The obLiterati

This just in from The Willesden Herald

2012-02-16T15:38:00.000-05:00

The short list for the Willesden Herald international new short stories competition 2012 is as follows:

Artist by Y.J. Zhu
Clingfilm by Francis Scappaticci
Curtains by Charles Lambert
Frost Heave by Geraldine Mills
Half by Nick Holdstock
In the Service of the Demon by Jo Barker
Relativity by Mary O'Shea
Slimebank Taxonomy by Eliza Robertson
The Coastal Shelf by Dermot Duffy
Winter Lambing by Virginia Gilbert

Thanks to everyone who entered. Congratulations to the ten on reaching the short list. The winning story and runners up, as chosen by Roddy Doyle, will be announced at the results event. The date and details of the results event and New Short Stories 6 publication will be announced as soon as possible. It is likely to be sometime around the end of March.

Steve Moran

Supported by Willesden Green Writers' Group

Results & prizegiving with Maggie Gee

2011-04-01T12:54:00.003-05:00

2011 short story results & prizegiving with Maggie Gee

JOIN acclaimed author Maggie Gee in London NW10 for an evening to celebrate the short story and discover who has won the International Willesden Herald short story prize 2011. Readings presented by professional actors from Liars' League.

"Oh Bloomsbury, yes, they publish a few books" (Harry Potter)

2010-12-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

Bloomsbury to publish first novel by Vanessa Gebbie

'The Coward's Tale' by Vanessa Gebbie, previous winner of the Willesden short story prize, will be published in hardback in UK byBloomsbury UK, November 2011. Then in paperback late spring 2012, UK and simultaneous trade paperback in USA by Bloomsbury USA. Bloomsbury publishes major writers including J K Rowling.

Labels: own trumpet, blowing

2010-12-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

Laura Solomon wins Hong Kong's Proverse prize

Another prodigy from our previous competitions, Laura Solomon has won Hong Kong's international Proverse prize, for her novelInstant Messages. "Hilarious! Excellent! Its light and ironic touch makes Instant Messages a page-turner and gives it substance." (International Proverse Prize Judges)

You know how we hate to boast but...

2010-11-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

BNZ Katherine Mansfield Award 2010 goes to Wes Lee

Willesden Herald finalist Wes Lee has just won New Zealand's preeminent prize for the short story, The BNZ Katherine Mansfield Award, judged by Booker shortlisted author Lloyd Jones (Mister Pip).

The $10,000 prize is New Zealand's longest standing, most prestigious prize for the short story. Past winners of the award include NZ literary greats such as Keri Hulme, C.K. Stead, Frank Sargeson, Vincent O'Sullivan.

Since her shortlisted story 'The Dead Don't Do That Kind of Thing' was published in Willesden Herald New Short Stories 1 (2007) Wes Lee has won a number of prizes for her short stories. For more information and to read the Katherine Mansfield Award winning story please visit www.weslee.co.nz.

A class act

2010-09-09T12:48:00.000-05:00

Wena Poon's new novel is BBC4 Book at Bedtime

BBC4 Book at Bedtime for the two weeks starting September 6, 2010 will be "Alex y Robert" by Wena Poon. Earlier this year, "The Architects" by Wena Poon took the Willesden Herald 2009-10 prize for best short story of the year. For a lot more about Alex y Robert, please visit Salt Publishing. If you would like to read "The Architects", it is included in New Short Stories 4, which if you buydirect from the publisher between now and December 17th, includes free entry into this year's short story competition.

Special offer

2010-08-19T03:50:00.000-05:00

Read the best of the Willesden Herald stories and get prepaid entry to this year's short story competition. To take up this offer you will need a Pretend Genius online bookstore order confirmation number for one of these four books. Valid 1 August 2010 to 17 December 2010. Thank you.

New Short Stories author receives Mailer scholarship

2010-08-19T03:48:00.000-05:00

Pennsylvania, June 2010: Morowa Yejidé has been awarded Norman Mailer’s Norris Church Mailer Scholarship in Creative Writing at Wilkes University. The widow Mrs. Mailer presented the award to Ms Yejidé at an awards banquet at the campus. "Tokyo Chocolate," first featured in the 2009 Willesden Herald Anthology (New Short Stories 3), will also be featured in the fall issue of the Hiroshima, Japan based magazine Yomimono. Other stories by Morowa Yejidé have since been published in Bananafish Magazine and Jersey Devil Press.

New Short Stories 4 author wins big prize

2010-06-18T05:04:00.000-05:00

Society of Authors' 2010 Awards, London, 15 June 2010

Very pleased to report that twice Willesden Herald short story competition finalist Carys Davies has been awarded the Olive Cook Short Story Award for her story 'The Quiet'. The award, worth £1,000 and judged by Jane Gardam and Jacob Ross, was set up in 2004 and is awarded every two years. Carys Davies joins the impressive list of previous recipients, Claire Keegan, Bethan Roberts and Alison Macleod. (Willesden Herald)

Read "Precious" by Carys Davies in New Short Stories 4.

New Short Stories 4 now out

2010-04-11T17:28:00.002-05:00

The book was launched at a special event this evening in Charles Dickens' house, 48 Doughty Street, London. The results of the Willesden Herald short story competition 2010 were revealed at the end of the evening.

The 2010 prize mug goes to:
"The Architects" by Wena Poon

Equal runners-up:
"Emily Strabnow's Freckles" by Willie Davis
"Falling" by Henrietta Rose-Innes

Richard Peabody says:
"In my next life I'm coming back as the brainy talented author of "The Architects." Talk about brazen, submitting a story about a contest to a writing contest. Does it work? Check. The focus might well be on writers—the same dynamics of love, jealousy, sex, and mentors, applies. New York City is captured in amber. Check. Foreign-born exiles get their due. Check. Authentic dialogue squeezes out sparks. Check. Jokes? Check. Do the juggled balls remain in the air? Check. Yes, I want to be this author, who like a sly child with an Erector Set creates miraculous buildings out of thin air."

The fourteen top short stories for 2010 are included in New Short Stories 4, which is now available.

