That’s right. We’re still here. After a long post-TLC2 break – and some horrendous IT issues – we’re back to business as usual.
Have you read The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 yet? Yeah? What did you think? Do you have a favourite short story or poem? Send us an email with your feedback. We’d love hearing from you. If you haven’t got your very own copy of TLC2 yet, what are you waiting for?! Click the banner at the top already, before there are none left!
We’re still accepting Globetrotter submissions, people! Some really amazing ones have come in already, but remember we received tons and tons of submissions for TLC2, so we’re not through reading and shortlisting just yet. In fact, we’ve decided to accept submissions until the 31st August. So ready your quills and put on your thinking caps, because we want you to send us your travel-related creative work, be it prose or poetry, creative fiction or creative non-fiction. Are you sitting on a story or anecdote about a trip to the Pyramids of Giza? Have you ever walked along the Great Wall of China? Have you ever held your breath at the top of the Empire State Building? If so, then write about it! Have you ever dreamed of taking a boat down the Amazon river? Well, now’s the time to realise that dream in writing!
I’m looking forward to all varieties of voyages ending in our Inbox. Is your story about the destination, about how you got there, or about how you felt when you had to go back? Is yours a voyage to a far-away, exotic place, or to the neighbouring town?
Remember, submit your work before the 31st August. See the Submissions section for guidelines.
All the kindest wishes,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
June 14, 2010
Launch Party Pics
Read Readers and Writers,
Only moments ago did I upload a few photos from the glorious launch party, at the Albion Beatnik Bookshop in Oxford, that we celebrated in honour of The Lounge Companion Vol. 2: A Collection of Creative Writing. Have a look at the Events section for the full, unbridled scoop, though I fear I must apologise for my dilettante approach to photography.
A presto,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
June 5, 2010
The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 has arrived
The wait is over, dear Readers and Writers. The Lounge Companion Vol. 2: A Collection of Creative Writing is finally here. And what a glorious entrance it makes, housing betwixt its elegant covers a veritable battery of creative brilliance; 14 short stories and 19 poems by 25 people from 10 different countries on 3 different continents!
Building on the success of The Lounge Companion: A Collection of European Creative Writing, Lion Lounge Press is proud to present this follow-up title, which houses the works of established, critically acclaimed writers, such as Ian St. James Award winner and Writer’s Digest Award winner A. S. Penne, Turkish writer Yekta Kopan, whose latest novel won the Dunya Kitap 2007 Fictional Book of the Year Award, and fiction writer, poet and playwright J. J. Steinfeld, whose list of literary achievements seems endless, and whose short stories have previously attracted such publishers as Gaspereau Press.
And published right alongside these and many more are the poems and short stories of writers and poets that you may not have heard of before, but that you are sure to hear more about in the future.
Furthermore, have a look at the Events page, as we’ll be celebrating this magnificent release on Friday the 11th June – and you’re all invited!
Linger no longer, dear Readers and Writers!
Everyone needs a Companion.
Yours editorially,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
May 18, 2010
TLC2 update and Globetrotter appeal
What-ho, dear Readers and Writers!
I trust you have ventured into this interweb portal in good health and spirits. Just a quick word for those of you out there who for some ungodly reason don’t subscribe to our Newsletter and/or are wondering what the score is, I’m happy to announce that the production of The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 is running smoothly. I’m looking at – in fact, now I’m even holding – a beautiful proof copy of it! Pub date still to be announced, but scroll further down for hints and whatnot.
While I’m at it, I thought I’d once again direct your attention to the fact that we’re still accepting – desiring, even – submissions for our upcoming creative travel writing anthology. Essentially, any kind of travel writing is valid for submission, be it hilarious, tragic, journalistic, exotic, adventurous, maybe even metaphysical, though the jury’s still out on that last one. As long as it involves a change of scenery and plenty of creativity. Have a look at the Bookshelf for more info.
That’s it for now.
All the kindest wishes,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
May 3, 2010
TLC2 has gone to print!
What-ho!
For those of you who have asked what’s going on with The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 and if indeed it’s going to happen, I am pleased to dispatch a literary thumbs-up and a reassuring, editorial “Yup” your way. After a couple of unfortunate delays, TLC2 has gone to print. This means that, pending approval of proof copies and whatnot, and adding a good measure of paranoia, pessimism and safety margins, this fabulous anthology will be available in print in the first days of June at the very latest!
