John W. Sexton
Encyclopedia
John W. Sexton is an Irish poet, short-story writer, radio script-writer and children's novelist. He also writes under the pseudonyms of Sex W. Johnston and Jack Brae Curtingstall.
, edited by David Marcus. Under the mentorship of David Marcus he began to write book reviews for that same paper, contributing reviews of poetry, folklore, and comparative religion during the early to mid 1980's.
His first published short-story, Blackthorn, appeared in New Irish Writing in 1983 and was short-listed for the Hennessy Literary Award in 1984. Much of his fiction and poetry has been identified as falling into the categories of Magic Realism
, Literary Fantasy
and Science Fiction
. He has published short stories in the Irish science fiction journal Albedo One
. His short story On a Planet Similar to Ours, the Virgin Mary Says No first appeared in Albedo One #23 and was reprinted in the 2005 science fiction anthology Emerald Eye: The Best Irish Imaginative Fiction (Aeon Press, Dublin 2005). His fiction has also appeared in The Stinging Fly
, Books Ireland and The Journal of Irish Literature.
Sexton's poetry has appeared in many leading Irish journals including The Stinging Fly
, Poetry Ireland Review
, The Shop, Southword and The Stony Thursday Book. He has also appeared in many poetry anthologies, including Or Volge L'Anno: At The Year's Turning (Dedalus, Dublin 1998), Poets for the Millennium (Bradshaw Books, Cork 1999), Something Beginning With P (The O'Brien Press, Dublin 2004), In The Criminal's Cabinet (Nth Position, London 2004), Our Shared Japan (Dedalus, Dublin 2007), and The Echoing Years: An Anthology Of Poetry From Canada & Ireland (WIT / SCOP / Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Ireland and Canada 2007).
In 1999 Sexton collaborated with Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell
on a CD project where, under the ironic pseudonym of Sex W. Johnston (an inversion of his real name), he provided lyrics and vocals for their eponymous CD Sons of Shiva
. Sons of Shiva was originally available on the Internet under the independent label, HIS Records (HIS CD001, 1999). This version contained 9 tracks and is no longer available. The CD was then signed to Track Records, expanded to 10 tracks and released in September 2002 (Track Records, TRK1018CD, 2002). It was launched that same year with a live gig at the Brighton Psychedelic Festival.
Between 1999 and 2002 Sexton created and wrote the children's science fiction comedy-drama The Ivory Tower, produced and directed by Jacqui Corcoran, for RTE RADIO. It ran for four seasons, clocking up 103 half-hour episodes. It was for this series that he created the character of Johnny Coffin who was eventually to appear in the novels published by The O'Brien Press.
Sexton was the Fiction Editor for The Cork
Literary Review in 2007. In that same year he won the Listowel literary festival Poetry Prize for his poem The Green Owl. Also in 2007 he was awarded a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship in Poetry.
Life
He was born of Irish parents in Newington Green, London, in 1958. He moved to Ireland in 1982 while in his early twenties, and his first fiction and poetry appeared in the New Irish Writing supplement of the daily Irish newspaper The Irish PressThe Irish Press
The Irish Press was an Irish national daily newspaper published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.-Foundation:...
, edited by David Marcus. Under the mentorship of David Marcus he began to write book reviews for that same paper, contributing reviews of poetry, folklore, and comparative religion during the early to mid 1980's.
His first published short-story, Blackthorn, appeared in New Irish Writing in 1983 and was short-listed for the Hennessy Literary Award in 1984. Much of his fiction and poetry has been identified as falling into the categories of Magic Realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
, Literary Fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and Science Fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. He has published short stories in the Irish science fiction journal Albedo One
Albedo one
Albedo One is an Irish horror, fantasy and science fiction magazine founded in 1993 and currently published by Albedo One Productions.-Overview:...
. His short story On a Planet Similar to Ours, the Virgin Mary Says No first appeared in Albedo One #23 and was reprinted in the 2005 science fiction anthology Emerald Eye: The Best Irish Imaginative Fiction (Aeon Press, Dublin 2005). His fiction has also appeared in The Stinging Fly
The Stinging Fly
The Stinging Fly is a literary magazine published in Ireland featuring short stories and poetry. It was founded in 1998 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh. Kavanagh left after two issues, leaving Meade as sole editor. Eabhan Ní Shúileabháin became poetry editor in September 2001. The magazine...
, Books Ireland and The Journal of Irish Literature.
Sexton's poetry has appeared in many leading Irish journals including The Stinging Fly
The Stinging Fly
The Stinging Fly is a literary magazine published in Ireland featuring short stories and poetry. It was founded in 1998 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh. Kavanagh left after two issues, leaving Meade as sole editor. Eabhan Ní Shúileabháin became poetry editor in September 2001. The magazine...
, Poetry Ireland Review
Poetry Ireland Review
Poetry Ireland Review is a journal of Irish poetry published quarterly by Poetry Ireland, the national Irish poetry organization.Poetry Ireland Review publishes the work of both emerging and established Irish and international poets. In line with keeping the journal fresh, vibrant and progressive...
, The Shop, Southword and The Stony Thursday Book. He has also appeared in many poetry anthologies, including Or Volge L'Anno: At The Year's Turning (Dedalus, Dublin 1998), Poets for the Millennium (Bradshaw Books, Cork 1999), Something Beginning With P (The O'Brien Press, Dublin 2004), In The Criminal's Cabinet (Nth Position, London 2004), Our Shared Japan (Dedalus, Dublin 2007), and The Echoing Years: An Anthology Of Poetry From Canada & Ireland (WIT / SCOP / Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Ireland and Canada 2007).
In 1999 Sexton collaborated with Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
on a CD project where, under the ironic pseudonym of Sex W. Johnston (an inversion of his real name), he provided lyrics and vocals for their eponymous CD Sons of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. Sons of Shiva was originally available on the Internet under the independent label, HIS Records (HIS CD001, 1999). This version contained 9 tracks and is no longer available. The CD was then signed to Track Records, expanded to 10 tracks and released in September 2002 (Track Records, TRK1018CD, 2002). It was launched that same year with a live gig at the Brighton Psychedelic Festival.
Between 1999 and 2002 Sexton created and wrote the children's science fiction comedy-drama The Ivory Tower, produced and directed by Jacqui Corcoran, for RTE RADIO. It ran for four seasons, clocking up 103 half-hour episodes. It was for this series that he created the character of Johnny Coffin who was eventually to appear in the novels published by The O'Brien Press.
Sexton was the Fiction Editor for The Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
Literary Review in 2007. In that same year he won the Listowel literary festival Poetry Prize for his poem The Green Owl. Also in 2007 he was awarded a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship in Poetry.
Poetry Collections
- The Prince's Brief Career (Cairn Mountain Publishing, Ireland 1996)
- Shadows Bloom (Doghouse Books, Ireland 2004)
- Vortex (Doghouse Books, Ireland 2005)
- Petit Mal (Revival Press, Ireland 2009)
Children's Novels
- The Johnny Coffin Diaries (The O'Brien Press / RTE, Dublin 2001)
- Johnny Coffin School-Dazed (The O'Brien Press, Dublin 2002)