Steve Moran reading the result

New Short Stories 4 preview

2010-01-28T17:47:00.003-05:00

The shortlisted stories for the Willesden short story competition 2010, adjudicated by Richard Peabody, are:

Busy. Come. Wait. - Tom Vowler
Emily Strabnow's Freckles - Willie Davis
Falling - Henrietta Rose-Innes
In the Land of Flies - Julia Goubert
Letters - Nuala Ní Chonchúir
Love and Longing in the Marvellous City - Jonathan Attrill
Monkey Hat - Kevin Spaide
Precious - Carys Davies
The Architects - Wena Poon
Veronika and Roger-Roger - Toby Litt

Also highly commended:

Hope Street - Paul McGuire
Learning Stick - Jarred McGinnis
Pearl - Peggy Riley
Shutters - Jo Cannon

All will be included in the forthcoming anthology "New Short Stories 4". There will now be a very long wait till the results event when we'll be revealing which story takes the prize mug. The date could be as far ahead as end of March I'm hearing*, which I know is a long drag but at least spring may have arrived by then. Meanwhile here's to the short story. Cheers!

* New Short Stories 4 launch and results announcement: Saturday 10 April, The Charles Dickens Museum. Invitation only.

Update 10/4/2010: New Short Stories 4 launched

Another win for New Short Stories author

2009-11-17T05:35:00.002-05:00

Juked - 2009 Fiction and Poetry Prizes

Fiction Winner: Jill Widner, 'Bisu and the Missionary's Daughter'

Congratulations Jill! You can read Jill's story "Mina and Fina and Lotte Wattimena" in New Short Stories. It conjures a sultry far eastern scenario of youthful adventure and discovery in rich and evocative detail. (Willesden Herald)

Stop press

2009-11-11T16:55:00.002-05:00

the mid-month mini

Hugh Fox cometh, interviews, a new video, hat

Trees lounge

2009-11-01T05:40:00.001-05:00

"Infamous author Aden Bell attempts to seduce a Dover edition of Gertrude Stein's famous book, Tender Buttons"

Isn't that the young Gene Wilder? (Willesden Herald)

Cafe Hopeless

Newsletter #7

2009-10-30T15:26:00.000-05:00

Pushcart Prize, Pretend Genius, Write This - announcing Pushcart prize nominees, Halloween issue and new book by Dean Strom

Pushcart nominations for Willesden finalists - nominating six out of New Short Stories 3. The nominated stories in order of appearance in the book are by Jo Lloyd, Carys Davies, Morowa Yejidé, Nick Holdstock, Jill Widner and Ben Cheetham. Congratulations and good luck to all - any could win! There is a good possibility that some of next year's short list could also be nominated, so get your hats on and saddle up or mosey down or whatever it is writers do to get into town.

Thoroughbred racing form

2009-10-30T15:19:00.003-05:00

Asham Award winner announced

Jo Lloyd is the winner of the 2009 Asham Award. "...her gentle evocative story Because it is Running By won the £1,000 top prize announced on September 26 by chair of judges Di Speirs, executive producer for BBC Radio 4. The prize giving was held at Charleston, East Sussex, during the annual short story festival Small Wonder. The judges, who included David Constantine and Erica Wagner, were unanimous in their praise for Jo Lloyd's story. Among the tributes paid was one from novelist and short story writer Alison MacLeod. “This was one of the best stories I have read this year,” Alison commented. “Subtle, understated and poignant……a balance of eagle-eyed realism and really fresh lyricism …… with perfectly pitched rhythm of prose.” ... Jo Lloyd was brought up in Wales and now lives in Oxford. Her stories have been long listed for the Bridport Prize and she has won this year’s Willesden Herald Short Story Prize for her story Work."

Jo Lloyd's first win was earlier this year in our own competition and her winning story "Work" is in New Short Stories 3. "Jo Lloyd is somehow able to write everyday paragraphs that lift off into flourishes of quiet wisdom - a wisdom whose warmth and sensitivity is in poignant contrast to the cold world she describes." (Rana Dasgupta)

High praise for New Short Stories 3 author

2009-05-08T07:01:00.002-05:00

Judge's Report

"Work" is a characteristically understated title for a story that concerns itself with the very ordinary, and manages to find there philosophy, politics, and great vistas of melancholy feeling. I admire it intensely: Jo Lloyd is somehow able to write everyday paragraphs that lift off into flourishes of quiet wisdom - a wisdom whose warmth and sensitivity is in poignant contrast to the cold world she describes.

Like all the best short stories, this is a capacious work of literature, and it confronts the reader with big questions. High-flown captions come to mind: it is about the degradations of capitalism, the nature of contemporary friendship, the meaning of work, of risk and of loyalty - but the story itself prohibits such ungainly representation. Jo has found for it a voice of memorable clarity and simplicity, and it speaks perfectly, beautifully, for itself.

Rana Dasgupta

_________________________________________________

The winning story, as chosen by Rana Dasgupta, was "Work" by Jo Lloyd. (Full details)

Anthology

If you would like to read all the shortlisted stories, the best short stories for 2009, they are available now in New Short Stories 3.

Judge

Acclaimed author Rana Dasgupta kindly agreed to choose the winning entries.

About Solo (Fourth Estate, 2009): 'A novel of exceptional, astonishing strangeness, Solo confirms Rana Dasgupta as the most unexpected and original Indian writer of his generation.' (Salman Rushdie)

Tokyo Cancelled (Harper Collins, 2005) has been translated into nine languages. "Thirteen stories ... marvels of fabulation, visions and voices, rich in startling insights" (TLS). "The stories ... ah, they outdo The Arabian Nights for inventiveness" (Guardian).

we're talking books

2009-04-11T14:54:00.006-05:00

Café Hopeless

write this giving away money

2009-04-08T11:06:00.002-05:00

writethis.com now paying $50 per accepted piece. they don't look the same neither.

get all the news from the pretend genius newsletter.

nss3 launched - bless all who sail in her

2009-03-17T21:01:00.008-05:00

"Inspiring night at Costa Coffee for the Short Story Night, with writers Jo Lloyd, Jill Widner, and Margot Taylor. Wise words from Rana Dasgupta who this year replaced Zadie Smith as judge of the Willesden Herald prize" (Lane7)

"I’ve just finished reading Jo Lloyd’s Work, and it is superb - a poignant and sensitive study of loneliness, bond-building and alienation within the workplace, that is subtly understated, and all the more powerful for that." (Jenny Barden)

"Another highlight is Amy by Nick Holdstock, who very ably and wryly depicts the sometimes quite contrary nature of the male psyche. The collections ends on a very high note with Ben Cheetham’s The Hate Club, a great evocation of how cruel hormone-ridden teens can be, and the pain that such actions can cause later in life." (Authortrek)

In the news on the prestigious BBC National Short Story Award site (The Short Story)

Dedicated website: New Short Stories

Clayton Clementine

Winner of 2009 Willesden Herald Short Story Prize announced.

2009-03-10T08:48:00.007-05:00

The results are in and the winner of this year's Willesden Herald Short Story Prize is "Work" by Jo Lloyd. Here are some strange pictures from the event at Costa Cafe': strange pictures.

