Lots of exciting things are being planned as we build up to the publication of the new Mechanics’ Institute Review anthology, in which my story ‘The Hole’ will appear.
Publication date looks set for 25 September, and the editors have revealed a tease of the cover (see image). There are also some upcoming events. First up is a ‘Reading Aloud’ workshop to get all the contributors primed for some public readings.
I’ve read my work in public a couple of times – firstly in conjunction with my first published story way back in 1992, and more recently as part of the Faber Academy course – but it’s still an extremely nerve-wracking experience, and so hopefully the more practice I can get the less terrifying it will be.
We’ll soon see whether it has worked, as I’ve volunteered to read at an ‘MIR Live’ event in London on 1 October.
On 20 September there will be an ‘Open the Box’ evening, where the authors get a chance to meet each other and also get their hands on a print copy of the anthology for the first time.
Then a few days later there will be the launch party. I recently realised to my horror that it has been 19 years since my last appearance in an anthology – in one of the Time Out books edited by Nicholas Royle, a brilliant writer and champion of short stories. Unfortunately I had to miss the launch party for that and I’ve regretted it ever since. So this time round I’m determined to be there (did somebody say free wine?).
Ian Critchley 