Sunday, November 12th, 2017
Cherry Mosteshar an Oxford-based author chooses The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Source: BBC Radio Oxford – Howard Bentham, 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die – The Godfather
Sunday, November 12th, 2017
Oxford author & founder of The Oxford Editors, Cherry Mosteshar adds Dracula- Bram Stoker
Source: BBC Radio Oxford – Howard Bentham, 100 Books to Read Before You Die – Dracula
Monday, September 4th, 2017
DHH Literary Agency is holding its second round of pitching sessions for unrepresented writers in November.
With a view to finding new clients, and following its first successful session held in April this year, five agents will be available for a 10-minute slot for an individual writers to pitch their story and receive “honest and valuable” feedback. The pitch sessions will run from 4pm to 7pm on Monday 27th November at Browns on St. Martins Lane in central London.
Each writer will only be able to approach one agent on the team with information, with the agents listed on the DHH website. Writers will need to email their work in advance to apply for a place. The opening date for submissions is 10am on Monday 16th October, and the deadline is 6pm on Tuesday 31st October.
David Headley, head of DHH Literary Agency, is actively seeking “well-written stories with strong characters and an original narrative voice across both general and genre fiction with a particular fondness for crime, thrillers, adventure and romance”.
Agent Broo Doherty is looking for novels that “either put a new spin on the familiar, or take her out of her comfort zone”. These could be in any of the following genres: psychological thrillers, crime novels, women’s fiction and literary fiction.
Hannah Sheppard is looking for “diverse” and “own voices” authors, signifying characters and novels with an “original, standout” voice. In particular, she is hoping to find children’s fiction for ages nine to 11 with “rich and magic world building” (not high fantasy), “funny middle” grade, “Nicholas Sparks for teens”, romance and heartbreak in YA, adult high-concept thrillers and women’s fiction “with a killer, must-read hook”.
Natalie Galustian is committed to working with new writers and nurturing talent, according to DHH Literary Agency. She is looking for “compelling” narrative non-fiction, literary fiction, short stories and humour, while Harry Illingworth is looking for “mould-breaking” genre fiction with “unique” voices and “strong concepts”, described as “books that can crossover from genre fiction to the commercial market”. This could come in the form of epic fantasy, high-concept crime and thriller and accessible science fiction.
Applications should be made to pitchdhh@dhhliteraryagency.com, with strict instructions to include the name of the agent in the subject line of the email, as well as a cover letter, one-page synopsis/ outline, and the first three chapters of the novel, or up to 10,000 words.
(From The Bookseller)
Wednesday, August 9th, 2017
The WiO Young Oxfordshire Writers competition
Writers in Oxford is using its 25th anniversary to attract and engage with a younger audience, in a writing competition for Young Oxfordshire Writers aged 18-30. £1000 will be given away in cash prizes, and 25 entrants will receive a two-year honorary membership of WiO.
What are the judges looking for? “Writing which the judges find the most memorable in terms of its structure, resonance, and power of language. Quite simply, we want impact, whether you are stirring, lyrical, polemical; whether you lure us into a gripping tale or stop us in our tracks with the passionate cogency of your argument.”
Philip Pullman, an early WiO member who worked as a lecturer 25 years ago, has agreed to be Honorary Chair of the judging panel.
Entry Details, Terms and Conditions
Submissions are invited of a piece of writing ‘Inspired by Oxford.’ The work can be fiction or non-fiction, up to 500 words in length, and can have been previously published.
Applicants must acknowledge and accept the competition’s terms and conditions, and state that they meet these qualifying criteria:
- They are aged 18-30 (on 1 September 2017)
- They currently live in Oxfordshire
- One entry only per person, and to be the entrant’s own work.
Note: WiO members cannot enter the competition.
Prize Details and Timetable
There will be five cash prizes: two prizes of £350 and three prizes of £100.
In addition, 25 competition entrants (including the five cash-prize winners) will receive two years of honorary membership of WiO.
Closing date and results
Entries to be emailed before 1 September 2017. Winners will be declared at the November anniversary party.
Judging panel
Entries will be judged by the WiO panel, consisting of Philip Pullman (Honorary Chair), Lorna Fergusson, Frank Egerton, Cherry Mosteshar, Dennis Hamley, and ClaireMarie Grigg.
The winners
Names of the winning entries will be published on the WiO website, Facebook page, and Newsletter. The panel’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into with competition entrants.
For more information, contact:
- www.writersinoxford.org
- Robert Bullard (WiO chair), 01865 423785 or 07765 227530
How to submit
Entries should be emailed to: wio@perfecttext.org before 1 September 2017.
Friday, July 21st, 2017
My debut novel, Mother of Darkness, was published last month. I’ve written the story of a lost soul, Matty Corani, living in Soho as it changes, and Matty’s corresponding transformation – it’s a tale of messianic delusion, drug abuse and loss described variously as sordid, squalid and revolting, or lyrical, wry and darkly comic.
It’s a bold book, but I’m not a bold person. I’m shy and hate public speaking. Writing encourages introversion – dreaming, thinking, researching and typing are all insular solo activities. A writer’s communication with their reader is a special, tacit thing. Talking about what’s written down can be like explaining a joke; the thing you could pin down in writing simply vanishes. Better a silent transfer of thought from my mind to yours. Things that cannot be said aloud can pass between us, and all their possibilities and offshoots from our respective experiences, ideas and pasts. This is an internal thing, a joint effort of two minds, and I can’t help but feel that this connection must be diminished by being filtered through the face and audible voice one presents to the world.
But writers must publicise their work. You can’t internally communicate to people the very existence of your writing. So how exactly do you buck up and do what needs to be done? What follows is as much advice to myself as to anyone. Some are things that friends have suggested, or that I’ve chanced upon myself by ruminating in fear of upcoming interviews and events. Additional ideas are extremely welcome.
- Publicity requires a second self. Grow a new part of your personality and send the thick-skinned beast into battle like a shield ahead of you. This is no time to cower and quail. Or you could recall a self you’d long ago put out to pasture. University was, for me, a time of rigorous tutorials and self presentation, meeting new people every day and going to parties every night. I’ve been trying to recall the bravery of that person.
- Expand that new part by exploring it. Say yes to any and all opportunities and trust that you will be able to deal with whatever they are by the time they come around.
Practise talking about your ideas in an unthreatening environment (my cat is a receptive audience) answering somehow impossible questions such as ‘What is your book about?’ whenever you can. Find a short answer and a way to expand on it if needed.
- Not all publicity requires extraversion. Written pieces about yourself and your ideas can be done in solitary confinement, and your self and your ideas will consequently be more familiar to you when you have to say them aloud. Understand that your friends may feel bombarded by your ceaseless self-advertising bombs. Hopefully they will understand the necessity of this. (Sorry, friends).
- Buddy up. There’s strength in numbers and bookshops like there to be two of you at an event. This might apply to the writing process as well; there are so many groups on and offline that can help you stay connected to society.
- Act as if: imitate the person you aspire to be and allow transformation to happen. Trust that it will.
Mother of Darkness by Venetia Welby is published by Quartet Books, 2017. Buy it at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mother-Darkness-Venetia-Welby/dp/0704374293 or follow www.facebook.com/NightIsOurMother/ for updates.
