Moment of Attention: Chris
Hardy"Chris Hardy's poetry is, by turns,
restrained and exuberant, suggesting a delight in the power of words that
is quite charming. In this collection he roams far and wide, but the unifying
quality of the work is the unflinching eye with which he regards his subjects."
Jeremy Pagefor
more details
Isn't Sex Noisy:
songs & poems by Colin
Shaddick(2008) "... part of an eccentric
slice of the British way of life" BBC Radio 4
for
more details
Paul Lee: The Light Forecast
(2005) "These poems are like water. They splash from
risk to risk, exuberant, graceful, wayward, irrepressible. Head-over-heels
in love with words, Lee draws vitality from the source. He can make a sparkling
delight of almost nothing—or plummet as deep as it goes…."Helena Nelsonfor moredetails
Emma Lee: Yellow Torchlight and the
Blues(2004) "Employing strong visual
pictures ... many of Lee's poems stick in the mind's eye long after the book
has been closed. ... Lee's poems are sharp, spare, and economic, without
missing out on the important details."Deborah Tyler-Bennett:
editor The Coffee House for
moredetails
Cuatro Poetas (2004) [translations of poems
by Ferderico Garciá Lorca, Antonio Machado, Pablo
Neruda & Jorge Guillén] for
moredetails
Idris Caffrey: Other Places(1998)
details
out of print
The End of Science
Fiction:
BeWrite Books
(2005) (available in paperback
and electronic format) The first edition (Jacobyte
Books) was shortlisted for a 2001 SF Eppie. 'Smith pulls
off his premise skillfully, nay, brilliantly. His prose is clear, smooth
and spare. His dialogue reveals the characters' personalities. Even minor
characters feel filled out and whole. All in all a most professional job./
In a world of book reviews that overstate and overhype, one worries about
excess praise, for fear that it will be dismissed. Here I am confounded --
there are no faults, no missed notes, no clumsy moves... I always give a
writer the opportunity to build the world they are trying to create and if
they succeed, the book works for me. In this case Smith succeeds
magnificently.' Miles Archer, Inscriptions
Magazine.
'...Science fiction has often dealt with the end of the world,
with Armageddon, with cosmic catastrophe, but this wanton destruction usually
has a purpose; some sort of moral can be found or imposed upon it, usually
involving a chastened humanity's skin-of-the-teeth survival. It's a story
at least as old as that of Noah in the Bible. But The End Of Science Fiction
shows us an entire world looking into the depths of an Existential chasm,
a life entirely without meaning except that which we choose to give it.....
If The End Of Science Fiction were to be filmed then its director would be
Ken Loach; and I say that as no small praise, for this book is a triumph
of the small people in the world - people forging a path of their own in
a supremely uncaring universe. It's a triumph for Sam Smith, who has written
an understated novel about humanity and our place in the cosmos; an engaging,
thoughtful and deeply moving story to make you stop and think about yourself,
your life and how you live it. / I can think of no higher
recommendation.'Stuart Carter: SFSite.com
'A murder mystery within a disaster novel, The End of Science Fiction
is edgy and gripping. Written in present tense, the pace never lets
up .... The End of Science Fiction has a satisfying and tightly knit plot,
and the fast prose style adds a strong sense of drama. Being a disaster novel,
it could have easily slipped into melodrama, but Smith keeps the story on
an even keel which makes it all the more believable. Long after you¹ve
finished reading, you can¹t help but wonder how you would react, if
faced with the same frightening news.' Ebony
McKenna, Sharp Writer Review
We Need Madmen: Skrev Press.
