Interview with author Mary T Bradford

Have a listen as Mary talks about her short story collection 'A Baker's Dozen' - a collection of 13 short stories about life, love, loss and dilemmas, on BCR 92.6

Interview with author Mary T Bradford

Her new novel 'A Thorn in my Side' get a mention too. Mary and the presenters Charlotte Grimely and John Harrold promote the advantage of print.

Lets Talk Books

I got the opportunity, along with authors Daniel Kaye, Declan Kearney and Mary Bradford, to speak about the launch of Anthology 'Windows of Words' that we have contributed to, on BCR 92.6. We also get to mention our own books: Daniel Kaye's collection of 'Eleventh Hour'; his novel due for release soon 'I, Vladimir'; Mary T Bradford's 'collection of short stories 'A Baker's Dozen ' and her new novel 'A Thorn in my Side' and my own just completed novel 'Subtle Changes'.

Charleville Writers Group: Declan Kearney, Mary Bradford and Marie O' Halloran of the Charleville Writers Group popped in to the studio recently to talk to Charlotte about what the group is up to and about their upcoming book launch.

For Mary's collection:

Mary's book is available here! Easy peasy just click the link!


For Daniel's collection:

Get Daniel's book here! Easy peasy just click the link!

Five Sentence Fiction - Empty

Time for a new prompt for Lillie’s Five Sentence Fiction. This weeks’ is EMPTY http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-empty/ Check out the other contributions at http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=244375

A big welcome to the 5SF link Mary Bradford Check out her contribution at http://marytbradford-author.blogspot.ie/2013/03/5-sentence-fiction-challenge.html?spref=fb

 

Empty

Empty… she never knew what he meant by this. Ambitious, progressive, intelligent were the words she used to describe herself, never empty.

“Wait, it’s too soon, not yet” or “it is not the right time”, were always the excuses she’d use when he pressed her to progress their relationship.

Now, as she looks around her large penthouse apartment and sips a solitary latte, she wonders who to share the news of her latest promotion with. He is long gone, she now knows what he meant by empty.

An afternoon with Poet Tony Curtis – Reading at Ennis Book Club Festival Saturday 2nd March 2013

Every so often things happen that lead you on certain paths. At first, you don’t put too much thought into where they might take you and you go along for the ride. I did such a thing on Saturday and I wasn’t disappointed. In a previous post I shared the news that one of my poems was picked to be a runner up in a recent competition. As a result of this, I received a pair of tickets to see Tony Curtis. This poet’s talents are well listed http://www.tonycurtisirishpoet.com/blog.php but I had never attended one of his readings.

A relaxed Mr. Curtis strode into the room and was introduced. He described himself as ‘a bendy kinda soul’ and always dressing in black and white.  Sharing stories of his life and inspirations behind his work, his entertaining descriptions enthralled me. Orating from his collection ‘Folk’ and his new one ‘The Connemara Pony’, I was hooked. The evening got better as he recited ‘The Garden flat’, written at the railing of Michael Hartnett’s house http://www.eigsemichaelhartnett.ie/michael-hartnett-1941-1999.html and ‘What darkness covers’, the last poem Tony read to Michael before his passing. He spoke with affection of his friendship with Dennis O’Driscoll http://dennisodriscoll.com/ and his last encounter with him before his passing in December 2012.

Laughter filled the room as he told us of how the Arts Council did a report into why he was so popular with the people who call the Central Mental Hospital their home. His regard for its occupants was evident as he spoke of how he felt when reading there and shared two poems reflecting life in such an institution.  

We had the pleasure of being the first audience to hear two new pieces ‘Civil War’ and one about Elizabeth Bishop http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/elizabeth-bishop before he finished the evening with a song.

Overall it was worth the journey to Ennis to attend the event and I look forward to reading my signed copy of ‘Folk’ over the coming weeks.

Good news to share - my poem 'Friendship' - came runner up in Caring for Carers Ireland National Poetry Competition

I’m sharing good news. My poem ‘Friendship’ came runner-up in the ‘Caring for Carers Ireland National Poetry Competition’. Well done to the winner Clara Hurley with her poem ‘Weaver’, click here to read her well deserved winning poem http://www.caringforcarers.ie/2013/02/friendships-bring-out-the-creative-side-of-carers/ I’d like to share mine with you here:

Friendship

My heart is adorned,

with many treasures,

my friend’s names,

embroidered throughout.

 

Scribed on the surface,

then absorbed deep,

where I keep them

safeguarded within.

 

My heart has lodgings,

for friends new and old,

blood may flow through,

but it’s bursting with gold.

Different Paths

It’s that time of the week again for Lillie’s Five Sentence Fiction http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-abandoned/ Check out the other contributions at http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=244375 This weeks word is ABANDONED

Different Paths

Fiona often thought back to the dreams she gave up when she fell pregnant at 16.

“She’s the brains of the family and will go far,” her father used to boast, but not after she broke the news to him.

Today, she looks around at the proud faces of her children and grandchildren as the ceremony gets underway.

“I knew you could do it and I’m delighted to be here to see it,” her father’s says and hugs her as tight as his arthritis ridden body can manage.

As she proudly accepts her degree, she appreciates that they weren’t abandoned dreams, just put on hold while she took a different path to get to this point.

Five Sentence Fiction - PURPLE

Different Shades

Sometimes they are yellow, sometimes just blue. I used to love putting on makeup to look my best, now it’s worn for another reason. Last night some came up deep purple. So many factors influence the colours. My body shows different shades of pain, just depends on how hard he hits.

Check out the other contributors http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=239604