RULES

1.     The story must be on the theme of ‘THE LIE’ and not more than 3,000 words in length – but there is no minimum length.

2.     Entrants must be over 18 and resident in the UK

3.     Entries must be in English and the original, unpublished work of the entrant.

4.     Entrants can submit one story only

5.     Entries must be typed, double spaced on A4 paper, one side only.  A covering sheet should list Title, Author and contact details (e-mail and phone number).The competitors name must not appear on the manuscript. (This is so that entries can be read anonymously)  The title of the story must appear on the top of every page of the manuscript.  Each page must be numbered.

6.     Manuscripts will not be returned

7.     Entries made by e-mail will not be accepted

8.     The judges decision is final.  No correspondence or discussion concerning the judges decision will be entered into.

9.     No employee or ex-employee of either City Reads or Book Guild Publishing may enter

10.   Closing date for entries is Thursday 16^th August

11.   All entries must sent to: Laura Lockington, Book Guild Publishing, Pavilion    View, 19 New Road, Brighton BN1 1UF and be clearly marked on the front of the envelope ‘SHORT STORY’

12.   The winner alone will be notified by phone, email and be announced on Book Guild Publishing website (www.bookguild.co.uk)  and will be presented with the £1000 cheque at an event during City Reads in October (date tbc) ]]> http://cityreads.co.uk/?feed=rss2&p=1528 0 http://cityreads.co.uk/?p=1415 http://cityreads.co.uk/?p=1415#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:23:02 +0000 Sarah http://cityreads.co.uk/?p=1415 Thu 6 Oct, 6.15pm, £5, Jubilee Library
Tickets Brighton Dome Ticket Office
(01273) 709709 

Calling all book groups and book lovers….let the battle commence!

This annual City Reads favourite returns to test your knowledge on all things bookish. From genre fiction to literary classics; from lowbrow to highbrow to no brow at all, there’s conundrums and brainteasers aplenty for book lovers of all persuasions. There’s also a special round on this year’s City Read book. Come along and join a team or bring your own.

This event always sells out, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Wine and soft drinks available.

Bring your City Reads experience full circle by joining Andrea Levy live for  an intimate and exclusive celebration of The Long Song.

Whether you’ve read the book, joined a book group and discussed it with friends, or you’ve come late to the party and are itching to know more, this is your chance to get the inside track on this year’s City Read. How did the novel come together? What was the impetus and inspiration? And how did an author who read her first novel at the grand age of 23 (and only began writing in her mid-thirties) overcome the challenges and pitfalls to become a bona fide bestseller?
Find out in this special in-conversation as Andrea discusses her bestselling novel with Suzi Feay, writer, journalist and former Literary Editor of the Independent on Sunday. With the chance for you to put your own questions direct to the author herself, this is an unmissable conclusion to
City Reads 2011.

Sat 8 Oct, 8pm, £12.50
The Old Market, Hove

Tickets: Brighton Dome Ticket Office (01273) 709709

Early booking advisable….

As a poet, record producer and global reggae icon, Linton Kwesi Johnson is one of the most original and influential voices in contemporary British culture. His verse, delivered in distinctive Jamaican patois, often over dub reggae, has provided an uncompromising commentary on our times. From his classic Dread Beat an’ Blood (1978) to Making History (1983) and beyond, his work has balanced the political and personal, taking social injustice and racial inequality to task whilst exploring a more intimate introspection. In 2003 LKJ became the first ever black poet to be published by Penguin Classics. He is a passionate and compelling performer – don’t miss this rare live encounter with the original dub poet. With support from Jamaican-born poet and novelist Kei Miller plus Q&A with Linton Kwesi Johnson. Bar open from 7pm.

Venue Directions

Sat 8 Oct, 4pm, £5
The Old Market

brightonticketshop.com (01273) 709709

Earlier this year Andrea Levy chose Bob Marley’s Redemption Song as one of her Desert Island Discs. Now,
Colin Grant, author of I & I: The Natural Mystics, rides the rollercoaster history of this reggae superstar and his fellow Wailers. Over one dramatic decade Jamaican R&B crooners Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley swapped their sharp two-tone 60s suits for 1970s battle fatigues and dreadlocks to become the Wailers − one of the world’s most influential bands. Colin Grant – cultural historian and author – explores the Wailers’ Rastafarianism, their music, their fluctuating fortunes, and the politics and ideologies that provoked their split. Through a mix of reportage and revelatory history, he examines their quest to become not just extraordinary musicians, but also natural mystics.

