Out Now issue 13
Welcome to issue 13 of “Random Acts of Writing” magazine. We start this issue about as far away as possible from our home in the north of Scotland, with Rebecca Burns Australian-set story “Miss Swainson’s Girl”. However, we then return to our roots with the story “Village Diary – The Fete”: we couldn’t resist the obvious love for Ross-shire that shone through Patricia Cole’s story. Then Jim Shanks’ story takes us further afield again, with a thought-provoking glimpse of other people’s lives.
A short break from the short story takes us to two poems by Ian Lowery; one a meditation on the difficulty – and appeal – of writing, and the second an evocative description of an old sailor.
We generally don’t ask for stories on any particular theme, but occasionally themes do seem to emerge: both Gavin Broom and Gemma Rutter write about unhappy childhoods in high-rise flats – but from very different perspectives. Our last poem is a wee gem from Julia Gordon: a moment under an umbrella.
The next issue of RAW (due in the autumn) also has a unifying theme: Homecoming. There is still time to send in submissions, and we welcome stories and poems from new writers based in the Highlands and Islands. This is an exciting project for us and preparations are already well under way
Jennifer Thomson (editor).
Contributors
Rebecca Burns
lives in Nottinghamshire and has a Ph.D. in New Zealand Writing. She is a married mum of two and somehow manges to find time to write stories and articles based on her doctoral research. She has published in academic and literary journals, including The London Magazine. 'Miss Swainson's Girl' is the third story in an inter-linked series set in pioneer New Zealand.
Gavin Broom
lives in Alloa with his wife and his cat. He has had work published in Espresso Fiction, Bound Off, Menda City Review, Fiction At Work, Flashquake and was runner up in SFX's 2006 Pulp Idol competition even though he doesn't do Sci-Fi. He has recently completed his first novel and is currently delaying the redraft. His dreams of earning enough money from his writing to buy a house at the beach are, as yet, unfulfilled.
Gemma Rutter
is a Creative Writing graduate from The University of Leeds. She writes furiously and often, as a published journalist, playwright, poet, and aspiring novelist. She can be found procrastinating at all times. Gemma has previously been published in Safari Young Poets, The Cadaverine Magazine, Creature Magazine and The 405. She is Consulting Editor of The Cadaverine Magazine.
Ian Lowery
Born in East London in 1957, Ian Lowery now lives in a small village in West Yorkshire with his partner, Carrie, and their two daughters, Alice and Rosa. Although he started writing poetry some three decades ago, it is only over the past ten years that he has been writing in earnest. He has ten completed collections of between nine and fifteen poems of varying formats (rhyming, blank, structured, free) which are loosely linked or specifically themed but where the individual poems may stand alone. The most common of his topics treat nature, love, politics (anti-capitalist), the human dilemma set against the framework of social conditions and the issue of ethical conduct.
Jim Shanks
is a native of the Highlands. He spent many years working in different parts of the world. Now retired, he writes occasionally and walks a lot.
Patricia Cole
was born and raised in Edinburgh. She is a retired accountant, and now lives with her husband on a small Greek island. She lived in Ross-shire for several years in the 70s and has many happy memories of the place. She sustained a serious injury in 2002 and there was doubt as to whether she would ever walk again. However, she was one of the lucky few who walked out of a spinal unit. She still has mobility problems but nothing compared to what might have been. She decided to try something different and has had some success with short story writing.
Julia Gordon
Now retired, Julia Gordon has spent much of her life in search of an identity for herself. Today, she finds that personal identity as a transsexual woman while recognising a higher, spiritual stamp placed upon all of humanity. From a background in healthcare and teaching, she balances the headlong rush into the future with journalling trying, as she puts it, “to use my writing to preserve for eternity the thoughts and feelings of the moment.” Born in Glasgow in 1946, Julia has lived in the North of Scotland for over thirty years and has no desire to be anywhere or do anything else.
Through the window, on the other side of town, the four high-rise flats reach into the late afternoon sky like fingers stretching for rescue or escape. Duncan remembers that he didn’t always think this way about them, but then again, he hasn’t always been called Duncan. Things change.
Call for Homecoming (updated)
RAW is planning a special Homecoming issue and event in autumn 2009. We would like your submissions of FICTION and POETRY on the subject of 'Homecoming'. Closing date is now the 17th of July and we are particularly interested in finding some stories about emigration to Australia.
For example, you may choose to write about the Clearances; about emigration to Australia for £10; about a returning tourist whose ancestors come from the Highlands; about a child returning home from university; about someone returning home from hospital... the list is endless!
