The people who did good things

The people who did good things
and the people who did bad
are equally dead. Jesus and Hitler,
Mam and Dad, all sleep together
in the same big bed.

Atom splitters and dealers of dope
will sell no more bombs
and blow no more smoke.
Monica from next door and Mohangi
the axe murderer, snooze like babies
and will wake no furtherer.

Humble grower of rice and joiner of racks
are stretched without the weight
of the sky on their backs. Kindly nurses
and torturers have all gone bye-byes
and are not coming back. Their feet
are no longer killing them.

--
Stephen Moran

John Pilger: The Dirty War on the NHS

'John Pilger's new documentary, THE DIRTY WAR ON THE NHS, "goes to the heart of the struggle for democracy today", he says. Britain's National Health Service, the NHS, was the world's first universal public health service. Designed to give millions of people "freedom from fear", the NHS today is under threat of being sold off and converted to a free market model inspired by America's disastrous health insurance system, which results in the death every year of an estimated 45,000 people. Now President Trump says the NHS is "on the table" in any future trade deal with America. Filmed in Britain and the United States, this timely, compelling documentary touches us all and reveals what may be the last battle to preserve the most fundamental human right.' (Dartmouth Films)

New Short Stories 11 - first look - unboxing

The eagle, or anyway the secretary bird, has landed. Now available from Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository and Amazon.com.

Updated 13/12/2019

You cannot trust Boris Johnson with the NHS

Spread this video far and wide - it’s brilliant: pic.twitter.com/SdeU58pExC

— Mike Buckley (@mdbuckley) November 17, 2019

Don't vote Conservative in any constituency. Vote for the candidate with the best chance of defeating the Conservative, which you can discover by entering your postcode at RemainUnited.org. You can talk about policies and plans but the overwhelming priority is to ensure that Boris Johnson is not given five years to sell this country out to the Putin/Trump axis of neo-fascism.

Labour has a sensible moderate proposal that will actually settle the Brexit issue in a steady, sane way with voters given the choice between a workable Brexit deal that comes with a customs union and close market alignment or remaining in the EU. Those are the only two sensible options for this country and the Labour plan is the only way to resolve the Brexit impasse for once and for all, by next Summer.

All Johnson and the Tory B-team offer is another year of threatening "No Deal" and quite possibly ending up with that disastrous and stupid outcome, which they probably secretly want. Unless you're a hedge fund gambler, or offshore tax fiddler like Rees-Mogg, Redwood and the rest of the Tory B-team, your only sensible vote is for the candidate in your constituency most likely to block a Tory.

You cannot trust Boris Johnson. 
On December 12th, give him the Order of the Boot!

"Our imaginations are being held hostage by the car"

Our imaginations are being held hostage by the car. pic.twitter.com/C28JzMnm3Q

— Philip Boucher-Hayes (@boucherhayes) October 29, 2019

How to vote in the General Election

I did you a thing. A #VoteTactically thing. You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/SGTk2Wzd2Z

— Judi #FBPE 🖤 (@judi_sutherland) November 6, 2019

Coming Soon: New Short Stories 11 - preview

The 15 best international short stories, as submitted to the Willesden Herald in 2019. Editor: Stephen Moran. With an introduction by Gina Challen.

Front cover for New Short Stories 11.
Photo and design by Stratos Fountoulis.

Contemporary fiction from Britain, Ireland, America and Nigeria, from huge cities to very small towns and on several journeys. We're at work, at school, in homes, gardens, cities, in the countryside and on the road. There are crises, violence, tragedy, vengeance, reflection and recon-ciliation. Here are vividly evoked times and places, characters of every kind, and insights into their circumstances and relationships.

Editor: Stephen Moran. Fiction by JL Bogenschneider, Ursula Brunetti, Carol Dines, Derek Dirckx, Sarah Evans, Jeff Ewing, David Frankel, Ray French, N. Jane Kalu, Marylee MacDonald, Jaki McCarrick, Gerard McKeown, Jay Merill, Diana Powell, John Saul. With an introduction by Gina Challen.

