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| Life and War with MF Delgado |
Showing posts with label Delgado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delgado. Show all posts
Friday, December 21, 2012
Can't wait for the Chilcot report?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Laughing my head off
Life and War with Mikey Fatboy Delgado: Amazon.co.uk
"Coming at the same time as Tony Blair's fictive auto-hagiography, this much more factual journal covering the period of the Iraq war is very welcome. It is also extremely funny and I have translated the title of this review from a rather more amusing version noted in the text. The author has a way with description. When we learn that somebody on the Heath is munching on a knob the size of a rolled-up Willesden Herald, the scene is conjured instantly and characteristically. Against the background of the daily developments during the second Iraq war, a constant battle of wits with the Old Bill and business enterprises that involve a lot of night moves, there is also the human story of a typical family trying to carry on its daily life and loves against the backdrop of seemingly universal depravity. I'm not just puffing this up because Mikey is one of the lads from round this way and because I'm in fear of some of his mates - it really is an excellent read." (Ganache, Amazon Reviews)
"Coming at the same time as Tony Blair's fictive auto-hagiography, this much more factual journal covering the period of the Iraq war is very welcome. It is also extremely funny and I have translated the title of this review from a rather more amusing version noted in the text. The author has a way with description. When we learn that somebody on the Heath is munching on a knob the size of a rolled-up Willesden Herald, the scene is conjured instantly and characteristically. Against the background of the daily developments during the second Iraq war, a constant battle of wits with the Old Bill and business enterprises that involve a lot of night moves, there is also the human story of a typical family trying to carry on its daily life and loves against the backdrop of seemingly universal depravity. I'm not just puffing this up because Mikey is one of the lads from round this way and because I'm in fear of some of his mates - it really is an excellent read." (Ganache, Amazon Reviews)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Friday, November 24, 2006
Delgado's story now a set text
Cold Goat Eyes
"As we progressed through the story, I had a vague notion as to where it was going, and what it was about, but the finer points of Delgado's work were lost on me amidst a brainful of semantics and teacher techniques. [...] But, as we neared the end, I read a paragraph that picked me up and lifted me out of my 'teacher hat' and stopped me dead..."
Let's hope that Amanda Saxonheart and Rocky Rollins can find more such fine examples for this year's competition.
"As we progressed through the story, I had a vague notion as to where it was going, and what it was about, but the finer points of Delgado's work were lost on me amidst a brainful of semantics and teacher techniques. [...] But, as we neared the end, I read a paragraph that picked me up and lifted me out of my 'teacher hat' and stopped me dead..."
Let's hope that Amanda Saxonheart and Rocky Rollins can find more such fine examples for this year's competition.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Annual short story competition - announcement
Update 2007 results announced
The Willesden Short Story Prize 2007
Prize: Ed's Big Ugly Mug1 special edition inscribed "The Willesden Short Story Prize 2007" and the option, if you choose, to read or have your story read as part of the Radio Free Willesden podcast series. Not forgetting immortality.
The Herald is honoured to announce that local author Zadie Smith has graciously agreed to adjudicate again this year.
Rules
There is no theme and no word limit other than our editorial team's variable attention span. If you can hold their attention you deserve a prize. They have read a lot of great short stories and want to read as many more as possible. If your entry is not a short story they will know, so don't send a novel. If it's a chapter from a novel, don't tell us - it should stand alone. If it stands alone, we don't care whether it's part of a bigger work, but we don't want to know beforehand.
Closing date: December 24th, 2006. The winner and those who were short-listed will be notified by email early in the new year. Winner and shortlist will be announced simultaneously.
Please send your entry by email to stories@willesdenherald.com as attachments in either Microsoft Word or RTF format.
It is important not to include your name with the text of your story, but please do include it in your accompanying email. Pen names are acceptable but we would like to have a real name as well.2 Anonymity will be maintained, if required, with the help of St. Jude and the good judgement of the bartenders of Willesden. Your details will not be used or shared with anybody for any other purpose.
