The Cork International Short Story festival ended this Sunday. I was delighted to be a volunteer during the week-end, and got to meet great folks, and hear a lot of writers read and discuss their work. There were people whose work I knew, like Kevin Barry (if, you haven’t seen him read, wow : he brings such life and fun to his readings). There were writers I’d never read as well, but that I’ll definitely get into now. Lydia Davis and Nathan Englander come to mind in that category. Englander was here to receive the Frank O’Connor Award for his collection What we talk about when we talk about Anne Frank. I think everybody was blown away by his reading of the title story and the discussion afterwards. Man, the guy can talk (in a good way!).
Now it’s all over until next year, and it’s back to the day job, and I’m left a bit blue from the dullness after the excitement, but thankfully motivated too from hearing all these great writers. Pen, here I come!
Armel Dagorn 