It’s been a busy few weeks. Planet Poetry is two episodes into Season 4 and I’ve currently got three interviews to record before Christmas. The first is with Paul Stephenson, whose debut collection Hard Drive (Carcanet) comes with gold-plated reviews – and all well-deserved in my opinion. If this book doesn’t make the shortlists nextRead more ⟶
Tag: clare best
All kinds of poetry news and shenanigans
I like the word shenanigans, don’t you? Although as I just check its meaning I see it can mean underhand goings-on. I don’t have anything underhand to report, but a few things happening now that Autumn is kicking in (just). And my birthday is approaching – always a time of fluidity and change. Poem submissionsRead more ⟶
National Poetry Day (week of)
So Thursday is National Poetry Day, which I shall be celebrating with my Hastings Stanza group, doing what poets do… agonising over line-breaks, commas and what have you. Before that though, on Wednesday, I’ll be at the Fisherman’s Club for the prize readings of a local competition I was a judge for, on the themeRead more ⟶
Recent reading
I’ve got into a rhythm of reading a Canto of Dante’s Purgatory each night before falling asleep, sometimes I get through the chapter commentary & notes too, sometimes not. If I’m too tired to finish the Canto I have to start it again the next day. Purgatorio is a more complex read than Inferno. ThereRead more ⟶
The new ‘How to’ guide is finally done…
Things have been a bit quiet on this blog for the last month, mainly because I’ve been full-on with the new booklet which arrived from the printers today – hurrah! More about that below… a quick zip through other news: Workshops, readings etc Last month I went up to London for a Coffee-House Poetry workshopRead more ⟶
Readings, launches & other poetry news
There’s been a flurry of poetry events lately and lovely things happening. Hastings Stanza reading A couple of weeks back the Hastings Poetry Stanza had its second evening of readings as part of the St Leonards Festival. Somehow we all crammed into the bijou bookshop The Bookkeeper, the proprietors of which are extremely supportive ofRead more ⟶
Seven Questions for Poets #1 – Clare Best
A new series begins here. I thought I’d have a fun Q & A with some of my poet friends, throwing them each seven thorny questions and seeing what comes back. Huge thanks to everyone for playing the game. Stand by for some interesting answers! First up – Clare Best. Clare is author of Treasure Ground (HappenStance 2009), ExcisionsRead more ⟶
The Reading List, week 11 – Clare Best’s ‘Cell’
It seems my blog posts of ‘micro reviews’ have set some sort of trend – who’d have thought? Anyway, I haven’t posted one for a couple of weeks as other aspects of LIFE have rather taken priority. The original idea to read a book a day was ambitious, but the blogging of the reviews has provenRead more ⟶
A Bonanza, a Finale and a look ahead to 2016
It’s been a busy week, still catching up, but I wanted to post a recap of things before we’re into the pre-Christmas week when events seem to accelerate. Last Monday I was I privileged to be a member of the Brighton team (especially considering I now live in Eastbourne) at a Stanza Bonanza with Kent &Read more ⟶
Three featured blogs – writing and ‘X’
It’s funny how writing often goes together with a second passion or skill, and the ingenuity of bloggers in combining them in just one blog is often surprising and interesting. This week’s three featured blogs are to do with writing & gardening, writing & swimming, and writing & animals. OK so I’m not a greatRead more ⟶