Probably the Most Beautiful Book Stores in the World

Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina: a converted 1920s cinema that uses theatre boxes for reading rooms and draws thousands of tourists every year.

A nice bit of bookish eye candy here. Flavorwire has compiled a photo article of their picks for The 20 Most Beautiful Book Stores in the World. This is the type of list that is sure to stir up some discussion about oversights and book stores that should have been included. Alas, I have never been to any of these book stores, but based on the photos, they look like excellent choices.

See photos of the other picks here.

Loads of Fiction Submission Deadlines Coming Up...

JOURNALS:

Feb 15th: Horizon Review

March 15th: Southword Journal

March 31st: The Stinging Fly

March 31st: wordlegs

May 1st: Crannog Magazine

COMPETITIONS:

March 2nd: Bryan MacMahon Short Story Competition
Entry Fee: €10

March 5th: Cuirt New Writing Prize
Entry Fee: €10

March 19th: Mslexia Short Story Competition
Entry Fee: £10

March 26th: Molly Keane Creative Writing Award
Entry Fee: Free

March 30th: William Trevor/Elizabeth Bowen International Short Story Competition
Entry Fee: €20

March 31st: The Moth-Altun Short Story Prize
Entry Fee: €8

My Time at the Anam Cara Retreat in West Cork

Late last year I spent some time at the Anam Cara Writers' and Artists' retreat in West Cork. My stay was a prize I won in the "Nightmare Review" competition hosted by writing.ie - a fantastic resource of all things writing-related.

I've written a little piece about my expereince of staying at the retreat, which is on the writing.ie website here.

And yes, I really did entitle it "Nightmare Review: Dreamlike Retreat". I must have been having an Alan Partridge moment.

Thanks again to Vanessa and writing.ie for hosting the competition and to Sue Booth-Forbes for her generosity and hospitality.

There's Nothing Quite Like a Real Book

Aha! I knew those sneaky books were doing something amazing behind our backs. Check out this lovely little film made by Type Books.

Here's what the filmmakers had to say about it:

"After organizing our bookshelf almost a year ago, my wife and I decided to take it to the next level. We spent many sleepless nights moving, stacking, and animating books at Type bookstore in Toronto. Everything you see here can be purchased at Type Books."

New Irish Writing in The Irish Independent

Happy New Year, people! Hope you're enjoying 2012. I had a nice end to 2011: My short story appeared in New Irish Writing in The Irish Independent on New Year's Eve. Also featured was a beautiful poem, "Kitty" by the lovely and talented Niamh Boyce. The story is now online and you can read it here.

About New Irish Writing:
The New Writing Page, edited by Ciaran Carty, appears in the Weekend Review in the Irish Independent on the last Saturday of each month and is open to writers who are Irish or who are resident in Ireland. Entries may be submitted (with a SAE) to: New Irish Writing, The Irish Independent, 27/32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1.

Submit up to six poems. Stories should not exceed 2,000 words. Remember to include your name, e-mail address and phone number.

Writers whose work appears in the page will be put forward for the Hennessy Award. Each category winner will receive a trophy and €1,500, while the New Writer of the Year receives an additional €2,500. Previous winners include Dermot Bolger, Joseph O'Connor, Patrick McCabe, Colum McCann, Frank McGuinness, Anne Enright, Hugo Hamilton and Neil Jordan.

Merry Christmas, Friends!

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and a happy and productive reading-and-writing-filled 2012!

Magpie Tales 96: Shadow Selves

You offered to show me your shadow self. But I refused to light that lamp. So who can I blame now that you've taken my shadow too? Our shadows skulk together. They shimmy and sigh through late afternoon branches. They dance a malevolent foxtrot in the reflection of a black cat's eye. And on sunny days, they are there on the edges, waiting to eclipse our smiles.

But I refused to light that lamp, so who can I blame now?

[Photo prompt courtesy of Magpie Tales.]