Entries must be in English, your own original work and previously unpublished. We're not worried about previous workshop versions lying around somewhere, but blogged and ezined stories are considered published. Suggestion: cunningly delete them from online before sending them in.
This year it's only one entry per person, please.
Copyright remains with the author at all times, of course.
We reserve the right to withold the prize if entries of a sufficient standard are not received.
This is a genuine competition. No purchase required, as they say. Entry is free and open to all.
The results will be announced here in The Willesden Herald and on several other websites, and the title winner of the Willesden short story prize 2007 will be yours.
Anthology
There is no official anthology linked to the competition but short-listed entries may be considered for inclusion in "New Short Stories", an occasional anthology planned for inauguration next spring. It will be entirely optional, thus enabling you to preserve the unpublished status of your story, if that is your choice.
Where are they now?
Joint winner for 2006, "Secure" by Mikey Delgado was subsequently published by Guardian Online (here).
The other joint winner, "Dodie's Gift" by Vanessa Gebbie also won another prize (under a different title) and has been published by Cadenza magazine. The same author has won or been second in numerous short story competitions, as well as inconsiderately beating the Herald's own spy at the Small Wonder short story slam on the clapometer. [Sounds painful. Ed]
One of our short-listed authors, Nuala Ní Chonchúir, was long-listed along with Alan Bennett and others for the 35,000 euro Frank O'Connor prize for her short story collection "To the World of Men, Welcome" along with the eventual winner, Haruki Murakami.
January 2007: "Sasquatch" will be included in Tao Lin's collection "Bed" to be published by Melville House in April 2007. (More)
The Cone of Silence
Every entry received is acknowledged by return email. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, your entry might have been blocked wrongly by email-filtering software. Alternatively the acknowledgement might have fallen into your bulk email folder.
Please enquire if you have not received an acknowledgement after 48 hours. If you cannot get a response from stories, there is an alternative email address, see above right "Letters / Submissions".
Feargal Mooney
1 Rare. Very few in existence. The first is in the possession of Red Woodward (here seen drinking Irish Tea).
2 It would be a good idea to include in your email your name, address [optional], the name of the story you are submitting and pen name, if applicable. For short-listed entries full details may be requested, at the editorial team's discretion, to verify. Ed
Updated: 2006: November 1st, 13th, 21st, 29th. 2007: January 19th
The Willesden Short Story Prize 2007
Prize: Ed's Big Ugly Mug1 special edition inscribed "The Willesden Short Story Prize 2007" and the option, if you choose, to read or have your story read as part of the Radio Free Willesden podcast series. Not forgetting immortality.
The Herald is honoured to announce that local author Zadie Smith has graciously agreed to adjudicate again this year.
Rules
There is no theme and no word limit other than our editorial team's variable attention span. If you can hold their attention you deserve a prize. They have read a lot of great short stories and want to read as many more as possible. If your entry is not a short story they will know, so don't send a novel. If it's a chapter from a novel, don't tell us - it should stand alone. If it stands alone, we don't care whether it's part of a bigger work, but we don't want to know beforehand.
Closing date: December 24th, 2006. The winner and those who were short-listed will be notified by email early in the new year. Winner and shortlist will be announced simultaneously.
Please send your entry by email to stories@willesdenherald.com as attachments in either Microsoft Word or RTF format.
It is important not to include your name with the text of your story, but please do include it in your accompanying email. Pen names are acceptable but we would like to have a real name as well.2 Anonymity will be maintained, if required, with the help of St. Jude and the good judgement of the bartenders of Willesden. Your details will not be used or shared with anybody for any other purpose.
Entries must be in English, your own original work and previously unpublished. We're not worried about previous workshop versions lying around somewhere, but blogged and ezined stories are considered published. Suggestion: cunningly delete them from online before sending them in.
This year it's only one entry per person, please.
Copyright remains with the author at all times, of course.
We reserve the right to withold the prize if entries of a sufficient standard are not received.
This is a genuine competition. No purchase required, as they say. Entry is free and open to all.