More details at pretend genius and willesden herald and new short stories.

The anthology based on the short-list and winner can be added to your collection of cool collectibles from our store: the bookstore.

More about the best short stories of 2009 here: New Short Stories 3 - the book.

Congratulations to everyone involved.

Horowitz Merkianou

Once more into the breach

2009-03-01T16:29:00.002-05:00

If you can put up with Facebook's on again, off again privacy two-step gavotte (after all they can only promulgate whatever baloney you feed them!) please sign up for some divarsion and high jinks at one of these:

* Monday 9 March | Pulp Net | Short Story Café | 7.30pm

Rana Dasgupta will be at the Pulp Net Short Story Café, to announce the winner of the Willesden Herald Short Story Prize. And to give a reading.

Rana’s first book, Tokyo Cancelled, a thirteen-part story cycle, was published in 2005 and translated into nine languages. His novel, Solo, from which he will be reading later in the eveining, is out in March.

"A novel of exceptional, astonishing strangeness, 'Solo' confirms Rana Dasgupta as the most unexpected and original Indian writer of his generation." Salman Rushdie

Source/More: Pulp Net

Agnellis Nicospotou

Short story café

2009-02-11T11:17:00.007-05:00

9 March 2009

Rana Dasgupta
at Costa Coffee in Piccadilly, London

The winners of the short story competition will be announced.

More: Pulp Net

Darleen Hunt

Hot off the presses

2009-02-11T10:54:00.001-05:00

and the ten shortlisted for the Willesden Herald international short story competition 2009 -> are <-

Facebook bookface

2009-01-28T10:00:00.004-05:00

let's go out and get bookfaced - click this invisible link to join

Philippa Panshee

Short story competition update

2008-08-22T06:08:00.000-05:00

Sponsorship deal announced (link)

Hurumako Hatoiti

here come the judge

2008-07-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

Announcement

Rana Dasgupta has agreed to adjudicate the forthcoming Willesden Herald short story competition.

Brender Muhlbadoon

Friend of a friend

2008-06-09T10:07:00.002-05:00

whiskey river

click above for quote from Joanne Kyger.

2 poems by Joanne Kyger in "last night's dream corrected".

haven't eaten for 3 days. (Smedley)

Mentioned in dispatches

2008-03-27T05:01:00.001-05:00

the short review: interview

"And an anthology from The Willesden Herald – New Short Stories 1. There’s quite a variety in that – it contains what my contemporaries are writing, and I love the up-to-dateness of anthologies and lit mags for just that reason." (Nuala Ní Chonchúir)

Winton Pookie

we'll be there to save the day

2008-02-14T10:18:00.007-05:00

pretend genius will be at the small press book fair (apr. 19) that is part of the big bethesda literary bullshit festival located at the tony bethesda address of 4508 walsh st. in the washington d.c. area.

we're sending two of our finest:

j. tyler blue
and
sean?

because we care.
because we dare.
because we stare.
because we mare.
because we gare.
because we zare.

pretend genius.

because we rare.

and the nominals are...

2008-02-10T12:19:00.001-05:00

In the words of Butch, or was it Sundance...

2008-02-09T09:58:00.008-05:00

The Atlantic: "a very Zadie contest"

The Daily Telegraph: "Author Zadie Smith attacks literary prizes"

The Sunday Times: "Zadie Smith sinks teeth into book awards"

The Telegraph - Endpaper: "A true literary car crash over at the Willesden Herald"

Guardian Books: "When should a books jury remain out?"

LA Times Jacketcopy: "Be careful what you wish for"

Save the Short Story: "Let’s Save the Willesden Herald Short Story Prize"

Bookninja: "When no one is good enough"

Ward Six: "We're not worthy"

The Stranger (Seattle): "Another reason to love her"

Bookbrowse: Book prizes only "nominally about literature"

Shameless Words: A Warning About Blog Comments

Britannica Blog: Should Literary Prizes Reward Mediocrity?

—who are these guys?

a statement from pretend genius about willesden herald short story contest 2008

2008-02-08T16:45:00.000-05:00

dear readers of this exceptional piece of internet space,

i'd like to have a word with some of you so-called writers. a fireside chat, if you will, on why the various entries that i, in my dead state, did read and why they were not up to—yes, you know the word. i re-translated my thoughts from english and put them here to you in order to effectively communicate what makes gooder writing with the hope that you all will understand why we (pretend genius) agreed with the judgement of the judger of this contest.

the dramatic judgment and the ensuing humanicus dumbassicus vitriolicus (yes, i speak portuguese) that followed has inspired me (dead henry) to issue forth observations on gooder writing. i (still dead henry) have from time to time been known to offer something or other to those who seek it. not all of this something or other is understandable, however, and based on the cloistered nature of the human brain (meaning yours) this is not surprising. but due to my philoprogenitive nature i shall rise above the tendency of most 'writers' to horde and shall therefore generously particularize the monads of gooder writing for you in this introduction in the hopes that you will accept the judgement and move on with your so-called lives.

i. addressing the fundamental flaws in your approach

- the notion that gooder writing can be learned is false.
- the notion that reading can help you become a gooder writer is false.
- the notion that 'workshopping' can make you a gooder writer is false.
- the notion that feelings (suffering, love, happiness, grief, the 'heart') is the birthplace of gooder writing is false.
- the notion that the telling of a good story comprises gooder writing is false.
- the notion that mastery of language produces gooder writing is false.

if you believe that any of these notions have actually helped you to become a gooder writer, i assure you the connection (perceived) is coincidental. in short, everything you have thus far believed as it relates to gooder writing is false. once you have purged your quill of these dumbass beliefs you will be ready to work on your bow.

ii. observation is what goes in, it's something else entirely that comes out

were you a gooder writer this would be perfectly clear to you. but since you are not i shall make it crystal clear.

what one observes should not also be what one relates. a blue bird, for example, once recorded by the brain, should not then be preserved by that brain for the purpose of recitation. the recordation of the blue bird should serve as a template that will become sublimated, transformed, coalesced (with x), enhanced. i shall call this the 'alchemization' of the blue bird. this, like observation, is an involuntary reflex of the limited human brain that requires little of its already teenie-weenie functional capacities.

should someone observe a blue bird only to recite 'blue bird' or 'flying blue thing with some other sharp pointy thing on its head' we can say that what that someone is reciting is the original recordation of the blue bird which served as the brain's template. this is non-fiction/journalism crap and does not comprise gooder writing. the alchemization of the blue bird, although complete, is inaccessible to this someone (you).