'We Need Madmen' was winner of Skrev Press's SF competition and is
now in a pocket book all its own, and is available from 41 Manor Drive, Hebden
Bridge, HX7 8DW, UK — ISBN 978-1-904646-45-7 £9.99
http://www.skrevpress.com/first.html'I say it as a
piece of high praise that the only give-away that We Need Madmen isn't a
professionally edited and produced title is its unorthodox format: it is
perhaps just one-third the size of a conventional paperback. But if its physical
dimensions - length, breadth and width – are Lilliputian, then its literary
depth certainly isn't.... ....We Need Madmen is a truly fascinating, though
brief, exploration of ideas; a deliberately leading and questioning book
that may make you feel a little uncomfortable – one that will leave
you pondering for a length of time in inverse proportion to its own short
length.' Stu Carter:
Vector
'This is a short book that says a lot. I would have preferred a
bit more background into Soper and the Camps, but this is still a gem of
a story.'Paul Lappen: Dead Trees Review
John John - Was a chapter-a-week
blog. Until the writers' co-operative
Turner
Maxwell converted it into a paperback - '....a
fascinating and quirky read, very original in its storyline and ideas that
will keep a reader turning the pages to the end.' Cameron Adams.
Signed copies available from the author -
smithsssj@aol.com
***would all those who emailed submissions to The
Journal between 22nd & 25th July 2008 please resubmit as a crash
wiped out my submissions folder, address book, etc. Likewise anyone who is
expecting an email from me, if they would contact me...?***
The
Journal(once
'of Contemporary Anglo-Scandinavian
Poetry')
forfront cover poem from
The
Journal#23,
and for details on how to subscribe and/or
submit, go to
subscriptions
& submissions or you can read
through sample issues 12, 13 & 14 on the Poetry Library's website -
http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/
'...everything a literary journal should be... The Journal is a well-presented
magazine. Thirty six pages crammed with poetry, reviews and prose... Each
page is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, holds the reader's interest, and
allows plenty of white space... A plain black and white A4 production, this
is definitely for the serious poetry lover / The veneer suits perfectly the
poetry it contains. Each poem is as raw and straightforward as the magazine
is plain. There is no artifice. There is passion, conviction and power...'
Fionna Doney Simmonds: NHI Online
'... The Journal contains some reasonable verse... and a gaggle of reviews
of the latest poetry books on the small-press scene - though the latter do
tend to pivot from the informed and opinionated to the downright eccentric.'
Travis Elborough: The Guardian
#23 - out
now!(#33, if one includes the 10 issues of The Journal of Contemporary
Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry)
#23 The Journal - out now! - has Dr. Nilanshu Kumar
Agarwal interviewing American poet Ann Iverson, A C Clarke
translating Paul-Jean Toulet, Bridget Khursheed on Rosalie
de Castro, Judith Wilkinson translating Holland's Toon Tellgen
and Julie Sampson enumerating her approach to her own poem on
Anne Edgecumbe/Dowriche. As well as substantial reviews by Emma
Lee, David McLean, Rob Morgan, Paul Sutton & Andrew
Taylor
It being The Journal's raison d'être there are of
course also poems in #23 - by D J Andrew, Chris Bendon,
William Bernhardt, Sue Chadd, Ryan Crawford, John Dillon,
Thomas P. Feeny, r g gregory, Jane Holiday, Kathleen Kenny,
Bridget Khursheed, Phil Knight, Lauren Lawrence, Gary Lehmann,
Siobhan Logan, Richard Luftig, Paul Murphy, Edward O'Dwyer,
Arun Sagar, Andrew Taylor, Toni Thomas, Paul Tourle, Natalie
Williams & Robin Lindsay Wilson
pieces
: k.t.publications (2001).
And now, 2007, courtesy of BeWrite Books, it is also available as a downloadable
ebook
the
complete pieces for £1.00 only
The
Care Vortex (2002) 'Now
and then a book comes along that can never be forgotten, a book whose characters
touch you deeply and remain in your memory. A story that shocks you into
thinking about something you had never considered or completely changing
your previous perceptions.The Care Vortex by Sam Smith is such a book....
The Care Vortex is fast paced, interesting and believable. The characters
are all too human, people like you and I. Ordinary people trying to deal
with unimaginable events. / Would I recommend this
book? Yes, without reservation. It is not an easy book to read, because of
the subject and the issues raised in it. When Charles Dickens wrote Oliver
Twist he was criticised for using criminals and prostitutes, in writing about
subjects that were considered taboo. Yet Oliver Twist is now regarded as
a classic, not only an excellent story, but a book that changed attitudes
and made people wake up and take notice. Perhaps one day the same thing will
be said of The Care Vortex. / If you want to read a
book that will lull you to sleep at night, this book is not for you. It is
no Little Orphan Annie with pretty pig-tailed children and fairy tale endings.
