Alasdair Gray tells us why Lanark took so long to write and what he thinks of Gordon Brown. Savoy: a look at the obscenity trials and establishment outrage that mark this infamous publisher's history.
‘Transgender Adventures’: a frank account of life in the sexual margins featuring Pia. ‘Not a Pursuit for a Lady’: a modern take on Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott. ‘Stop Talking and Move’: Nottingham’s parkour crew—a growing subculture. Sarah Maple: vote for her or you’re an islamaphobasexistracialist. Also the best of poetry, art and short fiction, including Catherine Smith, A. F. Harrold, Sascha Akhtar, Bernadette Cremin, David Gaffney and Anthony Cantons.
Fiction:
Boundary Violation, Richard Tyrone Jones
Music like ours never dies, Celia’s mum’s rat, and Double digging, David Gaffney
Poetry:
Quarry Tiles, Bernadette Cremin
MacNero, Alasdair Gray
Tranquilized, Clare Hill
Guest and Zephyr, Catherine Smith
Some Will Be, J. J. Steinfeld
Dawn Chorus and In the Bowels of Language, A. F. Harrold
What you have heard is true, John Mackay
Biodiversity, Katherine Gallagher
Warrington and His Last Blueprint, Todd Swift
David Toms
Features:
Alasdair Gray is interviewed
Sarah Maple and her work
Not A Pursuit for a Lady, Niki Seth-Smith
Publish and be Damned, the Savoy story by Nick Garrard
G.J. Buckell interviews Pia, the incredible transexual performer and artist
‘Le Parkour: Stop Talking and Move’, James K. Walker
‘Ouch! …it’s a disability thing’
Reviews
Rob Crossnan on Masque of the Red Death
Art and Photography:
Catherine Kemp
Petra Creffield
Benedict Johnson
Ania Dabrowska
‘Blood and the Pursuit of Glory’, Anthony Cantons
Music:
Andrew Laughlin on No Bra and Bunny Rabbit
Cover: Overhaul, Hannah Goldsmith (Graphite and Chalk, 2007)
Sascha Akhtar was born in Pakistan. She is training in Butoh and in 2005 and 2006 performed at Chisenhale Dance Space in London She is a writer, filmmaker and also teaches yoga and meditation. Her work includes: Golum (available from noctiluca.arts@gmail.com), and The Grimoire of Grimalkin (SALT, 2007). Her poems have appeared in Annetna Nepo, Snow Monkey, The Muse Apprentice Guild, Sidereality, HOW2 and most recently SKALD magazine. She has also appeared in two films: Ana-el-Haqq, and The Sea and Medusa.
G. J. Buckell lives in Brighton. In addition to publishing Rayner Heppenstall: A Critical Study through the Dalkey Archive Press, his writing has appeared in the Guardian, Aesthetica and Cineaste. He is currently working on a volume of short stories.
Bunny Rabbit: myspace.com/loversandcrypts
Andrew Laughlin is a masters-educated creative writer and freelance journalist. He writes features and reviews for total:spec. He is the Music Editor for The Insight which is based in Brighton) but has also written extensively on politics, film, television and many other aspects of popular culture.
Anthony Cantons is a 38-year-old artist who was raised in South London by Spanish/French parents. He has been working professionally since the late 90s in painting and photography. Anthony Cantons has exhibited throughout London and his work can be found in private collections around the world. For more information see: www.anthonycantons.com
Petra Creffield: web.mac.com/petracreffield
Bernadette Cremin has two full collections published (Perfect Mess and Speechless). She writes for page and stage and the release of her second album (Mutual Territory) which is a music/poetry fusion is due out in spring. Her website is www.bernadettecremin.co.uk.
Rob Crossan is a freelance journalist based in London. He writes regularly for the Independent, Time Out, NME, Nuts, CNN Traveller and Rough Guides. He also appears regularly on BBC Radio Scotland’s Radio Café show.
Ania Dabrowska: www.aniadabrowska.co.uk
David Gaffney has been published in Ambit, Modart, The Illustrated Ape, Bored Mag, Ephemera, Rant, thephonebook.com, The Stand (2006) Index, Skive Mag, Somewhat, Blowback Mag, Transmission, Cautionary Tale, FACT Mag, Papercut, Word Riot, Stand Off, The Quiet Feather, Mooch Mag, Revolve, Defenestration, The Ugly Tree, Cent, and in the states Modernfix and Juked.
Philip Gardner: www.gardinersworld.com.