iii. the two necessary events following alchemization that bring about the effect known as gooder writing

although the involuntary alchemization of what one observes provides the stuff of gooder writing, the ability to access this stuff without de-alchemizing it or un-transforming it is what separates gooder 'writers' from less gooder 'writers'. it is therefore necessary that two events occur following alchemization:

1. the destruction of the original recordation that served as the template from which the alchemization occurred.

the destruction of the original template launches the mind into a realm known as 'imagination'. the destruction of this template can also be called 'letting go'. i'll note for you, although it should be obvious, that the 'letting go' does not occur prior to the alchemization, nor is the 'letting go' necessary for the alchemization to occur. the letting go or destruction of the original template facilitates the accessing of the alchemization from the area the alchemization occurred (the imagination). should the original template not be completely destroyed, the effects produced would be similar to dada or beat as the mind is still hanging by one arm, so to speak, from the partially undestroyed original template. the mind, in turn, wanting to let go but not having the courage to completely let go produces writing based on this awareness, which resembles something that may have been the effect of this 'letting go' but in reality is an effect produced by wanting to let go, being afraid to let go, not wanting anyone to know you are afraid to let go, and finally not being able to let go. this is not gooder writing. what what? no, what's more, 'letting go' artificially by some external means is also evidence of the lack of courage necessary to let go. this also depreciates the original template, for even though the original template must eventually be destroyed, seeing it as it is is vital to its alchemization. this type of artificial letting go also produces royal crapola.

the destruction ('letting go') of the original recordation that served as the template from which the alchemization occurred is the most difficult and important part of gooder writing. should one not destroy the original recordation or 'let go', the ability to access the alchemized blue bird in the 'imagination' is impossible. it may seem like a simple thing to do but i assure you (yet again (peasants)) that less than 1% of 1% of the entire human population, present and past, has ever had the ability to 'let go' for the purpose of producing gooder writing.

2. the accessing of the alchemization of the original recordation.

once one has 'let go', the ability to access the alchemization of the original recordation is academic. it is not a matter of how this accessing occurs, just as it is not a matter of how one gets wet in the ocean. it simply occurs.

in conclusion re: the introduction

it is my hope that with this basic introduction to gooder writing that most of you will see the futility of attempting it and give up completely, therefore assuring these dead eyes that they will not see anything that is not gooder writing. if, however, you wish to 'hope against all hope', a more nuanced elaboration of this introduction might follow. though i doubt any of you dumbasses will get it.

dead henry

Defasten this

2008-01-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

"Moment-pulverising pretend genius fish" (Glumphoboo)

Review

2008-01-01T08:59:00.000-05:00

James Browning Kepple & Kim Gorannson, Couplet

"Couplet is an ingenious object: two poets' respective collections printed back to back. Each poem is faced, not with a blank page, but with the other poet's upside-down poem. Hey, it saves paper." (Rambles.NET)

Ernestine Colcupisco

The truth will enslave you

2007-12-06T10:33:00.001-05:00

Writers write. Actors read. Audience listens. Everybody wins. Liars’ League is a monthly night of new short stories by rising authors, read by professional actors. With 90 minutes of fiction for only £3, literature as entertainment has never been so good. (Liars' League)

a letter of hope and hopiness to the pretend genii out there

2007-12-02T10:47:00.000-05:00

dear pretend genii,

we are pleased to announce that we (the s? group) have purchased pretend genius. there will be very few changes to the current operation. we will try to conglamerize (we looked it up) all aspects of the empire (pretend genius and write this). dead henry will remain as our editor and point of contact for all matters relating to the press. other changes are internal and will be transparent to our lovers. an obvious change will be featured pieces published on the pretend genius website. we promise that we shall make up for past, current, and future laziness by acting on impulse. puny horblechumpsker. our goal is to not drive this publishing house into the ground.

thank you.

we've been buyed

2007-11-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

we've been buyed by the s? group, which will begin running the pretend genius empire starting december 2, 2007. the group will release a statement soon.

thank you,

soon to be former pretend genius president,

barry

Eat our dust, Eggers

2007-11-27T13:04:00.000-05:00

Short story prize for emerging literary talent

"The Willesden Herald short story prize, judged by Zadie Smith & open to all, is a cool £5000. No entry fee; submit by 12/21." (Maud Newton)

We taught us everything they knew

2007-11-27T10:23:00.000-05:00

The Dead Walk Backwards by Steve Finbow

Peeling Oranges

2007-11-27T10:20:00.000-05:00

Peeling Oranges

A novel [2007] by James Lawless, whose story "Jolt" is included in New Short Stories 1.

Interview with Willie Davis

2007-11-27T10:04:00.000-05:00

The Urbanite magazine

"...his short story “Gather and Sing” was named one of the notable stories of the year by online literary magazine storySouth. [Included in the anthology Fish Drink Like Us]. In January 2007, his short story “Kid in a Well,” part of his novel The Darktown Strut, was the winner of the Willesden Short Story Prize. [Included in the anthology New Short Stories - 1]..."

In the news

2007-11-23T08:12:00.001-05:00

"This year, the Willesden Herald has bumped up the prize for its short story competition, judged for the third year by Zadie Smith, from a 'rare inscribed mug' to £5,000. Entry remains free, as does the ethos of a competition, which is designed to encourage emerging talent in the literary short story. To enter, visit newshortstories.com. Closing date: December 21." (Guardian Unlimited Books)

pretend genius [press] - podcast 5

2007-10-24T07:37:00.000-05:00

Kid in a Well by Willie Davis

I never work on days when there's a fire in town. It's a holiday as far as I'm concerned, and not just because it means the end of the world to some poor bastard, or family thereof...

"Kid in a Well" by Willie Davis, won the Willesden Short Story Prize 2007. Willie Davis teaches English at the University of Maryland. This story in included in the anthology New Short Stories 1 (Pretend Genius, 2007)

Subscribe to this podcast with iTunes

Visit pretend genius [press] on iTunes

Add this URL to your own podcast software.

go sell it on the mountain

2007-09-29T04:29:00.000-05:00

blow your own

The Willesden Herald
International
Short Story Prize 2008
Judge: Zadie Smith

Closing date for receipt of entries: 21 December 2007.

The competition is open to all aged 18 or over, regardless of nationality or country of residence.

The prizes for 2008 are: 1st place £5000. For nine runners up, publication of their short-listed stories (optional) in the anthology “New Short Stories 2” together with the winner. In addition, up to four commended entries may be announced, which will be eligible for inclusion in the anthology.

Entry is free.

Entries must be in English, and accompanied by the official entry form.