Those trapped in the Care Vortex are damaged, the details harrowing. But
for all that, it is a story of heroism, of people reaching out to each other
and trying to overcome what has been done.' Gillian
Davis
"The Care Vortex is a vitally important book. It should be read
by anyone who has responsibility for children and young adults, whether they
be parents, teachers, care workers, police, administrators ... it's all too
easy in environments of near-isolation - family homes, care institutions,
schools - to sweep the truth (and the children) under the carpet." Neil
Marr: author of 'Bullycide: Death at Playtime'
from boho/bluechrome publishingThe
Secret Report of Friar Otto being a 21st century
reinterpretation of The Report In Confidence On The Imprisonment
& Execution Of William de Marisco & 16 Of His Followers
'...a beautifully written modern novel, utterly convincing
in its evocation of the medieval world and mindset...'
pulp.net available now through your
local bookshop or direct from
Amazon
-
now in hardback!Sister
Blister: Online
Originals editions (1999) order through
Amazon or your local
bookshop
'Reading Sam Smith's novel Sister Blister is akin to driving ninety
miles an hour on ice... an entertaining and wonderfully readable
book...' Zene magazine.
'Exquisite! Like the 'Blanced Rocks' of the American west - the
entire mass perfectly concentrated on the last sentence.' Bob Faulkner
(Worldnet)
Sick Ape: an everyday tale of terrorist folk
(2003)
BeWrite
Books Now released - 'by popular demand' - in paperback.
To begin with an e-book only, it purports now to have been written by one
'Sam Smith' and not, as originally claimed, by Osama bin Jones.
'Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Awful. Shockingly bad. So bad it's really,
really, really.... bad.' Briony from London (Amazon)
'Having read this book, I'm amazed, it's brilliant. Sam Smith has
a unique writing style which adds more flavour to the book and also grips
you from the first page, you want to read more. / The storyline is interesting
and raises a number of valid points about today's society, though not about
terrorists as we usually perceive them, but normal men fighting back against
the wrongs in their life. / Not only is this book witty and clever but also
reflects a lot of problems we all meet in every day life. / I really enjoyed
this book and look forward to reading more work from Sam Smith.' Ruth
Kent from UK (Amazon)
Porlock
Counterpoint(2002)
BeWrite
Books"Never have I read a crime story with
more levels than this - above and below ground. You rush through the pages
to reach the conclusion... but the conclusion is your own. Magnificent. What
a storyteller, what an interrogator is Sam Smith..." Alistair
Kinnon
"It’s difficult to juggle one’s time when trying to be
a productive writer as well as running a business. It’s an even more
difficult task to be a reader and a writer as well as looking after the
‘proper’ day job. So when I read a book, it has to be good or it
doesn’t get finished; until someone invents the thirty-six hour day,
that is. / When I started on Sam Smith’s Porlock Counterpoint, I soon
forgot my own writing and the demands of work. And it was mainly Sam’s
utterly engaging style of writing that prevented me from putting the book
down. The use of galloping present tense, a collection of characters so real
that it wasn’t long before I knew and sympathised with each and every
one of them, and a fresh, almost innocent, take on drug smuggling, combined
to make this a fast-moving read -- my favourite novel of 2002. / Such is
Sam’s description of the geography of the area, I feel I could drive
there, follow the movements of the characters and plot and not get lost while
enjoying the scenery. Porlock Counterpoint is the only book in a long time
that I enjoyed so much I read it twice .... I am envious of the way
Sam Smith colours his plot and characters with the minimum of narrative yet
so effectively. His dialogue is concise, often colloquial and never wooden
or forced. An editor’s dream, I imagine, but certainly a reader’s
delight. / The conclusion of the story surprised me (no, you’ll have
to read it yourself) but the way Sam gets the reader sympathetically involved
with all his characters in equal depth means that you are going to be happy
