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Debut poetry collection

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My debut poetry collection, from Stairwell Books, has come back from the printer.  It is called 'Throwing Mother In The Skip', which is also the title of one of the poems, a piece I wrote for TMA03 of A215 Creative Writing. 

I get 5 author copies. 

I will post details of the launch event as soon as I know them. 

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'Escape Kit' is nominated for a Saboteur award

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Thursday, 15 May 2014, 11:14

'Escape Kit' has been short listed in the "best novella" category in the 2014 Saboteur awards.  This set of awards is the free, independent publishing equivalent of the mainstream awards that publishers have to pay to enter, such as the Man Booker prize. 

If I win this, it could mean a big step towards having my own collection of poetry or short stories published, or being commissioned to write a novel or a play, and being paid an advance, like proper, grown-up writers. 

My highest certificated qualification in English is a 180-point Diploma in English Literature with Creative Writing, which I received in 2012.  (I never studied a single English Literature module, by the way.)  Before that, I have 'O' levels in English Language and English Literature that I took in 1983.  I got a B in Literature. 

http://sabotagereviews.com/2014/05/01/saboteur-awards-2014-the-shortlist/

Please vote for me.

You can buy the printed version of the book here:

http://www.inpressbooks.co.uk/escape-kit/

And the Kindle version here:

Escape Kit - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JLKBWZM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00JLKBWZM&linkCode=as2&tag=sproutnet-21

(the publisher gets a better deal from Amazon if you use this link, rather than a generic search.)

Until 25 May, If you send your email address to  wjtg2@my.open.ac.uk , I will email you back a PDF version of the story, free of charge. 

Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Tuesday, 6 May 2014, 15:40)
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Grist chapbooks

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'A Call In The Night' by Gabrielle Leimon, 'Cowboy Genes' by Wes Lee, and my own story, 'Escape Kit' are now available in Kindle format from Amazon.  If you use the following links, the publisher gets a slightly better deal than from the generic Amazon Kindle store:

Call in the Night - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JLL1ZGM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00JLL1ZGM&linkCode=as2&tag=sproutnet-21
 
Cowboy Genes - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JLKT1QO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00JLKT1QO&linkCode=as2&tag=sproutnet-21
 
Escape Kit - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JLKBWZM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00JLKBWZM&linkCode=as2&tag=sproutnet-21

If you want to buy the printed book versions, the place to go is Inpress Books:

www.inpressbooks.co.uk

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Book launch at Huddersfield Literature Festival, 13 March 2014

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I will be reading an extract from my novella, 'Escape Kit', when it is launched at the Huddersfield Literature Festival on Thursday 13 March 2014.  The launch takes place at Queenie's Coffee Shop, Queen Street, Huddersfield HD1 2SP and starts at 7pm.   There is an admission fee of £2.

Three chapbooks are being launched simultaneously.  The other two are 'Cowboy Genes', a novella by Wes Lee, and 'A Call In The Night', a short story collection by Gabrielle Leimon.   Wes Lee won the Grist short fiction first prize in 2012.  I won the second prize. 

You can download the Huddersfield festival brochure here:

http://www.litfest.org.uk/?q=node/10

 

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New story: 4 Minute Warning by Marina Lewycka

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Marina Lewycka, author of the million-selling A Brief History of Tractors in Ukrainian, has a new short story out, from Goggle Publishing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Minute-Warning-Marina-Lewycka-ebook/dp/B00GYJMH3E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385721161&sr=8-1&keywords=four+minute+warning+marina+lewycka

The story is edited by Michael Stewart.  It is number 2 in a set of six stories, of which my ‘Pick-up Technique’ is the first.  There is a brief article about the launch on the Goggle Publishing blog site.  An interview with Marina Lewycka follows, to be published in The Bookseller.

http://gogglepublishing.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/marina-lewycka-four-minute-warning/

Anybody who wants to buy (or download a free sample) of my story as well can do so here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pick-up-Technique-William-Thirsk-Gaskill-ebook/dp/B00CPRHTH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385746467&sr=8-1&keywords=pick-up+technique

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This is the flyer I will be carrying during the Ilkley Literature Festival

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How do I get hold of William Thirsk-Gaskill’s work?

