Getting angry for the sake of performance (and deeply held feminist convictions) at the fantastic open mic night organised by Adam Probert at The Bird in Hand pub in Stafford on 17th February. Performance Poets and Musicians, all excellent, made for a wonderful end to an already brilliant day.
Reading at St Chad's Church in Stafford 17th February - part of the Stafford Green Arts Festival. Lots of poets, speakers and musicians giving their unique view of global warming, the threat to our oceans, and all things environmental. I read poems about the plight of the Sami people in Sweden, the little-known outside of Merseyside but wonderful Ainsdale Beach, and the approach of spring. Thank you Mel Wardle-Woodend for organising this event. I will back at the church at around 11.40am on Saturday 24th February for another poetry reading and to enjoy more time watching the other artists.
Publications and Performances
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I was delighted to be the joint first prize winner in "Most Beautiful Use of Language" category with Sam Palmer (no relation) with her story "Sea Change". The whole event at Central City Library was a great success and very well attended. Thanks Writer's Kiln I can't wait for the next one.
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Despite the snow, it was a good turn out for the event and I enjoyed the very positive reaction to my short story "If you believed, they put a man on the moon"
Some people believe it never happened....but this story is not so much about that as the definition of "progress" and "civilisation" and what can happen when those veneers are under threat...
Some people believe it never happened....but this story is not so much about that as the definition of "progress" and "civilisation" and what can happen when those veneers are under threat...
28th October 2015 - Culture Show 4pm - 6pm reading "Lay Down your Heart"
Semi-finalist
After missing the summer 6 x 6 event (due to being in beautiful Orkney) I am delighted to be reading at the autumn Reading Cafe. My story "It used to be nicer on planet Earth" is a new genre for me - speculative fiction. Absolutely no spoilers - just to say that to ‘speculate’ means to investigate, wonder, or guess.
My Poem "The 101" is included in the The Staffordshire Poetry Collection
In conjunction with the current poet laureate, Bert Flitcroft, Satffordshire County Council have launched Staffordshire's first Poetry Collection. Created to help develop a cultural identity for Staffordshire by creating a picture of the county in words, the poems come from a whole range of different people from all over the County.
To view the poems online visit: Staffordshire Poetry Collection
In conjunction with the current poet laureate, Bert Flitcroft, Satffordshire County Council have launched Staffordshire's first Poetry Collection. Created to help develop a cultural identity for Staffordshire by creating a picture of the county in words, the poems come from a whole range of different people from all over the County.
To view the poems online visit: Staffordshire Poetry Collection
I will be reading my story "Winter Solstice" The word Solstice is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the sun seems to stands still. That is, the seasonal movement of the sun's path as seen from Earth comes to a stop before reversing direction. This lasts for three days. A lot can happen in three days.
One of six writers chosen to read - my short story "66° North" about a very different New Years Eve in Reykjavík.
Reading an excerpt from my work-in-progress novella "Finding Frank". Maggie and Frank are half-siblings, seperated by an age gap of 10 years, the secrets and lies of their mutual and despised father, and Maggie's foolish mother. In 1982 when Maggie is 26 years old, she finally meets her older half-brother. No good can come of it.
My book of poetry 2015 - Price £2.50 Dark and gothic, the poems I had to get out there. Thanks to City Voices Publishing
Two poems were included in this anthology published by Offa'a Press "The 101 -Stone to Hanley" and "White Noise"
One of six winners in the national "Write Science" competition, part of Stella Duffy OBE's Fun Palaces 2016. Fun Palaces asked that that writers meet with a scientist – or scientists with a writer – and then write a new piece based on that conversation.
The judges were novelists Jake Arnott, Val McDermid and Alex Wheatle, spoken word performer and poet Salena Godden, novelist and LittleBrown editor Antonia Hodgson. From submissions across the UK the judges picked six pieces as their final choice. My poem Listening to Jupiter was one of the six. I was astounded and honoured to be part of this! http://funpalaces.co.uk/writescience-finalists-announced/collaborating with Six Towns Radio for an interview with Brett Shah and with Ceramic City Stories Fun Palace, Stoke at the Wedgewood Institute Burslem on Sunday 2nd October, 12pm
The judges were novelists Jake Arnott, Val McDermid and Alex Wheatle, spoken word performer and poet Salena Godden, novelist and LittleBrown editor Antonia Hodgson. From submissions across the UK the judges picked six pieces as their final choice. My poem Listening to Jupiter was one of the six. I was astounded and honoured to be part of this! http://funpalaces.co.uk/writescience-finalists-announced/collaborating with Six Towns Radio for an interview with Brett Shah and with Ceramic City Stories Fun Palace, Stoke at the Wedgewood Institute Burslem on Sunday 2nd October, 12pm
I have five poems and a short story in this anthology. The title of the book is taken from my poem of the same name, which won a poetry competition on a Potteries theme, judged by Theresa Fox- Wells of Middleport Pottery.