The FREE literary magazine of the North Northwords Now Issue 29, Spring 2015 What Do We Think We Are? Robert Davidson on Writing, Territory and Identity New fiction and poetry including Robin Fulton Macpherson, Regi Claire, Pàdraig MacAoidh, Lesley Harrison and Hugh McMillan Interviews and Reviews including Christopher Brookmyre, Ian Stephen and Michel Faber EDITORIAL Contents Changing Times 3 The Morning After: Interview with Christopher Brookmyre his is the last issue of Northwords Now in its current form. At the time of writing this editorial I am waiting to hear from 4 Poems by Eileen Carney Hulme, William Bonar, Catherine Wylie, Tour principal financial partners, Creative Scotland and Bòrd na Anna Danskin, Stuart A. Paterson, & Kate Hendry Gàidhlig, about applications for funding for 2015/16. I am confident the news will be good but even if our applications are successful some 5 Marta’s Last Wish – Short Story by Regi Claire changes need to be made. Northwords Now will now be published just twice a year - in March 5 Poems by Stephen Keeler and September. This means that, at a time of acute financial pressure, we can save money on printing and distribution costs. However the 6 What Do You Think You Are? – Essay by Robert Davidson impact on writers and readers will not, I hope, be felt too keenly. The magazine will grow in size from 24 to 32 pages per issue. In other words 8 Imprint – Short Story by Mairi Sutherland we will publish almost the same amount of fiction, poetry, articles and reviews. Importantly, Northwords Now, will also remain free to its readers, 9 Poems by Andy Allan, Frances Robson, Coinneach Lindsay, whether online or on good, old fashioned paper. That we are able to Hugh McMillan, Paula Jennings, & Grahaeme Barrasford Young do this owes much to the continuing support of Creative Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, and to Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Our thanks 10 Vodka Tonic – Short Story by Brian Hamill go out to them. I’ve also decided to bring in submission deadlines so that writers 12 Poems by Robin Fulton Macpherson will have a better idea of how soon they can expect a decision on their submission. The submission deadline for Issue 30 is 31st July 2015. 14 Night Time in Ninewells – Poems by Derek Ramsay One thing, I’m happy to say, that does not seem to change with the times, at least not for the worse, is the amount of fine new writing that 15 Is Daor a Cheannaich iad an t-iasgach (dearly have they bought comes our way. Long may it continue. n the fishing) Words and Image by Ann Bowes 16 Poems by Pàdraig MacAoidh and Lesley Harrison – Chris Powici Editor 17 Trinidad – Short Story by Richard W. Strachan 18 Poems by Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh 19 Poems by Paula Jennings, Ian McFadyen, Mark Edwards, Philip Miller, Desmond Graham & Katrina Shepherd 20 Reviews 23 Contributors’ Biographies, Where To Find Northwords Now At The Northwords Now Website: www.northwordsnow.co.uk Podcast of Pàdraig MacAoidh Gaelic Poetry in translation Reviews Extra www.facebook.com/groups/northwordsnow/ How to download Northwords Now to an e-reader Northwords Now is a twice yearly literary Advisory Group Submissions to the magazine are welcome. magazine published by Northwords, a not-for- Jon Miller, Peter Urpeth, Pam Beasant They can be in Gaelic, English, Scots and profit company, registered in February 2005. any local variants. They should be sent to Designer the postal address. Unsolicited e-mail New Address for Submissions Gustaf Eriksson, www.gustaferiksson.com attachments will not be opened. The material Northwords Now should be typed on A4 paper. Please submit 6 Kippendavie Lane Technical Advisor no more than three short stories or six Dunblane Tony Ross poems. Contact details – an email address Perthshire [email protected] or an SAE - should be included. We cannot FK15 0HL return work that has no SAE. Copyright Advertising remains with the author. Payment is made for Board members [email protected] all successful submissions. The next issue is Adrian Clark (Chair), Ann Yule, www.northwordsnow.co.uk/advertise.asp planned for September 2015. The deadline for Valerie Beattie, Kristin submissions is 31st July 2015. You will hear Pedroja, Stewart Lackie Subscriptions about your submission by 31st August 2015. The magazine is FREE and can be picked up Editor at locations across Scotland. See list on P23 Chris Powici, [email protected] The fee for individual ‘home-delivery’ is £6 for 2 issues, cheques payable to ‘Northwords’. Gaelic Editor The Board and Editor of Northwords Now Rody