A. J. Ashworth

Scott Prize shortlist

2012-02-28T18:15:00.000Z

The shortlist for the 2012 Salt Publishing Scott Prize has recently been announced - so, being one of last year's winners, I just wanted to say a quick congrats and good luck to the 11 who have made the cut. You can see who they are here. I recognise a few names on there so it's going to be really interesting to find out who the winner is, when the decision is made around April. If you want to find out more about each shortlistee, Salt are running a series of interviews on their blog - click here and look at the blog post list on the right-hand side for #ScottPrize - The Shortlist in Profile. There's a few on there already, more to come. So good luck everyone. From the story extracts I've seen so far, it looks like it's going to be a tough year.

The woman who sniffs books

2012-02-15T19:36:00.000Z

You might have heard of 'cooking the books' but have you heard of 'smelling the books'? Well, apparently, this is just the kind of thing Rachael Morrison likes to do.

I first heard about Rachael, a senior library assistant at The Museum of Modern Art Library (MoMA), in an episode of Alan Yentob's arts programme 'Imagine'. In the programme, she explained that she is hoping to sniff every book in the MoMA Library collection and document what each one smells like - recording her findings in a ledger.

The book sniffing challenge, though, is not part of her day job - Rachael is also an artist. What she's actually doing, alongside her regular work, is creating a piece of performance art called 'Smelling the Books'.

In an article on the MoMA blog, Rachael says this 'personal olfactory exploration is to foster a discussion of the future of print media, the ways we read, methods of classification, and the way in which smell is entwined with memory.'

So far she has managed to sniff her way through a few of the 300,000 books she plans to. But she's already documented a surprising range of smells - anything from nail polish, sun tan lotion and dirty socks to smoke, late summer rain and armpit.

Bookshop buzz

2012-02-10T00:07:00.003Z

There seems to be a bit of a buzz about bookshops at the moment - those independents which are bursting with individuality and character as well as offering a great selection of reads. The first thing I noticed was The Guardian's Independent Bookshop guide back in September. Then there was a post by Jen Campbell saying she wanted to write a series of 'spotlights' to help spread 'the joy of physical bookshops'. You can read the first of her posts about Ripping Yarns here, the bookshop where Jen herself works.

Then there was this on Flavorwire showing photos of what were declared to be 'The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World'. Of these my own particular favourites are Barter Books, Alnwick, the famous Shakespeare & Company in Paris and the Cafebreria El Pendulo, in Mexico City, Mexico, with its stacks of books, greenery and a winding staircase. I can only hope I get to see a few of them in the flesh one day, if not all of them.

Following on from this, Sarah Crown in The Guardian took the Flavorwire piece as a starting point for a post about her own favourite bookshops while encouraging readers to nominate theirs. The Guardian has since set up a Flickr group so people can share photos of those shops most dearest to them.

As for me, a beautiful bookshop I've visited recently is The Whitby Bookshop with its great selection of books, audiobooks, cards and gifts.

It's a fairly small shop over two floors - with a lovely, creaky, wooden staircase up to the next level - but I still managed to spend a good hour or so in there browsing. And there were plenty of bargains to be had among the more expensive books. I think I spent just over £10 and came away with a couple of books (one of which was a hardback) as well as two audiobooks. So if you're in Whitby it's well worth going in for a visit on your way to the Abbey. (Pop into Sherlocks for tea and cake while you're there too.)

One of my favourite bookshops is from the world of film. It's the Pageant Book & Print Shop which makes an appearance in Woody Allen's film 'Hannah and her Sisters'. Have a look at it here in this key scene (and keep watching to hear Barbara Hershey's wonderful reading of an ee cummings poem). It was a real shop at the time of filming but sadly it appears to be just a virtual one now.

