Ash Dickinson - Poetry at the Brewhouse

Poetry at The Brewhouse kicks off on 7 February 2013. The featured poet for February is the internationally known performance poet, Ash Dickinson.

They say he's a 'master of stand-up poetry'. Don't know what stand-up poetry is? It's where the poet stands up without a crib or prompt and entertains the audience. This man is entertaining. Hilariously serious one minute; deadly funny the next. You really don't want to miss him!

Open floor session for which there are only three slots left. If you want to book one, let John know as soon as possible as it's strictly first come, first served.

John Stuart

Chairman - Fire River Poets

Freefall Writing Competition

Freefall Writing Competition....In her forthcoming book, Writing Without a Parachute: The Art of Freefall, Barbara Turner-Vesselago sets out the method by which she has helped hundreds of people worldwide to develop a new relationship with writing through deepening what she calls the aspect of 'surrender' in the writing process.

1. Pick a prompt from this list, if you wish: 
a) A sound heard in childhood 
b) Don't go near the water 
c) Nothing has ever tasted so sweet 
d) "Talk to me like the rain, and let me listen" 
e) Hearing my name in the night 

Or you can simply start from ‘what comes up’
Contact if you would like full entry details...
Freefall Writing website

Introducing Merac and Howard

I'd like to bring your attention to a new blog from the world of MR W.... Introducing 'Merac and Howard', perhaps the most odd characters you will ever come across. Their dull, macabre lives will be published on the blog 'Merac & Howard' in instalments so sign up now so you don't miss out on the latest grimy fingerprint of their sad little world, smeared onto your cotton bedsheets....

Little House Short Story competition

Little House Short Story Competition 

For stories up to 2,000 words.

First prize £100 and a full critique

Five runners up also receive a critique of their submission.

Deadline: December 31st 2012

Entry fee: £5.00  

2013 Bristol Short Story Prize

The Bristol Short Story Prize 2013 is now open. Stories can be entered online or by post and the closing date for entries is midnight (BST) on 30th April 2013. Please read the 2013 BSSP rules before entering. The judging panel will be chaired by editor and literary consultant, Ali Reynolds, a former editor at Random House.

Any script writers out there? This one's for you....
BBC Writers Room submissions

Autumn Reading Challenge

Last year I set myself the challenge of reading all the shortlisted books from the Man Booker Prize Shortlist. I managed to read them all, largely because I had a holiday during that time and can always read more when I'm not side-tracked by daily business. Even though some weren't the kind of books I'd normally choose to read,  I have to say I discovered some fascinating writers and storytellers and would like to read more of their work.
Now this year I find an email announcing the 2012 Man Booker Prize Shortlist so I'm setting myself the same challenge. The full list can be found on The Man Booker Prize website if you'd like to do the same. I think I'll ease myself in with 'Swimming Home' by Deborah Levy.
Happy Reading!

2012 Bridport Prize Winners Notified

Perhaps one of the most prestigious writing competitions, we await the results....due to be announced on October 14th 2012. See The Bridport Prize website.

Newspaper Taxis: Poetry After the Beatles

The Beatles changed popular culture in an era when popular culture was changing the world, high culture and low culture blending to become our culture.

We are looking for poems that exist only because The Beatles did, but come after, going beyond hagiography and reminiscence to capture what made them a vital force, at the forefront of creative and social change.

The editors of ‘The Captain’s Tower: Seventy Poets Celebrate Bob Dylan at Seventy’ (Seren, 2011) will draw upon ‘Things We Said Today: Poems About The Beatles’ (Stride, 1994) to create a new anthology to mark fifty years of the only pop group guaranteed a place in histories of the future.

Contributors then included Philip Larkin, Roger McGough, Carol Ann Duffy, Adrian Henri, Wendy Cope, Jeremy Reed, Wes Magee and Lachlan MacKinnon.

Please email your submissions to: newspapertaxisbook@gmail.com

Watchet Summertime Week - performance poets wanted!

