Lockdown spawns new anthology by local women writers

A group of women writers from across Northern Ireland have used the global lockdown to fuel a powerhouse of literary creativity.
By Julie-Ann Spence
Published 23rd Apr 2020, 14:23 BST
Some of the members of Women Aloud who took part in the recent Women XBorders event at the Irish Writers’ Centre, DublinSome of the members of Women Aloud who took part in the recent Women XBorders event at the Irish Writers’ Centre, Dublin
Some of the members of Women Aloud who took part in the recent Women XBorders event at the Irish Writers’ Centre, Dublin

The writers of Women Aloud Northern Ireland (WANI) – among them published authors, novelists, poets and broadcasters – are publishing an anthology of short stories and poems, some based on the theme of the virus that is keeping them indoors.

Not content with merely print, they are also staging an online literary festival on April 25 and 26, bringing their sparkling storytelling to audiences they would usually be entertaining through workshops, readings and other events, were it not for the worldwide restrictions on their movements.

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The anthology, entitled North Star, was conceived by WANI chair, Angeline King, who suggested members turn their quarantine time into a collective creative effort with a marketable product at the end.

Her fellow writers rummaged through their back catalogue of best prose and poems to produce a tome awash with myriad themes and issues. Some even penned fresh pieces, reflecting the strange times of life during the coronavirus, like Kerry Buchanan’s The Drumlin’s Tale – a story of life across the aeons that drips with metaphor.

Angeline King, author of Snugville Street, explained: “North Star is all about being creative, keeping the mind busy, encouraging friendships forged through Women Aloud NI, and continuing the energetic collaborative spirit upon which WANI was founded in 2016, and which otherwise has been curtailed by the pandemic.

“North Star – An Anthology of Literature by Northern Irish Women’ was born out of the wish to portray writers’ homeplaces – our villages, towns, counties, or wherever we have found ourselves firmly rooted at the moment. It is a theme many of our members often depict in their writing, so we already had a deep vault of material to mine.”

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The Facebook Live Weekend Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, using the social media platform’s live facility to bring a diverse programme of fiction, prose and poetry to audiences in their homes.

WANI member Vicky McFarland suggested the festival as way of giving voice to the creativity simmering behind the scenes. “The festival gives us the chance to celebrate ourselves, to give our community something to look forward to, and to fulfil some of our goals by raising the profile of women writers living in, and from, Northern Ireland. It also gives us a chance to enjoy some great writing,” she added.

Related topics:Northern Ireland