Here are fifteen stories transporting us, like the dreams of fifteen nights. In one we remember a beloved teacher, a hated one and our friends. In another we are on a bus somewhere in Britain, on the way to losing our virginity. On another night we wake from a heartbreaking haunting in the changing seasons of Lagos, Nigeria. Or we're in Northern Ireland practicing with a friend's shotgun, and wondering if we can trust him. Then again we're in the Irish borderlands in a tale of neglect and revenge. We travel through remote parts of the US, a fugitive from the past, and hook up with a loner in his last days. Or we're in a surreal family circus, with a remarkable cast of characters, living out a poignant adventure. A nun travels on leave through small town America in search of family history and closure. We agonise over a doctor's ethical dilemma and a professor's marital crisis, drenched in a rainstorm. We're in Newport in Wales, trying to stay off the booze and achieve a reunion. We take something that's not really ours and turn over in our minds what would have happened if we hadn't. We spy on a swimmer as she swims naked in the sea every day till it all goes wrong. In a nightmare, there's a river, a forestry work camp, two labourers living on-site, and a dead body. We meditate and scroll through thoughts on the people, situations and how we interact with those around us, friends and neighbours. (SM)

Update 22 November
Now available for pre-order from Book Depository, Amazon UK and Amazon.com. At the time of writing, Amazon dotcom says it has availability within 2 days. Amazon UK is currently lagging behind that a little.

Saturday evening

View from the railway bridge (Chiltern Line, Sudbury Hill Harrow)

"Humped Crossing" (Whitton Avenue West)

Lineup for New Short Stories 11 revealed

Contents

Introduction by Gina Challen – vii

JL Bogenschneider – Miss Maughan – 11

Ursula Brunetti – Satellites – 31

Carol Dines – Forgiveness – 47

Derek Dirckx – Dark in Here – 71

Sarah Evans – Only Human – 91

Jeff Ewing – Fireball Outfit – 111

David Frankel – Meadowlands – 125

Ray French – Voyager – 141

N. Jane Kalu – To Have a Ghost Baby – 159

Marylee MacDonald – Caboose – 167

Jaki McCarrick – The Emperor of Russia – 193

Gerard McKeown – Rabbit Season – 211

Jay Merill – Vole or Mole – 223

Diana Powell – The Watcher – 231

John Saul – The garden designer – 241

Notes on Contributors – 257

~

The book is being put together now. One of the next tasks is the cover design, which will be in the hands of Stratos, who has designed all the covers to date. Watch this space for news on the progress of the production and publication. (Ed.)

Successes in 2019 for WH New Short Stories contributors

2019

November 11: V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize 2019 goes to Ursula Brunetti for “Beetleboy”.

October 2: BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University 2019: “The Invisible” by Jo Lloyd 

September 27: Out Now: “The False River” short story collection by Nick Holdstock

September 20: Double chapbook launch. "Past contributors to WH New Short Stories, Brian Kirk and Jill Widner, enjoyed a double win at the Cork International Short Story Festival 2019." (See also Feb. 15)

September 12: Danielle McLaughlin takes The Times/ Audible Short Story Award 2019

August 24: Book launch: “Like Water and Other Stories” by Olga Zilberbourg

July 3: Book launch: "Chalk Tracks" by Gina Challen, twice contributor to New Short Stories

March 13: Danielle McLaughlin receives Windham-Campbell award

Feb 15: Friends of Willesden Herald take both Southword fiction chapbook awards 2019

Latest: Willesden Herald New Short Stories 11 is available from Amazon UK, Amazon.com and other booksellers. Link: More details including author pictures and profiles.

Kensal Rise Library reopens after 8 years campaign

Just in from Kensal Rise Library:

"This Saturday, 28th September 2019, we are joyfully re-opening as a public library! Come join us from 2pm. After more than 8 years of campaigning, fundraising and community activity - we finally have reached the moment that makes it all worth it. The library is back!

"Come join us for a day of celebration from 2pm on Saturday 28th September for live music, readings and refreshments."

"Ack ack ack ack!" (Transl. Opposition will melt)

Mars Commander ____________ Dominic Cummings

"Toryism Is Not Working"

Jacob Rees-Mogg's attitude to parliamentary democracy,
used to illustrate the collapse of the Tory government's majority

Pair of white feather foot doves, North Greenford

Spotted on Whitton Avenue West, Sunday September 1, 2019. They appeared fairly tame, probably escaped or released by someone, no?