But what's causing the buzz? Are we suddenly realising how precious such places are to us and how easily they could disappear if we don't visit them? Are we addicted to the thrill of discovery, which only really comes when running your eyes along rows and rows of book spines? Are we just desperate for the physical experience of picking up one book after another and flicking through them before deciding whether we want to buy or not? Have we already grown tired of online bookshops because they can only offer us products and not an experience? I'd love to hear what you think.

Interview and competition

2012-02-02T17:15:00.002Z

I was interviewed over on Jen Campbell's blog this week so if you fancy a read click here. Jen's also running a competition and the winner will receive a copy of my collection. To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is leave a comment below the interview.

Zooming in

2012-01-31T08:07:00.001Z

I saw this article recently and am really fascinated by the photos in it (thanks to Michelle McGrane for bringing it to my attention).

It's sand magnified more than 250 times so that we can see the different structures and colours of each grain - 'unique as snowflakes' the article says. And they are. Some are small, recognisable fragments of shell, others are little pieces of rock. And the colours are amazing too. Not the beige we normally associate with sand but blues and yellows and purples and reds. I don't think I'd ever even thought about sand or what it might look like if we zoomed in on it before seeing this article. Fascinating stuff. You can visit the photographer Dr Gary Greenberg's website here if you're as intrigued as I am.

In a way, the photos made me think of the short story and how it does a similar thing - zooming in on a life or incident so that we can see everything in close-up, really getting to the heart of a situation. Perhaps that's why these photos (apart from being beautiful) captured my attention - because I love to focus on the detail rather than the bigger picture. And, to me, that's the value of the short story - it enables us to see the unseen world. To get up close, our noses pressed to the glass. It also enables us to imagine what the bigger picture may be, from the fragment of life we get to glimpse - and it is up to us as readers to make that link and to build that bigger picture in our imaginations. Much like these photos... the fragment of shell pictured hints at the full shell from which it came. It is the microcosm reflecting the macrocosm. And it's there, in the short story as well as in a little, beautiful, colourful grain of sand.

Stopping off at Peony Moon

2012-01-16T19:11:00.003Z

Many thanks to Michelle McGrane for hosting me on her Peony Moon blog today. If you want to find out a little bit more about my book, and the inspiration behind it, head over there by clicking here.

First festival

2012-01-13T09:41:00.001Z

The organisers of York Literature Festival have just announced the 2012 programme and I'm very pleased to be part of the line-up. Among those appearing are former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan and politician Tony Benn, who's topping the bill. The festival is set to run from March 29th to April 1st so take a look at the programme to find out more.

My event, 'Pub Shorts', will be hosted by Helen Cadbury and will feature fellow writers Tony Dew, Steve Toase and James Wall. It will be held on Sunday, April 1st from 4pm to 5.45pm and will include readings from the four of us plus a discussion on the future of the e-book versus print in short story publishing.

* 'Pub Shorts', Wolfe Room, Black Swan Pub, Peasholme Green, York. Tickets cost £4 and are available from York Theatre Royal's Box Office (01904 623568).

Looking ahead

2012-01-06T11:46:00.003Z

Well, the new year has brought two nice things to look forward to. Firstly, Jen Campbell is going to interview me for her blog so I can't wait to have a chat with her about the book. Go and have a wander over to Jen's site now if you haven't already - there's a great list of previous interviews on there including ones with Neil Gaiman, Joanne Harris, Joe Dunthorne, Jon McGregor and many others. Also, while you're there please buy one of the few remaining copies of Jen's poetry pamphlet '100 Poem Challenge', the proceeds of which go towards EEC International which funds research centres using stem cell research and gene therapy to find a cure for degenerative eyesight problems. Jen is a great writer so you'll not only get some nice, new reading matter but you'll be supporting charity too.

Secondly, I have been asked to read as part of a short story event for York Literature Festival on April 1st so that should be good. I will pass on the details as soon as I have them, as well as info on the other writers who will be reading as part of the event.