Short fiction in print

You don’t need a Kindle to read this story.  You can download a Kindle reader for your PC or smart phone for free. See Amazon Kindle store.

Short fiction on-line (www.5minutefiction.co.uk)

  • A Gift From Prague,2012
  • Don’t Tell Me What It Is, 2012

Poetry in print

Poetry on-line

 

Performance

  • I appear once a month as co-host with Gaia Holmes on Themes for Dreamers, a 2-hour community local radio programme broadcast on 96.7 FM from Halifax and on the internet: www.phoenixfm.co.uk

You can download podcasts of the programme for free from the Phoenix website.

  • My next booking is at Poetry by Heart in Headingley in January.  See the Poetry by Heart Facebook fan page for details. 
  • I’ll probably be at Rickaro books in Horbury on Monday 4 November, 6pm, for the signing session by Ian McMillan and Tony Husband.  http://www.rickarobooks.co.uk/

 

Blog: http://iamhyperlexic.wordpress.com

Twitter: @wthirskgaskill

 

Look out for more Grist publications in 2014.

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Ilkley Literature Festival 2013

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The programme for the 2013 Ilkley Literature Festival in October has been published.  You can download it for free from here:

http://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk/

My events are called 'Throwing Mother In The Skip', on Monday 14 October, and 'Walking the Line', from 17 to 20 October. 

'Throwing Mother In The Skip' is event 59 in the schedule.  This is missing from next to my name in the index. 

You can see a promotional video for 'Walking the Line' here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG8nHnMGgUs

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Ilkley Literature Festival: Walking the Line

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This website describes the Walking the Line event that I am taking part in, in October 2013, with Michael Stewart, Gaia Holmes and Julia Deakin.

http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=37784

I am also appearing on my own (well, I hope a few people will turn up to listen to me) at Ilkley Playhouse at 9pm on Monday 14 October.  I will be reading poetry and short pieces of life writing.  The event is entitled: Throwing Mother In The Skip. 

Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Matt Hobbs, Saturday, 6 Jul 2013, 16:16)
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A short reading from 'Pick-up Technique'

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I have posted a short video of a reading from 'Pick-up Technique':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK4ImiGux9s

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'Pick-up Technique' currently out-selling Sherlock Holmes

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'Pick-up Technique' has now been in the top 100 Kindle paid short stories for over 24 hours.  It is currently at #65, down slightly from #49. 

It has had 6 reviews so far, all from people I happen to know.

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'Pick-up Technique' is now live

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Saturday, 18 May 2013, 13:49

My short story, 'Pick-up Technique' is now on sale at a price of 77 pence on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pick-up-Technique-ebook/dp/B00CPRHTH8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1368879546&sr=1-1&keywords=pick-up+technique

It has attracted 4 reviews so far.

There is also an interview with Michael Stewart (editor), Andrew Oldham (publisher) and me on the Goggle Publishing website:

http://www.gogglepublishing.co.uk/   

Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Sunday, 19 May 2013, 00:35)
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Violet laughs at this

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http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/worlds-first-sex-robot-revealed-at-porn-show-1864266.html?fb_action_ids=10151371883452511&fb_action_types=news.reads&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210151371883452511%22%3A479493393520%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210151371883452511%22%3A%22news.reads%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D#1

"Pah!" says Violet.

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Amazon review of 'Crying Just Like Anybody'

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'Crying Just Like Anybody' has attracted its first customer review on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00AEBX9P8/ref=cm_rdp_hist_hdr_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

"Ten very thought-provoking short stories by new writers. I particularly enjoyed William Thirsk-Gaskell's 'Can we have everyone sitting down, please?' A nicely understated, very powerful tale of your average disrupted classroom and a fragile teacher reaching out for democracy and free speech while battling a maelstrom of philistine destructiveness."

5 stars.

Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Wednesday, 8 May 2013, 15:28)
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'Pick-up Technique': launch date confirmed

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My short story for Kindle will be launched on 17 May 2013. 