Nick Garrard is a freelance writer and editor and has written for Literary Review and The Tablet.
Alasdair Gray describes himself as a “self-employed verbal and pictorial artist”. He was born in Riddrie, Glasgow, on 28 December 1934, and trained as a painter at the Glasgow School of Art. He worked as a part-time art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a full-time painter and playwright. Later he wrote fiction, illustrating many of his own books. His highly-acclaimed first novel Lanark was published in 1981. It won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award and the Scottish Book of the Year award. A complex and at times surreal mix of fantasy, autobiography and social realism, the book provides a vision of contemporary society through the story of art student Duncan Thaw.
Katherine Gallagher is a widely-published North London poet. She has four full-length collections of poetry, the most recent being Circus-Apprentice (Arc Publications, 2006) which was Book of the Month on the Poetry Kit in March, 2007. Her website is www.katherine-gallagher.com.
A. F. Harrold is a superb poet who varies with the wind. He has won slams across the country and can be seen every Wednesday in the 3Bs running Bohemian Night, an open mic music and poetry event. He keeps himself busy.
Clare Hill has written Living Without Marbles (available as an e-book from www.chipmunkapublishing.com/ebooks.htm#livingwithoutmarbles), and Crazy Lady (Without The Cats), available from www.lulu.com/clarehill.
Benedict Johnson: www.benedictjohnson.com
John Mackay was born in Yorkshire, and began his working life building drystone walls and digging holes. He now lives in London, where he is a freelance journalist. He took a gap year at 35 to do an MPhil in Poetry at Stirling University. His poems have been published in a number of magazines, including Stand, Acumen, Quattrocento, and The Interpreter’s House.
Sarah Maple: www.sarahmaple.com/news.htm
No Bra: myspace.com/nnobra. No Bra images courtesy of Sergio Tavelli, Spartacus Chetwynd and Tiffany Locci.
Catherine Smith: The Butcher’s Hands is Catherine Smith’s first collection. Previously, her pamphlet, The New Bride was shortlisted for The Forward First Collection Prize in 2001 and received critical acclaim.
J. J. Steinfeld: Fiction writer and playwright J. J. Steinfeld, has published a novel, Our Hero in the Cradle of Confederation (Pottersfield Press, 1987), and nine short story collections, including Forms of Captivity and Escape (Thistledown Press, 1988), Dancing at the Club Holocaust (Ragweed Press, 1993), Should the Word Hell Be Capitalized? (Gaspereau Press, 1999), Anton Chekhov Was Never in Charlottetown (Gaspereau Press, 2000), and most recently, Would You Hide Me? (Gaspereau Press, 2003). He was the 2003 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Arts on PEI and the winner of Regina Little Theatre’s 2003 National Playwriting Contest.
Todd Swift is one of the leading Canadian poet-editors of his generation (those under 45). He is the author of four critically-acclaimed collections of poetry: Budavox, Cafe Alibi, Rue du Regard and Winter Tennis. He is the editor of seven international poetry anthologies, including Poetry Nation, 100 Poets Against The War, and Future Welcome. In 2005 he edited a special section, ‘The New Canadian Poetry’, for New American Writing. He is poetry editor of Nthposition. His poems and reviews have appeared widely in journals including Agenda, Books in Canada, The Cimarron Review, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Jacket, and Poetry Review. He is Core Tutor with The Poetry School. He has been Oxfam Great Britain’s Poet-in-residence since 2004.
David Toms is from Waterford, Ireland. He has been published previously by Default Magazine in Ireland and also in USA by Mobius.
Richard Tyrone Jones is a poet and writer living in London. Richard is co-organiser and co-host of both Poetry@TheRoom, one of North London’s most unusual performance venues and recipient of an Arts Council Award, and ‘Utter!’, with its raucous mix of comedy, poetry, storytelling, music and Ajar mic contest.
James K. Walker is an award winning writer who has had short stories published in a variety of publications. His first novel This is all I Know is due for publication in 2008. He is the Literature Editor for LeftLion magazine and is also involved in a monthly performance poetry event called START. James lectures in Media, Communiction and Journalism and regularly contributes towards academic journals and publications.
Art
Hannah Westwood: Muralista and Goldsmith’s MFA Fine Art Textiles graduate Hannah Westwood will be exhibiting at Cologne’s latest project space in April. She both celebrates and warns of the: “Excesses and over indulgences of contemporary society—conspicuous consumption that feeds our need for status and the debauched world of glamour, opulence and ostentation.”