The results will be announced here in The Willesden Herald and on several other websites, and the title winner of the Willesden short story prize 2007 will be yours.
Anthology
There is no official anthology linked to the competition but short-listed entries may be considered for inclusion in "New Short Stories", an occasional anthology planned for inauguration next spring. It will be entirely optional, thus enabling you to preserve the unpublished status of your story, if that is your choice.
Where are they now?
Joint winner for 2006, "Secure" by Mikey Delgado was subsequently published by Guardian Online (here).
The other joint winner, "Dodie's Gift" by Vanessa Gebbie also won another prize (under a different title) and has been published by Cadenza magazine. The same author has won or been second in numerous short story competitions, as well as inconsiderately beating the Herald's own spy at the Small Wonder short story slam on the clapometer. [Sounds painful. Ed]
One of our short-listed authors, Nuala Ní Chonchúir, was long-listed along with Alan Bennett and others for the 35,000 euro Frank O'Connor prize for her short story collection "To the World of Men, Welcome" along with the eventual winner, Haruki Murakami.
January 2007: "Sasquatch" will be included in Tao Lin's collection "Bed" to be published by Melville House in April 2007. (More)
The Cone of Silence
Every entry received is acknowledged by return email. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, your entry might have been blocked wrongly by email-filtering software. Alternatively the acknowledgement might have fallen into your bulk email folder.
Please enquire if you have not received an acknowledgement after 48 hours. If you cannot get a response from stories, there is an alternative email address, see above right "Letters / Submissions".
Feargal Mooney
1 Rare. Very few in existence. The first is in the possession of Red Woodward (here seen drinking Irish Tea).
2 It would be a good idea to include in your email your name, address [optional], the name of the story you are submitting and pen name, if applicable. For short-listed entries full details may be requested, at the editorial team's discretion, to verify. Ed
Updated: 2006: November 1st, 13th, 21st, 29th. 2007: January 19th
Friday, September 22, 2006
Special report
by Amanda Saxonheart, Media Editor
When Gyorgy Petch arrived by coach in London with just one suitcase, a notebook, and no discernible skills, and certainly no tool kit for plumbing jobs, the immigration authorities must have been tempted to advise him to get back on the bus, forget about us, and head back to the Hungarian/Slovakian border.
How amazed they would have been to have followed him into the streets outside Victoria Coach Station and witness the tumultuous scenes there. Word had already got out that Gyorgy was arriving and the streets were packed with families desperate to secure his services. His services? Some mistake surely? What services could Gyorgy Petch possibly offer anyone, least off all the families of north west London who were out in great numbers vying to outbid each other to get Gyorgy to ride home with them. After all, Gyorgy has no degree, no plumbing skills, has never picked a strawberry for financial gain in his life, has never even seen a cockle.
Well, the secret resides in that notebook which Gyorgy takes everywhere. And what is in that thar notebook. Is it gold? Oil? Not quite, but not so far off the mark either. Why, you cry, what then is in this magical notebook? Poems of course. Hundreds of them. Sonnets, sestinas, rhyming couplets, comic quatrains about the accession of Eastern European countries to the European Union. Page after page of black ink gold.
Poets, for all those who have been on Mars for the last five years, are BIG, and they are in demand, and though the world is full of them and even fuller of their verses it is undeniable that demand is outstripping supply. In a recent survey over seventy three per cent of households on Hampstead Garden Suburb were found to employ at least one poet. At least?! Yes, at least. You read it right. A staggering seventeen per cent of households on the Suburb now employ two or more poets.
Said Father Thomas McGuinness, waiting at Victoria and hoping to snaffle Gyorgy as poet-in-residence for St Edmund's in Finchley Central..."We hope that Gyorgy will look upon our offer favourably. He will have a five year contract, five weeks holiday, a non-contributory pension scheme and...
Cont'd page 9
When Gyorgy Petch arrived by coach in London with just one suitcase, a notebook, and no discernible skills, and certainly no tool kit for plumbing jobs, the immigration authorities must have been tempted to advise him to get back on the bus, forget about us, and head back to the Hungarian/Slovakian border.
