And The Lines Are Now Closed

29 Wednesday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in Charity, competition, photo book, The Alzheimer's Society

≈ 2 Comments

No more entries for the photo book competition please. Midnight has passed and so has the deadline.

The winner of the competition should be announced here on Friday.

Thanks so much to all who’ve entered – and there have been a good, good many of you.

I am worried that Katherine and I will have a rather difficult job, which is just splendid.

Just So You Know #2

28 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in Charity, competition, photo book, The Alzheimer's Society

≈ 6 Comments

A number of people have, quite rightly, asked which charity’s going to benefit from the money we raise from the photo book I’m collaborating with Katherine Lewis on.

I am very happy to be able to announce it’s these people: The Alzheimer’s Society.

And the project is definitely taking shape. I can imagine how it’s going to look now, which is exciting. Most of the stories/poems/haiku are in (and brilliant!) and there have been plenty of entries in the competition. So yes, all good, if not a little tiring (on top of the other work that needs doing).

Just So You Know

28 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in competition

≈ 2 Comments

This is how the judging for the competition will work.

All the stories have been/will be printed off without the name of the author.

Katherine and I will, at some point later this week, go through them and pick our favourite.

Then we’ll identify who wrote it. Then the author will be notified and the winner anounced.

I know it’s not ideal as I’ll have seen who’s sent what, but believe me, that won’t affect the judging because I struggle to remember what I’ve had for breakfast.

I thought it best to be clear on the matter, so you all knew.

And folks, there’s still time to enter!

Comp Update

26 Sunday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in art book, competition

≈ 5 Comments

Well, outside the sun has been a shinin’ and the breeze has been cool – pretty much perfect in my book. But I’ve been inside. Working. And I’ve been reaonably productive, I think. I’ve written a couple of bits, I’ve worked on a guest post (I should have done long, long ago) and I’ve made headway with the photo book.

And on that subject I’m delighted to be able to say that we’ve had a load of entries for the competition. And there’s still time for you to enter. Go on, you know you want to!

Competition (And a super secret project revealed)

23 Thursday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in art book, competition, photos

≈ 19 Comments

I have been asked to collaborate on a project which I think will be really cool.

It is an art book. It will contain photographs and very short stories. The photographs are Katherine Lewis’. The stories will be inspired by those photographs (a little bit like what super Sarah Salway’s been doing of late).

Now, I’ll not kid you. It’s not going to be a bestseller. It’s not going to be available in bookshops. It’s going to be produced locally, and any profit it makes will go to charity. But it will be very beautiful, I’m sure of that.

And I thought it’d be rather cool if you were involved. So if you’d like to be one of the 20 contributors all you need to do is write a 50 (ish) word poem or short story inspired by the above photograph. Post your story either in my comments box or email it to me by next Wednesday (29th April). One winner will be picked a little while after that, and that winner will receive a free copy of the finished book.

How’s that sound?

Winner

22 Wednesday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in Book Aid, Fab author friends who are very generous, libraries, world book day

≈ 10 Comments

I was told, last night, by the lovely folks at the library where I run my writing group that the event we/they put on for World Book Day (I blogged about it here here and here) raised the most money in the area for Book Aid.

So three cheers for the library. Three cheers for the group who read wonderfully. And three cheers to all my supercool author chums who donated their books to be raffled.

Honoured by Association

21 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in 3: AM, Paul Simonon, short stories, The Clash, Watching Listening

≈ 2 Comments

So, one week you’re extremely pleased that a story of yours has appeared in an extremely cool place (3 :AM). And then the next week that extremely cool place mentions a band who a) you grew up listening to and b) influenced you hugely (The Clash). And then you notice that they’ve interviewed a member of that band.

Very cool.

And to celebrate…

Mostly Writing

20 Monday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in Annie Clarkson, mostly writing and being busy, Sarah Salway, Vanessa Gebbie

≈ 4 Comments

Not much to report I’m afraid. I’ve been spending a lot of time writing (the red notebook works) and reading. And signing up to a pretty darned cool local secret project which is rather exciting and different. More on that to come.

And some cool links (to make up for the boring bit above!).

Cool stuff from Sarah Salway, Vanessa Gebbie and Annie Clarkson.

And the new issue of The Short Review should be out soon, which is always something to look forward to.

New Notebook Meet New Rug

16 Thursday Apr 2009

Posted by nikperring in Emily Gale, no i've not done cartwheels on it yet, office supplies, The Girl You think I am

≈ 7 Comments

I’ve not much to report on the writing front (other than I’ve been writing), but my new rug arrived yesterday, and I’ve just (sweated buckets and cursed a lot) put it in. Actually it took me hours to realise that the rug shaped parcel with the word ‘rug’ printed on it was in fact the rug, but there you go. I think, after signing for it, I even said to myself, that rug’s still not here yet.

This is a brilliant place to go if you like teen fiction and great writing.

There will be something more relevant to writing up here soon, I promise.