Books on Tyne Festival: 50 – Not Out!
I'm thrilled to be kicking off this year's Books on Tyne festival with fellow author Helen Bridgett. Join us for feelgood fiction, poignant poetry and more. Full event details below. 50 - Not Out! 11am Saturday 23rd November 2019 Newcastle…
Do or die: poetry in politics
Politics has little to do with poetry, you might think. But for weeks Boris Johnson has been repeating his intention to take Britain out of the EU by October 31st “do or die”. The quote comes from Robert Burns' patriotic…
The Black Cab: Views from the back seat
INTERVIEW FEATURE: Poet John Challis talks to me about his pamphlet The Black Cab — plus work, fatherhood and the flickering shadows of film noir… You’ll find John Challis — the poet, not the character actor — busy behind the scenes…
Free poetry pack available to download now
Forget chocolate! Get creative this Easter with my free poetry pack. It's been a few months in the making and I'm excited to launch this colourful and creative poetry pack just in time for the holidays. So grab a bit…
Poetry in a pandemic
Live poetry events are on pause during the pandemic, but if you are organising online poetry readings or festivals during the lockdown, please feel free to get in touch. Otherwise, please check back here for updates. There's much to look…
Book illustration: Q&A with Kate Heiss
British printmaker and illustrator Kate Heiss talks about her creative process and reveals how she approaches book illustration What inspires you? Nature: the flowers and birds in my garden and walks in the countryside. If I’m on a walk and…
Tidings: A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel
Do you love a well-told Yuletide tale? I must admit I do. One of my favourite festive books last year was Tidings: A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel (Chatto and Windus, 2016). This moving narrative poem has all the hallmarks…