‘In Grant’s hands, life in Trench Town in the 1960s is energetic and theatrical, rich in comedy and tragic irony.’ The Guardian

Fri 7 Oct, 7pm, £8
The Old Market
brightonticketshop.com

(01273) 709709

Strictly over 18s only.

Get a true taste of the Caribbean and discover the remarkable histories of two of its most famous exports with drinks guru and author of the definitive Rum guide, Dave Broom. Rum and chocolate have been synonymous with the Caribbean for centuries. The former traces its modern origins to the 18th- and 19th-century sugar plantations that provide the setting for Andrea Levy’s The Long Song. The latter was introduced to the Caribbean by the Spanish in the 16th century. With plenty of both to tickle your palate and Dave on hand to lend his expertise, this is a lip-smacking
celebration of a rich island culture. Dave Broom is the author of The World Atlas of Whisky; Rum; and The Complete Bartender’s Guide.

Kind support for this event provided by Havana Club and Montezumas.

Tickets Brighton Dome Ticket Office

(01273) 709709

A screening of Colin Jackson’s Who Do You Think You Are?, followed
by novelist Paul Crooks on tracing his Caribbean roots…

Have you ever wondered where you come from, or sought out the hidden histories of your ancestry? Colin Jackson’s appearance on BBC1’s Who Do You Think You Are? saw the Olympic hurdler trace his lineage to the Jamaican slave rebellion of 1831 (as featured in Andrea Levy’s The Long Song). Relive that moment here on the big screen. Then novelist/genealogist Paul Crooks discusses his own extraordinary quest to reclaim his lost heritage with journalist/ biographer Imogen Lycett Green. Over 11 years Paul undertook an amazing journey from suburban north London to the Caribbean and the Gold Coast of Africa. His account of this epic endeavour became the gripping theme of his first novel, Ancestors.

Venue open from 10.30am for teas, coffees and pastries

(01273) 709709

Uninspired by your bookshelf browsing? Hacked off with your holiday reading? Or bowed down by a literary low? Never fear, the doctor’s here! Make an appointment with Laura Lockington – author, playwright, publisher and High Priestess of the ancient art of bibliomancy! – and she’ll prescribe a book just for you…
Reading can be life affirming, inspiring, informative or simply fun… But all too often we get stuck in a rut with our books. A trip to the good doctor will shed new light on your reading habits. So if you’re feeling lonely, happy, angry,
romantic, bored, nostalgic, sad, stressed, relaxed or nervous … the doctor can help! Laura is the author of Cupboard Love, Capers in the Sauce and Stargazy Pie.

When you book you will receive a short questionnaire by email to help the Doctor with her diagnosis. Ticket price includes a complimentary ‘Proustian’ Madeleine and a tot of Madeira!

Writing workshop: developing multiple voices in fiction…

Fiction writers are forever required to step away from themselves: to inhabit different skins and to speak with different voices. Kei Miller has devised this special workshop exclusively for Brighton City Reads. Combining group discussion with practical and fun exercises, it will help you hone your skills and develop new techniques to move seamlessly between multiple voices and perspectives. Kei Miller divides his time between his native Jamaica and the UK, where he teaches creative writing at the University of Glasgow. His first book of short fiction, The Fear of Stones, was shortlisted for the 2007 Commonwealth Writers First Book Prize. His other books include The Same Earth, The Last Warner Woman and two acclaimed collections of poetry.

How West Indies cricket hit prejudice and colonial oppression for six…
The Caribbean story simply wouldn’t be complete without cricket! In a turbulent era of apartheid in South Africa, race-riots in England and civil unrest at home, the West Indian cricketers of the late 70s and 80s made history. With Caribbean flair, a fearless spirit and a thumping reggae beat, they hijacked the genteel game of the privileged white elite and replayed it on their own terms. With dynamic archive footage and classic music, this explosive film celebrates the equalizing power of sport.