Monday, May 11, 2009

Drogheda Writes 2 Launch Tonight!


Finally this baby is going out into the world. I've spent the last four months in intimate contact with all the contributions: editing, placing, sharpening, paring away at the final edit and it's due to be launched this evening by the Mayor of Drogheda, Frank Maher as well as special guest, Joseph Woods, Director of Poetry Ireland. It contains poetry, memoir and fiction, as well as the Amergin Award winners of 2007. It weighs in at 136 pages in total and is packed with talent, from the youngest contributor of eight to the oldest contributor at almost 80!

It's been a real labour of love - I have undimmed respect for anthology editors everywhere.

So now, I give you a brand new anthology: Drogheda Writes 2, a veritable garden of blooms! Tonight at 8pm in Drogheda at The Venue, McHughs, Chord Road. Yahoo!

15 comments:

Padhraig Nolan said...

looks good - who did the nice painting on the cover?

Frances said...

Goodness Barbara S - you edit anthologies as well. Is there anything you can't do?

Totalfeckineejit said...

Fourv months work? Wow! Well done B and good luck with it -hope it goes well!

Michael Farry said...

Good luck with the launch tonight Barbara

Unknown said...

Thanks PJ - it was a painting by Richard Moore, from Drogheda. He does these lovely streetscapes in all sorts of weathers. We had hoped the printing process would bring out the brighter colours - the original is stunning.

Frances, yes for my sins - I must have been very bad in a former life. Seriously, it's just great that it is finally finished and launched and people are delighted with it!

TFE - you better believe it - I slept, breathed, ate, drank it the whole time ;)

Cheers Michael, it's always a worry whether people will come, but thankfully it went off very well. :)

Padhraig Nolan said...

Hi Barbara - would love to pick your brains a bit about this - would you be interested in being interviewed about the process for my blog?

Unknown said...

Would I wha? No problem, PJ!

Kay Cooke said...

You amaze and astound Barbara! Good luck I'm sure it will be well received and a much loved anthology.
Well done my friend. (Is there nothing you can't do?) I hope that makes sense I'm not much good with double negatives and things that cancel themselves out - anyhoo; whateva: you're a wonder woman!

Unknown said...

Cheers Kay - sometimes I really think I don't do enough... that's the work ethic that was bet into me ;)

Clare Dudman said...

Looks really good, Barbara, and hope the launch went well. Got any photos? Also just wondering - how much work did you have to do on it altogther, would you say?

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Congratulations Barbara, I didn't know you edited anthologies and this one looks great.
Thank you for the comment on "Your Job". I concluded with it also to overcome a sense of "farfetchedness" of having talked of the Italian school system in English!

best wishes, Davide

Liz said...

Congrats. Barbara...love the look of it and hope to get a chance to read it too...can it be bought online?

(I'm still internet-less and losing my marbles by the bucket load! Too stressful, nipping into libraries and queuing for the computer!)

Unknown said...

Hi Clare, I should have some pics in a week or two. I'm waiting to get them by email, hopefully! Altogether from start to finish, I'd say it took the best part of four months, between the whole process. But P Nolan has asked me to do an interview on the whole process of compiling and editing, so you'll be able to read about that soonish.

Hi Davide, yes it's actually my first editing job, and it had it's ups and downs, but overall I think I did enjoy the job and I learned an awful lot about what editors go through.

Hi Liz, sorry to hear that your 'puter is such a pain in the derriere lately. I hope to make it up to your Poetry Ireland Introduction reading on the 27th in Dublin, so I'll try and remember to bring a copy for you :)

Mary Boyle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mary Boyle said...

Barbara,

Where could I buy a copy of the book "Drogheda Writers 2" it looks great.

Could I buy it online or by post.

Mary.