or disappointed for someone. It’s good that the story is not told as
a good-triumphing-over-evil theme and does not judge; it does not even ask
the reader to judge – it just gets one completely involved. And there
lies its success as a story. Film and television companies take note –
it’s called PORLOCK COUNTERPOINT and it’s by Sam Smith and published
by BeWrite Books!" Barry Ireland
"In .... Porlock Counterpoint, Sam Smith explores the reality of
life, reminding the reader that men and women live not in a realm where existence
is defined simply in black and white. Mr Smith ... demonstrates to the reader
that more often than not, life is lived in sketchy shades of gray. .... Mr
Smith has done a commendable job of addressing the tue nature of the race
once again." Mike Broemmel
Marks (2002)
BeWrite
Books"...Sam Smith offers an in depth look into
the life of a divorce detective trying to solve a case while dealing with
life's little surprises along the way. "Marks" is about more than a fancy
way of chalking the tires as a form of surveillance. It is a story about
George Hawkins, hired to follow a case of adultery who finds himself witness
to a hit and run, a possible suspect in a missing person's case, and on the
trail of a possible spy. In the midst of all this George must keep himself
alert and focused as the sudden disappearance of his long time live-in girlfriend
propels him into self-doubt and onto the brink of depression. Unknowing if
she is dead or alive, he tries to keep a grip on his instincts for his job
rather than the emotions of the heart. The reader is hooked with strong realistic
narration while taking you on a journey filled with puzzles and loopholes.
You really feel you get to know the main character and feel for him at every
twist.... ....Sam Smith has written an enjoyable story that unravels to a
clean yet surprising story. I recommend this book and look forward to more
stories from this talented author." Nancy Jackson: Dog-Eared Webzine
"Sam Smith uses first person in superb narrative fashion to deliver
an exceptional story. The mind of the main character is openly displayed,
allowing other characters to be formed and fascinatingly observed. The addition
of historical events weighs heavily on convictions and friendships, and gives
insight into Japanese culture. MARKS is not just a mystery or espionage tale,
but also an indication of what certain circumstances can do to individuals
in true life situations..." Patricia Spork: eBook Reviews
Weekly
"Any history buff will delight in the minute details that make
up the daily lives ... and give one a thorough understanding of how they
dealt with the hardships caused by war ... I recommend this book highly ...
It is written with humour and compassion ... Enjoy the work of a very talented
author." Anne K. Edwards
"Gritty and often brutally honest. Sam Smith tells it faithfully,
the way Vera & Eddy told it. A book that shatters some of the rose-tinted
myths about the British at war." Meirion Hughes
" ... And these horrors are described matter-of-factly and
because of the lack of melodrama and histrionics they stand
out so much starker. There is a lot of humor here and anecdotes you will
never find in the standard books about the War. The Kafkaesque bureaucracy
is hilarious and, more importantly, tragic considering that this is a
documentary. This is the Second World War seen through the eyes of the regular
people - those who died in droves. If you are going to read only one book
about the ordinary people's experience of the War in your lifetime, let Vera
and Eddy's War be the one." Timeless Tales
http://timeless-tales.net/review.php?200212042
Zimmercon - Chester ... Saturday 30th August 2008
... 1pm until 6pm Quaker Meeting Rooms .. Union Walk, Frodsham Street.
An afternoon devoted to the Small Press, editors, writers & poets.
Come along and meet, listen too, and maybe take part, with some of
the stalwarts of the Small Press. This is 'real' grass roots publishing.
Already booked; Steve Sneyd .. of Hilltop Press, writer and well known S.Fiction
poet. Andy Robson editor of the weighty KRAX magazine. John F. Haines editor
& writer of the U.K.'s longest running S.f news broadsheet. Geoff Stevens
editor of 'Purple Patch', and well known poet Maureen Wheldon .. our own
local lyricist. Shiela Hamilton .. published writer & poet from the Wirral.