Demos today (Saturday 31 August 2019): Stop the Coup

Here's the main information hub for today's #StopTheCoup protest - https://t.co/AAZUgkhdVX please share...

— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) August 31, 2019

Boris Johnson is trying to bypass parliament and pursue his "gun to own head" national suicide policy over Brexit. Don't let the monkey play with that gun.

Short Stories: Accepting submissions, more required

Update 30 August 2019: So far we have selected and confirmed three out of 88. The closing date is 30 September but as we’re “optioning” as we go, it’s advisable not to delay sending your submissions. The contributors already span oceans both geographically and in theme and styles. There is no reading fee. Each writer receives two copies of the book when it’s published.

Links:

• Books in the series
• Details and how to submit

Update October 2019

• Lineup for New Short Stories 11 revealed

Short Story of the Month, September 2019

The Willesden Herald New Short Stories Story of the Month

September 2019: Rip Rap by Dan Powell

"It is still dark when you finally arrive. A few streetlights set about the expanse of the cliff-top car park are dead, their bulbs ghostly and pale as blind eyes. All the parking bays are empty. The dim glow of the dashboard clock displays just after four, but like the speedometer, like the fuel gauge, like everything about the Astra, the hands are old and tired and worn and not to be trusted. It’s a miracle the car got this far."

Dan Powell’s prize-winning short fiction has appeared in the pages of Being Dad, The Lonely Voice, Unthology, The London Magazine and Best British Short Stories. His debut collection, Looking Out of Broken Windows, was shortlisted for the Scott Prize and longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award and the Edge Hill Prize. He is currently working on a second story collection and a debut novel, is a First Story writer-in-residence, and a Doctoral Researcher in Creative Writing at University of Leicester. He procrastinates at danpowellfiction.com and on Twitter as @danpowfiction.

Continuing our retrospective series, “Rip Rap” is included in Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 8, together with stories by  Jo Barker Scott, Joan Brennan, Gina Challen, Nick Holdstock, CG Menon, Angela Sherlock, Megan Taylor, Medina Tenour Whiteman and Lindsay Waller-Wilkinson.

Beautiful shop replaced with monstrous logo & void

How heartbreaking is this? Spiegelhalters in Mile End Rd - the developers preferred to destroy the nineteenth century shopfront for sake of an architectural void. https://t.co/Cq3GIEj3oH pic.twitter.com/FX5i5BOezF

— Spitalfields Life (@thegentleauthor) August 19, 2019

It's easier to tangle than untangle

Seconds and moments don't follow, they permute.
One on the microwave countdown cannot
be understood as two together tangle
with the next and prior but those are only
yours. The dusty vase on that shelf has its own
infinity. The fruit fly on the door, a few more.

--
Stephen Moran

Text of phone call from Boris Johnson to Leo Varadkar

Exclusive

Text from a transcript of the first phone conversation between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar, as leaked to the Willesden Herald.

Boris Johnson: I want to assure you that we will never put physical checks or infrastructure at the border in Ireland after Brexit, Leo. If I may use a metaphor here, British businessmen - and women - will never wear clothes after Brexit, they will go naked, happen what may. The Irish can wear clothes, if they wish.

Leo Varadkar: Won't you be a bit exposed? No pun intended.

BJ: No, seriously! Do as you will. Cows, sheep, linen, pantechnicons - let them fly back and forth. Ramble where you will, we will not be concerned. You may put some obstacles on your side, if you insist but as for the UK, come one come all, as they say. And come as you are. We're naked, as it were, so anything goes.

LV: Ah now Boris, are you pulling my leg?

BJ: Not at all. By the way, Northern Ireland is in the UK, isn't it? You are aware. I think I'm right about that one. I found out the other day that the Isle of Man isn't. Who knew?!

LV: Ah Boris, you're winding me up.

BJ: Of course. Of course. But they do have marvellous kippers in the old I.O.M., Leo.

LV: And Norman Wisdom. And Nigel Mansell.

BJ: Norman is sadly no longer with us. But look Leo, I'll come to the point.

LV: Go on.

BJ: Rejoin the UK and you can have the Isle of Man.

LV: Nah, you're alright.