How amazed they would have been to have followed him into the streets outside Victoria Coach Station and witness the tumultuous scenes there. Word had already got out that Gyorgy was arriving and the streets were packed with families desperate to secure his services. His services? Some mistake surely? What services could Gyorgy Petch possibly offer anyone, least off all the families of north west London who were out in great numbers vying to outbid each other to get Gyorgy to ride home with them. After all, Gyorgy has no degree, no plumbing skills, has never picked a strawberry for financial gain in his life, has never even seen a cockle.
Well, the secret resides in that notebook which Gyorgy takes everywhere. And what is in that thar notebook. Is it gold? Oil? Not quite, but not so far off the mark either. Why, you cry, what then is in this magical notebook? Poems of course. Hundreds of them. Sonnets, sestinas, rhyming couplets, comic quatrains about the accession of Eastern European countries to the European Union. Page after page of black ink gold.
Poets, for all those who have been on Mars for the last five years, are BIG, and they are in demand, and though the world is full of them and even fuller of their verses it is undeniable that demand is outstripping supply. In a recent survey over seventy three per cent of households on Hampstead Garden Suburb were found to employ at least one poet. At least?! Yes, at least. You read it right. A staggering seventeen per cent of households on the Suburb now employ two or more poets.
Said Father Thomas McGuinness, waiting at Victoria and hoping to snaffle Gyorgy as poet-in-residence for St Edmund's in Finchley Central..."We hope that Gyorgy will look upon our offer favourably. He will have a five year contract, five weeks holiday, a non-contributory pension scheme and...
Cont'd page 9
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Classifieds*
Page 1 of 47
* Sent in by Mr M. D., London who receives a blessed scapular courtesy of Mrs Haverty Clerical Outfitters Ltd. [Ed]
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Hungarian couple, hard working poets, long visas |
* Sent in by Mr M. D., London who receives a blessed scapular courtesy of Mrs Haverty Clerical Outfitters Ltd. [Ed]
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Local boy made good
Guardian Books | Short Stories
"Original fiction: Part-time tiler Mikey Delgado is one of the winners of this year's Willesden Herald short story competition, judged by Zadie Smith. Read his story in full." (Link)
"Original fiction: Part-time tiler Mikey Delgado is one of the winners of this year's Willesden Herald short story competition, judged by Zadie Smith. Read his story in full." (Link)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Short stories: update*
Pretend Genius Press is to publish "Secure" by Mikey Delgado, one of the joint winners of this year's Willesden Herald short story prize, in an anthology entitled "Fish Drink Like Us". Mikey's poetry is also featured in the companion volume entitled "Last Night's Dream Corrected".
Outstanding newcomers are included alongside established and award-winning poets such as Bill Berkson, Joanne Kyger, Michael Rothenberg and the one and only Ira Cohen, who also contributes a prose piece. Each poet has a separate section and the physical and visual pleasures of the book are intended to complement the poetry on the pages.
The fiction collection is characterised by highly developed characterisation, uncompromising directness, engagement, and diversity from the surreal and unconventional to the earthy and hilarious. It contains a wealth of showcase pieces by new and established writers, Timothy Gager, Kenji Siratori, Sean Brijbasi, Amy Muldoon, J. Tyler Blue, Andy Henion, Jeremy BeBeau and many more.
The anthologies have their own rather cool web pages. The covers were created by esteemed artist Stratos Fountoulis. Both books are edited by Feargal Mooney.
*Advertisement by Gombeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen™
Outstanding newcomers are included alongside established and award-winning poets such as Bill Berkson, Joanne Kyger, Michael Rothenberg and the one and only Ira Cohen, who also contributes a prose piece. Each poet has a separate section and the physical and visual pleasures of the book are intended to complement the poetry on the pages.
The fiction collection is characterised by highly developed characterisation, uncompromising directness, engagement, and diversity from the surreal and unconventional to the earthy and hilarious. It contains a wealth of showcase pieces by new and established writers, Timothy Gager, Kenji Siratori, Sean Brijbasi, Amy Muldoon, J. Tyler Blue, Andy Henion, Jeremy BeBeau and many more.