Book voucher beauties

2011-12-28T11:01:00.000Z

For those who were lucky enough to get book vouchers for Christmas, I thought it would be a good idea to offer some suggestions on what to spend them on. So, here are a few new/forthcoming books I'd like to recommend. I either have/want/have read/want to read them so I hope that you'll want them too.

A book of the year...

2011-12-20T17:38:00.001Z

I got a bit of a shock yesterday - a lovely shock - after finding out that my collection had been named by British writer Maggie Gee as one of her favourite books of 2011. Maggie's chosen books appeared in The Guardian (Nigeria) alongside selections from other writers, editors and publishing professionals from around the world. The article, written by Nigerian writer A. Igoni Barrett, can be seen here. But, as the text is a bit small to see on the photo, here's what it says:

Maggie Gee, author of My Animal Life: I re-read Bernardine Evaristo’s fascinating fictionalised family history, the new, expanded Lara (Bloodaxe, New ed., 2009), tracing the roots of this mixed race British writer back through the centuries to Nigeria, Brazil, Germany, Ireland—comedy and tragedy, all in light-footed, dancing verse. In Selma Dabbagh’s new Out of It (Bloomsbury, 2011), the lives of young Palestinians in Gaza are brought vividly to life—gripping, angry, funny, political. Somewhere Else, or Even Here (Salt, 2011) by A.J. Ashworth is a stunningly original first collection of short stories.

So, as you can imagine, it was a shock indeed. I look forward to getting hold of copies of books by the other writers Maggie mentions, as well as those mentioned by some of the other contributors. A surprise for sure but a great end to the year.

Win a signed copy!

2011-12-19T11:03:00.000Z

It's National Short Story Day this Thursday, December 22 (the shortest day of the year) so, to mark this special day, I thought I'd offer one person the chance to win a signed copy of my book.

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is to find my profile on Twitter (@AJAshworth) and retweet (RT) one of the messages about the competition. You have until 7pm on Thursday, December 22 to enter. One name will be drawn and a signed copy of the book will be sent to that person - or to someone else of their choosing. The competition is open to anyone, no matter where they are in the world. So get RTing! (And don't forget to visit the National Short Story Day website too.)

UPDATE: 9pm on Thursday 22nd - congrats to @jessicapatient who wins a copy of my book. Thanks to all 42 who entered.

Launching

2011-12-04T08:43:00.000Z

The book launch went really well last Wednesday at Blackwell's in Sheffield. I'd been invited to hold the event as part of Sheffield Hallam's MA Writing Masterclass* series - Hallam being the university where I studied for my MA.

My former tutor Felicity Skelton - herself an excellent short story writer - gave a lovely introduction, which was actually very touching. I then read the first story from the collection - 'Sometimes Gulls Kill Other Gulls'. Afterwards I got a nice selection of questions from different people including if I was finding it difficult to motivate myself to write after the MA (Yes, a bit) and whether writing was like acting (Yes, because you have to immerse yourself in the lives of the characters). And by this point it was time to wrap up.

Family and friends were in the audience as well as a few people from the MA. My good friend Gill Blow was also there, as were work colleagues and online writing pal Valerie O'Riordan. Writer Rachel Connor, who I know from her connections to Arvon, had also sent me a lovely bunch of sunflowers as she couldn't make the event, so that added to what was a nice, intimate and friendly evening.

Here are a few pictures from the night to give you a flavour of what it was like:

* The Masterclasses at Hallam are evening events which run throughout the term and usually feature visits from writers, agents and other publishing professionals.

Launch day

2011-11-27T09:33:00.001Z

Next Wednesday (November 30th) is the launch day for my book - and it would be lovely if you could come along to help me celebrate at a special reading in Sheffield. The event is being held in Blackwell's, next to the university where I did my MA, so if you're in the area it would be lovely to see you. I will be reading a story from the collection but, if that isn't enough to tempt you, then there will be cupcakes and wine too. If you can't make the launch though the book is available to buy here and here.

