Lyric Lounge: New Arts Exchange, Nottingham
Sat 25 Sept 2010: 1.00-2.00 pm
One-to-ones for poets. Work to be submitted beforehand. Details to follow.

Beeston International Poetry Festival: Beeston Library
Wed 20 October 2010, 7.00 pm
Poetry reading with Kathy Daszkiewicz

Momentum New Playwriting Festival: Curve, Leicester
Fri 29/Sat 30 October 2010
Extract from my new play ‘Always in the Afternoon’ performed along with other extracts from playwrights on the East Midlands ‘Crossovers’ Project (Theatre Writing Partnership)

Marple Arts Group
Thursday 18 November, 2010
Talk about my life as a poet and reading: Saying Yes

NEWS!

 Summer 2010

• I am still very busy with the wonderful ‘Crossovers’ Project run by Theatre Writing Partnership. My play is now in its sixth draft and has been workshopped by actors - really exciting process. I’ve learned an incredible amount about playwriting in an intense introduction to the world of theatre, and the mentoring and practical support we’ve been given, not to mention all the theatre visits and talks I’ve experienced, have been invaluable. It all culminates at the end of October in performed extracts of our plays at Leicester Curve (see below).
• My poem, M. Hartley & Son (from ‘The Sky, Head On’), about my late father’s previous family business in Clitheroe’s King Street, is to be published in a special anthology of shop poems  being produced there, and displayed as a shop poster in the town. I’m really pleased to be involved with this.
• In July, I introduced and ran a workshop for the Derbyshire Writing Ambitions Day, organised with Ali Betteridge, Literature Development Officer for Derbyshire - a day for writers seeking to progress in the business of writing. It was an inspiring day and I am to lead a follow-up workshop in Professional Development Planning for writers in the autumn.

EARLIER POSTS

EVENTS

Saturday 17 July 2010
Southwell Poetry Festival
Poetry Reading - John Lucas and Friends event

Saturday 26 June 2010
Student Performance from Into The River (see below) - Lowdham Book Festival
Lowdham Chapel, Main Street: 3.30 pm

Wednesday 17 June 2010
Launch of the University of Nottingham’s Creative Writing Degree Student Anthology, Into the River - Angear Visitor’s Centre: 7.00 pm
Congratulations to all the students for their fantastic input into the anthology and all the hard work they’ve put into making the anthology such a success.

Tuesday 8 June 2010
As part of the Derbyshire Literature Festival, I will be at Aston-on-Trent Village Hall alongside Book Doctor Priscilla Baily, talking about books and reading favourite poems.

Sunday 6 June 2010
Shipley Park, Heanor, all afternoon, leading poetry activities for all with Derbyshire Poet Laureate Ann Atkinson. Come along and take part in our poetry trail and write a poem for our poe - tree.

22 April 2010
Poetry reading at Nottingham Poetry Series event along with Mark Goodwin and Kerri French at the Angear Visitors’ Centre, Lakeside, University of Nottingham at 7.30 pm . More information at www.nottinghampoetryseries.com

 NEWS!

March 2010

I’m really excited to be one of six East Midlands writers selected for the Crossovers project, run by East Midlands Theatre Writing Partnership. I will be writing a new piece for theatre between now and October, an extract of which will be performed at Leicester Curve on 29 and 30 October, alongside other new writing during the Momentum New Theatre Writing Festival. I’ll be really busy during the next few months visiting theatre productions, attending workshops and mentoring sessions, and eventually working with actors and directors on the finished pieces. It’s brilliant news and a major new challenge!

March 2010

My poem, Vital Valley, has been read out at an Amber Valley Planning Board meeting, as part of the debate to try and save the valley from major superstore development. Poetry where poetry has never been read before, and doing its job.

November 2009

Nomination for ‘More Glass Than Wall’

Just heard the great news that ‘More Glass Than Wall’ (see ‘Commissions’) has been nominated for a 2009 British Composer Award in the Educational Project Category! 

New Book!

My new poetry collection, The Sky, Head On, published by Shoestring Press is now out and currently available (£8.95 p+p free) by contacting me via this website.

September 2009

A Class Act

On Monday, 21 September, at The Country Kitchen, Wirksworth, my outgoing WEA ‘Poetry and Performance’ class of Summer 2009 performed their work to a packed audience.  The event, ‘A Class Act’ was the result of 5 weeks of intensive work in programming, performance and confidence-building, and the final evening, a showcase event as part of the Wirksworth Festival, was very well-received.

Some sample comments are below. Well done, all, you were brilliant!

Wow! What an evening!  Thank you - thank you - thank you.

A delightful evening of poetry rendered by people who were obviously enjoying their poetry writing and reading.

Can I congratulate you all for the wonderful, entertaining and superbly organised poetry reading. An excellent and impressive selection of pieces of work and performed with skill and confidence.

Hugely entertaining and inspiring. A lovely convivial evening.

Excellent performances from all. Really enjoyed my first poetry reading. Thank you.

All components worked so well: presentation, timing, variety, voice projection, wit, humour, sadness … a wonderful evening’s entertainment!

 
Monologue Prize

My monologue, Always in the Afternoon, second-prizewinner in the East Midlands Dream Up Monologue Writing Competition, organised by New Perspectives, Theatre Writing Partnership and East Midlands Airport, has now been recorded.  Date of web broadcast to be announced.