Sam Smith .. now of Cumbria, writer and editor of 'The Journal'. Sam
will also be in charge of a book-stall. You can contact him at 17, High street,
Maryport, Cumbria CA15 613Q ... or e-mail at smithsssj@aol.com Admission
will be free, but donation's will be appreciated on the day. Tea & coffeee
will be available throughout a varied afternoons programme. Anyone wishing
to take part must contact myself through the address's below, as places may
be limited.Saturday 30th August 2008, in The Quakers Meeting Rooms,
Chester. Registration/entrance is now free. Although
there will be a donation box on the bar for tea/coffee & biscuits. One
room will be set aside for readings/panel discussion. For further details,
or to register, contact.... Peter E Presford, 'Rose Cottage', 3 Tram
Lane, Buckley, Flintshire, CH7 3JB
malfunction@fsmail.net
Saturday 6th September 9am Pacific time zone and 5pm BST - courtesy
of Lillian & Dave Brummet's radio show in Vancouver
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/authorsread
Sam will be broadcasting some of his poems.
The Aragon Experience is hosting a 5-day
writing workshop at the "Casa Felisa" in Santa-Eulalia. The general theme
will be 'otherness' and it will be led by award winning novelist and poet
Sam Smith, editor of The Journal and publisher of original plus books. Writers
are invited to bring along work in progress or to draw inspiration from Aragon's
diverse landscape, its mountains and its plains. The workshop will run from
Wednesday 15th to Tuesday 9th October 2008 Aside from its historical
sites and buildings Aragon has a wealth of geological features, fauna ranging
from vultures to bee-eaters, and from wild boars to colourful lizards. Even
the winding alleys of Santa-Eulalia itself can be an inspiration. And the
people.... The hotel has recently been refurbished with painstaking attention
to detail and an emphasis on comfort, has a library for communal readings.
There will be daily excursions out from Santa-Eulalia de Gallego for all
who wish. For further details and/or information regards other Aragon Experience
activities contact Josine Scheltus, Sierra Estronad, Santa-Eulalia
de Gallego, 50850 Zaragoza, Spain
jscheltus@gmail.com
SUBMIT to IN PARIS: "NEW Magazine" publishes once a year: 144 pages
by writers, artists, photographers, & musicians in English, French &
other languages. Our areas of concern are the convergence & intersections
of expression & experience. Based in Paris, we publish contemporary work
that demonstrates the urgent human need to make sense of the network of cultures
we find in the present, our understandings of the past & our imaginings
of the future. Learn more, see subscription rates, on our website:
www.new-mag.com 10 euros for 3 issues !
SUBMIT to LONDON MAGAZINE; stories, poems, articles and critical reviews
of the arts in the UK and abroad. Short stories, features, memoirs, critical
articles: 5000 words max; poetry: 800 lines max. Contributions to the magazine
in literature and the arts are both welcome and invited. We do prefer e-mail.
Deadline for summer issue : Last week in March Complete guidelines &
to order sample issues:
http://www.thelondonmagazine.net/londonmagazine_contribute.aspx
for rent - suit writer seeking peace and quiet - garret in a small
town in Northern Spain, 100 euros a week. Added bonus for birdwatchers an
abundance of black kites, eagles, vultures, bee-eaters, etc in locale. Flights
from Stanstead to Zaragoza, then train, bus, or collected from there...
For further details contact Josine -
jscheltus@gmail.com
SUBMIT & SUBSCRIBE NOW!: CutBank seeks art, poetry, fiction, & nonfiction
of high quality and serious intent! Submit October - February, with an SASE.
Cutbank Prints work by well-known and previously unpublished artists, as
you'll see in issue 67 Featuring work by Patricia Goedicke, Danielle Dutton,
Jennifer K. Dick, Sandra Miller, Kismet Al-Hussaini, & others. CUTBANK
is now offering a great INTERNATIONAL subscription rate for YOU! See:
http://www.cutbankonline.org/subscriptions_and_back_issues/index.html $18.
Servicing of international orders for current and back issues at reg rates.
Order with a credit card online, or snail mail the online form with a check
in dollars. Full guidelines http://www.cutbankonline.org/ Address subs to
the appropriate editor—poetry, fiction, nonfiction or art—at: CutBank,
Department of English, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
RADIO PLAYS WANTED: Chris Mack, who runs "Cozy Fun Paris", seeks ultra-short
(5 -10 min) radio plays, or longer plays suitable for ser
original
plus
publications
![[Image]](pict8.gif)
#23 - out
now!
(#33, if one includes the 10 issues of The Journal of Contemporary
Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry)
![[Image]](pict7.gif)