Pete Stevenson is organising a 'Busking' day for the Watchet Summertime Week (see website for more details of whats on - watchetsummertime.btck.co.uk) on August 13th. He is asking musicians etc to do a stint on the day and also anyone who does performance poetry if they would be interested. He is clear that he wants very performance style stuff (no agonising!!) as whoever does it will have to make themselves heard on the esplanade, grab people who are walking past etc. with their words of course!

He is also organising a poetry reading at the Watchet Live Music Festival on the early evening of 24th August - also performance poetry which is usually done in one of the smaller tents (tea tent) where they have a mike and later on they do accoustic stuff. If you go to this event he would need your name to go on the door so you can get in free for the evening.

Anyone interested in either of these can ring Pete to discuss 07896867799.

POEM: For Harry

I have written this poem for my future Godson's Christening in June- any feedback appreciated...Thanks Polly x

June the 3rd and someone, somewhere seeks light.


And we are at the beginning,

Out of an old answer comes a question.

Will I promise to teach you what I know?

No. I will not promise you one thing.

I will point towards the light through the leaves and hope you see beyond the sky.

I will paddle with you in the waves, make mud pies and let ice-cream drip down your chin.

Let you select the best shells, dip nets in rock pools, draw out the slimy monsters.

Will I promise to have the answers? No.

I cannot promise you this.

But I will hold your hands and rub your feet if you wish.

This is your story that’s unfolding, a sunny view, a comfy cot,

Music and stillness, fullness and expectation.

Find your feet.

I’ll let you stare at spoons if you so wish.

Show the wonders of a pickled egg in a packet of crisps.

I’ll show you the utter randomness of life,

Laugh when you rant; cheer when you try.

But now go the bells and we are ready to rush

to more places to drink and raise toasts,

greet other faces who smile ‘cause you’re little and can’t yet speak words.

But words are piffle when you can have song –

let us learn from the dolphins, the wolves and unicorns

Dare to put your faith in the unseen. Dive in.

Let us learn from the trees and the bugs and the tigers.

Let us learn from the dreams of butterflies and poets.

Find your feet. Then fly.

And remember to send the postcards

I’ll pin them up, keep them dry.

Bradninch Music and Literary Festival in Devon

Poetry Workshop and Reading at the Bradninch Music and Lit Festival in Devon that might be of interest. See website for details. Bradninch is a lovely old village, not very far from Cullompton in Devon.

SATURDAY 2nd JUNE from 11am to 1pm, POETRY WORSHOP with GENISTA LEWES in the WHITE LION PUB, BRADNINCH, DEVON. READING takes place from 5pm to 6pm.

There will be spaces for open mic readings during the session which might interest some of you?? Make a change from all the royal celebrations!!

New FREE Magazine - OUT NOW..

LAMP (Literature, Arts, Music, Performance) is a new FREE magazine edited by Lionel Ward of Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton. It includes a poetry section. Brendon Books

Poetry London Competition - closing soon

Poetry London Competition
1st Prize £1000
plus publication in the magazine
Judge: Neil Astley

click on the title above for more details...

About a Dog

We found a dog in our free period.
Decided it was lost, named it Alec,
looked under its tail to check.
Suddenly we were children faced with a decision.
We walked away, Alec followed.
Alec didn't look like a biter;
no collar; clean paws; no frothing at the mouth
i.e. rabies free.
The policewoman asked us questions,
we said, "His name's Alec".
He stared a betrayal at us - wagged his tail.
We had just started 'Tess of the D'urbervilles
and didn't know. The teachers with no imagination
asked, "What were you doing wandering in town?"
Mr Dams smiled with his eyes and said,
"Trust you two!"
We picked wiry dog hairs off our jumpers
during double Psychology -
'The Mating Ritual of a Stickleback
can teach us how other animals court. Discuss
1000 words'.
We drew willies on Ali's folder the whole lesson.
Our future was the weekend.
We forgot about Alec.

IF YOU'RE A POET - DON'T MISS THIS ON 14TH APRIL!

Getting Your Poetry Published: A Seminar Session with Neil Astley
Organisation: B&NES Arts Development
Date: Saturday 14 April, 10.30am-12.30pm
Price: £10, £8 concessions
Venue: BRLSI, Queens Square, BA1 2HN
Book Now!
Neil Astley of Bloodaxe Books offers a nuts-and-bolts examination of the whys and wherefores of getting your poetry published in books and magazines.

