As the day approaches to celebrate your loved ones has arrived, what better way than to treat our readers to more great short stories, poetry and prose as well as more opportunities to share their own!
Enter Issue 8 – our Spring edition with the theme of Love!
Please Note: the email editor@enigmacw.co.uk is currently down. Please email your submissions to mag.enigma@googlemail.com
Share the Love!
Susan
To celebrate the emergence of a New Year, we are happy to show you all a rough preview of Enigma Issue 7!
Many thanks to our contributors, artists, designers, followers and supporters over the years and of those to come!
You can find Issue 7 on the right hand bar!
Happy New Year!
Susan
I personally always find this time of year to be the most pensive. The energy build up towards Christmas is changing to that of the New Year. You’ve most likely been meeting relatives that you haven’t seen in a while, explaining what you’ve done this year and what you plan to do before you see them next, already putting the cogs in motion for self improvement and goal formulation.
So, what is there to do? I myself have plenty that I want to do, and many things that I wish to continue doing. One of the most important of these is the literary magazine Enigma.
We are so close now! The 2012 games are our inspiration this issue as we deal with all sorts of ideas and premises behind the concept of games. Please watch this space!
We hope you’ve had a great Christmas and countdown with us to the New Year!
Susan
There has been a stigma on poetry for so long now on how high-end and elitist the form could be, which image has been challenged by the creation and distribution of an exciting, expressive and immersive experience – which is usually mentioned in the same term as “spoken word”. I was properly introduced to this phenomenon only a year ago through the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, which gave me the confidence to write and perform poetry to a wide range of audiences and with my open mic Spoken from the Art in 2009.
Therefore, it’s amazing news to hear that celebrated performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah has taken up Chair of Creative Writing at Brunel University, where I’ve been studying English and Creative writing since 2005 (I’ve successfully completed my MA quite recently!). During my short stint of performing around London and Edinburgh, one of the most rewarding things is to hear how people want to start writing and performing, or how it’s changed their view on poetry since school into something so accessible, a form that creates empathy and bonding with the community.
This will be an amazing step for enlivening poetry and the spoken word in academia and I wish him all the best in this exciting post!
In Enigma related news, Issue 7 is almost complete with our theme of games for the upcoming Olympics in London 2012! We’re so excited and raring to go! Watch this space for future updates! We are well and truly back!
Susan
From Thursday the 9th October, the power of poetry has made itself known at events around the nation! Check out the link here for events throughout the month!
http://www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk/events/london/
Also, we are in the process of reading through great entries on our monthly theme of “Games”, echoing National Poetry day and the imminent London Olympics! Watch this space!
Susan
As the Autumn approaches, we are delighted to say that Enigma has brushed off its cobwebs and is now ready again to receive submissions! You have quite a while to send in your work – the 3rd of October 2011 so that we can display our next offering in time for this year’s National Poetry Day!
So, what’s the theme? This year showcases the concept of Games – quite fitting when the Olympics are around in London next year! But it doesn’t have to be about medals and running – it can be a mind game, a puzzler or a race to the top in many ways!
Because of this, we will have a themed submission, also on the concept of Games! We will also feature a variety of puzzles insideto fit in with the celebration as well as Enigma’s ethos – bring your piece to the puzzle!
Hope to see your work soon!
Susan
How many times have you really wanted to buy a book, and instantly made a beeline for the likes of Amazon, download on an ereader, or eagerly browsing the shelves of Waterstones or Foyles?
Independent Booksellers Week promotes reading communities and the literary gems shining round many cities worldwide, jut waiting to be discovered and we at Enigma always promote all avenues of providing wonderful literature to everyone!
Which place would you recommend for the best reading and browsing experience?
The Guardian have compiled a list of some of their favourite bookshops here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2010/jun/14/your-favourite-bookshops-booksellers
