November 25, 2011

Five sentences with…. Tania Hershman

It’s a big excitement for me today to welcome Tania Hershman here to finish my sentences.

And although it’s unlikely, I’m hoping that one reader at least doesn’t know Tania, so I can be the one to introduce you to her stories. They are wonderful. Polished jewels of poetry and thought. Here’s one of my favourites. Read it and you’ll see exactly what I mean. And then you’ll be wanting to dash off to buy her collection. Before you do though, watch this video of her talking and then read her questions below…

So Tania, go for it! Finish my sentences…

When you were small, you wanted to be … a writer. I’m pretty sure I did. I was always writing stories.


You may not say it aloud but … I want a best friend, the way we had best friends when we were kids, that one person to whisper to in class, to talk on the phone to for an hour every night.


The last time you went ‘WOOP’ with excitement was … when the Arts editor of New Scientist emailed me the other week and said she’d like some new science-inspired fiction, something I’ve been waiting for NS to ask me for for about a decade! Woop!


Something that never fails to give you inspiration is … other people’s creativity, whether that be fantastic short stories or a brilliant film, I find films very inspiring. If it’s great it makes me want to go and create.


Your five favourite words are …“tachanamerkazit”, which is a fabulous Hebrew phrase, only slightly diminshed when I found out it meant “Central Bus Station”. Also: lamellapodia, a biological term for something to do with the cell; serendipity; chutzpah, and discombobulated.

Right, now you can go and buy her book, via the tachanamerkazit, of course…

Other Five Sentences …

* With Abegail Morley.
* With John Siddique.
* With Clare Best.
* With Scott Pack.
* With Jonathan Pinnock.

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Posted in 2011, featured, five sentences

4 Comments to “Five sentences with…. Tania Hershman”

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  1. Rachel J Fenton's Gravatar Rachel J Fenton
    November 27, 2011 at 8:06 am | Permalink

    Cool word choices – discombobulated is one of my faves, too!
    Enjoyed all of this, and I definitely recommend Tania’s stories. Thanks, ladies.

    Reply
  2. Dan Purdue's Gravatar Dan Purdue
    November 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm | Permalink

    Interesting interview (although I found the “pulsing” wall behind Tania a little hard on the eyes) – I’ll have to check out some of her recommendations.

    Reply
  3. Tania Hershman's Gravatar Tania Hershman
    November 30, 2011 at 6:15 pm | Permalink

    Rachel, thanks so much, glad you liked it! Thanks to Sarah for having me!

    Dan, how funny, I don’t think it pulsed at the time, it must be some arty addition to the video, sorry about that!

    Reply
  4. Sarah's Gravatar Sarah
    December 1, 2011 at 9:21 am | Permalink

    Pleasure, Rachel, and Dan, maybe it’s my website that is so electrifingly exciting?!

    Reply

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Meet my new book

I'm very pleased to tell you that a limited run of my first poetry collection, YOU DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SELF-HELP BOOK is now available to buy. It won't officially be launched in March, so you can be ahead of the crowds. Ssshhhh...

Here's what some people have said about it:

'Sexy and tragic - my favourite combination.' Rolling Stone magazine critic, Will Hermes

'I come undone when I read her words. Her poetry slays me.' Susannah Conway

'There's a quiet sizzling underneath the surface of these poems, which can make you smile and wince at the same time.' Philip Gross

And you can buy the book here.

  • Meet Sarah

    "Sarah Salway is the Madonna of writing books. The dancing one, not the Mother of Jesus one."
    Neil Gaiman
  • Sarah is the Canterbury Laureate, Chair of the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society and Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the LSE. This blog is her writing journal, to be filled with small stories, prompts, and ideas, as well as inspiring people and things.

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MY BOOKS

LEADING THE DANCE - A collection of my short stories.

SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH - my first - and alphabetical - novel, which has been translated into six languages so far.

GETTING THE PICTURE - a novel of love and revenge, based loosely on Les Liaisons Dangereuses but set in an old people' home. .

TELL ME EVERYTHING - my second novel, just re-published, which explores how we create ourselves through narrative.

News and events

2nd February - Reading at Bath Spa University

1st March – Poetry Unites, LSE

3rd March – Writing in the Social Media Age , LSE

8th March – LAUNCH PARTY of You Do Not Need Another Self-Help Book. Venue: London to be confirmed

10th March – workshop with TW Writers Circle, Crowborough

13th March – Reading at University of Kent

20th March – Pindrop Press reading at the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society, Tunbridge Wells

4th May – Launch of the Canterbury Laureate Project – New Sounds Festival

* 16 May 2012 - Keep the date free - it's National Flash Fiction Day 2012!

23-27th July – Whitstable Oyster Festival

23-27th August – Herne Bay Festival

15-27 October – Canterbury International Festival

This year I'm proud to be the CANTERBURY LAUREATE. There is a special page on this website, soon to be filled with news of this role. I have plans! If you are linked to literature, art or education in Kent, and would like to work with me, then please do get in touch.

And in the news:
Listen to the first half of my CBC broadcast with William Gibson here, and the second part here.

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Five sentences with…. Tania Hershman