As RAW is a magazine based in the north of Scotland and supporting new writers from this area, we are particularly keen to hear from those people who make Scotland a 'Home': we don't just want to hear about immigrants and returnees, we also want your stories if you are from here and have never left: why is Scotland your home, and why should it be celebrated...?
Further details about our Homecoming issue and event will be posted on the website nearer the time, but we are accepting submissions NOW - don't miss out on your chance to be involved!
SPECIAL EDITION: REFLECTIONS
Earlier last year Inverness Musuem and Art Gallery (iMAG) got in touch with RAW with a very interesting idea. The result was Reflections, a new exhibition featuring nine portraits of Highland women with nine commissioned stories inspired and based around the works of art. The exhibition launched on the 1st of November 2008 and received a lot of media attention and good will from many people. We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has supported this project.
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/919935
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7698208.stm
http://video.stv.tv/bc/catchup-scotlandtodaymorningheadlines-20081110-1116
This special edition of RAW features colour reproductions of each painting and the full text of each story or poem. Contributors include Katherine Stuart, author of "A Croft in the Hills" and various books on Highland life and history. Anne Macleod who wrote "The Dark Ship" and is a past Neil Gunn prizewinner. Fiona Mackenzie, singer songwriter from the Gaelic trio Mackenzie who recently released her debut solo album "Elevate" to critical acclaim, and six new writers support by RAW over the last few years.
As the project unfurled some valuable histories were uncovered and brought life to several of the paintings for the museum - these are included as an essay.
Fiona Mackenzie, one of the authors invited to contribute a piece to this project has turned her work into a truely amazing song and is available for download:
www.linnrecords.co.uk
www.myspace.com/fionamackenziemusic
Order the Reflections brochure: £3.50 (including postage)
RAW Submissions
Random Acts of Writing is a Highlands-based writing magazine, and we are keen to publish writers who are either based in the north of Scotland, or whose work is relevant to the area. We have a commitment to new writing and unpublished writers. We welcome all submissions, which you can submit either by email or post. For full submission guidelines please follow this link and get some handy hints on what we are looking for and what's in it for you... (more)
We prefer that you send us material by email, as a word or text attachment, saving us all time and trees. If you do this, please put SUBMISSION in the subject line, otherwise we may think it is spam and delete it.
submission@randomactsofwriting.co.uk
If you send your writing by post, please use single-spacing and both sides of the page - this will help conserve the trees. If you want us to return a postal submission, or you would like some feedback on it, please enclose a S.A.E. or an email address.
RAW SUBMISSIONS, 11 Alexander Place, Inverness IV3 5BX
Shop
You can buy copies of RAW online using paypal or by post, if you prefer. If you do use the post please send us a cheque made payable to Random Acts of Writing.
Post to:
Random Acts of Writing,
11 Alexander Place, Inverness IV3 5BX
The prices are detailed below.
Out Now
Latest Issue: UK .... ..........£3.50 (including postage)...............
Latest Issue: Worldwide.....£4.00 (including postage)
Subscriptions
UK subscription................£9 for 1 year (3 issues, including postage)
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Back Issues
Back issues available soon...
Stockists
Loch Croispol Bookshop: Durness
Bogbain Farm: Inshes, Inverness.
Waterstone's: Eastgate Shopping Centre, Inverness
Nairn Bookshop: Nairn
An Lanntair: Stornoway
Emporium: Cromarty
An Tobar: Mull
Green Kite: Strathpeffer
Contact
Managing Editor........Jennifer Thomson
Sub-editor.................Vikki Trelfer
Marketing................ .Lawrence Sutcliffe
Design & Web...........James Mann
EMAIL: info@randomactsofwriting.co.uk
POST: Random Acts of Writing, 11 Alexander Place, Inverness IV3 5BX
Links
Highlands and Islands Short Story Association works to promote the short story and runs two competitions each year.
hissac.co.uk
The arts centre in Tobermory, Mull
antobar.co.uk
The excellent award winning bookshop in Nairn, who organise the awsome and highly successful Nairn Book Festival each year.
nairnbookshop.co.uk
Promoting short fiction to the masses. Also excellent information on
competitions and prizes.
theshortstory.org.uk
Independant national charity which encourages reading in all ages and cultures - info on prizes and projects.
scottishbooktrust.com
Press
"Random acts to relish...very engaging"
Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday, talking about issue 10
"[RAW's] success is testament to the enthusiasm of the editorial team and to the strength and quality of writing in the Highlands today"
Press & Journal
"If more people committed random acts of writing the Highlands would be a better place. And indeed the cultural landscape of Scotland IS the better for this quirky, impassioned and stimulating magazine"
Kevin MacNeil, author of "The Stornoway Way" and RAW contributor.
