About Me

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Shortlisted Bath Short Story Award 2013 Runner-up Cinnamon Press Competition 2013 WNNER: Don Louth Writer of the Year (run by Reading Writers) WINNER: Bradt/Independent on Sunday Travel Writing Competition 2012. SHORTLISTED: Scott Prize (Salt Publishing) 2012 for a short story collection. Writer/ Journalist - assistant editor and writer for the art and books pages of Wolfprint. Most recently published in Independent on Sunday and short story anthologies: Sentinel Champions No 9, 100 Stories for Queensland, 50 Stories for Pakistan, 100 Stories for Haiti and From Hell to Eternity. In a recent writing competition, Joanne Harris described my writing as '...compelling (but quite creepy)'

Saturday 17 September 2011

All Things New

Now is the time not to be tiny but to bite, exactly like a flea. It is time to concentrate on getting ahead, truly settling into more success and greater confidence. But it will all be about writing, as other areas of my life are not so good.

As disaster struck - I learned that I had come 2nd in the Sentinel Literary Competition with CHILDREN OF THE RUBBLE

On the worst day imaginable, I had a call to say that I am a finalist in the Brit Writers' Award with A SMALL HISTORY OF JOHN.

Strange- whether it be fate or karma, I do not know.

I am writing with fury - both volume and mood.

Julia Bohanna will get there.

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Solitude

Ode on Solitude

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground.

Whose heards with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest! who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide soft away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix'd; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me dye;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lye.

Alexander Pope

Monday 24 January 2011

...now what was I saying?

Yes, a long time since I have posted here...poor blog is dusty from neglect. But it is always good to begin with a New Year, new hope - all that malarkey.

Entering competitions again but trying to make a more focused plan for the old writing. Otherwise a writing 'career' can feel like a balloon being held by a moody toddler...all over the place and prone to either floating away or being maliciously popped.

So: (In absolutely no particular order)

1. Journalism - plan to do a bit more of this to earn some money. Have been offered job writing art and book pages for Wolfprint - a magazine for which I already assistant edit.

2. Fillers/letters - all earning but not much time required. Have done well with these in the past.

3. Proof-reading - am doing some now and I love it.

4. Fiction - work on weakness that a wonderful mentor has highlighted. Sharpen. Hone. Find the right competitions/publications.

That’s it – a simple plan.

Get the fuck on with it!

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Prizes and Writing Awards

  • Winner Bradt/Independent on Sunday Travel Writing Competition 2012
  • Shortlisted for Salt Publishing's Scott Prize for short story collections 2012
  • Finalist in Brit Writers' Award 2011
  • 2nd in Sentinel Literary Competition 2011
  • Whitechapel Society Anthology to be published 2010
  • Shortlisted for the Mslexia Short Story Competition 2009
  • Shortlisted for The Asham Award 2009
  • Joint winner of the Penguin/Decibel Prize 2008 - Asian Invisible. Published as The Map of Me
  • Highly Commended in The National Galleries of Scotland Short Story Competition 2008
  • Runner-up in Segora Short Story Prize 2008
  • Joint Winner of The Lancet Short Story Competition 2007: The Resurrection Girl.
  • Runner-up in Virgin Trains/The Guardian Short Story Competition 2007: A Small Revolution
  • Winner of the Woman and Home Short Story Competition 2006: Ghosts of Jamaica.
  • Shortlisted for The Asham Award 2005
  • Runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Short Story Competition 2003
  • Winner of The Sunday Telegraph Tourism for Tomorrow Travel Writing Competition 2002: Wolves of Rumania. Winner
  • Winner and also Winner of Most Original Short Story in the Competition in Trowell and District Writers' Competition 2006