* Wednesday, November 30th, 6.15pm, Blackwell's, Sheffield Hallam University, 1 Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 2LW. Admission free.

The eagle has landed

2011-11-25T13:47:00.001Z

These were, of course, the words uttered by Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong after the Eagle lunar module landed on the moon during that first manned mission in July 1969. And while my own little 'landed eagle' is not as momentous a global event as that, to me it is pretty momentous - my book 'Somewhere Else, or Even Here' has landed in the offices of my publisher, Salt. I am now a published author.

Being published - having my own, actual book in print - is a dream I've held for a long time. Often, I didn't think it would ever happen for me. I always hoped it would. And, happily, the day has finally arrived when it has. The dream has become a reality, thanks to Jen and Chris Hamilton-Emery of Salt. So, even though there won't be people lining the streets, waving flags, or any monuments built in my honour this is still a big day for me. A small step and a giant leap all rolled into one. There are still the footprints of astronauts up on the moon - thirty years or so after they were first left there. I can only hope my own book leaves its mark on the world in its own small way - its own little footprint, which will hopefully still be there in years to come.

A party for The Coward

2011-11-21T19:34:00.001Z

A couple of weeks ago I went along to the launch party for Vanessa Gebbie's novel 'The Coward's Tale'. This exciting event was held in London - in the beautiful Daunt Books in Marylebone High Street - and was organised by Vanessa's new publishers, Bloomsbury.

There were lots of guests there - all willing to raise a glass or two to Vanessa - including Maggie Gee and her husband Nick Rankin, David Gaffney, Tania Hershman, Elizabeth Baines, Adam Marek and fellow Scott Prize winner Jonathan Pinnock. (I actually saw regular New Yorker contributor Tessa Hadley in the street beforehand and wondered if she might be there but she wasn't.)

Vanessa's agent Euan Thorneycroft was also there, as was her editor Helen Garnons-Williams, who gave a lovely speech during the event saying that she loves the novel so much that if she starts reading it, she gets lost in it and forgets to get on with her other work. Then Vanessa spoke to say thanks to numerous people who helped during the course of writing the book including Maggie Gee, her agent and family. Here are a couple of hastily snatched photos from her speech:

But it was all over too quickly and I had to make a dash for the train. A really great event though and I understand lots of copies of Vanessa's novel sold on the night which is great. I'm looking forward to reading my signed copy soon. And from all the great reviews it's getting, it looks as if this is one book which is really going to make a name for itself.

Reality bites

2011-11-20T10:39:00.001Z

When you're writing you are, on the whole, not thinking about what will happen when your writing goes out into the world on its own. You're thinking about which words cosy up nicely to other words, which words have become difficult house guests and need to be shown the door. You're thinking about whether the story works or if that metaphor is a bit over the top. You're thinking about the next cup of tea and whether it's acceptable to have yet another handful of biscuits to go with it. What you are not always thinking about is people you have never met reading your book.

And this is where I am.

In the next few days my book is being printed. And, if I'm lucky, people I've met and people I've never met will read it. Exciting? Yes. Frightening? Yes, a little. Anxiety-inducing? Most definitely.

But why the fear and anxiety? Isn't this what we dream about? What we sometimes give up time with loved ones for - often for no pay or recognition? Yes, of course. But, to quote a short story by Delmore Schwartz (inspired by an epigraph in a volume of Yeats' poetry), in dreams begin responsibilities. And this is the source of my anxiety: I am responsible for what I've written. And once it's out there, it's out there - there's no dragging it back indoors and stuffing it out of sight at the back of the wardrobe.

So this is where the notion of responsibility comes into it - I will have to be answerable for any wrong facts, any errors of judgement, anything which is deemed to be not quite right.

All I can say in my defence is, I've written as honestly and as well as I can and I've tried my best to research any facts that I've used. But, as the authors of some books say, if there are any errors in there they are purely my fault.