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| 12:22 5 November 2024 |
Photo: Looking along a canal that bends away to the right in the distance from this viewpoint on a bridge, with a swan beside a houseboat barge on the right bank, on bright calm shiny water, with a variety of buildings alongside the left bank, foremost one completely covered in brightly coloured graffiti. (There is another swan following some distance back by the next houseboat. They both leave gentle V-shaped in their wake.)
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| Kensal Green: 5 November 2024, 11:08 a.m. |
Photo: “On Lime + Uber” branded eBikes piled up blocking the pavement outside Kensal Green underground station, 5 November 2024
“Reawakening, starring Jared Harris, Juliet Stevenson and Erin Doherty, is the powerful, psychologically piercing and searingly emotional second feature from BAFTA-nominated writer-director Virginia Gilbert.” (Facebook)
Some of you might remember when Virginia Gilbert’s short story “Winter Lambing” won the Willesden Herald short Story competition in 2012, as judged by Roddy Doyle. There is even a video of the awards presentation at the old Willesden Library Centre [with Mourny three sheets to the wind. Ed]
Reawakening had its US premiere at the Newport Beach film festival last week and has already been nominated for awards and included in other film festivals.
It's a sad day in many ways. This Blogger site is in the process of moving to WordPress, which can be reached by the Willesden Herald .com domain name. There are over 9800 posts here, according to the import utility. The move will mean that the New Short Stories and Willesden Herald will all be on one site. The export/import process claims to include all content and comments but I know very well that there will be disruption, if not complete chaos. So this Blogger site will remain as it is until the Mahamanvantara or some tycoon buys it and ruins it.* It's been quite a ride, as they say, though with a different meaning in my native Ireland. Thanks to everyone who visited, commented, contributed words. (Steve)
* Problems:
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| Chiltern Line view towards Sudbury Hill Harrow station |
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| A bend in the road, Wood End Road, Harrow, 10/10/2024 |
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| "Bustronome - Voyage Gourmand" Website link: bustronome.com |
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| Basking in the sun this morning. A little Herb Robert and Alyssum growing between paving stones. 18 July 2024 |
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| Midday. "Home Fashion" furnishings shop. Corner of First Avenue and Harrow Road. 18 July 2024 |
In Pia Quintano's 29-page short story of the month for July, we're in New York, the capital of the world. Unless that is London or Paris or actually there is no capital of the world. It is though (U.N.). But what lies beneath the sheen of its river water, behind its apartment doors and in the minds of people you've grown up with? A child is missing. We're going into that water. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
July 2024: The River by Pia Quintano
"It felt like they were mining the East River, as if the heavy machines they were using to dredge it could easily unearth a car or the core of the planet. I could feel the FDR tremble under my feet but suspected that the heavy barges with their mysterious cargo would be undisturbed, as the men stretched apart the river’s seams..."
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| Pia Quintano |
This is a hybrid of Raglan Road and Star of the County Down with a chorus and additional verse by yours truly. Míle buíochas to Phil Rynhart for the arrangement and all the music. (Stephen)
Is it June already? There's a cold northwest wind blustering through rainy London, so I said to myself, let's go to Vietnam for a while, meet some interesting people, and see what happens. I'm still there. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
June 2024: New Moon by Michael Howard
"…He almost never shut the doors giving onto his balcony and when he did it was only for a few minutes at a time—half an hour at the most.
That’s how Tram came to know these things…"
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| Michael Howard |
Michael Howard's writing has appeared in Mekong Review, New World Writing, Paste Magazine, Gordon Square Review, Creative Loafing, Hypertext Magazine, The Forge, and others. He lives in Vietnam.
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| "Have a good day!" |
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| "Step" ... "Jump" |
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| "Hop on one leg" |
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| ...and into the sunset |
I think I remember a line from The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor, "Things can go wrong in an empty house." Also in a seemingly empty hotel and arguably an empty relationship, perhaps. Intrigued? Read our Story of the Month for May by Cath Barton to find out what happened. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
May 2024: At the Hotel Swinburne by Cath Barton
When we returned to our room after breakfast on the fourth day of our holiday, Arnold told me he didn’t like the mirrors in the hotel.
‘Really? We can cover that up if it bothers you,’ I said, pointing at the full-length one opposite the end of our bed. ‘I suppose some people get a kick out of looking at themselves performing.’
‘For goodness sake, Marie,’ he said.
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| Cath Barton |
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| Chestnut tree beside the public bridleway woodland path, part of the London Capital Ring at the junction of Wood End Road, Orley Farm Road and South Vale, Harrow this afternoon |
This is a story that will linger in your mind and make you think about people past, present and future. They are out there. Ed.
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
April 2024: April 2024: “With Every Choice Something is Lost” by Mike Fox
“She was there most days, though it took me a while to realise. Still and unobtrusive, I began to notice her small figure, always in a white blouse part-concealed by a faded grey mac, standing in what seemed to be contemplation. Before long, as I passed through the churchyard, I found myself looking in the hope of seeing her.”
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| Mike Fox |
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| "Three" |
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| Corner of Cavendish Avenue and Greenford Road, Harrow |
Bookmovie from Fonoteca de Poesia - Stephen Moran
I love a story where you have to ask yourself "What is happening here?" And by the end you think you might know. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
March 2024: Outlaws by Neil Brosnan
It’s bizarre; four women travelling together and not a single word being exchanged between us. It’s not as if we’re not all acquainted: his sister is driving, my sister is the front-seat passenger, and the driver’s daughter is sitting beside me in the back – doing something on her iPhone.
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| Neil Brosnan |
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| "NHS Health Review - Make Every Contact Count Worried about your health? Come and talk to us." |
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| "NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Service Walk-in vaccines available here today ..." |
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| Two parking spaces have been reserved for the mobile NHS vaccine van, seen here. Greenford Road, North Greenford, next to Sudbury Hill station, outside Iceland supermarket. |
For February we have a story that touches on respect for local history and traditions and aspects of behaviour at home and abroad and people who are wonderful. So for once I have nothing funny to say in this intro. But I can assure you that it has nothing to do with interior design. (Ed.)
The Willesden Herald Story of the Month
February 2024: "My Yellow" by Amanda Huggins
... Avril shakes her head. ‘I understand the thinking behind it – I know they don’t want Davy to be frightened of the sea – but sending the young bairn out there in this weather isn’t quite the same thing as getting back on a horse after being thrown. And the clothes? He’ll catch his own death dressed like that.’
I turn away from her for a moment, clenching and unclenching my fists as I try to hide my irritation. ...
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| Amanda Huggins |
She has won several awards, including the Kyoto City Mayoral Prize, the Colm Tóibín Short Story Award, the BGTW New Travel Writer of the Year, and three Saboteur Awards. She has also placed in the Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Com-petition, the Costa Short Story Award and the Fish Short Story Prize, and been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize.