The anthologies have their own rather cool web pages. The covers were created by esteemed artist Stratos Fountoulis. Both books are edited by Feargal Mooney.
*Advertisement by Gombeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen™
Friday, January 06, 2006
Results
Willesden, January
The Willesden short story prize 2006 goes jointly to Mikey Delgado and Vanessa Gebbie. See link for full details.
Ossian
The Willesden short story prize 2006 goes jointly to Mikey Delgado and Vanessa Gebbie. See link for full details.
Ossian
About the authors
(Dodie's Gift)
Vanessa Gebbie: Journalist, short story writer, teacher of Creative Writing at a drugs rehab, her fiction's been published in print and on the web. She is founder and editor of Tom's Voice Magazine. www.tomsvoicemagazine.com
(Secure)
Mikey Delgado is a some-time writer and a part-time tiler. He hopes to soon be in the position to give up writing and to go tiling full-time. He posts at www.mikeyfatboydelgado.blogspot.com
Vanessa Gebbie: Journalist, short story writer, teacher of Creative Writing at a drugs rehab, her fiction's been published in print and on the web. She is founder and editor of Tom's Voice Magazine. www.tomsvoicemagazine.com
(Secure)
Mikey Delgado is a some-time writer and a part-time tiler. He hopes to soon be in the position to give up writing and to go tiling full-time. He posts at www.mikeyfatboydelgado.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Willesden short story prize 2006 - result
Two very different stories stood out from the ten shortlisted and after some consideration it proved impossible to separate them. So we have a tie. The winning stories, and joint winners of the Willesden Short Story Prize 2006 are "Dodie's Gift" by Vanessa Gebbie and "Secure" by Mikey Delgado. Congratulations to the winners and many thanks to Zadie Smith for adjudicating from the shortlist.
Here is the complete shortlist in alphabetical order:
"Abe and his Girlfriend" by Jacqui Rowe
"Dodie's Gift" by Vanessa Gebbie (joint winner)
"In Summer" by Michael McCudden
"Sasquatch" by Tao Lin
"Sé" by Nuala Ní Chonchúir
"Secure" by Mikey Delgado (joint winner)
"Ta'waaf: Circling the Holy Ka'aba" by Bilal Ghafoor
"The Finding" by Valerie Trueblood
"The History of Imagining About Blue Horses" by Sean Brijbasi
"Who Would've Guessed?" by Raewyn Alexander
Thanks to all who entered. Every story was read carefully, some several times, and many were strong contenders for one of the ten places on the shortlist. Further details about the competition, the authors and the results will be posted when we have settled a little go slow by our chapel of the Typesetters Union.
Have Pen, Will Travel
Update a year later: 2007 results
Here is the complete shortlist in alphabetical order:
"Abe and his Girlfriend" by Jacqui Rowe
"Dodie's Gift" by Vanessa Gebbie (joint winner)
"In Summer" by Michael McCudden
"Sasquatch" by Tao Lin
"Sé" by Nuala Ní Chonchúir
"Secure" by Mikey Delgado (joint winner)
"Ta'waaf: Circling the Holy Ka'aba" by Bilal Ghafoor
"The Finding" by Valerie Trueblood
"The History of Imagining About Blue Horses" by Sean Brijbasi
"Who Would've Guessed?" by Raewyn Alexander
Thanks to all who entered. Every story was read carefully, some several times, and many were strong contenders for one of the ten places on the shortlist. Further details about the competition, the authors and the results will be posted when we have settled a little go slow by our chapel of the Typesetters Union.
Have Pen, Will Travel
Update a year later: 2007 results
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Greetings from Iraq (karmalised)
"I know Mikey can't wait to get here. Send him my love and tell him to keep playing those video games. They're great practice but believe me, nothing is as awesome as smoking their asses in real time."
The pictures of the wounded children show the reality behind Cowboy Bush and Tonto Blair's rotten war.