There will be a prizegiving ceremony at The Space, London NW10 early in 2008.

Thanks to our generous sponsors, including Willesden Writers' Workshop, the London Borough of Brent Arts and Libraries Service, the Willesden Herald, and Pretend Genius Press, this competition is free to enter. All for love of the short story. This is the first literary entity since Shakespeare to offer both love and immortality.

There is no theme and no word limit other than the highly variable attention span of our short-listing team.

Full rules, entry form and address for entries: New Short Stories

Advertisement by Gombeen™

2008 Willesden International Short Story Competition - first prize of £5,000

2007-08-24T05:17:00.000-05:00

Holy McCowCalf!

Announcing a first prize of £5,000 for the 2008 Willesden International Short Story Competition. This is no joke

It will still be a free competition but there are new rules, like sending entries the old-fashioned way. Do not send anything yet as entries without an entry form will be disqualified. Meanwhile, www.newshortstories.com has more about the competition.

Pretend Genius author at City Lights

2007-07-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

Thursday, July 12th, 7pm. Joanne Kyger celebrated the release of About Now: Collected Poems (National Poetry Foundation, 2007) at the renowned City Lights bookstore in San Francisco.

"For decades, Joanne Kyger has played a crucial role in California's poetry scene. Her poetry has been influenced by her studies in Zen Buddhism and her connection to the poets of Black Mountain, the San Francisco Renaissance, and the Beat Generation. She frequently teaches at New College and the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics." (Press Release)

Two poems by Joanne Kyger are among the highlights of the outstanding Pretend Genius anthology, "Last Night's Dream Corrected". (Link)

What I learned from Miranda July

2007-06-05T18:19:00.000-05:00

singular praise for Couplet

2007-06-01T07:09:00.000-05:00

"Couplet is an ingenious object..."

read more here

Review this

2007-05-26T17:47:00.000-05:00

The list of contributors to New Short Stories 1 (PretendGenius, 2007) continues to prove an outstanding literary form guide.

Earlier this week Canongate signed up Nicholas Hogg. They will publish his novel "Show Me the Sky" in 2008. Canongate's author list includes such names as Yann Martel and Margaret Attwood.

Today, the Daily Telegraph announces Vanessa Gebbie one of five winners out of over 2,300 entrants for their novel in a year competition.

Both writers appeared at the recent launch of New Short Stories 1.

Ossian

enough about us, what about pretend genius

2007-05-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

a review of them there books: new short stories 1, couplet, one note symphonies

At the launch of New Short Stories 1

2007-05-13T15:32:00.000-05:00

There Now

"The finest storytellers known to humankind, as identified by the talent scouts of the Willesden Herald gathered for the launch of New Short Stories 1."

A bigger bang

2007-04-30T18:24:00.000-05:00

"Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 1" was launched at a special event in the London Metrowords festival.

Steve Finbow led the way with a rapid-fire, mesmerising reading from "Balzac of the Badlands" that had to be heard to be believed. Stupendous.

Here's Vanessa Gebbie's report on "the launch of the best anthology since the big bang." (Notice a rare sighting of a pristine copy of the WH.) To close the night, Vanessa delighted everyone with a reading of her Guildford prize-winning story, "Naming Finbar".

Lynsey Rose read from her disturbing new, unpublished novel, described as like Bridget Jones' Diary as it might have been written by Franz Kafka. Here's: Exitainment's review of the event.

Brought to you by www.newshortstories.com

A review of "New Short Stories 1"

2007-04-29T15:33:00.000-05:00

Link

"Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 1" proves that the modern short story is alive and kicking... (Authortrek)

flash mob flyer

2007-04-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

with juicy bits

The new underground

2007-04-11T10:51:00.000-05:00

New Short Stories

In the publishing industry it is a given that many women but few men read novels while commuting to and from work. For the first time a publisher (Pretend Genius) is specifically offering that elusive male reader what we all know he really wants: instant gratification.

I put it to you that men want to arrive home or at work having completed a story, not part way through. The feeling of arriving at work having just read a complete story is without parallel. Scoff at clods who only know newspaper reports that you heard about earlier on the radio, or skimmed with your news aggregator. Pity those who signed up for "distance learning" and always have to plod through over-sized books full of dead verbiage.

Men, now is your chance to put us women in our place: always be finishing stories and snapping books shut with emphasis, while we poor girlies faff about endlessly in novels. (Speaking only for myself, of course.)

Kerry Ellison, Pretend Genius P.R.

Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 1. Editor: Stephen Moran. First year royalties to Comic Relief.

Special introductory offers including free delivery: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble

Available to order from all online and independent high street bookshops. Isbn: 0977852628

couplet - texas and sweden sign historic peace treaty

2007-03-29T09:32:00.000-05:00

ladies and gentlemen,

pretend genius [press] presents 'couplet', a collection of poetry by texas-based american poet james browning kepple and swedish-based swedish poet kim göransson in one of the most unique books of poetry ever producerated by mankind's gritty litty handses.

coming april 2007 (soon).

special report filed by Jasper Joebillybobson

Celebrate the poetry of Ed Dorn

2007-03-27T11:29:00.000-05:00

Way More West: The Selected Poems of Edward Dorn

Wednesday, April 11, 8:00 pm
The Poetry Project at St. Marks Church
131 E. 10^th St at 2^nd Ave

A reading to mark the publication of Way More West: New and Selected Poems by Edward Dorn. Ed Dorn was author of numerous books, including the comic-epic masterpiece Gunslinger. At the core of all of Dorn's work is a deep sense of place and the people who occupy it, underpinned by a wry ironic dissent.

Reading Dorn's work will be Jennifer Dorn, Michael Rothenberg, Amiri Baraka, Anne Waldman, Ed Sanders, Ammiel Alcalay, George Kimball, Rosalie Sorrels and Anselm Berrigan.

If you can't make the NY reading fly to Boulder right away and repair to the Boulder bookstore in time for:

Way More West: The Poems of Ed Dorn

Friday, April 13, 7:30
Boulder Bookstore

Reading Dorn's work will be Jennifer Dorn, Michael Rothenberg. Joe Ritchie, Peter Michelson, Steven Taylor, Jack Collom, Bobbie Louise Hawkins, Matthew Cooperman, Randall Schroth and Jane Wodening

Felim O'Harakiri

Mo' readings

2007-02-27T03:18:00.000-05:00

Monday, March 5th at Moe's

Golden Handcuffs Review

Editor Lou Rowan will MC this event featuring contributors David Bromige, Laynie Browne, Richard Denner, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, and Michael Rothenberg. The reading starts at 7:30pm.

