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University of Huddersfield has launched a short story and poetry competition to find material for its new anthology Grist. The once a year publication will include the winning selections alongside established writers. The Grist website explains: "Grist is interested in fresh new voices with something to say. By publishing emerging writers alongside established writers, Grist provides a unique opportunity for those starting out in their writing careers. For the reader of Grist, each issue in book form will provide two hundred pages of the best new writing around." Joanne Harris Short stories can be up to 3,500 words on any subject and there is a £3 entry fee per story. You may submit as many stories as you like. Joanne Harris author of Chocolat and Runemarks will be the judge. The three overall winners will receive a cash prize. The three winners and all runners up will be published in the next issue of Grist. The closing date November 30th 2008. Simon Armitage will judge the poetry competition. Poems should be up to 40 lines and can be on any subject. Entry is £3 per poem and you can submit as many poems as you like. The three overall winners will receive a cash prize. The three winners and all runners up will be published in the next issue of Grist. Again the closing date is November 30th 2008. There are other rules about style of manuscript and you have to print off an entry form available at the competition's website at www.hud.ac.uk/mh/english/grist/index.htm

Mariella and guests on the Sky Arts coverage of the Guardian Hay Festival I've set my Sky+ machine for the new run of Hay-on-Sky showing on the Sky Arts channel from tonight (Friday, May 23). For the second year Mariella Frostrup (The Book Show)will be hosting this daily catch up on everything that's happened at the Guardian Hay Festival. Among the authors already lined up for a spot on the sofa are Cherie Blair, Salman Rushdie, Marian Keyes and Jo Brand. The literary festival celebrates its 21st anniversary this year and takes place over 11 days with more than 85,000 visitors expected to take part in the festivities whilst enjoying over 400 events covering themes including the arts, politics, environment, comedy and music. Mariella said: "I can't wait to don my favourite wellies again and talk to some of the most interesting people in the universe!" Every day at 8pm, on Sky Arts (channel 267) and Sky Arts HD (channel 268), Mariella will interview guests in the Sky Arts Studio tent, including Joanne Harris, Michael Wood, Rory McGrath, AL Kennedy and Seth Lakeman. There will also be highlights from each day's debates and talks as well as a live music or comedy performance. Hay-on-Sky will also include a daily sketch from British Comedian Dom Joly who will be out and about revelling in the Hay atmosphere. What the Dickens? is a new arts and culture quiz show This year Sky Arts are also launching What the Dickens? a topical cultural panel quiz hosted by Sandi Toksvig. The show will challenge the teams and viewers alike to, amongst other things, ‘Lose the Plot’, ‘Name the Thesp’ and finish famous lines from well-known books. http://hayonsky.skyarts.co.uk// Hay-on-Sky 2008… Friday 23rd May 2008: TIM SMIT- The Eden Project SANDI TOKSVIG – presenting the brand new Sky Arts TV show What The Dickens? STEPHEN POLIAKOFF – at Hay discussing recent BBC plays Joe’s Palace and Capturing Mary Performance: Tinariwen Saturday 24th May 2008: CHERIE BOOTH – Special interview with Mariella at the festival about her new book CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS – God is Not Dead FAY WELDON – Spa de Cameron SALMAN RUSHDIE – The Enchantress of Florence Performance: Louis de B and Ilone Antonius Sunday 25th May 2008: A L KENNEDY – Day RORY McGRATH – Bearded Tit NINA CONTI AND MONK.(EY) – Comedienne ventriloquist Performance: Son de la Frontera Monday 26th May 2008: JASPER FFORDE TIM WINTON – “Breath” GEN. MIKE JACKSON – “Soldier “ Performance: Sarah Jane Morris and Dominic Miller Tuesday 27th May 2008: SAM TAYLOR WOOD – Short film JO WOOD – Naturally: How to Look and Feel Healthy, Energetic and Radiant the Organic Way MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE Performance: Seckou Keita Quartet Wednesday 28th May 2008: JUDITH KERR – 40th anniversary of The Tiger Who Came to Tea and her new book SIR ROY STRONG – A Little history of the English Church TOBY YOUNG – Film version of “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People Performance: Nick Harper Thursday 29th May 2008: MARIAN KEYES – This Charming Man MICHAEL WOOD – India KATHLEEN TURNER – Send Yourself Roses Performance: Alex Valentine Friday 30th May 2008: JOANNE HARRIS – Runemarks DAN CRUICKSHANK – Adventures In Architecture IAN MCEWAN – His opera “For You” Saturday 31st May 2008: JOHN IRVING FRANCES OSBORNE – The Bolter JO BRAND Performance: John Wesley Harding Sunday 1st June 2008: DON MCCULLIN – “In England” GARRY KASPAROV – Giving Hay Lecture : Putin’s Russia and his book: How Life Imitates Chess Performance: The Ukulele Orchestra of GB plus MANY MORE to be confirmed closer to the day…

Robert Solomon was the Quincy Lee Professor of Business and Philosophy and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He was the author of over 40 books, including The Little Philosophy Handbook which provides a concise look at perennial philosophical questions.  Questions everyone asks like “Who are we?” and “Why are we here?”.  In the excerpt below Solomon looks at the concept of consciousness.

For many people, the beginning of philosophical curiosity might be summarized in the French exclamation Voilà!—“Here it is!”— a sudden sense of wonder at just being alive and being here. What this means, however, is not easy to spell out. What is, is you, your being here in the world. But in coming to appreciate your being here in the world, something else, even more amazing, has happened. You have become self-conscious, not just in the sense in which you look in the mirror and become aware of the toothpaste on your chin or that you look really good in that green dress but in more of a global sense, that you come to understand and be thankful for the very fact that you are alive here and now. (more…)

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