News for readers, translators and aspiring authors
Poetry Greece is accepting entries for the Keeley-Sherrard Translation Award for Poetry 2003. This year’s award is for translations of Greek poetry into English. The best entry wins prize money of 500 US dollars (or equivalent currency). The judges are Don Schofield, creative writing tutor, translator and award-winning poet, and the editors of Poetry Greece. A 10-euro fee must accompany each entry. Only translations of Greek poetry into English are acceptable, and no more than three translations per person. Translations must be the original work of the translator and can only be accepted if translated from Greek into English. The original Greek poem must be attached to the translation and the source of the poem must be stated. The name of the translator must not appear on the entry itself, only on the entry form. Entries will be judged anonymously and the judges’ decision is final. Copyright of the translations remains with the translators but Poetry Greece reserves the right to publish in the magazine and in a possible collection. The closing date is November 30, 2003. For entry forms and further information, see website http://users.otenet.gr/~wendyhol/poetry-greece/ or contact Wendy Holborow, Poetry Greece, 10 Mitropolitou Athanassiou, 3rd Parodos, Corfu 49100, Greece, tel 2661.047.990. Poems for St Valentine’s Day Open Mike is celebrating love and poetry once again on St Valentine’s Day at the Compendium bookstore, tomorrow at 8 p.m. Bring along a favorite poem to read – your own or another poet’s. Apart from the regular crowd, this annual event attracts people who might not usually attend a poetry reading, and on this night the audience is the star. Friday’s event replaces the regular Third Thursday poetry reading, which will resume again in March. At 28 Nikis Street, Syntagma, tel 210.322.1248. Workshop for budding authors The European Translation Center (EKEMEL) is offering its writing workshop again this year, after its successful introduction in 2002. Taught by Stratis Haviaras, head of the «Writing the Novel Workshop» at Harvard University, and aimed at budding writers who possess imagination and the ability to express themselves, but want help with producing and structuring a full-length novel, the workshop covers all aspects of fiction writing. It is open to 15 participants, and will run for eight weeks, March 4 – April 18 and May 6-9, Tuesday and Friday 5.30 p.m. – 7.30 p.m. Fee 450 euros. EKEMEL, Lykavittou 2 & Academias, tel 210.363.9520-5, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. ‘Che’s Tango’ Book launches are getting more exotic. Put on your dancing shoes for the tango evening Mimis Androulakis and Kastaniotis are holding to launch his latest book «Che’s Tango: From Tania to Tina» next Monday, February 17. Tango Argentino Total are playing at Cine Kerameikos, 58 Kerameikou and Marathonos, tel 210.522.2222. More books From the Stoa tou Vivliou book arcade’s busy program of events, two new books bound to attract interest are being launched today. At 1 p.m., Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, Eleftherotypia editor Seraphim Fyntanidis, and Hellenic Authors’ Society President Pavlos Nathanail will introduce «The Homelands of the Greeks: Asia Minor – Pontus – Constantinople – Eastern Thrace – Eastern Roumeli – Pelagonia – Northern Epirus,» by Thodros Karzis, published by Livani. And at 8 p.m., poet Michalis Ganas and critic Giorgos Paganos present popular author Dimitris Sotiriou’s latest book, «God Tells Them,» published by Metaichmio. Actors Nikos Arvanitis and Christos Ninis will read excerpts from the book. On at 5 Pesmazoglou & Stadiou, tel 210.325.3989. Spotlight on Britain Guardian film critic Xan Brooks is coming to Greece in 10 days as the guest of the British Council to talk about «The book of the film,» or why so many best-selling British books are being translated to the big screen. Brooks will speak in Athens and Thessaloniki. Watch this space for more details. The Poetry and Astronomy event which drew a large crowd to the Athens Observatory to listen to poetry by moonlight last September has resulted in a bilingual book of verse, which will be distributed by the British Council Library on International Poetry Day, March 21. And Britain is to be the guest of honor at this year’s book fair in the Pedion tou Areos park, organized by the Athens Association of Publishers and Booksellers (SEBA). The British Council is bringing over Scottish writer Ian Rankin (published in Greece by Metaichmio) and Booker-shortlisted Andrew Miller (published in Greece by Hadzinikoli) to meet the public at the fair. Other attractions include an exhibition of illustrations for children’s books: «The Magic Pencil.»