Moe's Books
2476 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley CA 94704
Internet/Art: (510) 849-2133
Main store: (510) 849-2087

Knock that 5-2 knock and say the obLiterati sent you

2007-02-15T12:36:00.000-05:00

You're invited to David Meltzer and Michael Rothenberg's birthday celebration at the Beat Museum. Introduction by Michael McClure

Includes reading, wine and birthday cake
Free Admission

Saturday, February 24, 2007 at 7 pm
Beat Museum, 540 Broadway (at Columbus)
San Francisco, 94133

Willesden short story prize 2007: Result

2007-01-08T14:36:00.000-05:00

Short list

"Born Again" by Shakti Bhatt
"Charles Magezi-Akiiki" by Olesya Mishechkina
"Felipe and the Sea" by Jonathan Attrill
"Jolt" by James Lawless
"Kid in a Well" by Willie Davis
"Mrs Nakamoto Takes a Vacation" by Steve Finbow
"Paradise" by Nicholas Hogg
"The Dead Don't Do That Kind of Thing" by Wes Lee
"Vaselino" by Lee Joans
"Words from a Glass Bubble" by Tobias Williams

Winner

And the winner of the Willesden short story prize 2007, as chosen by Zadie Smith, is "Kid in a Well" by Willie Davis.

Congratulations to Willie Davis, one of the featured writers in the Pretend Genius anthology Fish Drink Like Us.

According to our spies on MySpace, Olesya is also a friend of ours.

Felim O'Harakiri

Short story competition judged by Zadie 'the woman' Smith update

2007-01-03T09:34:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that the Willesden short story competition has now closed and the short list and winner for 2007 will be announced here as soon as the results are in, at which time short-listed writers will be notified by email. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Calling all bums: free drinks!

2006-12-21T17:32:00.000-05:00

Press Release

The WordTemple Poetry Series will celebrate the beginning of its second year on Friday, January 12, 2007 by featuring Michael McClure¹ and Michael Rothenberg². Refreshments will be provided as part of the celebration so come early, and please spread the word!

Michael McClure and Michael Rothenberg
Friday, January 12, 2007 - 7 p.m.
Copperfield's Books, 2316 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa

Tipsy O'Hara

¹ Michael McClure is famous for his dynamic poetry performances. Author of Rain Mirror, Touching the Edge: Dharma Devotions from the Hummingbird Sangha, and Huge Dreams, McClure has given hundreds of readings from the legendary Six Gallery in San Francisco (with Allen Ginsberg) to the Library of Congress. Recently, McClure joined with composer Terry Riley to create a CD titled I Like Your Eyes Liberty, a stunning exploration of music and voice. A musician and playwright, as well as a poet—McClure's songs include "Mercedes Benz" popularized by Janis Joplin.

² Michael Rothenberg's books include The Paris Journals, Monk Daddy and Unhurried Vision. He is editor and publisher of Big Bridge (www.bigbridge.org), the editor of Overtime, Selected Poems by Philip Whalen, As Ever, Selected Poems by Joanne Kyger, and David's Copy, Selected Poems by David Meltzer. Rothenberg's readings are stunning for their wide range of experience and emotion. David Meltzer calls Unhurried Vision a "deeply stirred & stirring affirmation of poetry's centrality in realizing mundane & profound instances in the everyday extraordinary."

Brokeback newsdesk

2006-11-18T19:19:00.000-05:00

Short story competition update

Dear literary people, the north wind is rustling the trees with a sound reminiscent of paper chains. Time to round-up untold stories for the winter and send them to: entries. So what are you waiting for? And furthermore...

Willesden Herald and Pretend Genius Press today shook on a deal to publish an anthology called 'New Short Stories' featuring short-listed stories from the competition, next spring. Inclusion is optional. If you don't want it we'll just die (laughing).

Ortwright Gerder

Updated announcement

Guardian Books news story

Special Reports | Zadie Smith wins Orange prize

2006-06-07T09:24:00.000-05:00

blinkers

"Zadie Smith has held off competition from perhaps the strongest Orange shortlist in the prize's history to take this year's award with her third novel, On Beauty." (Guardian)

This class filly saw off a strong field to take the Orange by a length.

Tipsy O'Hara

slam fiction

2006-05-20T20:46:00.000-05:00

pretend genius and writethis.com present slam fiction. june 1.

fish drink like us review

2006-05-20T19:15:00.000-05:00

ablution

a mustard bastard production (friends of pretend genius)

2006-05-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

mustard bastard hosting poetry night every thursday night at the muse in danville, va. featuring kim goransson and jimbo brown. there are too many thursdays. you can't miss them all. get on.

pretend genius author j. tyler blue and poet charles simic in washington d.c.

2006-05-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

Joanne Kyger reading & celebration*

2006-05-01T11:35:00.000-05:00

Small Press Traffic / Friday, May 26, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.

Every year the board of directors of Small Press Traffic Literary Arts Center votes a Lifetime Achievement Award to a living writer of distinction. Past honorees have included Barbara Guest, Jackson Mac Low, and Carl Rakosi. The latest recipient of SPT's Lifetime Achievement Award is Joanne Kyger.

Joanne Kyger made an auspicious debut as the golden girl of the Spicer-Duncan circle of the late 1950s in San Francisco. Within a month of her arrival everyone wanted a piece of Kyger, and she became associated with many of the fluid, mercurial poetry scenes around the "New American Poetry." Like her best writing, she was everywhere at once, deep inside the Beat movement, all over Japan and India, up and down the San Francisco Renaissance, steeped in Charles Olson's polis-based soul curriculum, our ambassador to the New York scenes of Ted Berrigan and Anne Waldman, the mainstay of Bolinas, and a seer in the Buddhist poetics of the Jack Kerouac School at Naropa University in Boulder. Those are only the locations; deeper underneath, the substance of her many lives created, over forty-five years, a new poetic freedom. Based on frank and sensual observation, an innovating line, a sometimes acerbic wit, and a devotion to the 'golden root' of compassion, Kyger's poetry continues to win her the admiration of numerous generations.

Joining us for Kyger's reading will be her friend, the poet Michael Rothenberg, who edited As Ever, Kyger's selected poems, for Penguin Books in 2002. Rothenberg, author of Unhurried Vision, has recently relocated to the Russian River area and will be on hand to introduce her. We will also show Kyger's 1968 video, "Descartes."

* Two previously unpublished poems by Joanne Kyger are featured in the new anthology "Last Night's Dream Corrected". (Link). An epic new journal poem "Éire" and others by Michael Rothenberg are also included, as well as new poetry by Bill Berkson, Ira Cohen, Mikey Delgado and others.

