Minifiction Interview

And here’s me talking to Jamie at Minifiction, about, well, mini fiction. And short stories Vs novels, stories taking unexpected turns, and the short story scene here in the UK (yes, it could be a little less closed). Amongst other things. Do pop along. And feel free to leave a comment (whether you agree or think I’m spouting rubbish!).

More soon. Until then…

Not So Perfect is Published

It’s publication day for Not So Perfect. Hooray and hurrah!

I’m over at Scott Pack’s blog (again) today, where I’ve described, as best as I can, each of the stories in Not So Perfect in no more than six words.

It was a challenge. Again, big thanks to Scott for having me.

A huge thanks to everyone who’s pre-ordered or read the book already, and a really huge thanks to all who’ve taken the time to blog about it, review it or post something on amazon about it. It really does make a difference. So, if you read it and you like it, could you spread the word? Only if you feel you can, of course. (I know I sound a horrible asking that, but it really does help!)

And if you’d like to get yourself a copy, you can do from all good book shops. You can buy direct from my publisher, the wonderful Roast Books, from Amazon, from the Big Green Book Shop, or from The Book Depository (free international shipping)- as well as all the others.

Thanks everyone, so much.

Tomorrow I launch it. Wish me luck!

I Have Been Doing Work

I have been doing work. Mostly editing work for my book (out early June, folks, get it in your diary), and while there’s not much I can say about the book just yet what I can tell you is that I am exceptionally excited about how it’s shaping up – I saw the cover art for the first time the other day and I love it.

AND I’ve had all the quotes back from people who’ve read it. These are people whose work I love and who, I don’t mind admitting, I’m a little bit in awe of. And they liked it. Wow.

More soon. Promise.

***

And everyone seems to be getting married, or just got married, or agreeing to marry each other. I won’t mention any names, but you know who you are and I wish you all, all the very best.

***

And I have read a book on the Kindle. Well, not a whole one. I started the brilliant In Search of Adam (see my review here) in its paperback guise and, once my Kindle arrived, downloaded the eBook and continued reading on that. And I can happily report that the experience was a good one.

I will still buy books (I’ve never viewed eReaders as a replacement for actual books) but I would have no problem at all reading more on the Kindle in the future. It works. And it’s convenient. And I can put PDFs on it, which means that if, for instance, I want to read through a lengthy ms away from my office I can and don’t have to take hundreds of pages with me (or print them out).

Identity: A Competition

Delighted to bring this to your attention.

The lovely Stephanella from The Creative Identity has launched a short story competition. The theme is identity. The closing date is June 30th 2010. The stories, as long as they’re on the above theme, should be between 800 and 2500 words, and be entered from anyone over the age of 18 and can be from anywhere in the world, so long as they’re written in English.

The overall prize is £100 (which could be increased if enough entries are received) a copy of the anthology (which might perhaps contain some words from me) and a ten week TCI on-line course.

Every entrant will receive a free critique of their story.

Full details, with entry form, here.

Have yourselves a look!

Even More Short Story Stuff

Firstly, my short story, Modicum, is live over at Fiction at Work.

Teresa Stenson’s blogged about a competition, the prize being publication in Tomlit Quarterly. 

***

Big thanks to the lovely and talented Hannah, who took lots of photographs of me earlier for my (squirm) author pic (no-one’s photographed me since I’ve lost the beard so I thought it was time that changed). Hannah blogs here and is very good; she covered an event I did for World Book Day last year and I was seriously impressed with the results. I mean, she made me look almost normal.

And that’s about it for now, I think.

***

[EDITED TO ADD: I should also say thank you to the lovely Sally Quillford who, when I asked for an unusual and interesting word I could write a story about, suggested ‘Modicum’ – thanks Sally!]

More Short, Short Story Goodness

There’s an excellent interview with the brilliant Tania Hershman over at the also brilliant Nicola Morgan’s blog today. It’s about flash fiction.One of my pieces is up there too, which is lovely. So pop over, have a look, enjoy, and if you’ve any questions for Tania, or any opinion on short, short, stories, good or bad, leave a comment.

Learn From Me

Over the summer I was asked if one of my stories could feature in a US online fiction writing course for high school students, and to cut a long story short I said yes.


Yesterday I saw the part of the course that contained my story, and that made me happy for a number of reasons. I liked that it was under the ‘advanced fiction’ banner (I’ve never been called advanced before) and I also liked that it was in the section that dealt with ‘going beyond the rules’.

But the best bit was that my work’s mentioned in the same sentence as Dave Eggers. Yes. Mr McSweeney’s and Pullitzer Prize Finalist.

Here’s a little quote:

“Another unspoken rule that is generally followed by writers is to avoid writing in the second person point of view.

Flash fiction allows writers to experiment with this point of view because, in a story so short, readers are a little more willing to accept things that would be more difficult to accept if they were spending a long time with them. Read either Seconds Are Ticking By by Nik Perring or Accident by Dave Eggers’.”


Which made me very happy indeed. I just hope my story’s useful.

Nik’s Dieting Tips

A very little piece of flash fiction of mine has just been published by the brilliant Metazen. It’s called, You Are What You Eat (An Alternative Explanation For the Disappearance of the Dinosaurs By Someone Who Might Have Been There) and you can read it by clicking here. I hope you like it.

Ooh, and I discovered yesterday that, on amazon, you can now Look Inside my children’s book.