If you scroll just a tiny little bit further down – mere millimetres, in fact – you can see a couple of snapshots of the beautiful book cover, front and back. We’ll be plugging extra batteries into the Newsletter this week as well, so sign up for that one if you haven’t already.
A presto, dear readers!
L. Terner
Founding Editor
February 9, 2010
The Shortlist is Here!
Dear Readers,
The question of who will make it into The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 is finally answered. Behold the glorious shortlist! Some of the names should echo a ‘Woah, no way!’ – J. J. Steinfeld, A. S. Penne and Yekta Kopan to start with – and if they don’t then shame on you, because here is no less than a seriously impressive line-up, ladies and gentlemen.
Vol. 2 also sees the return of author and playright Gwilym Scourfield, as well as professional scribe John Bjorling.
Since listing all of our writers’ literary accomplishments would take up all of our bandwidth to dispatch into the ether, you’ll be glad to know that some of the authors have websites and online portfolios of their own, and that clicking their names (in dashing burgundy) will transport your well-dressed selves straight to them.
Prose
Elizabeth Akroyd – Masquerade Shoshi Breiner – The Cousin from Jablonka John Bjorling – The Monument
Colin Clancy – The Wheel
Isaac Coleman – The Brick, The Blood, and The BMW
Sabra Farmand – Revolve
Mitra Hooshiar – The Conscience of the Clothes Moth Yekta Kopan – El Toreador (translated by Garcia Perez Samango)
Alireza Mahmodi – Feminine Sonata Mehrnoosh Mazarei – Sylvia
S. Mohammad Mozaffari – Metempsychosis
Beatrice J Murphy – Delicatessen A. S. Penne – A Year of Coming Home
Lee Richmond – The Engineered
Saskia Sarginson – The Fur Coat
Gwilym Scourfield – A Time to Remember J. J. Steinfeld – A Ninetieth-Birthday Present
Jonathan Tromane – Bright Moon
Bruce Turnbull – Circuit Crash
Poetry
Richard Bennett – Valerie George Chopping – five surprise poems
Drew DeGennaro – Double Shot
Simon Leyland – Ramblings of an Unkempt Man – I, II, III
Beatrice J Murphy – Blasting Off, Apart
Chris Roberts – Time J. J. Steinfeld – This Rain-Unending Weather
Heidi Quist – Illustrating How to Fight Smoke
This upcoming anthology has something for every taste. Within its pages you’ll find works of great artistic sincerity, evocative lyricism, and words of true importance, alongside some of the most mind-boggling surrealism and a story of the paranormal that will curl your mind into a pretzel.
I can but raise my glass in awe and gratitude to all that submitted their work for this anthology. As I’ve said before, we decided to augment our ambitions, as it were, and include nearly twice as many words in this volume as we had first intended, but as you can imagine, with 529 submissions in total, there were many short stories and poems that we had great difficulty declining.
More about The Lounge Companion Vol. 2 will continuously be posted on www.TheLShortionLounge.com and in this Newsletter to whet your appetites even further until its eventual publication, so keep a look out! Sooner or later, for instance, the cover is going to have to make an appearance as well…
So, before I say goodbye for now, congratulations to all of you shortlisted authors. (Expect us to get in touch with you later on this week.)
And thank you all for remembering that there’s joy in both reading and writing.
A presto!
L. Terner
Founding Editor
February 6, 2010
The TLC2 shortlist will be announced on Tuesday!!
Dear Readers and Writers, (and Hello to you over there in the corner, who have stumbled into this webbernet portal by pure coincidence)
It gives me great pleasure – and a fair amount of relief – to type these humble words. Whether you’re one of the many creative minds that submitted the fruit of their literary labour for our editorial scrutiny, and who so patiently have been waiting for a response, or one of the eager readers who have been “pestering” us about the release of our next anthology since mid-January, you’ll be glad to know that your wait is nearly over.
While the shortlist is all but done, its nature shall remain unofficial until… TUESDAY! That’s right, the shortlist for Lion Lounge Press‘ best ever publication, The Lounge Companion Vol. 2, will be unveiled Tuesday the 9th February 2010 at 9pm (GMT) – on both this page and in the Newsletter.
