News 2016
2016 News
DECEMBER 2016
21st December... My poem "All through the wintertime" has been highly commended in Cannon Poets' Sonnet or Not competition, and published in "The Cannon's Mouth"; another poem of mine was commended.
20th December... "Watcher of the Skies" (an anthology of space-themed poetry for children, published this year by The Emma Press) has received a lovely review by Emily Lakdawalla of The Planetary Society, in which my poem "Uranus: Roll Up, Roll Up" gets a nice mention:
14th December... My poem "Winter Song" has been published in a new seasonal anthology, "Midwinter", from Three Drops Press.
Details can be viewed here:
https://threedropspoetry.co.uk/2016/12/11/three-drops-from-a-cauldron-midwinter-2016/
11th December... My poem "Fish" has the honour of being the opening poem in an exciting new anthology called "Tailfins and Sealskins" from Three Drops Press, on the theme of water-lore.
Details can be viewed here:
https://threedropspoetry.co.uk/print-anthology/
10th December... I will be reading my poem "Winter Song" as part of the programme of "Festive Words and Music" at St Andrew's Church, Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill, London N10. The evening starts at 7pm, and includes choristers, musicians and other spoken word artists. All welcome, and collections will be made on the night for charitable causes.
NOVEMBER 2016
26th November... Along with many fine poets, I will be reading at the launch of issue 3 of "The Fenland Reed" at The Babylon Gallery in Ely, Cambridgeshire, at 7.30pm.
I’m delighted that my poem “That hot summer” is one of 25 shortlisted in the Live Canon Poetry Competition, and will be published in the competition anthology.
The poem will be performed by one of the ensemble’s talented professional actors, along with the other shortlisted poems, at the prize-giving gala at Greenwich Theatre on Sunday 20th November 2016. Details of the shortlist and the performance are at the links below:
http://www.livecanon.co.uk/poetry-competition
OCTOBER 2016
31st October... I have three poems published in "Liminal Time, Liminal Space", a new anthology from American publisher, Between the Lines.
27th October... The new edition of excellent literary journal, "The Fenland Reed", has just been published, and contains my poem "Flounder". Purchasing details can be viewed here:
http://www.thefenlandreed.co.uk/subscribe
22nd October... The new Samhain anthology from Three Drops from a Cauldon has been published online and in print. The anthology features my poem "Corn Dolly".
Details can be found on the Three Drops' website:
https://threedropspoetry.co.uk/
or
10th October... The new edition of the Pre-Raphaelite Society's "Review" has been published, and includes two of my PRB-inspired poems: "The Golden Stairs" and "William De Morgan's Blackbird Vase". For information about the Society, and details of how to join, please visit:
http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org/
Saturday 1st October... Along with many fine poets, I will be reading at the London launch of "Watcher of the Skies", an anthology of poems about space and aliens, produced by The Emma Press, and aimed at older children.
Details of the book can be viewed here:
https://theemmapress.com/books/watcher-of-the-skies/
SEPTEMBER 2016
I am delighted to have a poem, "On Openness", commended in the inaugural Winchester Poetry Prize 2016, particularly as the competition received almost 1,500 entries.
The poem appears in the competition anthology, "Salt on the Coals", and a list of winners and commended poets can be viewed here:
http://www.winchesterpoetryfestival.org/poetry-prize-longlist
Saturday 24th September... Launch of "Something Remains" at British Fantasy Society's convention, Fantasy Con by the Sea, in Scarborough.
This Alchemy Press anthology contains short stories and poems written in response to notes left by the late Joel Lane.
Details of the book can be viewed here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Remains-Peter-Coleborn/dp/1911034049
JULY 2016
I am honoured to have been invited to contribute a poem to "Something Remains", a forthcoming anthology from Alchemy Press, produced as a tribute to Joel Lane. The book will be launched in September, but in the meantime, details can be viewed here:
https://alchemypress.wordpress.com/alchemy-publications/2016-publications/something-remains/
JUNE 2016
I was invited by the poet Anthony Fisher to record my poem “A Questionnaire for the Asteroid Belt” (Enfield Poets’ Poem of the Month at the Dugdale Theatre in October 2014) for his new Poetry Jukebox in the theatre’s impressive foyer/coffee bar. You can listen here:
17th June... My poem "Song of the Siren" appears in the first edition of Three Drops Poems' new-look webzine, which can be viewed here:
https://threedropspoetry.co.uk/2016/06/17/three-drops-from-a-cauldron-issue-one/
MAY 2016
Saturday 7th May... As winner of the William Blake Poetry Prize 2015, I have been invited by the Big Blake Project to give a poetry reading on Saturday 7th May, at the Worthing Museum, for an an event celebrating the "Blake's Outsiders" exhibition. I will be joined by fellow poet Allen Ashley, and and we will be reading at 3pm, during an entire afternoon dedicated to William Blake-related literary events.
Friday 27th May 2016... I will be giving an hour-long reading of my poetry inspired by the lives and works of the Pre-Raphaelites at Dr Serena Trowbridge's exciting conference, "Reading Art: Pre-Raphaelite Painting and Poetry", at Birmingham Midland Institute, 6pm on Friday 27th May. Details of Serena's work and of the conference can be viewed here:
https://readingart.wordpress.com/
Tickets for conference events, including my poetry reading, can be purchased at this link:
APRIL 2016
Saturday 23rd April, 7pm... I will be a guest reader at Poetry in the Crypt at St Mary's in Upper Street, Islington N1. This is always a wonderful poetry evening, beautifully hosted by Nancy Mattson and Michael Bartholemew-Biggs. Open mic, plus a free coffee and cake in the interval!
MARCH 2016
Friday 11th March... Rhyme and Rhythm Jazz-Poetry Club at the Dugdale Theatre in Enfield. Allen Ashley and I will be co-hosting another classy evening of fine poetry and jazz, with ace jazz quartet, Special Edition, led by Louis Cennamo, and guests Alison Brackenbury and John Godfrey. Please see:
http://www.enfield.gov.uk/millfield/homepage/17/whats_on_dugdale
My poem "Sea is for Circe" has been highly commended in the York Mix/York Literature Festival Poetry Competition. It can be read here, along with winning and other commended poems:
FEBRUARY 2016
My poem "Unfinished", a commission for the Pre-Raphaelite Society, and inspired by the William Morris Gallery's excellent "Rossetti's Obsession" exhibition, has been published in the Society's "Review". For details of the PRS, please see:
http://www.pre-raphaelitesociety.org/
Thursday 11th February... I am delighted to be on the judging panel for the North London Heats of the Poetry by Heart competition. What a joy, to listen to inspiring young poetry fans reciting some of their poetry. For more information, please visit:
http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/
My poem, "Earth Mother" is published in issue 2 of fine new literary magazine, "The Fenland Reed". Details are here:
http://www.thefenlandreed.co.uk/
JANUARY 2016
My poems "BLACK HOLE" and "Back to –" have been published in the new, 'black'-themed edition of Terry Grimwood's excellent lit-journal, "Wordland". Purchasing details are here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-grimwood/wordland-6-black-is-the-new-black/ebook/product-22491733.html