His Gogo

So, the first World Cup flash fiction can be found below, written by myself. For those who wish to know, Gogo is Zulu for Grandmother, and Modise is an awesome footballer...apparently.

His Gogo

His gogo would often talk about how things used to be. She’d talk about apartheid and death and fear, but he didn’t really listen. Words would enter his head, and toss around in there a moment before leaving again. He’d stay listening to her stories for as long as he thought it was right, and then he’d bolt out the door into the street. He had spent hours dyeing his shirt till it was the right colour – green. His friends had all done the same, and they would play in the street with their football, and dream of crowds.

His gogo would sit him down and tell him about when she was younger, and they couldn’t play against other countries. But he doesn’t understand. She tells him about the people who made it all possible for this to happen, but he’s not really listening.

Instead he’s painting Modise in big black letters on the back of his top.

World Cup

Repost from my blog Winter Hill:

'So, it's that time again! The world cup is upon us and I don't know about you but I couldn't be looking forward to the end of it more. The sad fact is, unlike so many people, I'm not entirely into football. So, instead, to pass the time, and hopefully to get me into the spirit of the event, myself and Bad Language have decided to name ourselves the official Creative Laureate's of the 2010 World Cup.

This presents me with a few problems. Problem one - I don't like football, and to write in the spirit of the event is going to probably go terribly. Problem two - I don't know anything about South Africa. I have never been. I want to though. Maybe that will be enough.

Expect the first story later this week.

I hope it isn't racist.'

Spoken Word Piece: That's How I Got To Manchester

Bad Language have produced their first ever spoken word piece featuring a short piece of fiction written and performed by Daniel Carpenter. 'That's How I Got to Manchester' is an extract from a longer piece which has also been featured on Rainy City Stories.

Thanks to Charlotte Carpenter who recorded the piece and sound effects as part of her project on Writers and their Environment.

You can listen to the piece from the link below from Daniel Carpenter's very own blog and let us know what you think.

That's How I Got to Manchester

Enjoy!