Gorman, Front cover image acknowledge support from Highlands [email protected] Front Cover Image: Photograph of poet and Islands Enterprise, Creative Magi McGlyn by Dominique Carton Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig. www.alba-photography.com ISSN 1750-7928 2 Northwords Now Issue 29, Spring 2015 Good Guys and Bad Guys An Interview with Christopher Brookmyre BY STEPHEN KEELER hristopher Brookmyre is the best- is so much more interesting for a journalist selling author of eighteen action character, especially one who’s guilty of all Cnovels which are strong on plot these things that were revealed in the Inquiry and blend social comment, occasional satire itself. You see he was probably one of the and, increasingly, character development. characters I was least interested in as a writer. The early novels, written under the name I would bring him into it so that I could Christopher Brookmyre, have a rich comic, concentrate on the issues in the book. To me almost absurdist seam; later novels, by Chris he wasn’t that deep or complex. And then Brookmyre, are somewhat darker. Stephen in Dead Girl Walking I kind of rediscovered Keeler talked to the author before a reading the character and suddenly he was far more from his latest novel, Dead Girl Walking, at complex and far more interesting to me Waterstone’s in Inverness. because he’s someone in a state of crisis at that point. He’s not so interesting when he’s SK Could we start with the name? Are you cocksure, which he was before. I’ve taken Christopher Brookmyre or Chris Brookmyre? And ownership of him again. does it matter? SK Crime fiction seems to be alive and well and CB It’s one of those questions I wish I could living in Scotland. Can you account for that? make some sort of public statement about. It was really my publisher doing something CB Geographers call it a conglomerate that would signal a change of tone. I can economy: the more there is of something understand why they were doing it but I think there more it groups together and the more they were hamstrung by the fact that it was Photograph of Christopher Brookmyre by Stephen Keeler likely it is that there’ll be more of it. You can the wrong way round: if I’d always been Chris see how the strength of Scottish crime fiction Brookmyre writing these informal books it wanted to write social commentary. I chose will engender more of it. would have made perfect sense…as a publisher CB Yeah, I’m able to engage with that sort it because it’s the kind of writing I like: they’d been very successful distinguishing of thing in a tone that’s in keeping with the stories that have good guys and bad guys SK You don’t think there’s something particular between Iain Banks and Iain M Banks and I rest of the story, whereas in the past there was and complicated and convoluted plots, and about the landscape, the mood, the culture, the think they were thinking they could maybe an almost cartoonish element to my writing surprises and twists…I’d never have written history..? show different sides to my writing but I’m and I don’t think that would sit so well with anything else. not sure those sides were quite so distinct… the more character-driven type of story When I grew up there was no real fiction CB I think Scottish writing in general does and now, just to confuse matters, there’s a Jack that I’m writing at the moment. Dead Girl for older kids so I went straight from Asterix tend to want to examine our society quite Parlabane novel published under the name Walking is very much a character piece, so it to Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum. So unflinchingly, and I think therefore you’re not Chris Brookmyre. wouldn’t really do if you suddenly had some my sense of what a grown-up novel was going to get an Aga-saga written in Scotland. whacky set piece as you might have found in was a story that had that sort of plot, evil I think there’s a certain unflinching harshness SK How do you feel about the description of your my previous books. But it wasn’t as though I machinations, highly complex ruses going on: and honesty that we look for in writing and early books as comic thrillers? And to what extent reached a stage where I thought right I won’t to me that was the kind of story I was always that lends itself to crime fiction. have you made a conscious decision to move away do that any more. For me it’s always been going to write. from the comic? about the story. SK Like most best-selling writers today you are SK Where did the character of Jack Parlabane in demand at book launches, readings and festivals. CB I don’t object to that at all.