We will, of course, also be contacting all submitting writers via email, so keep an eye on your inbox Tuesday night, if you’re one of them. Or even if you aren’t! I mean, why not?
The reason for this inexcusable 3 week delay was, as I’ve mentioned before, the fact that we received a whopping 529 submissions, so many of which have been a sheer delight to read and re-read, and that this staggering number prompted us to augment our ambitions and make plans to publish an even bigger, thicker, and more literarily stimulating Companion… which we will! Nearly twice as many writers will find themselves happily shortlisted than we had first intended. Excited yet?
A natural consequence of this delay, unfortunately, is that the publication, too, will be pushed forward in time ever so slightly. Fret not, however, as we’ll have established and announced the new publication date by the end of next week.
As always, feel free to send us your comments, thoughts, and witty banter.
Kindest regards,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
January 17, 2010
The Lounge Companion Vol. 2
Dear All,
I trust that crossing the midnight border into the realm of 2010 went effortlessly, and that you are already enjoying the new year to the fullest. For Lion Lounge Press, New Year’s Eve – aside from the obvious festivities, friendly gatherings, and champagne bubbles – meant that we were no longer accepting submissions for the upcoming sequel anthology, The Lounge Companion Vol. 2.
That’s right. Though we appreciate the attention, if you still want to submit your work for it, I’m afraid it’s too late. Have a look at our Submissions page, however, and read about what other publications we’ve got in store for y’all. And if you feel that any other titles apply to your writing, then you know what to do.
Getting back to TLC2, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. To all of you who sent us the fruit of your creative labour, we raise our goblets in awe and gratitude. We received so many amazing and well-written stories and poems! In fact, we received a whopping 529 submissions – Yes, 529! Since so many of them were print-worthy, there’s actually been talk around the board about pushing back the publication date just a smidgen, in order to be able to produce an even bigger, thicker, more massively bombastic volume of creative writing! But we’ll get back to you about that…
Despite the onslaught of submissions, and the fact that the editorial board is still recovering from New Year’s Eve, we hope to have established the shortlist within, errm, short. Keep checking back here and/or subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to hear the breaking news.
That’s all for now.
Adios amigos!
L. Terner
Founding Editor
December 23, 2009
Last week’s duel, Multimedia & Season’s Greetings
What-ho-ho-ho, dear Reader!
A short message here, so don’t run away just yet. First of all, we were incredibly thrilled to see so many of you at our premier Lion Lounge Duel, The Battle for Oxford, at the Albion Beatnik Bookstore last week. And while on the topic, I would like to thank all of the contestants for participating and preparing/adlibbing/composing/inventing such marvellous creative stuff, as well as extend a gigantic congratulation to Chris “South Chris” Rogers, who arose victorious at the end of the night. Well done, old chap! I would also like to thank the Albion Beatnik once again for generously allowing us to frolic within its domain.
Head on over to the Events page, where you’ll find some photos of the soirée in question.
Furthermore, you may have noticed that a new icon has found its way into this website’s header. How curious! … In keeping with the times, Lion Lounge Press now has a YouTube presence as well. Follow the link to discover moving picture recordings from the above-mentioned event. More media of the multi-variety will be added to that page in the future as well, so you may want to subscribe to it just in case.
Well, that’s it for now. I shall see you again in 2010.
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year,
L. Terner
Founding Editor
Lion Lounge Press
December 14, 2009
Lion Lounge Duel #1: The Battle for Oxford — Tomorrow!
Just a reminder, people, that the first Lion Lounge Duel ever (!) will take place tomorrow evening at 7.30pm in the auspicious realm of the Albion Beatnik in Oxford.
Things are moving along according to plan, with the sole exception that instead of four contestants, we will now be enjoying the witticism and public agony of three.
Fret not, however, for this well-groomed Lion is of the opinion that this can only make for an even more interesting display of creative carnage. There are still going to be three literarily loco rounds of scholarly rampage, and plenty of wine and good company in-between. Heck, we’ve even managed to secure for you, dear reader, a bit of intermission entertainment in the form of Oxonian poet/comic genius, George Chopping, who no doubt will serve a platter of laughs and a side-order of pensiveness before scurrying off to his 2nd gig of the night. My God, there’s no end to this man’s energy!
So, please, do make an appearance. You’ll not want to miss this…
Oh, and don’t forget we’re having drinks at Raoul’s once the dust has settled.
