EDF Anthology

Just learned that 'Bag Lady Blues' will be included in this year's Every day Fiction anthology.

Rejected but NOT Dejected

Didn't get into Glamorgan but some strong encouragement to apply next year.

On holiday at friend Colin Harbour's place in Cyprus I managed to get my horror novel, 'Incomers' off to a good start. Subsequently Colin saved the day by getting my laptop to reboot after I gave it a glass of water to drink!

'Jam Sponge and Pudding' has drained me a little so it's on the back burner for a while.

Time's Winged Chariot

Over half way through the year and very few publications, what have I been doing? Well, the OU Creative Writing course has taken up a lot of my time, as has the health of my mother which continues to deteriorate. Still, I've managed to put some work together for competitions, one of my three targets, and currently have fiction entered for the Commonwealt Broadcasting Prize, the Yeovil Prize, the Bridport Prize and the Guardian Short Story competition. I also have also entered poetry for the Bridport and the Essex Poetry Festival.

Fingers crossed!

New Work/OU/Glamorgan

Haven't posted for some time. One new thing published 'Home Leave'. This has taken me a long time to place despite my personal feeling it is one of the best things I have written. Thanks to Pygmy Giant for taking it: http://thepygmygiant.wordpress.com/page/2/. If it has moved from the link, just look to the older posts.

Have just finished the OU Creative Writing course (A215). I'd recommend it to anyone, budding and more established writers alike. What you get out of it really depends on what you put in. Some 50% of the mark (it counts toward an OU degree, if you're so inclined) is tutor marked assignments i.e. continuous assesment, and I've done quite well there. The other 50% is an end of course assessment being the examinable part. I was daring here and entered the first chapter of my novel 'Incomers'. I hope Iwasn't too daring.

Waiting now to see if I've been accepted on the Glamorgan MPhil in writing. My fingers are crossed but I made a late application and they only take eight people per year.

Bag Lady

Bag Lady Blues is published: www.everydayfiction.com/bag-lady-blues-by-mark-dalligan/

Spring has Sprung

...and finally woken me up. Making time for myself again now that work has calmed a little.
So, have entered the Fish One Page Prize and the Fish Poetry Prize and also the Umbinnacle Ultra Short.

EDF has accepted Bag Lady Blues and I'm waiting for the publication date.

Canadian Horizon Magazine has taken Stranded, a short SF story and will pay real money on publication.

My review of Lee Rourke's collection Everyday is up at Tania Hershman's

www.theshortreview.com/reviews/LeeRourkeEveryday.htm

2009 Resolutions

Well, the time for writing resolutions. So ................................

1. Place in a major literary prize.
2. Have at least three stories/poems in paying print magazines.
3. Finish and place novel.

So, we'll see!

Happy New Year