This seminar led by Neil Astley, Editor and Managing Director of Bloodaxe Books offers a nuts-and-bolts examination of the whys and wherefores of getting poetry published in books and magazines. Neil has published hundreds of poets but has also had to reject many more. He offers an informed, insider's view of poetry publishing and bookselling.
The session involves a general reality check as well as attention to particular concerns and questions.

Not to be missed.

Neil Astley has edited nearly a thousand poetry books and published several bestselling anthologies. He won a Gregory Award for his own poetry, and has published two poetry collections, Darwin Survivor and Biting My Tongue. He has previously been a board member of the Poetry Book Society.

News from Fire River Poets

After the wonderful assortment of poetry at our March reading with the uplifting poems of Rose Flint alongside our usual variety of open mic offerings which were all shades from dark to light, from fun to disturbing, we offer our usual mix of poetry and discussion at our poetry cafe on 5 April.

All we ask is that you bring along a poem of your own that you would like to read and be prepared to join in the debate on poetic forms and styles, techniques and problems, on competitions and magazines, on publishers and the internet. In other words, on every issue that is current in poetry today. One of our Fire River Poets members, Anthony Watts, who has four publications to his credit, will lead off as our featured poet for the evening by reading some of his latest work and perhaps answering a few questions, but thereafter, the evening is yours ...

To newcomers I say: "don't be shy". If you have never read your own work in public before, this is an ideal opportunity to do so in front of a friendly audience of fellow poets.

John

Yeovil Literary Prize 2012

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOVELISTS,, POETS AND SHORT STORY WRITERS SIGNIFICANT PRIZES!!
JUDGED BY PROFESSIONAL WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS
Novelists, can't find a competition with a category for you? Look no further! The YEOVIL LITERARY PRIZE is just waiting for you! It's open to poets and short story writers as well as novelists,
There are three categories:
THE NOVEL
Please send the synopsis with opening chapters (up to 15,000 words in total) : Entry fee - £11 for each novel submitted Prizes 1st = £1,000 2nd = £250 3rd = £100
THE SHORT STORY – Up to a maximum of 2,000 words.
Entry fee - £6 for each short story submitted Prizes - 1st = £500 : 2nd = £200 : 3rd = £100
POETRY – A poem with a maximum of 40 lines. Entry fee - £6 for one poem, £9 for two, £11 for three Prizes - 1st = £500 : 2nd = £200 : 3rd = £100
The closing date is 31st May 2012, 23:59
Several winners and runners-up have gone on to publishing success!
Full details, rules and entry instructions can be found by clicking the title.
Or write to:
Yeovil Literary Prize, The Octagon Theatre, Hendford, Yeovil, BA20 1UX
Get writing!

Andrew Motion - at the Brewhouse, Taunton

The Brewhouse 35th Birthday Celebrations
Thursday 29 March
7.45pm

Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate (1999-2009), introduces Silver, his eagerly awaited sequel to Treasure Island, featuring a cast of noble seamen, murderous pirates and tales of love, valour and terrible cruelty.

He also reads from his latest book of poems, The Cinder Path (Faber), which was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry; from Laurels And Donkeys, a profoundly moving sequence of poems about conflicts from 1914 to the war in Afghanistan; and from his acclaimed autobiography In The Blood – A Memoir Of My Childhood.

Andrew will answer questions about his writing and the role of Poet Laureate.

The event will be followed by a book signing.
More info on Taunton Brewhouse website

Write on at The Holburne

Bath Festivals' Write Team are taking over the Holburne Museum during the Festival and have a series of events aimed at 12-18 year olds wanting to get a taste of the world of writing and publishing. Starting on Monday 5 March, each session will look at a different aspect of the writing process, from how to find inspiration; to cultivating and structuring your work, as well as the editing process and how best to start promoting yourself. With Luke Blackall and Tim Walker from The Independent on hand to give tips, these will be an invaluable introduction for anyone hoping to develop their writing skills.

Tickets £8 per workshop or £35 for all
Book Online