Late edition - read all about it

2006-04-28T12:08:00.000-05:00

Erratum, erratum, erratum, errati, errato, errato
Errata, errata, errata, erratorum, erratis, erratis

The second editions of the anthologies have just been released, now with even less errors than before. bLink

get riled upheaval tore ii

2006-04-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

sean brijbasi and j. tyler blue to disappear at the small press bookfair in washington d.c. (bethesda md) on 4/29/06. bring your own cups. they'll have everything else.

get riled upheaval tore

2006-04-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

sean brijbasi to appear and read at day of the book festival in kensington on apr. 23.

look at those little budlings

2006-04-06T19:21:00.000-05:00

Get healed revival tour (UK)

2006-03-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

Westwords Festival

pG author, the Rev. Steve Moran has had audience members throwing away their emotional crutches at these meetings, and falling into hysterics with his inspirational readings from Fish Drink Like Us* chapter 10, verse 16, the parable of Carmencita.

Also featuring testimony by writers of The Monkey's Typewriter (now with extra deluxe Raymond Williams award sticker).

Weds 8th March: Gayton Library, 8pm. Gayton Road, Harrow
Weds 15th March: Pitshanger Library, 7pm. 143 Pitshanger Lane, Ealing
Thurs 23rd March: Willesden Green Library, 8pm. 95 High Road, Willesden
Thurs 30th March: Heston Library, 7.30pm. New Heston Road, TW5
Weds 5th April: Shepherds Bush Library, 7pm. 7 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ
Mon 10th April: Marylebone Library, 6pm. 109 Marylebone Road, NW1 5PS
Thurs 20th April: Kensington Library, 7pm. Philimore Walk, Kensington

Subjects of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, you have four more chances to be healed when this outstanding literary revival meeting comes to your neighbourhood.

Buddy Graham

*Pretend Genius Press, April 2006, isbn 097785261X

Breaking Nudycheeks!!!

2006-03-21T20:21:00.000-05:00

Guardian Books "Original fiction: Part-time tiler Mikey Delgado is one of the winners of this year's Willesden Herald short story competition, judged by Zadie Smith. Read his story in full." (Link)

Mikey Delgado's winning story "Secure" to be published in the Pretend Genius Press anthology "Fish Drink Like Us"

Mondo pretendgenio

2006-02-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

New story by Sean Brijbasi in 3am magazine: chalker

A new story by Stephen Moran for Big Bridge (2006): tither

A new story by J. Tyler Blue in Juked: And Finally an Autumnal Depression Left Us Delirious

Stephen Moran interview in Author Trek: yonder

Fish may safely drink

2006-02-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

cLink

The publishing event of the century is imminent. Zombies are being despatched to the capitals of the world to seize control of bookshops and government buildings. Do not adjust your sets. We will control the vertical, we will control the horizontal. Resistance is futile. You will read "Fish Drink Like Us", the most shagnificent volume of fiction since the Bible.

And when you are satiated beyond pleasure nearly to death, you will still crave more. And ye (yes ye) shall have more, even to the zenith of ecstasy with such a superfluity of indescribably exquisite poetry that it defies this spatchcock system of wordles entirely, and demands a tome of its own, and it shall have a tome of its own, an thology of poetriloquism. Hear ye, hear ye! Hear ye?

Does my southern hemisphere look big in this?

2005-10-28T05:59:00.000-05:00

Magazine - loaded with arts

Magazine (New Zealand) reviews The London Silence and nothing will save you. These reviews are so touching they just make you want to start blurbing out loud.

complex messiah

2005-10-19T18:20:00.000-05:00

a new review of nothing will save you by dean strom here

Raymond Williams Prize 2005 shared by pG Author

2005-10-15T13:39:00.000-05:00

LONDON Thursday October 13th: Arts Council England presented the £3,000 ($5,000) Raymond Williams Prize 2005 to the publishers of The Monkey's Typewriter (isbn 0953019551), an anthology that closes with a story by Stephen Moran.

Laila Lailami in Seattle

2005-10-11T13:24:00.000-05:00

MoorishGirl: Reading: Seattle

"The second stop on my book tour for Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits will be tonight, in beautiful Seattle. Here are the details:

Laila Lalami
Tuesday the 11th
7:30PM
Elliott Bay Book Co."

Pretend Genius and Bumbershoot, a winny combination...

2005-08-31T20:18:00.000-05:00

Pretend Genius to make special appearance at Bumbershoot!!! September 2,3,4,5.

huh? whoa! where am i?

2005-08-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

hello? apparently we're big in dublin. deaddrunkdublin.com

leave me alone. i'm going back to sleep.

Details emerge from last week's murder of Norman Mailer

2005-05-16T11:32:00.000-05:00

Internal documents obtained by Hysterical Porpoise suggest the killing of Norman Mailer was one of a number of options discussed by company executives in response to a diminishing bottom line. (More)

Norman Mailer's killer implicates pretendGenius Press

2005-04-29T09:33:00.000-05:00

PORTLAND Ore.-- The man accused of killing Norman Mailer shouted to a crowded courtroom that he "(killed) him as a publicity stunt" for the book publishing company, pretendGenius Press. He also yelled "I am Matt Drudge". The self-admitted assassin, Chi Chi, a native Patagonian now of New York City, has served on pGp's board of directors since its founding in 2003. The prisoner was immediately hushed by his council and admonished by the judge. District Court Judge Thornton Meeler remanded Mr. Chi to psychiatric evaluation without a plea being entered.

In a statement read by PretendGenius Press Books Division spokesperson, Nathanial Lantz, pGp denied that any persons in its organization had prior knowlege of the gruesome execution of the famed literary figure. The statement reads in part "During the past several months we have been watching helplessly while Chi Chi has become increasingly erratic. The last few weeks his behavior had reached the dangerously unpredictable. We, as an organization, and as humanbeings, have taken great pains to encourage our former friend to seek help. [Let me be clear about this] In no way did pretendGenius have prior knowlege of, authorize, approve, or give express written permission to kill Norman Mailer."

The Dissociated Press has learned that on at least two occasions Mr. Chi documented his desire to kill Mr. Mailer. We have obtained an internal pGp memo dated April 20 and signed by Chi Chi that covers some particulars of the upcoming book festival and then states "On Sunday pretendGenius Press will kill Norman Mailer..." On a public bulletin board on April 21 he is attributed to have scribed "i will have a good time... right up to the point they arrest me for the useful and timely death of norman mailer". Phone calls to pGp have remained unanswered at the time this story went to press.

