Mslexia, the magazine for women who write | www.mslexia.co.uk
Welcome
Our summer issue, as always, features the winners of our annual poetry competition: meet Sarah Roby, Hilary Menos and Madeline Wright, and read how they responded to their winning news. Our judge in this, our 6th year, is Ruth Padel who describes her experience of making her selections here.
Also in this issue, YA author and reading advocate Lili Wilkinson provides a thought-provoking feature on the growing number of outlets for reading development. For more on Lili's interests and opinions, find out which websites she recommends, as well as her top picks for YA novels. Elsewhere in the magazine, Sarah Waters exposes her editing choices for The Little Stranger, and Lesley Lokko reveals the book she’s waiting to publish; Amanda Craig uncovers her experiences debating book covers for her novels; comedy writer Jane Bussmann lets us in on her Bedside Table reading; we launch our brand new column on women lyricists; and, in the main author interview, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks writing – and living – internationally.
In this issue we say farewell to Bernardine Evaristo’s wonderful column, two years in the running, but – how’s this for timing – we also get to congratulate her for recent successes: the teenage Orange judging panel chose her Blonde Roots as their winning novel, and, in the same month, she was awarded the honour of an MBE for contribution to literature. And we all love literature.
So pick up your issue, sit back, relax and let Mslexia carry you through summer. And if there’s a great book we’ve missed, tell us What You're Reading – or even join with your book club to review a book for us!
DANEET STEFFENS, editor
Issue No. 42
Inside the new Mslexia…
Ruth Padel introduces her winners of the Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition ◊ Reading Matters – YA author and journalist Lili Wilkinson argues the importance of reading for the young ◊ Grainne Reidy is The Insider ◊ Lesley Lokko's Bottom Drawer ◊ Colette Bryce interviews Jen Hadfield for Making a Poem ◊ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks to Daneet Steffens ◊ and much more…◊ Explore
Latest news
Poetry Competition Winners Announced!
The winners of Mslexia's Poetry competition have been announced, and congratulations are in order! Follow the links below to find out more from the winners themselves and the judge, Ruth Padel.
◊ Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition 2009 winners
Mslexia 2009 Writer's Diary
Our new writer's diaries are still available. Make 2009 your most creative year yet!
Win!
We have four copies of the beautiful Weeds and Wildflowers (Faber) to give away. This new book is a perfect fusion of poems by Alice Oswald and etchings from Jessica Greenman. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the simple question by following the link below. Good luck!
◊ Click here to enter the competition CLOSING DATE: 13 August
"...it's a good thing to exercise one's imagination. But I think it can be potentially dangerous. You need imagination, but you do need reality. "
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ◊ Interview
"Mslexia reaches places other magazines cannot reach. It is both good for society and good for poetry - for encouraging people to read as well as write the stuff. I am delighted to be judging the Poetry Competition."