‘Transgender Adventures’: a frank account of life in the sexual margins featuring Pia. ‘Not a Pursuit for a Lady’: a modern take on Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott. ‘Stop Talking and Move’: Nottingham’s parkour crew—a growing subculture. Sarah Maple: vote for her or you’re an islamaphobasexistracialist. Also the best of poetry, art and short fiction, including Catherine Smith, A. F. Harrold, Sascha Akhtar, Bernadette Cremin, David Gaffney and Anthony Cantons.
Fiction:
Boundary Violation, Richard Tyrone Jones
Music like ours never dies, Celia’s mum’s rat, and Double digging, David Gaffney
Poetry:
Quarry Tiles, Bernadette Cremin
MacNero, Alasdair Gray
Tranquilized, Clare Hill
Guest and Zephyr, Catherine Smith
Some Will Be, J. J. Steinfeld
Dawn Chorus and In the Bowels of Language, A. F. Harrold
What you have heard is true, John Mackay
Biodiversity, Katherine Gallagher
Warrington and His Last Blueprint, Todd Swift
David Toms
Features:
Alasdair Gray is interviewed
Sarah Maple and her work
Not A Pursuit for a Lady, Niki Seth-Smith
Publish and be Damned, the Savoy story by Nick Garrard
G.J. Buckell interviews Pia, the incredible transexual performer and artist
‘Le Parkour: Stop Talking and Move’, James K. Walker
‘Ouch! …it’s a disability thing’
Reviews
Rob Crossnan on Masque of the Red Death
Art and Photography:
Catherine Kemp
Petra Creffield
Benedict Johnson
Ania Dabrowska
‘Blood and the Pursuit of Glory’, Anthony Cantons
Music:
Andrew Laughlin on No Bra and Bunny Rabbit
Cover: Overhaul, Hannah Goldsmith (Graphite and Chalk, 2007)
Sascha Akhtar was born in Pakistan. She is training in Butoh and in 2005 and 2006 performed at Chisenhale Dance Space in London She is a writer, filmmaker and also teaches yoga and meditation. Her work includes: Golum (available from noctiluca.arts@gmail.com), and The Grimoire of Grimalkin (SALT, 2007). Her poems have appeared in Annetna Nepo, Snow Monkey, The Muse Apprentice Guild, Sidereality, HOW2 and most recently SKALD magazine. She has also appeared in two films: Ana-el-Haqq, and The Sea and Medusa.
G. J. Buckell lives in Brighton. In addition to publishing Rayner Heppenstall: A Critical Study through the Dalkey Archive Press, his writing has appeared in the Guardian, Aesthetica and Cineaste. He is currently working on a volume of short stories.
Bunny Rabbit: myspace.com/loversandcrypts
Andrew Laughlin is a masters-educated creative writer and freelance journalist. He writes features and reviews for total:spec. He is the Music Editor for The Insight which is based in Brighton) but has also written extensively on politics, film, television and many other aspects of popular culture.
Anthony Cantons is a 38-year-old artist who was raised in South London by Spanish/French parents. He has been working professionally since the late 90s in painting and photography. Anthony Cantons has exhibited throughout London and his work can be found in private collections around the world. For more information see: www.anthonycantons.com
Petra Creffield: web.mac.com/petracreffield
Bernadette Cremin has two full collections published (Perfect Mess and Speechless). She writes for page and stage and the release of her second album (Mutual Territory) which is a music/poetry fusion is due out in spring. Her website is www.bernadettecremin.co.uk.
Rob Crossan is a freelance journalist based in London. He writes regularly for the Independent, Time Out, NME, Nuts, CNN Traveller and Rough Guides. He also appears regularly on BBC Radio Scotland’s Radio Café show.
Ania Dabrowska: www.aniadabrowska.co.uk
David Gaffney has been published in Ambit, Modart, The Illustrated Ape, Bored Mag, Ephemera, Rant, thephonebook.com, The Stand (2006) Index, Skive Mag, Somewhat, Blowback Mag, Transmission, Cautionary Tale, FACT Mag, Papercut, Word Riot, Stand Off, The Quiet Feather, Mooch Mag, Revolve, Defenestration, The Ugly Tree, Cent, and in the states Modernfix and Juked.
Philip Gardner: www.gardinersworld.com.
Nick Garrard is a freelance writer and editor and has written for Literary Review and The Tablet.
Alasdair Gray describes himself as a “self-employed verbal and pictorial artist”. He was born in Riddrie, Glasgow, on 28 December 1934, and trained as a painter at the Glasgow School of Art. He worked as a part-time art teacher, muralist and theatrical scene painter before becoming a full-time painter and playwright. Later he wrote fiction, illustrating many of his own books. His highly-acclaimed first novel Lanark was published in 1981. It won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award and the Scottish Book of the Year award. A complex and at times surreal mix of fantasy, autobiography and social realism, the book provides a vision of contemporary society through the story of art student Duncan Thaw.
Katherine Gallagher is a widely-published North London poet. She has four full-length collections of poetry, the most recent being Circus-Apprentice (Arc Publications, 2006) which was Book of the Month on the Poetry Kit in March, 2007. Her website is www.katherine-gallagher.com.
A. F. Harrold is a superb poet who varies with the wind. He has won slams across the country and can be seen every Wednesday in the 3Bs running Bohemian Night, an open mic music and poetry event. He keeps himself busy.
Clare Hill has written Living Without Marbles (available as an e-book from www.chipmunkapublishing.com/ebooks.htm#livingwithoutmarbles), and Crazy Lady (Without The Cats), available from www.lulu.com/clarehill.
Benedict Johnson: www.benedictjohnson.com
John Mackay was born in Yorkshire, and began his working life building drystone walls and digging holes. He now lives in London, where he is a freelance journalist. He took a gap year at 35 to do an MPhil in Poetry at Stirling University. His poems have been published in a number of magazines, including Stand, Acumen, Quattrocento, and The Interpreter’s House.
Sarah Maple: www.sarahmaple.com/news.htm
No Bra: myspace.com/nnobra. No Bra images courtesy of Sergio Tavelli, Spartacus Chetwynd and Tiffany Locci.
Catherine Smith: The Butcher’s Hands is Catherine Smith’s first collection. Previously, her pamphlet, The New Bride was shortlisted for The Forward First Collection Prize in 2001 and received critical acclaim.
J. J. Steinfeld: Fiction writer and playwright J. J. Steinfeld, has published a novel, Our Hero in the Cradle of Confederation (Pottersfield Press, 1987), and nine short story collections, including Forms of Captivity and Escape (Thistledown Press, 1988), Dancing at the Club Holocaust (Ragweed Press, 1993), Should the Word Hell Be Capitalized? (Gaspereau Press, 1999), Anton Chekhov Was Never in Charlottetown (Gaspereau Press, 2000), and most recently, Would You Hide Me? (Gaspereau Press, 2003). He was the 2003 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Arts on PEI and the winner of Regina Little Theatre’s 2003 National Playwriting Contest.
Todd Swift is one of the leading Canadian poet-editors of his generation (those under 45). He is the author of four critically-acclaimed collections of poetry: Budavox, Cafe Alibi, Rue du Regard and Winter Tennis. He is the editor of seven international poetry anthologies, including Poetry Nation, 100 Poets Against The War, and Future Welcome. In 2005 he edited a special section, ‘The New Canadian Poetry’, for New American Writing. He is poetry editor of Nthposition. His poems and reviews have appeared widely in journals including Agenda, Books in Canada, The Cimarron Review, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Jacket, and Poetry Review. He is Core Tutor with The Poetry School. He has been Oxfam Great Britain’s Poet-in-residence since 2004.
David Toms is from Waterford, Ireland. He has been published previously by Default Magazine in Ireland and also in USA by Mobius.
Richard Tyrone Jones is a poet and writer living in London. Richard is co-organiser and co-host of both Poetry@TheRoom, one of North London’s most unusual performance venues and recipient of an Arts Council Award, and ‘Utter!’, with its raucous mix of comedy, poetry, storytelling, music and Ajar mic contest.
James K. Walker is an award winning writer who has had short stories published in a variety of publications. His first novel This is all I Know is due for publication in 2008. He is the Literature Editor for LeftLion magazine and is also involved in a monthly performance poetry event called START. James lectures in Media, Communiction and Journalism and regularly contributes towards academic journals and publications.
Art
Hannah Westwood: Muralista and Goldsmith’s MFA Fine Art Textiles graduate Hannah Westwood will be exhibiting at Cologne’s latest project space in April. She both celebrates and warns of the: “Excesses and over indulgences of contemporary society—conspicuous consumption that feeds our need for status and the debauched world of glamour, opulence and ostentation.”