BJ: But if you do go through with this EU way of negotiating you're going to have your kippers cut off from Britain, old man.

LV: We're not doing anything, Boris. It's you who are leaving. You will have your olives cut off.

BJ: Right, right. Sounds dreadful! You're right, I completely forgot it's we who are leaving. I must tie a string around my finger. You're kicking us out on October 31.

LV: Not at all, Boris, you're welcome to stay. I know some of the winos in Brussels - no names no pack drill - might have said "Here's your hat" but don't mind them.

BJ: It wasn't me, it was Mrs May. They haven't said anything to me yet. It's almost as if they can't wait to be shot of us. This is a big mistake they've made, kicking the UK out of the EU.

LV: Well come over to Dublin and drown your sorrows. We'll talk again. Cheers.

BJ: Sláinte.

--
Feargal Mooney

Short Story of the Month, August 2019

The Willesden Herald New Short Stories Story of the Month

August 2019: Dark Song by Roberta Dewa

“I slip into the water. I didn’t plan to swim, but there’s still static fizzing in my veins from last night’s concert and as the river laps me up I’m cooling down, the static disappearing into a string of bubbles streaming out all around me and rising up from the deep channel, like there’s a diver down there somewhere."

Photo: Roberta Dewa
(c) Ursula Kelly Photography

Roberta Dewa has always written fiction, and in her twenties published three historical novels with Robert Hale. While studying for various degrees she published poetry and short fiction, including a first short story collection, Holding Stones (Pewter Rose Press, 2009). In 2013 she published a memoir, The Memory of Bridges, and a contemporary novel followed: The Esplanade (Weathervane Press, 2014). Since retiring from university teaching, she has been writing poetry and short stories again, and in November 2017 won the Willesden Herald prize with her story Dark Song. She is currently coming to the end of the first draft of a new novel.

Continuing our retrospective series, “Dark Song” is included in Willesden Herald: New Short Stories 10 having won first prize in the WH short story competition 2017. Visit Robert Dewa – Author and Lecturer.

Partly to blame for Boris Johnson PM?

Boris Johnson is about to become prime minister of the UK. In the back pages of the Willesden Herald you will find several links to articles by him in his Wodehouse-like humorous style. As a columnist, he was a hoot but as prime minister he is more likely to be a scream. In fact he is now closely associated with screams, because of the sounds that emanated from his flat on the first night of his Tory leadership campaign. There is only one thing he could do now to return to the status of affable comedian: resign!

Here is a Guardian journalist confessing to helping, accidentally, Johnson to arrive at this catastrophe of becoming prime minister: "Boris Johnson, the prime minister? I’m sorry to say that I’m partly to blame" by Matthew d’Ancona

Wellington Estate: Canal Club under threat

AT THE CANAL CLUB- a report on the threat to community spaces at the Wellington Estate in Bethnal Green: https://t.co/kWt3TFylak Photos by @rachelferriman pic.twitter.com/qlQGlniNhe

— Spitalfields Life (@thegentleauthor) July 21, 2019

"Novelist Sarah Winman visited the Canal Club in Bethnal Green recently with Photographer Rachel Ferriman to report on the threat to the community spaces at the Wellington Estate.
...
"The proposal for the Wellington Estate is to demolish the Canal Club and remove the open space and community asset it provides. This is to construct a further twenty-two flats on an already densely populated estate which was built in the thirties as an answer to slum clearance – basically, it is taking space from those who have little to start with.
...
"...the Canal Club land was given by the GLC  to the people of the Wellington Estate in the late seventies and early eighties to offset the overcrowding and the lack of balconies and gardens."

Tower Hamlets Council wants to cram a few more flats into the space occupied at present by a communal garden beside the canal. Follow this link for the full report and photo gallery:
http://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/21/at-the-canal-club/.

Did you know? We're on Duotrope.com

For many years, the Willesden Herald has been listed by Duotrope, for which we are very grateful as it has greatly helped in bringing writers from around the world to our submissions page. Why not take a look at their features for writers? You won’t see a more impressive resource for writers seeking opportunities to place their work. And while you’re there, you might like to take a look at their listing for New Short Stories 11. You can see the basic listing, which is excellent, and if you sign up you can get even more info.