Female Lines: New Writing By Women From Northern Ireland

by Linda Anderson (Editor), Dawn Miranda Sherratt-Bado (Editor)

In 1985, The Female Line: Northern Irish Women Writers was published. A pioneering anthology at the time, it gave many Northern Irish women writers their first opportunity for publication. Now, over thirty years later, Female Lines: New Writing by Women from Northern Ireland – a stunning mosaic of work by some of the best contemporary women writers from Northern Ireland – acts as both a new staging post and a sequel to its vibrant feminist predecessor.

Trans-genre in contents and including both experienced and newer women writers, this landmark anthology features women writers playing with different modes, forms, and innovations – from magical realism and surrealism to humour and multi-perspective narratives – and celebrates fiction, poetry, drama, essays, life writing, and photography. It considers how much has changed or stayed the same in terms of scope and opportunity for women writers and for women more generally in Northern Irish society (and its diaspora) in the post-Good Friday Agreement era.

Northern Irish women’s writing is going from strength to strength and this anthology captures its current richness and audacity.

Featuring work by:

Linda Anderson, Jean Bleakney, Maureen Boyle, Colette Bryce, Lucy Caldwell, Emma Campbell, Julieann Campbell, Ruth Carr, Jan Carson, Paula Cunningham, Celia de Fréine, Anne Devlin, Moyra Donaldson, Wendy Erskine, Leontia Flynn, Miriam Gamble, Rosemary Jenkinson, Deirdre Madden, Bernie McGill, Medbh McGuckian, Susan McKay, Sinéad Morrissey, Joan Newmann, Kate Newmann, Roisín O’Donnell, Heather Richardson, Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons, Cherry Smyth, Gráinne Tobin, Margaret Ward, Tara West, Sheena Wilkinson, Ann Zell

Genres: Short Stories

344 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Linda and Allen Anderson are pet-experts, keynote speakers, best-selling authors, and founders of the Angel Animals Network. They help people discover and benefit from the miraculous powers of animals. Dedicated to promoting human-animal companionship, Allen and Linda donate a portion of proceeds from their work to animal rescue organizationis and do fundraising activities.

The Andersons believe that whenever you connect spiritually with animals, thousands of new doors open. Through their books, newsletters, presentations, insights, and this website they will show you portals into a whole new world where animals are your guides, healers, and friends.

With pets in 63% of American homes (71 million households) in 2007, it's astonishing to consider the consequences of ignoring animals as wisdom partners and the benefits of tapping into their hidden talents.

Reviews

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This book was written by a collection of Northern Irish female writers. It is a fascinating masterpiece compiled of Fictional short stories, Dramatisations, Photographs, Poetry and Essays. Furthermore, it is also Trans-genre in its content, including fiction and non-fiction and everything from humour to magical realism.

I didn’t enjoy all of the contents, as it was so vast however I did gain a lot of joy and entertainment from the book in general. The non-fictional side (mainly in essay form) was also interesting for those wanting to learn more about our countries ‘Troubles’ and war wounds.

Some of my favourites include:
- Fictional short story ‘Egg’ by Jan Carson, page 13
- Fictional short story ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Roisin O’Donnell, most because of its unique style of writing. Page 62
- Poem ‘The Future’ by Celia de Freine, page 205

I didn’t particularly enjoy reading the dramatisations. I found the shortness of them didn’t carry a whole lot of meaning and, typical being based in Ireland, there was a lot of swearing in them.

Surprisingly, my FAVOURITE piece of the whole book was Emma Campbell’s photograph ‘When they put their hands out like scales.’ I was surprised how much I enjoyed the Artistic dialogue that came along side - It was simple yet emotional powerful.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors/Books Etc. to checkout

Cuckoo by Linda Anderson (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...) and other books

Jan Carson

Wendy Erskine

Bernie Mcgill

Roisin O'Donnell

Sheena Wilkinson

All the Beggars Riding

Art

https://www.emmacampbell.co.uk/whenth...

Poetry

"Bypass" by Maureen Boyle

"Fathom" by Paula Cunningham

"Tune" and"The Fire's Reflection" by Celia de Freine

"The Sixtieth Year of Horror Stories" and "Mare"y Moyra Donaldson

"How Can I Forget John Donne" and "Samuel, Samuel" by [a href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/vi... Newmann

"Where Were You in 1916" and "Note" by Grainne Tobin

Essays

REALLY STRONG

"Rewriting History" by Juliann Campbell
[book:Beyond the Silence: Women's Unheard Voices from the Troubles|29478775]
stats on trauma

Derry's "Unheard Voices"

"Sisters Are Doin It for Themselves; The Practice and Ethos of Word of Mouth Poetry Collective, 1991-2016" by Ruth Carr

"Thatcher on the Radio. Blue lights flashing up the road" by Susan McKaySusan McKay
Domestic violence

"Reflecting on Commerating 1916" by Margaret Ward

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book when I was in Belfast and after picking it up and putting it down for more than a year I finally finished it today! It’s a great read that highlights a variety of writing styles from female authors in Northern Ireland. Personal favorites included all of the essays (personal bias but they were all wonderful and insightful), “Glass Girl” by Bernie McGill, and “The Sixtieth Year of Horror Stories” by Moyra Donaldson.