Ossian
"I know Mikey can't wait to get here. Send him my love and tell him to keep playing those video games. They're great practice but believe me, nothing is as awesome as smoking their asses in real time."
The pictures of the wounded children show the reality behind Cowboy Bush and Tonto Blair's rotten war.
Ossian
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Martin Amis is a brilliant writer. I wonder if he's reading Mikey? The interrogations in Uttering a Forged Instrument have something in common with the gruesome tortures in this new short story: In the Palace of the End. (Sorry, that link is broken. It might come on later, who knows. Meanwhile you'll have to get hold of the magazine offline.)
Ossian
Ossian
Monday, February 16, 2004
Send us letters
We're keen to hear from the Liberal Democrats (we love triers.) Not fussed about hearing from the other charlatans, the pretend Labour party, and the pretend Tory party. Why should the Willesden Herald not support the Liberals? Oh, and can we drop that stupid Democrat addition (the gang of four? give us a break.) Liberals, that's what we want, proper Liberals. Never mind what Feargal and Mikey say, this is Ed here. [Note: he is not the editor. Ed.] I am a Liberal.
Red Woodward
We're keen to hear from the Liberal Democrats (we love triers.) Not fussed about hearing from the other charlatans, the pretend Labour party, and the pretend Tory party. Why should the Willesden Herald not support the Liberals? Oh, and can we drop that stupid Democrat addition (the gang of four? give us a break.) Liberals, that's what we want, proper Liberals. Never mind what Feargal and Mikey say, this is Ed here. [Note: he is not the editor. Ed.] I am a Liberal.
Red Woodward
Saturday, January 03, 2004
The Golden Willy Awards for 2003-4
"Bribery will get you everywhere"
Best Journal: Life and War with Mikey 'Fatboy' Delgado
Best Magazine: writeThis.com
Best Newcomer: deaddrunkdublin
Best Commentary: Lenin's Tomb
Best Design: Karmalised
Best Photo Journal: London and the North
Best Reportage: Frizzy Logic
Presented by:
Willesden Rotary Mower Club
Best Journal: Life and War with Mikey 'Fatboy' Delgado
Best Magazine: writeThis.com
Best Newcomer: deaddrunkdublin
Best Commentary: Lenin's Tomb
Best Design: Karmalised
Best Photo Journal: London and the North
Best Reportage: Frizzy Logic
Presented by:
Willesden Rotary Mower Club
Thursday, August 07, 2003
Classified
Exercise bicycle £35 o.n.o. Bereavement forces sale. Box WH0004.
____________
You only see fat people drinking diet colas. Why? Because diet colas are fattening. Don't fall for it.
Drink May-Gwok Jiu Slimmimg Tea instead. Local stockists required.
____________
French lessons - your place or mine. No fuss, no rush.
Mimette. mobile - 0909099078, early till late.
____________
Many thanks to St Jude. God bless.
____________
Immigration problems?
Are you having trouble getting permission to stay in the UK? Do you know anyone seeking refugee status? We pay a reward for each immigration case introduced to us. Claim yours.
Scuttle and Smith - Solictors.
____________
Injured at Work? Hurt whilst out shopping? Why not sue. No win, no fee.
Smith and Scuttle - Solicitors.
____________
Exercise bicycle £35 o.n.o. Bereavement forces sale. Box WH0004.
____________
You only see fat people drinking diet colas. Why? Because diet colas are fattening. Don't fall for it.
Drink May-Gwok Jiu Slimmimg Tea instead. Local stockists required.
____________
French lessons - your place or mine. No fuss, no rush.
Mimette. mobile - 0909099078, early till late.
____________
Many thanks to St Jude. God bless.
____________
Immigration problems?
Are you having trouble getting permission to stay in the UK? Do you know anyone seeking refugee status? We pay a reward for each immigration case introduced to us. Claim yours.
Scuttle and Smith - Solictors.
____________
Injured at Work? Hurt whilst out shopping? Why not sue. No win, no fee.
Smith and Scuttle - Solicitors.
____________
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