and emotions beyond our own, to learn, to see with others’ eyes – without new working class voices, without the vital reflection of real lives, or role models for working class readers and writers, literature will be poorer. We will all be poorer. Pledge for The 32 and join these writers to help to make a difference.

Contributors So Far Include:

Claire Allan

Kevin Barry

Dermot Bolger

June Caldwell

Martin Doyle

Roddy Doyle

Rosaleen McDonagh

Lisa McInerney

Dave Lordan

Danielle McLaughlin

Eoin McNamee

Melatu Uche Okorie

Senator Lynne Ruane

Rick O’Shea

Dr Michael Pierse

Please pledge if you can!

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Me and Kit in Morges

Radio 4 Story Recorded Today!

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My second short story commission from BBC Radio 4 was recorded today at the BBCNI studios. It was read by the excellent Belfast actor Tony Flynn and produced by Michael Shannon. The transmission date is down for November 22 at 3.45pm.

‘Cuckoo’ is a departure for me so I’m a little nervous. I hope you like it.

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16th International Conference On The Short Story In English

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I’m attending the 16th International Conference On The Short Story In English in Calabria, Italy, 24-27 June 2020. This will be my third conference (following Vienna and Lisbon) and this time around I’m honored to be asked to teach a class. The details are below.

That Killer First Page

Paul will share what editors, first readers and judges look for in a short story. He will discuss how to get your story published, 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. For the workshop, you write an opening and get feedback on that. We will look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.

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Visiting Ardoyne Library

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I’ll be returning to Ardoyne Library during Book Week NI. This library was where I would hide from the streets of Ardoyne – the bullies and The Troubles. It’s where I indulged my love for books, as we had none in our house, and I don’t know what I would have done without it! Come along if you can.

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Winner of ‘McCrea Literary Award​’

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Winner of ‘McCrea Literary Award’

I am delighted to have been awarded the McCrea Literary Award 2018/19 for my short stories. I won the award previously for my debut novel The Good Son. The award is given biannually by the University of Ulster. Have a great day!

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“I devoured it in a day, but I’ve thought about it for many, many more.”
Bailey’s Prize-winner Lisa McInerney
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.”
Donal Ryan

 

New Work in ‘Smashing It’

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‘SMASHING IT’ ANTHOLOGY 

Use Code SMASHINGIT50 for 50% discount but HURRY

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Buy Here

I’ve written a new short story for this anthology ‘All Eyes On Me’. Featuring writing, lyrics and images by Riz Ahmed, Malorie Blackman, Salena Godden, Kerry Hudson, Maxine Peake and Wiley to name just a few.

About the anthology…

Working-class artists are hugely under-represented in the arts industries, facing extra challenges from unpaid work to prejudice, though they make up a third of the British population. How can we break this cycle of inequality?

Smashing It celebrates the achievements of working-class artists in Britain, from the global takeover of Grime musicians to the literary powerhouses pushing representative narratives, also showcasing their works. Offering guidance and inspiration, leading musicians, playwrights, visual artists, filmmakers and writers share how they overcame obstacles, from the financial to the philosophical, to make it in the arts.

An essential read, Smashing It will empower those who will be a part of tomorrow’s bigger picture.

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About the Editor

Sabrina Mahfouz is a British Egyptian playwright, poet and screenwriter. Sabrina has been the Sky Arts Academy Scholar for Poetry, Leverhulme Playwright in Residence and Associate Artist at Bush Theatre, and she was named one of the inaugural 40 under 40 Royal Society of Literature fellows in 2018. The editor of the Guardian Book of the Year, The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write, Mahfouz’s writing has also been published in The Good Immigrant and Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic.