Thursday 1 October 2009

SHORT CIRCUIT A Guide to the Art of the Short Story

Draft cover, Short Circuit.

Yikes, it is a year since I was walking round Cork with Jen Hamilton-Emery, Director of Salt Publishing and guru/midwife to their great short story collections, and I muttered something about Salt having a poetry ‘How-To’ book but not a short story one. ‘Gap in your provision,’ I muttered.
And it is just over a year since I had an email from Jen: ‘About that How-To book. Good idea. Do it…’
There are some extraordinary writers out there, people who have not only won the top competitions, but are generous too, and love the short story. They gave freely of their knowledge and their words, and are all utterly amazing. THANK YOU.

Here is the contents list:

Graham Mort: Finding Form in Short Fiction
Clare Wigfall interview: “I Hear Voices”: Voice, building character and much more
Alison MacLeod: Writing and Risk-Taking
Nuala Ni Chonchuir: Language and Style
Chika Unigwe: Settings. A Sense of Place.
Alex Keegan: ‘24’: The Importance of Theme.
Lane Ashfeldt: Building a World
Adam Marek: What my gland wants. Originality in short fiction.
Catherine Smith: Myth and Imagination.
Tobias Hill interview: Character, dialogue, and much more.
Sarah Salway: Stealing Stories.
Elizabeth Baines: True Story, Real Story – Good Fiction?
Marian Garvey: On Intuition. Writing into the Void.
Tania Hershman: Art Breathes from Containment. The power of the short short story.
David Gaffney: Get Shorty. The micro-fiction of Etgar Keret.
Elaine Chiew: Endings
Paul Magrs: Thoughts on Writing Fiction, at the End of Term
Vanessa Gebbie: i) Leaving the Door Ajar: On Opening the Short Story
Epilogue: Carys Davies, Zoe King, David Grubb, Linda Cracknell, Jay Merill, Matthew Licht.


I would appear to have nearly, but nearly done it. What think of the cover??

14 comments:

Georgia said...

I like the cover very much, eye catching, with the combination of electricity and growth. Very nice.

After I couldn't find it on Amazon, I noticed your post said, "Draft Cover". Is it available yet, and how would I go about getting a copy? (I'm in the U.S.)

~ Georgia

Sue Guiney said...

Love it. Need it. When can I get it? xo

Group 8 said...

Love it. Love the image, love the blue. Can't wait to have it in me sticky paws!
I ordered the Rose Metal one from Amazon.com yesterday, btw. The RM site didn't have a shipping to Europe option, oddly...

Nik Perring said...

That looks brilliant! When can I order it?

Vanessa Gebbie said...

hello Georgia - I gather it does not appear on Amazon until the publisher has it on their website - www.saltpublishing.com

it will go up very soon!

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Sue - soon, soon!

Nuala- I know, the RMP books are very USA based. I get a few sent, and pay oodles for postage. Its daft!

Hi Nik, as soon as I know the date I will publicise it- Its lovely to know its in demand, already!

Just got a brilliant endorsement from the Director of the National Association of Writers in Education, and several from tutors at Universities. wow.

Rachel Fenton said...

This looks great - the cover really stands out - and I can't wait to read it!

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Thanks Rachel. It is pretty special. I am collating the endorsements from some extraordinary people - teachers and writers, comp organisers... and will post those soon.

Sally Zigmond said...

Vanessa, I am currently 'revisiting' the short story form and hope to do some on-line tutoring soon, so your book couldn't come at a more opportune time. I am so looking forward to it and as soon as I get my hands on a copy I shall blog about it. So there!

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Hi Sally
how lovely - I hope the online teaching goes really well... lucky students!
The book is a real stunner, I think. Its just been endorsed by the director of the nat Association of Writers in Education, the organisers of the Fish prize and the Bridport...I think I must have done summat right for once.

And it would be just terrific to have a blog post from you.

Emerging Writer said...

Great idea Vanessa and an intriguing sounding contents list but between you and me, i think the cover is really boring...sorry. You did ask

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Thanks E W, I cetainly did! It's important to know how writers see the product - your comment is noted, ma-am.
v

Jessica said...

Looking forward to read Short Circuit - Its on my Xmas list, if not, my birthday list :)

Vanessa Gebbie said...

I hope you love it!