Life, love and Sefton Park

The Real Louise - a new debut collection of short stories, written by a lecturer from Edge Hill University and set in the North West will be launched at the Bluecoat, Liverpool at 6.30pm on Thursday, 7 May, 2009.

The Real Louise, by Ailsa Cox, Reader in English and Writing, is comprised of stories set in modern North West cities that give a true snapshot of life through the eyes of characters found in everyday life. They deal with love, family relationships and characters coming to terms with conflicting identities.

'November' is based on real incidents in Sefton Park, including a hit-and-run accident and the death of a young man who drove into a tree. It is also a tribute to the enduring life of the park itself.

Extract from November:

‘...this one tree stands out from the rest, a startling splash of paint box colours - scarlet, yellow and bright purple, oranges and creamy whites. Its trunk is parcelled in red ribbon, and bunches of flowers have been laid at the foot. If you come close, you can see where the bark has been gashed. A line of white dashes, like stitches in the tarmac, tracks an arc towards the point of impact.'

‘Just Like Robert de Niro', ‘Doors of Tunis' and ‘Making It Happen' are highly charged love stories.

Extract from Making It Happen:

‘His new car's a woman. He speaks to her softly, calling her baby, there, he says, there, come on now, you can do it, teasing the switches - lets try swapping these - setting to work with a tiny screwdriver. His hands work swiftly and gently. You can trust this man. He knows what he's doing.'

‘Biting Point' is about the horrors of learning to drive; sometimes it's better to give up and take a taxi!

The author, Ailsa Cox, has spent years teaching writing to hundreds of students in community groups, libraries and now at Edge Hill University. Her best-selling book Writing Short Stories is read all over the world, and used on university courses in both America and Australia, as well in the UK.

Along with Elizabeth Banes, Ailsa was co-editor of Metropolitan, a magazine of new fiction and cultural comment. Now based in Liverpool, she also edits 21, an online journal discussing contemporary writing.

Ailsa said: "Many of my stories have been published, with some even being shortlisted for prizes, but this is my first solo collection - my turn at last!

"Although I was born in the West Midlands, I have actually spent most of my life in and around the North West. I was based for many years in Manchester, but the move to Liverpool has really been a boost to my writing. I love living here. Everyone seems to have a story to tell and I think that is wonderful."

The Real Louise and Other Stories by Ailsa Cox, is launched at the Bluecoat, where Alisa will read extracts from the book. It is published by Headland Press.

For tickets to the book launch call the Bluecoat on 0151 702 5324.

What critics have said:

• 'A satisfying collection, woven from delicate threads to create wry, subtle portraits of the dynamics at work in our most intimate relationships' - Tamar Yellin
• 'Brilliantly detailed, intimate, and often darkly funny'- Graham Mort
• 'The miniature made big, frighteningly big: this is what short stories should be'- Robert Shearman.

Edge Hill Prize for the Short Story >>