Eye witness accounts describe an agitated man, who, was asked on at least two occasions to remove his hat, possibly a fedora, but indignantly refused, was seated in the first row of the auditoreum at Portland's Keller Hall last Saturday where a near sellout crowd had gathered to hear Mr. Mailer. The suspect, apparently drunk, grew increasingly boorish as the evening drew on. The first speaker was Yuvi Zalkow of South East Portland who had placed first in a writing challenge sponsored by the Wordstock Book Event. While reading a selection from his winning entry the unfortunate Mr. Zalkow was heckled by the suspect. Receiving laughter from some in attendence appears to have emboldened the fedora wearing man and his catcalls became increasingly belligerant and obscure. Many of the witnesses have confirmed the phrase "I wrote bunnies" was strangely repeated.

The man was warned by security personnel that any further outbursts would cause him to be removed and he slumped into his chair until some forty five minutes later when Mr. Mailer had been speaking for twenty minutes he leaped onto the stage with a chair in his hands and used it to repeatedly beat the writer about the head and trunk. The horrified audience sat stunned and it was some moments before one unidentified woman wearing a white dress bravely crawled onto the proscenium to grasp the assassin around the ankle. At this moment the room went dark.

The electrical outage, apparently caused by a utility truck striking a power pole some blocks away, was unrelated to the murder. But one witness, Randy Quaard of Salem, described the scene as surreal, A murmer in the crowd indicated that most people weren't sure if what they had witnessed was real or theater. Some in the audience chanted for the lights to be turned on. The suspect apparently took advantage of this distraction to secrete Mr. Mailer away on the victim's own wheelchair through a rear exit and escape.

Police say he drove his car to the Rose Quarter Convention Center gaining entrance through an unlocked door on the loading dock and took the body to the display table pretendGenius Press had rented for the Book Festival. He posed the deceased body into various positions at this table and began taking photographs. The police report states he was able to take more than one hundred photos with a digital camera before they found him at this location approximately an hour after the murder. Mr Chi was reportedely crying but was arrested without incident.

Norman Kingsley Mailer was born January 31, 1923. It is open to argument whether Mr. Mailer was one of the major novelists of his generation, but he was certainly one of the greatest writers and was arguably the most singular literary figure of his generation.

Mr. Mailer, who was described by most to have appeared frail but forceful and, indeed, "in rare form", was heard to cry out even as the first blow fell, "Adele", a possible reference to the second wife he once famously stabbed with a penknife; though some report he cried "Adieu". Adele or adieu, these were the last words he is known to have spoken.

Reporter: Crystal Clear. Photograph: Amy Hayer

Review of The Muse and the Mechanism

2005-03-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

From: PopMatters

"Now enter Josh Davis and Pretendgeniuspress, an independent publishing company along the lines of City Lights and Sylvia Beach's legendary Shakespeare & Company, who gambled by publishing The Muse and The Mechanism in a time when thoughtful, even artful, literature has become increasingly marginalized. In The Muse and The Mechanism, Davis proves an exceptional prose stylist by alternating Hemingway-esque simplicity with Joycean beauty; although his prose manages to rise to great heights, the dichotomy of his simplicity/poetics never lowers itself to artificiality or contrivances, and he somehow, miraculously, avoids slipping into that dreaded state of pretentiousness...

"The Muse and the Mechanism excels at extolling the meandering nature of this generation; we are all rolling forward, often constantly wandering into the unknown, armed only with the hindsight of past failures and embarrassments. Our will to overcome our seemingly inherent lack of motivation vaguely lifts us and propels us forward, and it is that dichotomy -- the desire to do nothing and everything -- that Josh Davis, unlike his contemporaries, who seem to fall short, masterfully displays."

Left of Center bookstore, Chicago

2005-03-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

From: TimeOut

Arlene Levy doesn't like singling out a particular book or author as her favorite. Which is odd, considering the nickname she's given herself.

"I'm the Book Bitch," she says, chuckling. "I tell you what to read."

[...]

"When asked what she's read lately, Levy walks straight to the B's and pulls out Still Life in Motion by Sean Brijbasi."

Is that allowed under the Patriot Act? Watch that woman.

Reviews of The London Silence

2005-03-04T20:15:00.000-05:00

From: AttackingtheDemi-Puppets

"Stephen Moran gives an atmospheric sense of both Ireland and London, showing a continuity with great Irish story writers of the past, in that the world since, as Moran portrays it-- aged, dingy, and impoverished-- hasn't changed all that much."

_________

stop press. stop, press again. stop. press. press. press. don't stop...

From: LauraHird.com

"All in all, both ‘The London Silence’ and Pretend Genius Press come with my sincerest recommendation. " (Neil Ayres)

Drink fish like us

2005-02-06T17:23:00.000-05:00

fishdrinklikeus

Send us your poor, your scribbled verses / the wretched epics of your steaming thingummy.

more pretend genius in nyc

2004-12-06T06:14:00.000-05:00

Pretend Genius

2004-12-05T15:38:00.000-05:00

Pretend Genius in NYC

2004-10-28T15:46:00.000-05:00

Small Press Book Fair in New York City

Pretend Genius authors to sign books and mingle with their fans in New York City on Dec. 4th and 5th. See Sean Brijbasi, J. Tyler Blue, Josh Davis, Stephen Moran, Dean Strom, and Blem Vide carousing at the main event.

pG books spotted in the wild*

2004-10-23T18:45:00.000-05:00

The Willesden Bookshop

*A prize of 2 weeks plenary indulgences courtesy of Fr Horniman s.j. to anyone who sends in more pictures of pG books in their native habitat.

Awards and Sales

2004-10-18T12:44:00.000-05:00

"If, like me, you had neither read nor heard about the novels nominated for this year's National Book Awards, then you'll be interested in Edward Wyatt's piece in the NYTBR." (MoorishGirl)

Quotes

2004-10-18T08:20:00.000-05:00

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." (Thomas Edison)

"PretendGenius is ninety-nine percent inspiration and one percent perspiration." (Feargal Mooney)

On Finding a Muse

2004-10-13T09:41:00.000-05:00

Rouse Magazine (J. Elisa Schmidt)

An interesting review of Josh Davis's The Muse and the Mechanism.

Ripping Yarns

2004-10-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

Deserializing Joseph

Stand by for more idling.

He's all over the place, like a cheap suit

2004-10-07T11:59:00.000-05:00

Jimmy goes to Bloomsbury

Pretend Genius Books and City Lights Bookstore

2004-09-25T06:54:00.000-05:00

Pretend Genius books are now available at City Lights, the most famous bookstore in America. Go there. Buy. City Lights.

Leonardo Smee