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Home Songs Fiction and Poetry from the North

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Home Songs Fiction and Poetry from the North The FREE literary magazine of the North Northwords Now Issue 26, Spring 2014 Home Songs Prize Winning Poems and Stories ‘Just Telling Stories’ Interview with A.L. Kennedy States of Mind – new books about Scotland Fiction and poetry from the North EDITORIAL Contents Homelands 3 Interview with A.L. Kennedy by Stephen Keeler An old song. A rickle of stones. A name on a map. (Norman MacCaig) 4 Poems by Stewart Sanderson 5 Grigor’s Gifts – Short Story by Liz Grafton he literary critic Raymond Williams once remarked that ‘nature’ is the most complex word 6 Poems by Alison Scott, Thomas Clark, Joan Lennon, Katherine Lockton Tin the English language. He may have a point but and Jan Sutch-Pickard for my money ‘home’ runs it pretty close. To write about home is to explore somewhere familiar, personal, intimate 7 Elemental – Short Story by Donald McKenzie – a sense of place that takes root in the heart. But home can also be a site of fear, regret and trepidation or an impossible 8 Poems by Maggie Wallis, Ian McFadyen, Pàdraig Macaoidh and Jane Aldous dream, somewhere yearned for but never attained. The entries for The Skye Reading Room’s Baker Prize 9 Babel – Poem by James Sinclair and the Highland Literary Salon writing competition evoke the complexity of home and I’m pleased to publish 10 Poems by Jon Plunkett, Gordon Jarvie and Crìsdean MacIlleBhàin some of the best of these entries in this issue of Northwords Now. They explore ‘the strangeness’ of home, the longing 11 Poems by Marcas Mac an Tuairneir and Jared Carnie and regret that suffuses our need to belong, and the pain of exile. 12 Poems by Juliet Antill and Gill Terry Of course, in this referendum year, a sense of a ‘homeland’ is central to the political debate. One way or another, the 14 Watching Robert Duffin – Short Story by Connie Ramsay Bott question of Scotland what was, what it is now and what it may look in the future is exercising the intellects and 15 Kindred Spirits – Short Story by Paul Brownsey imaginations of poets, novelists and essay writers. In this issue you’ll find our reviewers getting to grips with these 16 Hogmanay On Culbin – Short Story by Martin Russell various visions of Scotland. Thinking about home has rarely seemed so necessary. The upcoming vote may settle a 17 Poems by Maggie Rabatski, Caoimin MacNèill and John Quinn crucial political question about the constitutional status of Scotland but you can be sure that its writers will continue to 18 Reviews explore the nature of the country, and its peoples, for many, many years to come. It’s no less than we deserve. Over the 23 Contributors’ Biographies, Where To Find Northwords Now years Northwords Now has proved itself a welcoming home for various visions of Scotland, from the laugh-out loud funny to the sombre and serious. I’m looking forward to continuing that tradition. At The Northwords Now Website: www.northwordsnow.co.uk Podcast of James Sinclair Chris Powici, Editor Gaelic Poetry in translation How to download Northwords Now to an e-reader Subscribe to our email newsletter www.facebook.com/groups/108050585912558/ Northwords Now is a three times Advisory Group Front cover image yearly literary magazine published by Jon Miller, Peter Urpeth, Pam Beasant ‘The Harp’ by Stephen Mclaren Northwords, a not-for-profit company, http://stephenmclaren.see.me registered in February 2005. Designer Gustaf Eriksson Submissions to the magazine are welcome. New Address for Submissions www.gustaferiksson.com They can be in Gaelic, English, Scots and Northwords Now any local variants. They should be sent 6 Kippendavie Lane Technical Advisor to the postal address. Unsolicited e-mail Dunblane Tony Ross attachments will not be opened. The material Perthshire [email protected] should be typed on A4 paper. Contact FK15 0HL details and SAE should be included. We Contact NNow cannot return work that has no SAE. Board members Manager: Angus Dunn Copyright remains with the author. Adrian Clark (Chair), Ann Yule, [email protected] Payment is made for all Valerie Beattie, Kristin Advertising: Vicki Miller successful submissions. Pedroja, Stewart Lackie [email protected] The next issue is planned for July 2014 Editor Subscriptions The Board and Editor of Northwords Now Chris Powici, [email protected] The magazine is FREE and can be picked up acknowledge support from Highlands at locations across Scotland. See list on P23 and Islands Enterprise, Creative Gaelic Editor The fee for individual ‘home-delivery’ is £6 Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Rody Gorman, [email protected] for 3 issues, cheques payable to ‘Northwords’. ISSN 1750-7928 2 Northwords Now Issue 26, Spring 2014 Just Telling Stories Stephen Keeler talks to A. L. Kennedy writers and audience members have had a communal experience of many sessions, that’s an element, too – and a rare one. And yes, I’ve done basically stand-up for some events when that seemed necessary. It’s all just telling stories one way or another. SK All the Rage, your latest book, is a collection of (may I call them quirky?) love stories, isn’t it? Why these stories? Why now? And do short stories sell? ALK Short stories sell if you sell them. My publishers have been selling my short stories for decades. Why these stories? These are the ones I have. Why now? Because I had them at the time I put them together, and it took them about a year to come out. SK On Writing has become something of a handbook for tutors and students on some creative writing courses: how much, if any, patience (sympathy?) do you have with those who say, “I read it but it didn’t tell me how to write.”? ALK Probably none. But I would have compassion because they’re lost people, and you can’t get anywhere with writing (which is hard) if you’re that lost. No one does this for you. If they could, they would be robbing you of everything you could be. Which would be a bad thing. It would be like someone having sex with your husband for you… SK Less than six months after this year’s UBF, Scottish residents will be able to vote on separation from the Union: the ‘i’ word is in the air, and the UBF has clearly not been programmed politely or diplomatically to avoid the issue. You’ll no doubt be asked… Photo of A. L. Kennedy courtesy of Random House ALK I can’t vote. I live in England, so it’s right that I can’t vote, although sad. It’s also sad – and wonderful – that all the voters can get enthused by is a potential new start, a he Ullapool Book Festival is about perfectionists’ – can at best only gently be special in a culture which doesn’t value books virtual country, an idea of public servants who to celebrate its tenth anniversary, in guided towards their writer’s voice, and or readers, or listening, or real communication. would serve the public…it chimes with the Tsome style. Novelist and stand-up A. L. famously if a touch disingenuously refers As coverage of books in the media declined None Of The Above vote down South, and Kennedy who has described it as having ‘the to herself (and by extension all writers) as a and access to books was reduced in the last few the Left Unity Party’s inauguration. I wish we listeningest audiences I’ve ever met’ is high ‘typist’. She is uncomfortable with writers’ decades, people who love books and love what had better politicians; I wish they had more on the impressive list of literary heavyweights groups, claiming ‘they are about groups, not they do, and think they are important, began imagination. And I wish Scotland well and spending the weekend of 9-11 May on the about writing’, and she is particular about to found more and more festivals. They’re a know it will make the right decision. shores of Loch Broom. Stephen Keeler asked creative writing courses and workshops which, place where people who value imagination, SK I’ve read your website (www.a-l- her about book festivals, her writing and the she has asserted, can infantilise writers. communication and human potential can kennedy.co.uk) so I’m pretty clear about the ‘i’ question. Her latest book, All the Rage (Jonathan go and be sane – at best. At worst, a few are horrors you dread – and work hard to avoid – The Ullapool Book Festival (UBF), more Cape, 2014) is a collection of a dozen short simply media playground and opportunities at stand-up gigs and book festivals, so what, if than any other I know, is a writers’ festival. It’s stories of love closely-observed at its various for networking. But there simply aren’t that anything, do you most look forward to about not that the audience is taken for granted but extremes – in a sex shop, functional yet many toxic book festivals. And the UBF has Ullapool this year? in Ullapool the writers are at the heart of the profoundly poignant as sexual transaction, a fantastic atmosphere and is coming out of a ALK I don’t know…I liked the chat last matter. You feel they’d still manage to make a brooding and contemplative, and reminiscent culture that involves listening to each other. time. I liked the walking about. The sessions festival out of just being together, even if no in a Christmas carol service – and always with What’s not to like? were great; the atmosphere also.
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