 

www.gogglepublishing.co.uk

 

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'Crying Just Like Anybody'

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The new collection from The Fiction Desk is available to download for Kindle now:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crying-Anybody-Fiction-anthology-ebook/dp/B00AEBX9P8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354542550&sr=1-1#_

My contribution is called 'Can We Have You All Sitting Down, Please?'

You can also order the book directly from the publisher:

www.thefictiondesk.com

This is cheaper than buying it from Amazon, because postage and packing is included in the cover price.

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5 Minute Fiction Christmas competition

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I have won 1st prize in the 5 Minute Fiction Christmas writing competition.  My story will appear on the website on 1 December. 

www.5minutefiction.co.uk

Permalink 3 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Monday, 3 Dec 2012, 14:49)
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The Fiction Desk

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Monday, 12 Nov 2012, 16:47

My work will be appearing in the next collection from The Fiction Desk.  The collection will be out on 20 November and is called 'Crying Just Like Anybody'.  My contribution is called 'Can we have you all sitting down, please?'  Those of you who are familiar with the work of Raymond Carver will have spotted the pastiche. 

www.thefictiondesk.com

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'Grist' poets at the Ted Hughes Festival 2012

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Monday, 10 Sep 2012, 13:10

I will be appearing among the 'Grist' poets at the Ted Hughes Festival at 2-3pm on Saturday 20 October 2012, in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire (Ted Hughes' birthplace).

The festival programme is attached.

We will be reading from the 2012 'Grist' poetry anthology, 'A Complicated Way of Being Ignored'. 

Tickets cost £3, £10 for a pass for all the events at the same venue on the same afternoon.  See the programme for details.

Tickets are now on sale. 

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5 Minute Fiction: another story accepted

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Wednesday, 8 Aug 2012, 16:00

I have had another story accepted by 5 Minute Fiction.  It will appear on the website on 11 August 2012.  It is called 'A Gift From Prague'. 

www.5minutefiction.com

 

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The Fiction Desk

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I have had a story accepted by The Fiction Desk.  www.thefictiondesk.com 

The story is called 'Can We Have You All Sitting Down, Please?'  I am told it will appear in the next quarterly anthology. 

I thoroughly recommend a subscription to The Fiction Desk for anybody who is interested in contemporary short fiction, either as a reader or a writer. 

Permalink 3 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Monday, 30 Jul 2012, 11:24)
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5 minute fiction: RESULT ANNOUNCED

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"Two Hundred and Twenty Million Seconds" came nowhere.  "Don't Tell Me What It Is" came 2nd, and wins £50. 

It would be very wrong of me to comment on the abysmal quality of the other entries. 

Many thanks to everybody who voted for me. 

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5 Minute Fiction

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Edited by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Wednesday, 8 Aug 2012, 16:00

I have been short-listed twice in the 5 Minute Fiction 1st anniversary competition. 

My entries are called "Two Hundred and Twenty Million Seconds" and "Don't Tell Me What It Is".  Please vote for me.

http://www.5minutefiction.com/dont-tell-me-what-it-is.html

and click on the competition drop-down menu.

Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by William Justin Thirsk-Gaskill, Thursday, 21 Jun 2012, 09:44)
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Next 'Grist' reading: TakeOver Festival Spoken Word Night: 28 May in York

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Monday 28 May 2012, 18:30 - 23:00, York Theatre Royal Upper Foyer.

I will be appearing again with my fellow 'Grist' poets.  This event also features open mic and live music.  It will be hosted by Steve Nash (who is a 'Grist' poet). 

Entrance fee: £2 on the door. 

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'Grist' reading at the Puzzle Hall Inn in Sowerby Bridge

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I got paid for reading: £7.50, which was my quarter-share of the collection taken among the audience.  It was still less than the cost of transport there and back, but it was much better than nothing. 

This was the seventh 'Grist' event.  I have attended all of them so far. 

The next one, still to be confirmed, will be in York later this month.

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'Grist' poets at 7 Arts Centre in Leeds

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I will be appearing with my fellow 'Grist' poets at the 7 Arts Centre in Chapel Allerton at 19:30 on Wednesday 3 May 2012. 

I think there is an entrance fee of £3 to this event, which is being run as part of the regular "Wicked Words". 

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