Random Acts of Writing Collective

Welcome to our very special edition Homecoming. Following the success of a previous collaboration between RAW and IMAG, a special edition of the magazine was commissioned by the museum to tie in with the autumn exhibition “Leaving Home”. The magazine complements this, featuring stories, an essay and a poem by local writers – and some from further afield – all on the theme of ‘Homecoming’.

The museum ’s exhibition features stories from emigrants and immigrants, and the objects that represent home to them.

An essay by Professor James Hunter, director of the UHI Centre for History, puts the Year of Homecoming in context, explaining the historical background and illustrating it with stories of Australian soldiers visiting the Highlands after the First World War; Highland Games in California; and then looks forward to the Homecoming Conference to be held in Inverness in October. Prof. Hunter said, “It’s really good to see something like this being done to draw the attention of people in the Highlands to the fact that, right around the world, there are so many folk who feel themselves to have some connection with, and stake in, our area.”

A specially-commissioned, brand-new story by award-winning Lewis author Kevin Macneil looks at a modern island homecoming – his dystopian view of Scotland and the Hebrides is familiar to many readers from his controversial novel “The Stornoway Way”.

RAW magazine supports new writers from the Highlands and Islands and beyond, and the wide range of other pieces featured in the magazine include historical fiction set in a post-Culloden Canada; speculative fiction which plays on the idea of the Highland heart; a poem set in modern north America and showing the clash between a Scot and the descendant of a Scot; and a piece by an Australian describing emigration from Scotland in the 1950s.

The “Leaving Home” exhibition runs from 19th September until 31st October at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness.

Click here to buy

Jennifer Thomson (editor).



outnow . contributors. reflections. submission . shop. contact. links. press

Out Now Homecoming
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Welcome to our very special edition Homecoming. Following the success of a previous collaboration between RAW and IMAG, a special edition of the magazine was commissioned by the museum to tie in with the autumn exhibition “Leaving Home”. The magazine complements this, featuring stories, an essay and a poem by local writers – and some from further afield – all on the theme of ‘Homecoming’. The museum ’s exhibition features stories from emigrants and immigrants, and the objects that represent home to them. An essay by Professor James Hunter, director of the UHI Centre for History, puts the Year of Homecoming in context, explaining the historical background and illustrating it with stories of Australian soldiers visiting the Highlands after the First World War; Highland Games in California; and then looks forward to the Homecoming Conference to be held in Inverness in October. Prof. Hunter said, “It’s really good to see something like this being done to draw the attention of people in the Highlands to the fact that, right around the world, there are so many folk who feel themselves to have some connection with, and stake in, our area.” A specially-commissioned, brand-new story by award-winning Lewis author Kevin Macneil looks at a modern island homecoming – his dystopian view of Scotland and the Hebrides is familiar to many readers from his controversial novel “The Stornoway Way”. RAW magazine supports new writers from the Highlands and Islands and beyond, and the wide range of other pieces featured in the magazine include historical fiction set in a post-Culloden Canada; speculative fiction which plays on the idea of the Highland heart; a poem set in modern north America and showing the clash between a Scot and the descendant of a Scot; and a piece by an Australian describing emigration from Scotland in the 1950s. The “Leaving Home” exhibition runs from 19th September until 31st October at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness. Click here to buy Jennifer Thomson (editor).



SPECIAL EDITION REFLECTIONS
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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
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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
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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 Homecoming : UK .... ..........£3.50 (including postage)............... Homecoming: Worldwide.....£4.00 (including postage) Subscriptions UK subscription................£9 for 1 year (3 issues, including postage) Rest of the World.............£14 for 1 year (3 issues, including postage) .............. .............................. 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
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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
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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
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"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.

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