Winter 2024/25
CÁIT O’NEILL MCCULLAGH introduces NEIL YOUNG and DRUNK MUSE PRESS,
ROBIN FULTON MACPHERSON shares an elusive exhibition, KIRSTY GUNN speaks of stories, ALISTAIR LAWRIE feels a caul wind, CYNTHIA ROGERSON considers MICHEL FABER’S writing with RODGE GLASS, PLUS many more stories, poems, news, reviews and a reader offer
Àilleagan na Gàdhlig - Celebrating Emergent Female and Transfeminine Voices in Gaelic Poetry: CEITIDH CHAIMBEUL, VICTORIA NICÌOMHAIR agus MIA SUHAIMI, Bàrdachd nam Ban-Leòdhasach - Contemporary and traditional women’s poetry from the Isle of Lewis: Shona Nic a’ Mhaoile
Editor: Kenny Taylor
Editorial
It’s always a pleasure to cast an editorial eye over a new issue of Northwords Now as it prepares to meet the wider world. For this one, that feeling is all the sweeter after a long gap in publication.
As anyone who follows the funding challenges of the Scottish cultural scene knows, the past year and more has been hard for artists (in the broadest sense of the word) to get financial support for their work. The same applies to venues and publications – like this one – that rely on grant aid to survive.
One of the many unique ‘selling’ points of Northwords Now is that is not sold, but available free in print and online. That allows many people who might not otherwise encounter a literary publication to read new work by contemporary writers. They can also sample writing all Scotland’s languages and many dialect variations.
This issue again showcases that diversity. Within it you’ll find a quartet of pages that celebrate emergent female and transfeminine voices in Gaelic poetry, a long story in Doric and poems in Shetland dialect, as well as many stories and poems in English. There are also extensive reviews of some of the many fine books of poetry and prose produced in the past year or so by Scottish writers and publishers. In addition, several contributions come from writers based in Nordic countries, including a fascinating retrospective by internationally renowned poet and translator, Robin Fulton MacPherson.
It can sometimes seem like tokenism to hear the phrase ‘thank you to our sponsors.’ But this time, as keenly felt as ever through the many years of their support, I’d like to raise a glass to Creative Scotland. Thanks for keeping the faith in us, Creative Scotland – and through that, giving a boost to all the writers and readers who relish each new issue of Northwords Now as an inspiring part of the nation’s literary scene.
Kenny Taylor, Editor
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