Last Wednesday I spent a good part of the day at Keats House in London – in the afternoon meeting with around 35 or so Stanza Reps from around the country and beyond, then the evening AGM where I’d been invited to read. Even as I write that I find it slightly unreal. But it did actuallyRead more ⟶
Month: November 2014
Poetry competitions: ‘do you not know who I think I am?’
I laughed out loud at Martin Malone’s editorial in The Interpreter’s House 57 on the subject of poetry competitions. “What is wrong with us? […] Are we such fragile approval junkies that we need to feel repeatedly validated by our Highly Commended in the East Jokerville 3rd Annual Arts Festival Poetry Competition?” Er, is thatRead more ⟶
Vanguard Readings – Six Poets & Anthology Launch
Richard Skinner’s excellent Vanguard Readings at The Bear in Camberwell generally hosts both poets and prose writers, but last night was a poetry special. Somehow I managed to arrived only just in time, but I’m pleased I did as the first reader was my friend Josephine Corcoran. Josephine’s first pamphlet is ‘The Misplaced House’, out fromRead more ⟶
Catherine Smith’s The New Cockaigne
Last week I managed to grab the last available chair upstairs at The Lewes Arms for the first performance of Catherine Smith’s The New Cockaigne. Luckily I didn’t sit in the chair reserved for the performers, or it could have been embarrassing – we were treated to an unrestrained romp – “a verbal feast ofRead more ⟶
Submissions, readings, blogging books
I’ve been busy with work stuff lately so just a quick update. I had another rejection from The Poetry Review (but a nice note from Maurice Riordan) and I’m still awaiting news on half a dozen magazines I have poems out to. After umming and ahhing about submitting my short pamphlet to Templar Iota Shots IRead more ⟶
Isabel Palmer’s ‘Ground Signs’
One of the interesting things about the Poetry Book Fair in September was seeing poetry pamphlets and books from different publishers side by side, and the great variety in jacket designs, colours and fonts. Flarestack was one of the tables that really caught my attention, with its beautifully simple pamphlet covers. Just look at the clean,Read more ⟶